Additive manufactured tool assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10392131-B2
Application number	US-201615331010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2016
Priority date	Aug 26, 2016
Publication date	Aug 27, 2019
Grant date	Aug 27, 2019

Abstract

A tool assembly includes a support frame including support beams and support mounts supporting the support beams. The support frame is rigid and used to transport the tool assembly. A support tool is supported by the support frame and includes a faceplate and a supporting grid structure formed with the faceplate as a monolithic structure defined by a series of AM layers. The faceplate has a supporting surface at a top of the support tool for supporting a working component. The supporting grid structure engages the support beams such that loads are transferred between the support tool and the support frame through the support beams. The support frame maintains dimensional stability of the support tool during transport and when resting within an allowable tolerance of the support tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tool assembly comprising:
a support frame including support beams and support mounts, the support mounts supporting the support beams, the support frame being rigid and used to transport the tool assembly; and
a support tool supported by the support frame, the support tool having a faceplate and a supporting grid structure formed with the faceplate as a monolithic structure, the faceplate and the supporting grid structure being defined by a series of additive manufactured (AM) layers built on each other with the supporting grid structure being positioned below and supporting the faceplate, the faceplate having a supporting surface at a top of the support tool for supporting a working component, the supporting surface being contoured and defined by a well formed into the AM layers;
wherein the supporting grid structure engages the support beams such that loads are transferred between the support tool and the support frame through the support beams, the support frame maintaining dimensional stability of the support tool during transport and when resting.

2. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support frame maintains the dimensional stability within 0.25 mm of a designed dimension of the supporting surface.

3. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support frame maintains dimensional stability of the support tool based on a material of the support tool and a shape of the support tool.

4. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support tool comprises a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer material and the support frame comprises a metal material having a stiffness greater than the thermoplastic or thermoset polymer material.

5. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the supporting grid structure comprises grid walls defining cavities below the faceplate, at least some of the grid walls having brackets at bottom edges of such grid walls, the brackets engaging the support beams.

6. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support tool includes first and second side walls extending a length of the support tool and first and second end walls extending a width of the support tool, the support beams extending widthwise generally between the first and second side walls, a first of the support beams being positioned near the first end wall, a second of the support beams being positioned near the second end wall.

7. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support tool has a depth of at least 20.0 cm, a width of at least 60.0 cm and a length of at least 150.0 cm.

8. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the supporting grid structure includes mounting pads engaging the support mounts such that loads are transferred between the support tool and the support mounts through the mounting pads.

9. The tool assembly of claim 8 , wherein the support beams include attachment plates and the support mounts include attachment plates, the attachment plates of the support beams being coupled to the attachment plates of corresponding ones of the support mounts via bolts passing through the mounting pads of the supporting grid structure.

10. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support frame comprises cross beams, extending between and connecting the support beams.

11. The tool assembly of claim 10 , wherein the cross beams comprise fork-lift sleeves positioned between the support beams, the fork-lift sleeves being configured to receive forks to lift the support frame, lifting forces being transferred from the cross beams to the support beams and from the support beams to the supporting grid structure when the tool assembly is lifted by the forks.

12. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support mounts include hoist rings for hoisting the support frame, lifting forces being transferred from the support mounts to the support beams and from the support beams to the supporting grid structure when the tool assembly is lifted by the hoist rings.

13. The tool assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum assembly configured to provide a vacuum pressure at the supporting surface to hold the working component to the supporting surface.

14. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the faceplate comprises a seal layer at the supporting surface configured to maintain a vacuum pressure at the supporting surface, the seal layer being non-hygroscopic.

15. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the supporting surface supports the working component for trimming the working component to form an aircraft wing component.

16. The tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein the supporting surface is configured to support the working component for pressing the working component to form an aircraft wing component.

17. A tool assembly comprising:
a support frame including support beams, cross beams and support mounts, the support mounts supporting the support beams, the cross beams extending between the support beams, the support frame being rigid and used to transport the tool assembly, the support mounts each having a hoist ring for hoisting the support frame during transport, the cross beams having fork-lift sleeves for receiving forks of a fork lift for lifting the support frame during transport, wherein lifting forces induced to the support frame through the hoist rings or through the fork-lift sleeves are transferred to the support beams; and
a support tool supported by the support frame, the support tool having a faceplate and a supporting grid structure formed with the faceplate as a monolithic structure, the faceplate having a supporting surface at a top of the support tool for supporting a working component, wherein the supporting grid structure engages the support beams such that loads are transferred between the support tool and the support frame through the support beams, the lifting forces being transferred from the support beams to the supporting grid structure and being spread through the support tool by the supporting grid structure.

18. The tool assembly of claim 17 , wherein the support mounts each include bolt down plates configured to bolt down the support mounts to at least one of a floor and a caster.

19. The tool assembly of claim 17 , wherein the support frame further comprises a tow bar attached to at least one of the support beams for towing the support frame during transportation.

20. The tool assembly of claim 17 , wherein the supporting grid structure is connected to the support frame such that the support frame maintains dimensional stability of the support tool during transport and when resting.

21. A tool assembly comprising:
a metal support frame including support beams, cross beams and support mounts, the cross beams connecting between and fixing the support beams in position relative to each other, each of the support beams extending between a first end and a second end, the support mounts being provided at and supporting the support beams at the first and second ends, each of the support beams including a plurality of attachment points along a top thereof, the metal support frame being rigid and used to transport the tool assembly; and
a support tool removably coupled to the metal support frame, the support tool being supported by the metal support frame, the support tool having a faceplate and a supporting grid structure formed with the faceplate as a monolithic structure, the faceplate having a supporting surface at a top of the support tool for supporting a working component, wherein the supporting grid structure engages the support beams at the attachment points such that load

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Deck Eric Eldon
• Matlack Michael Palmore

Classifications

• F16M11/42

  with arrangement for propelling the support {stands on wheels} · CPC title

• B64F5/10 Primary

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

• B25B11/007

  portable, e.g. handheld · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B25H5/00

  Tool, instrument or work supports or storage means used in association with vehicles; Workers' supports, e.g. mechanics' creepers {(collecting or removing exhaust gases in workshops B08B15/002; vehicle lifting devices, e.g. jacks, platforms or ramps B66F)} · CPC title