Automated system and method to manufacture aeronautic junction parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10324426-B2
Application number	US-201615335202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2016
Priority date	Oct 26, 2016
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

Every junction part for an airplane wing is manufactured with overmaterial. Each part is measured with a laser based interferometer or other scanning technique and the “as built” measurements are compared with a model to generate a new trajectory milling program to fill or prevent gaps between parts using a points cloud and B-Spline algorithm to generate a new surface to be milled. Once the program is generated (new trajectories) and post processed, it is sent to a milling machine to perform overmaterial milling on already milled parts with overmaterial. This technique can be used to eliminate gaps between junction parts and the corresponding need for shims.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing junction parts for an aircraft wing of the type comprising an upper wing structure and a lower wing structure, the method comprising:
(a) milling aircraft wing junction parts with overmaterial, including configuring the junction parts to interconnect the upper wing structure to the lower wing structure via a rib at a semi-wing junction area extending between the upper and lower wing structures;
(b) scanning the junction parts;
(c) using at least one processor, comparing the parts scans with a model;
(d) based on the comparison between the parts scans and the model, generating a trajectory milling program to fill or prevent gaps between the junction parts; and
(e) further milling the junction parts using the trajectory milling program to remove overmaterial, thereby minimizing gaps between parts and eliminating a corresponding need for shimming to fill said gaps,
wherein the junction parts are configured to connect upper and lower skins of the aircraft's wing to the rib.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein scanning comprises scanning the junction parts with a laser based interferometer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing uses a B-Spline algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the scanning creates a data base with points clouds that define the surface profiles of the junction parts based on laser or other scanning.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor automatically generates a milling program to machine shape the junction parts to minimize shim thicknesses between the junction parts to under a certain thickness specification.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the thickness specification is 0.3 mm.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the manufacturing mills the junction parts with 5 mm or less of overmaterial, and the milling mills already-milled junction parts to minimize shim thickness to less than 0.3 mm.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the method reduces cycle time by fine adjusting the overmaterial after measuring the junction parts inside the semi-wing junction area using automatic scanning and automatic milling program generation and performing a B-Spline algorithm to generate multi-section surfaces.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the method enhances structure by inserting no shims due to shape generated on the junction parts thereby avoiding high shear stress and providing a minimum gap between parts below 0.3 mm.

10. A system for manufacturing parts for aircraft wings of the type including upper and lower wing structures, the system comprising:
a milling machine programmed to mill aircraft wing junction parts with overmaterial, the junction parts being configured to interconnect an upper wing structure with a lower wing structure via a vertically extending rib at a semi-wing junction area;
a scanner configured to measure an inner surface and an outer surface of the semi-wing junction area; and
at least one processor operatively coupled to the scanner, the at least one processor comparing the measurements with a model and based on the comparison, generating a trajectory milling program to fill gaps between the junction parts;
the same or different milling machine being configured to use the generated trajectory milling program to again mill the junction parts thereby removing overmaterial to minimize gaps between parts and eliminate the corresponding need for shimming,
wherein the junction parts are configured to connect upper and lower skins of the aircraft's wing to the rib.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the scanner comprises a laser based interferometer.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is configured to compare using a B-Spline algorithm.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the scanner creates a data base with points clouds that define the surface profiles of the parts based on the scanner.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the processor automatically generates a milling program to machine shape to minimize shim thicknesses between junction parts to under a certain thickness specification.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the thickness specification is 0.3 mm.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the milling machine initially provides the junction parts with 5 mm or less of overmaterial.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the system is further configured to reduce cycle time by fine adjusting the overmaterial after measuring the semi-wing junction area using automatic measurement and automatic milling program generation.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the system is configured to enhance structure by inserting no shims due to shape generated on the junction parts thereby avoiding high shear stress and providing a minimum gap between parts below 0.3 mm.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the junction parts are configured to connect to the upper and lower skins of the aircraft's wing and to upper and lower ends of the rib.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the junction parts include splices, the splices being configured to connect to the upper and lower skins of the aircraft's wing.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the junction parts include T-profiles, the T-profiles being configured to connect to the upper and lower ends of the rib.

22. The system of claim 10 , wherein the junction parts are configured to connect to the upper and lower skins of the aircraft's wing and to upper and lower ends of the rib.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the junction parts include splices, the splices being configured to connect to the upper and lower skins of the aircraft's wing.

24. The system of claim 22 , wherein the junction parts include T-profiles, the T-profiles being configured to connect to the upper and lower ends of the rib.

Assignees

• Embraer Sa

Inventors

• Nakashima Megumi
• Da Silva Erik Spada
• Lepri Lincoln José
• Saito Pércio Roiz

Classifications

• B64F5/10

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title

• G05B2219/37355

  Cutting, milling, machining force · CPC title

• B23C2260/56

  Lasers · CPC title

• G05B13/041 Primary

  in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance · CPC title

• B23C3/13

  Surface milling of plates, sheets or strips · CPC title