Wing Panel Stringer Placement Using Vision-Guided Gantry Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing wing panels in aircraft are time-consuming and costly due to manual placement of stringers, which are often limited by the specificity and size constraints of fixtures or jigs.
Innovation Solution
A wing panel assembly system utilizing an overhead gantry sub-system with stringer lifting assemblies and a guidance system to automate the placement of stringers on wing skins, allowing for precise positioning and efficient assembly across various wing panel designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual methods are used to locate and place stringers on the wing skin, then flexibility in handling different wing designs is maintained, but the process becomes time-consuming and requires many man-hours
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses vision guidance and automated control to enable the assembly system to locate and position stringers autonomously without manual intervention, directly addressing the time-consuming nature of manual placement while maintaining adaptability to different wing designs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated overhead gantry system equipped with vision guidance and programmable control, substituting human labor with an automated mechanical system that operates faster and more consistently
2Manufacturing precision
If fixtures or jigs are used to hold and locate stringers, then placement precision is improved, but the fixtures are specific to one particular wing skin design and have practical size limits
Solution Approach 1:
The overhead gantry system with vision guidance serves multiple functions: it can locate stringers, measure positions, and accommodate different wing skin designs through programmable control, replacing the need for design-specific fixtures with a universal automated system
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses programmable control and vision guidance that can be dynamically adjusted for different wing designs and stringer configurations, allowing the same physical system to adapt to varying requirements without physical reconfiguration of fixtures
3Manufacturing precision
If fixtures or jigs are used to hold stringers, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the size of fixtures or jigs is practically limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from two-dimensional fixture-based positioning to three-dimensional overhead gantry positioning with vision guidance, allowing precise location of stringers anywhere on the wing skin surface without being constrained by fixture size or physical reach limitations
Data Source
AI summary
A wing panel assembly system includes a wing build station, a stringer staging station, and an overhead gantry sub-system including stringer lifting assemblies having lifting mechanisms and end effectors. The end effector has a stringer holder engaging and holding a stringer. The end effector has an actuator operable to move the stringer holder in at least one direction relative to the lifting mechanism. Each stringer lifting assembly is configured to move the stringer from the stringer staging station to the wing build station located relative to a surface of a skin of the wing panel to place the stringer onto the skin of the wing panel in a determined location.