Contour enforcement for line assembled fuselage segments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11905038-B2
Application number	US-202117454281-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2021
Priority date	Nov 18, 2020
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for assembling a section of a fuselage of an aircraft. The method includes pulsing a half barrel section of the fuselage along a track in a process direction, utilizing an indexing feature associated with the half barrel section to determine a desired contour for a portion of the half barrel section, and enforcing the desired contour onto the half barrel section using components that enforce an inner mold line and components that enforce an outer mold line when the half barrel section is out of tolerance from the desired contour.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system configured to assemble a half barrel section of fuselage, the system comprising:
a track configured to engage bearing edges of the half barrel section;
a drive unit configured to move the half barrel section along the track;
a first arch that comprises first wheels that extend from the first arch configured to:
engage an inner mold line of the half barrel section; and
enforce a desired contour of the inner mold line of the half barrel section; and

a second arch that comprises second wheels that descend from the second arch configured to:
engage an outer mold line of the half barrel section; and
enforce a desired contour of the outer mold line of the half barrel section.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of swing arms, a first portion pivotably mounted to the first arch and a second portion pivotably mounted to the second arch and opposing the first portion; and
a plurality of intake rollers mounted to respective swing arms distal from the first arch and the second arch, the swing arms biased to form a pre-nip for the half barrel section.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein biasing of the pre-nip is of sufficient force to pre-contour the half barrel section prior to engagement of the first wheels or the second wheels.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first wheels that extend from the first arch and the second wheels that descend from the second arch oppose and form a nip, the nip configured to move the half barrel section along the track.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first arch is shaped complementary to the inner mold line of the half barrel section; and
the second arch is shaped complementary to the outer mold line of the half barrel section.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drive unit is operable to pulse the half barrel section of fuselage synchronously in a process direction along the track while holding the half barrel section such that concavity of the half barrel section faces a floor of a factory, while bearing edges of the half barrel section contact the track.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is operable to pulse the half barrel section while the first wheels of the first arch and the second wheels of the second arch engage the half barrel section and enforce the desired contour.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of stanchions, the stanchions elevating the track from a factory floor.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the track comprises a plurality of rollers, the rollers operable for movement of the half barrel section along the track.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller, the controller programmed to store the desired contour and control an extension or retraction of the first wheels or the second wheels.

11. A method for assembling a half barrel section of a fuselage, the method comprising:
securing the half barrel section of fuselage to a track such that a concavity of the half barrel section faces a factory floor, and bearing edges of the half barrel section contact the track;
a drive unit micropulsing the half barrel section along the track in a process direction;
enforcing an inner mold line and an outer mold line on a piecewise portion of the half barrel section via:
a first arch comprising first wheels extending from the first arch enforcing a desired contour upon the inner mold line; and
a second arch further comprising second wheels descending from the second arch and enforcing a desired contour upon the outer mold line to define a desired contour for the half barrel section; and

performing work on the piecewise portion of the half barrel section while the inner mold line and outer mold line are enforced.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein performing work comprises attaching at least one structural component to the half barrel section to retain the desired contour, the at least one structural component comprising at least one of a frame, a window surround, and a door surround.

13. A fuselage assembly system that comprises:
a track configured to engage bearing edges of a half barrel section of a fuselage;
a drive unit configured to move the half barrel sections along the track;
a first arch that comprises a shape complementary to an inner mold line of the half barrel section;
a second arch that comprises a shape complementary to an outer mold line of the half barrel section; and
a plurality of wheels including a first portion of wheels disposed about said first arch and extendable with respect to said first arch to engage the inner mold line, and a second portion of wheels disposed about said second arch and extendable with respect to said second arch to engage the outer mold line the first portion of wheels configured to change their position with respect to a leading edge of the half barrel section and to extend away from the first arch and enforce a desired contour for the leading edge of the half barrel section.

14. A fuselage assembly system that comprises:
a track configured to engage bearing edges of a half barrel section of a fuselage;
a drive unit configured to move the half barrel sections along the track;
an indexing unit configured to recognize, via at least one indexing feature in the half barrel section, that a relevant portion of the half barrel section is indexed to a placement point;
a first arch that comprises first wheels configured to extend the first wheels from the first arch and enforce a desired contour of an inner mold line of the half barrel section;
a second arch that comprises second wheels configured to descend from the second arch and enforce a desired contour of an outer mold line of the half barrel section; and
a traveling workstation configured to couple to the half barrel section, the traveling workstation configured to perform work on the half barrel section during one or more micro pulses and pauses between micro pulses of the half barrel section along the track.

15. A fuselage assembly system that comprises:
a track configured to engage bearing edges of a half barrel section of a fuselage;
a drive unit configured to move the half barrel sections along the track;
an indexing unit configured to recognize, via at least one indexing feature in the half barrel section, that a relevant portion of the half barrel section is indexed to a placement point;
a first arch that comprises first wheels configured to extend the first wheels from the first arch and enforce a desired contour of an inner mold line of the half barrel section;
a second arch that comprises second wheels configured to descend from the second arch and enforce a desired contour of an outer mold line of the half barrel section;
a workstation configured to temporarily attach a component to the half barrel section; and
a traveling workstation configured to be coupled to the half barrel section, the traveling workstation configured to fasten the component to the half barrel section during one or more micro pulses and pauses between micro pulses of the half barrel section along the track.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Smith Daniel R
• Jones Darrell D

Classifications

• B64C1/068

  Fuselage sections · CPC title

• B64F5/10 Primary

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

• B29C65/087

  using both a rotary sonotrode and a rotary anvil · CPC title

• B64F5/50 Primary

  Handling or transporting aircraft components · CPC title

• B29L2031/3082

  Fuselages · CPC title