Surface Profile Assembly for Aircraft Contour Precision

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Solution Overview

Problem

In aircraft and spacecraft assembly, components with key characteristics often deviate from contour degree requirements due to production errors and misalignment, necessitating large-scale repairs and adjustments.

Innovation Solution

A method involving surface profile measurement, subcomponent assembly with load and position adjustments, and finite element method analysis to predict and correct the contour profile of critical surfaces, ensuring accurate coupling positions to maintain contour degree requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If subcomponents are assembled with production errors and positioning shifts, then assembly flexibility is improved, but contour degree precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly flexibilityVSAvoidcontour degree precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The method performs preliminary measurement of subcomponent surfaces and preliminary estimation of the second surface profile before final assembly. This allows positioning adjustments to be calculated in advance based on measured production errors, ensuring that the final assembly achieves the required contour degree precision while accommodating the production variations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The method implements a feedback loop where the measured profiles of subcomponents and the estimated changed profile of the second surface are used to determine optimal coupling positions. This feedback mechanism allows the assembly process to compensate for production errors and positioning shifts, maintaining high contour degree precision while preserving assembly flexibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Manufacturing precision

If large-scale repair is performed to correct contour deviations, then contour degree precision is improved, but device complexity and repair time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontour degree precisionVSAvoidrepair complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The method performs preliminary measurement and estimation before assembly is completed, identifying potential contour deviations early. This allows corrections to be made through simple positioning adjustments rather than requiring large-scale repairs later, reducing repair complexity and time while maintaining contour degree precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The method converts the potentially harmful effect of production errors and positioning shifts into beneficial information by measuring and estimating their impact on the second surface profile. This information is then used to determine optimal coupling positions, transforming what would require complex repairs into simple positional corrections

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Manufacturing precision

If coupling position is adjusted to compensate for production errors, then contour degree precision is improved, but measurement and calculation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontour degree precisionVSAvoidmeasurement and calculation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The method segments the measurement and calculation process into distinct, manageable steps: measuring individual subcomponent surfaces, assembling subcomponents with adjustments, recording adjustment data, estimating the changed profile of the second surface, and determining coupling positions. This segmentation makes the overall complex process more manageable and systematic

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4428042A1Method of producing structure
Publication Date: 2024.09.11 SUBARU CORP
  • EP4428042A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4428042A1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP4428042A1 patent drawingFigure 5(A)~5(C)

AI summary

A method of producing a structure including a first component, having a first surface, and a second component, having second and third surfaces includes: measuring profiles of the second and third surfaces; measuring profiles of fourth and fifth surfaces of subcomponents; assembling the first component by coupling the subcomponents with adjustment; recording data representing the adjustment; estimating a changed profile of the second surface in case of coupling the third surface to the first surface; determining a coupling position of the third surface to the first surface; and coupling the third surface to the first surface at the determined coupling position. The predetermined contour degree is required for the second surface. The first surface is formed by the fourth surfaces. The fifth surfaces influence a profile of the first surface. The changed profile is estimated based on the profiles of the second to fifth surfaces and the recorded data.