System and method for manufacturing a wing panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9943937-B2
Application number	US-201313837750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Sep 28, 2012
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

A system and method are provided to automate the assembly of a wing panel, such as utilized by commercial aircraft. In the context of a system, a tacking cell is provided that is configured to tack one or more stringers to a skin plank. The system also includes a riveting cell configured to receive a tacked plank from the tacking cell and to rivet the one or more stringers to the skin plank. The system also includes a splicing cell configured to receive a plurality of riveted planks from the riveting cell and to attach one or more splice stringers to the plurality of riveted planks. Further, the system includes a side of body cell configured to receive a spliced panel from the splicing cell and to attach a side of body chord thereto to produce a wing panel.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A system for automated manufacture of aircraft wing panels comprising:
a tacking cell configured to tack one or more stringers to a skin plank;
a riveting cell configured to receive a tacked plank from the tacking cell and to rivet the one or more stringers to the tacked plank;
a splicing cell configured to receive a plurality of riveted planks from the riveting cell and to attach one or more splice stringers to the plurality of riveted planks;
a side of body cell configured to receive a spliced panel from the splicing cell and to attach a side of body chord thereto to produce a wing panel;
at least one reconfigurable cart configured to carry components of the aircraft wing panels between at least some of the cells including being configured to carry the one or more stringers to the tacking cell and the one or more splice stringers to the splicing cell, wherein the at least one reconfigurable cart comprises a plurality of positioning elements including one or more of a gripper finger, a pogo, an edge index or an end gate positioned so as to hold the components of the aircraft wing panels in a predefined position and in a predefined orientation upon delivery to a respective cell; and
an overhead positioning system configured to carry components of the aircraft wing panels between at least some of the cells including being configured to move the skin plank to the tacking cell, the tacked plank to the riveting cell, the riveted plank to the splicing cell and the spliced panel to the side of body cell, wherein the overhead positioning system comprises a track extending between at least some of the cells and a plurality of vice jaws configured to engage both the track and the components of the aircraft wing panels,
wherein each vice jaw comprises a track member configured to engage the track and a pair of adjustably positionable jaw members configured to engage the components of the aircraft wing panels, and wherein at least one jaw member comprises a pair of adjustably positionable clamp members configured to move along the respective jaw member to receive a riveted plank between the clamp members.

2. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a staging cell upstream of the riveting cell for receiving the one or more tacked planks and for providing the one or more tacked planks to the riveting cell.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein the reconfigurable cart is configured to travel via rails.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the reconfigurable cart comprises an automated guided vehicle.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the overhead positioning system comprises a plurality of vice jaws having first and second jaw members with first and second clamp members, wherein at least one of the clamp members is adjustable.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein each vice jaw further includes one or more extendible members that are configured to adjustably extend into the vice jaw.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the riveting cell, the splicing cell and the side of body cell comprises a plurality of lines to provide for parallel processing.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein the tacking cell, the riveting cell and the splicing cell each include programmably reconfigurable tooling for maintaining the skin plank, the tacked plank and the riveted plank, respectively, in a predefined position.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the programmably reconfigurable tooling is configured to define a plurality of different positions so as to permit the skin plank, the tacked plank and the riveted plank to be maintained in different respective predefined positions.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein the tacking cell, the riveting cell, the splicing cell and the side of body cell each include one or more robots.

11. A system according to claim 1 wherein the reconfigurable cart is configured to move through a portion of the system in a reverse direction to a flow of the skin plank, the tacked plank and the riveted plank through the system.

12. A system according to claim 1 wherein the riveting line comprises a plurality of riveting lines, and wherein the overhead positioning system is configured to transition the one or more tacked planks laterally within the staging cell so as to be aligned with a respective riveting line.

13. A system according to claim 1 wherein one of the tacking cell, the riveting cell, the splicing cell or the side of body cell is configured to operate at a different rate than another one of the tacking cell, the riveting cell, the splicing cell or the side of body cell.

14. A system according to claim 1 wherein the tacking cell comprises reconfigurable tooling configured to engage the skin plank and to establish a predefined contour.

15. A system according to claim 1 wherein the side of body cell comprises reconfigurable tooling configured to engage the spliced panel and to establish a predefined contour.

16. A system according to claim 15 wherein the side of body cell is configured to install one or more paddle fittings while the spliced panel is engaged so as to have the predefined contour.

17. A system according to claim 1 wherein at least one jaw member comprises one or more extendable members configured to adjustably extend into the respective jaw member.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Sisco Farahnaz Tanni
• Smith Daniel R
• Aquino Jayson J
• Batt Edward John
• Buttrick James N
• Micale Antonio C
• Jones Darrell D
• Munk Clayton L
• Couevas Chris G
• Namdaran Azita N
• Noor Noman S
• Mottaz Donald A

Classifications

• B64F5/10

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

• B64F5/50

  Handling or transporting aircraft components · CPC title

• Y10T29/49622

  Vehicular structural member making · CPC title

• B21J15/142 Primary

  Aerospace structures · CPC title

• Y10T29/51

  Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for metal shaping or assembling · CPC title