Edge trimming for moving-line fabrication of aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022152857-A1
Application number	US-202117454304-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 10, 2021
Priority date	Nov 18, 2020
Publication date	May 19, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for inspecting a structure. One embodiment is a method for inspecting a structure. The method includes advancing a structure along a track in a process direction, aligning a Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) station at the track with an edge of the structure that was trimmed upstream of the cleaning station, imaging the edge via the Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) station, characterizing the edge based on the imaging, and advancing the structure further in the process direction via the track.

First claim

1 . A method for fabrication of a structure, the method comprising:
placing a manufacturing excess of the structure in contact with a track of a structure conveyance; advancing the structure along the track in a process direction towards an edge trimming station; and operating the edge trimming station to remove the manufacturing excess, by moving one of: the structure in the process direction, or the edge trimming station relative to the structure in the process direction or against the process direction.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
dropping scrap into a chute disposed beneath the edge trimming station.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
advancing the structure in the process direction exposes additional manufacturing excess to the edge trimming station.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
removing the manufacturing excess separates indexing features, that were utilized by upstream stations that performed work on the structure, from the structure.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
bearing the structure on a second structure conveyance downstream of the edge trimming station that is taller than of a height of the structure conveyance by a height of the removed manufacturing excess.

7 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
advancing the structure along the structure conveyance in the process direction towards a fine edge trimming station; and
operating the fine edge trimming station to trim additional material from an edge of the structure.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
advancing the structure comprises pulsing the structure by less than a length of the structure; and
operating the edge trimming station comprises sliding a cutter head of the edge trimming station in the process direction.

9 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
operating the edge trimming station to remove the manufacturing excess comprises removing the manufacturing excess by a fixed cutter when the structure is pulsed forward.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the manufacturing excess is removed by a vertical cutter head and a cutter head operating collaboratively, the cutter head operating horizontally.

13 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
applying vertical cuts to the manufacturing excess to enable the manufacturing excess to be removed in predetermined lengths.

14 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
cutting a bearing edge into the manufacturing excess of the structure prior to placing the manufacturing excess on the structure conveyance, wherein the bearing edge is borne by the structure conveyance.

15 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
operating multiple edge trimming stations upon the structure during a pause in advancement of the structure.

16 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
operating multiple edge trimming stations upon the structure during advancement of the structure through the edge trimming stations.

17 . (canceled)

18 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying programmed instructions which, when executed by a processor, are operable for performing a method for fabrication of a structure, the method comprising:
placing a manufacturing excess of the structure in contact with a track of a structure conveyance; advancing the structure along the track in a process direction towards an edge trimming station; and operating the edge trimming station to remove the manufacturing excess, by moving one of: the structure in the process direction or the edge trimming station relative to the structure in the process direction or against the process direction.

19 - 33 . (canceled)

34 . A system for fabrication of a structure, the system comprising:
a structure conveyance that contacts a manufacturing excess of a structure while supporting the structure at a bearing edge of the structure, and that enables movement of the structure in a process direction along the structure conveyance; and an edge trimming station that removes the manufacturing excess by moving relative to the structure in the process direction, moving relative to the structure against the process direction, or remaining stationary as the structure advances in the process direction along the structure conveyance.

35 . (canceled)

36 . The system of claim 34 wherein:
the structure conveyance is a track that comprises:
stanchions that each comprise:
a support that holds the structure in a position; and
a roller that enables the structure to move in the process direction while held by the support.

37 . The system of claim 34 further comprising:
a second track that comprises stanchions which are disposed downstream of the edge trimming station, wherein the stanchions of the second track are dimensioned to support the structure at a final trimmed edge of the structure.

38 . The system of claim 34 wherein:
stanchions disposed upstream of the edge trimming station are taller than stanchions disposed downstream of the edge trimming station.

39 . (canceled)

40 . An apparatus for fabrication of a structure, the apparatus comprising:
a first structure conveyance of a first height that enables movement of the structure in a process direction; an edge trimming station that removes a manufacturing excess from the structure; and a second structure conveyance of a second height that is greater than the first height, that enables movement of the structure in the process direction, and is disposed downstream of the first structure conveyance.

41 . The apparatus of claim 40 wherein:
the first structure conveyance comprises a track; and
the second structure conveyance comprises a second track.

42 . The apparatus of claim 41 wherein:
each of the tracks comprises stanchions arranged in the process direction.

43 . The apparatus of claim 41 wherein:
stanchions are arranged at a height to engage a final trimmed edge of the structure.

44 . The apparatus of claim 42 wherein:
the stanchions include powered rollers.

45 . (canceled)

46 . An apparatus for conveyance of a structure being fabricated, the apparatus comprising:
a first track that bears a manufacturing excess of a structure while supporting the structure, and that enables movement of the structure in a process direction along the first track; and a second track that bears a final trimmed edge of the structure while supporting the structure, and that enables movement of the structure in the process direction along the second track after the manufacturing excess has been removed.

47 . The apparatus of claim 46 wherein:
the second track is taller than the first track by a height of the manufacturing excess.

48 . The apparatus of claim 46 wherein:
the structure comprises a half-barrel section of fuselage, and the first track supports a manufacturing excess on each side of the half-barrel section.

49 . (canceled)

50 . An apparatus for trimming an edge of a structure, the apparatus comprising:
an edge trimming station comprising:
a cutter head that operates horizontally to remove a manufacturing excess from a structure; and
a vertical cutter head that operates vertically to enable the manufa

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Jones Darrell D
• Smith Daniel R

Classifications

• B23D33/00

  Accessories for shearing machines or shearing devices (feeding stock to machines or removing stock B21D43/00) · CPC title

• B23D31/00 Primary

  Shearing machines or shearing devices covered by none or more than one of the groups B23D15/00 - B23D29/00; Combinations of shearing machines · CPC title

• B64F5/10

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

• B64C1/12

  Construction or attachment of skin panels · CPC title

• B64F5/60

  Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems · CPC title