# US 11,027,378 B2 · System and method for assembly manufacturing

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- Number: US 11,027,378 B2
- Document ID: US11027378B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/264,980
- Filed: 2019-02-01
- Published: 2019-05-30
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-24
- Assignees: The Boeing Company
- Applicants: The Boeing Company
- Inventors: Eric M. Reid; Matthew R. Desjardien; Edward J. Batt; Antonio C. Micale
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027378B2

## CPC

- B23P 21/004: {the units passing two or more work-stations whilst being composed}
- B21J 15/142: {Aerospace structures}
- B25J 5/02: travelling along a guideway
- B25J 9/1687: {Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement}
- B25J 11/00: Manipulators not otherwise provided for
- B64F 5/10: Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
- B64F 5/50: Handling or transporting aircraft components
- B23P 2700/01: Aircraft parts
- B23P 2700/50: Other automobile vehicle parts, i.e. manufactured in assembly lines
- Y10S 901/02: Arm motion controller
- Y10T 29/49829: Advancing work to successive stations [i.e., assembly line]
- Y10T 29/49947: by applying separate fastener
- Y10T 29/49956: Riveting
- Y10T 29/53417: Means to fasten work parts together
- B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q)
- B21J: FORGING; HAMMERING; PRESSING METAL; RIVETING; FORGE FURNACES (rolling of metal B21B; making particular products by forging or pressing B21K; cladding or plating B23K; finishing surfaces by hammering B23P9/04; compacting surfaces by blasting with particulate material B24C1/10; general features of presses, presses for consolidating scrap B30B; furnaces in general F27)
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A method for assembly manufacturing including positioning a workpiece in an assembly position within an operational cell, positioning a fastening machine relative to the workpiece, wherein the fastening machine includes a robot frame comprising a throat, an assembly end effector coupled to the frame about the throat, and a plurality of linear actuators coupled to the frame, moving, by the plurality of linear actuators, the fastening machine about at least one of six degrees of freedom to receive at least a portion of the workpiece within the throat and position the assembly end effector relative to the workpiece, and performing, by the fastening machine, a fastening operation on the workpiece.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for assembly manufacturing comprising:
positioning a first workpiece-component and a second workpiece-component in a staging position within a first one of a plurality of operational cells, wherein said plurality of operational cells is arranged sequentially and is linked together by an overhead material-handling system that is shared by each one of said plurality of operational cells;
moving said first workpiece-component from said first one of said plurality of operational cells to a first assembly position in a second one of said plurality of operational cells using said overhead material-handling system;
moving said second workpiece-component from said first one of said plurality of operational cells to a second assembly position relative to said first workpiece-component using said overhead material-handling system;
holding said second workpiece-component in said second assembly position using said overhead material-handling system;
positioning a first fastening machine, located within said second one of said plurality of operational cells, relative to said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component;
performing a first fastening operation to tack said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component together using said first fastening machine;
moving said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component from said second one of said plurality of operational cells to a third assembly position in a third one of said plurality of operational cells using said overhead material-handling system;
positioning a second fastening machine, located within said third one of said plurality of operational cells, relative to said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component; and
performing a second fastening operation to fasten said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component together using said second fastening machine.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein:
said first fastening machine and said second fastening machine comprise:
a frame comprising a throat;
an assembly end effector coupled to said frame about said throat; and
a plurality of pairs of linear actuators coupled to three positions on said frame to position said frame with six degrees of freedom;
positioning said first fastening machine comprises selectively moving said frame of said first fastening machine about at least one of said six degrees of freedom using said plurality of pairs of linear actuators of said first fastening machine such that a portion of said first workpiece-component and a portion of said second workpiece-component are located within said throat of said first fastening machine and said assembly end effector of said first fastening machine is positioned for said first fastening operation; and
positioning said second fastening machine comprises selectively moving said frame of said second fastening machine about at least one of said six degrees of freedom using said plurality of pairs of linear actuators of said second fastening machine such that a portion of said first workpiece-component and a portion of said second workpiece-component are located within said throat of said second fastening machine and said assembly end effector of said second fastening machine is positioned for said second fastening operation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein a first pair of said plurality of pairs of linear actuators is coupled to said frame proximate to a front end of said frame.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein a second pair of said plurality of pairs of linear actuators is coupled to said frame proximate to a middle of said frame.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein a third pair of said plurality of pairs of linear actuators is coupled to said frame proximate to a rear end of said frame.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 further comprising:
supporting said first workpiece-component in said first assembly position using a first plurality of retractable tooling fixtures located within said second one of said plurality of operational cells; and
retracting at least one of said first plurality of retractable tooling fixtures to accommodate said frame of said first fastening machine in response to moving said frame of said first fastening machine.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein:
supporting said first workpiece-component in said first assembly position using said first plurality of retractable tooling fixtures comprises coupling a vacuum cup of each one of the said first plurality of retractable tooling fixtures to said first workpiece-component; and
retracting said at least one of said first plurality of retractable tooling fixtures comprises releasing said vacuum cup of said at least one of said first plurality of retractable tooling fixtures and retracting a multi-section stem of said at least one of said first plurality of retractable tooling fixtures relative to said first workpiece-component.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 further comprising:
supporting said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component in said second assembly position using a second plurality of retractable tooling fixtures located within said third one of said plurality of operational cells; and
retracting at least one of said second plurality of retractable tooling fixtures to accommodate said frame of said second fastening machine in response to moving said frame of said second fastening machine.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said first fastening operation comprises:
applying a preload to said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component;
locating a first fastening position; and
installing a tack fastener to said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component at said first fastening position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
moving said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component to said staging position within said first one of said plurality of operational cells using a material-transport system.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein said material-transport system comprises:
a vehicle; and
a cart coupled to said vehicle and configured to hold said workpiece.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein said vehicle is an automated guided vehicle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 further comprising automatically moving said vehicle to a predetermined position relative to said first one of said plurality of operational cells using a positioning system.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein:
said overhead material-handling system comprises:
a transfer rail positioned above said plurality of operational cells;
a robot carriage coupled to said transfer rail;
a robotic arm coupled to said robot carriage; and
a gripping end effector coupled to said robotic arm; and
moving said first workpiece-component to said first assembly position, moving said second workpiece-component to second assembly position, holding said second workpiece-component in said second assembly position, and moving said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component to said third assembly position comprises moving said robot carriage along said transfer rail and articulating said robotic arm to appropriately position said gripping end effector.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising, with said first workpiece-component in said first assembly position and said second workpiece-component in said second assembly position:
positioning a third fastening machine, located within said second one of said plurality of operational cells opposite to said first fastening machine, relative to said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component; and
performing said first fastening operation to tack said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component together using said third fastening machine.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising, with said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component in said third assembly position:
positioning a fourth fastening machine, located within said third one of said plurality of operational cells opposite to said second fastening machine, relative to said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component; and
performing said second fastening operation to fasten said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component together using said fourth fastening machine.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said second fastening operation comprises:
applying a preload to said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component;
locating a second fastening position; and
installing a final fastener to said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component at said second fastening position.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising indexing said second workpiece-component at said second assembly position relative to said first workpiece-component using a metrology system.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising moving said first workpiece-component and said second workpiece-component from said third one of said plurality of operational cells to an extraction position in a fourth one of said plurality of operational cells using the overhead material-handling system.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein:
said first workpiece-component comprises a skin panel of a wing; and
said second workpiece-component comprises a plurality of stringers of said wing;
moving said second workpiece-component comprises successively moving each one of said plurality of stringers to said second assembly position using said overhead material-handling system; and
holding said second workpiece-component comprises holding each one of said stringers in said second assembly position while performing said first fastening operation to tack each one of said stringers and said skin panel together using said first fastening machine.