Method for building an assembly fixture for supporting a fuselage assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10835947-B2
Application number	US-201414559277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2014
Priority date	Jul 9, 2014
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A method and apparatus for building an assembly fixture for holding a fuselage assembly. A number of cradle fixtures may be driven across a floor to an assembly area. The number of cradle fixtures may be configured to form the assembly fixture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for building an assembly fixture, the method comprising:
driving a first cradle fixture across a floor to a first selected cradle position in an assembly area, wherein the first cradle fixture comprises a first number of retaining structures configured to support a fuselage section;
driving a second cradle fixture across the floor to a second selected cradle position in the assembly area relative to the first cradle fixture in the assembly area, wherein the second cradle fixture comprises a second number of retaining structures configured to support the fuselage section, wherein during the steps of driving the first cradle fixture and driving the second cradle fixture, the first cradle fixture is not connected to the second cradle fixture;
configuring the first cradle fixture and the second cradle fixture to form the assembly fixture in the assembly area by:
coupling the second cradle fixture to the first cradle fixture in the assembly area after driving the second cradle fixture across the floor to the assembly area to form an interface between the first cradle fixture and the second cradle fixture, wherein the interface is an electrical and physical interface that enables a number of utilities to flow between the first cradle fixture and the second cradle fixture, wherein the number of utilities includes electrical power; and
positioning the first number of retaining structures of the first cradle fixture and the second number of retaining structures of the second cradle fixture to engage a plurality of fuselage sections; and

engaging the plurality of fuselage sections with the first number of retaining structures and the second number of retaining structures after forming the assembly fixture in the assembly area to support the plurality of fuselage sections by the assembly fixture in the assembly area.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
building a fuselage assembly on the assembly fixture in the assembly area from the plurality of fuselage sections supported by the assembly fixture.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
supporting the fuselage assembly using the assembly fixture such that the fuselage assembly meets outer mold line requirements and inner mold line requirements within selected tolerances.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first cradle fixture and the second cradle fixture comprises:
micro-positioning the first number of retaining structures associated with the first cradle fixture and the second number of retaining structures associated with the second cradle fixture.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein micro-positioning the first number of retaining structures and the second number of retaining structures comprises:
micro-positioning each of the first number of retaining structures associated with the first cradle fixture and the second number of retaining structures associated with the second cradle fixture using data acquired from a laser tracking system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
driving the first cradle fixture across the floor to the assembly area comprises driving, autonomously, the first cradle fixture into the first selected cradle position; and
driving the second cradle fixture across the floor to the assembly area comprises driving, autonomously, the second cradle fixture into the second selected cradle position relative to the first cradle fixture.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein driving, autonomously, the first cradle fixture comprises:
driving, autonomously, the first cradle fixture into the first selected cradle position relative to a tower, wherein the tower is configured to allow a human operator or a mobile platform to access and enter an interior of a fuselage assembly supported on the assembly fixture.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein driving, autonomously, the first cradle fixture into the first selected cradle position and the second cradle fixture into the second selection cradle position comprises:
macro-positioning the first cradle fixture and the second cradle fixture using a number of radar sensors.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein driving, autonomously, the first cradle fixture into the first selected cradle position comprises:
driving the first cradle fixture into the first selected cradle position relative to the tower using a number of radar targets associated with the tower.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein driving, autonomously, the second cradle fixture into the second selected cradle position comprises:
driving the second cradle fixture into the second selected cradle position relative to the first cradle fixture using the number of radar targets associated with the first cradle fixture.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
coupling the first cradle fixture to a tower, wherein the tower is configured to allow a human operator or a mobile platform to access and enter an interior of a fuselage assembly supported on the assembly fixture.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein coupling the first cradle fixture to the tower comprises:
coupling the first cradle fixture to the tower autonomously to enable a flow of the number of utilities downstream from the tower to the first cradle fixture and from the first cradle fixture to the second cradle fixture.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
coupling the tower to a utility fixture to enable the number of utilities to flow between the utility fixture and the tower; and
coupling the first cradle fixture to the tower to enable the number of utilities to flow between the tower and the first cradle fixture.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein coupling the second cradle fixture to the first cradle fixture comprises:
connecting a first coupling unit associated with the first cradle fixture to a second coupling unit associated with the second cradle fixture to couple the first cradle fixture to the second cradle fixture.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
connecting a tower coupling unit associated with the first cradle fixture to a cradle coupling unit associated with the tower to couple the first cradle fixture to the tower.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
coupling an external mobile platform to a utilities unit associated with one of the first cradle fixture or the second cradle fixture.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
driving, autonomously, a number of corresponding autonomous vehicles across the floor of a manufacturing environment to position each of the plurality of corresponding autonomous vehicles under a corresponding one of the first cradle fixture and the second cradle fixture.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:
controlling movement of the number of corresponding autonomous vehicles across the floor of the manufacturing environment using data generated by a number of radar sensors associated with the each of the number of corresponding autonomous vehicles.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein controlling the movement of the number of corresponding autonomous vehicles comprises:
controlling the movement of the number of corresponding autonomous vehicles using the data generated by the number of radar sensors associated with the each of the number of corresponding autonomous vehicles to avoid obstacles.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:
coupling an autonomous vehicle in the number of corresponding autonomous vehicles with a corresponding one of the first cradle fixture or the second cradle fixture;

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Oberoi Harinder S
• Reese Iv Richard Griffith
• Barrick Kevin Marion
• Do Quang T
• Draper Alan S
• Gerosa Alfredo Jose
• Sarh Branko
• Gudzinski Gregory
• Miller Jeffrey Lawrence

Classifications

• G05B19/41865

  characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow · CPC title

• B64C1/06

  Frames; Stringers; Longerons {; Fuselage sections} · CPC title

• B64C1/068

  Fuselage sections · CPC title

• B64C1/00 Primary

  Fuselages; Constructional features common to fuselages, wings, stabilising surfaces or the like · CPC title

• B64C1/069

  Joining arrangements therefor · CPC title