Fractional pulse assembly line
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJeffrey Alan Truess, Richard Calawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for advancing a fuselage section of an aircraft. One embodiment is a system that includes a series of plates configured to be sequentially affixed along a length of the fuselage section, and a track configured to form a frictional fit with the plates. The track includes drive units configured to form nips retaining the series of plates, and that are configured to advance the fuselage section along the track in a process direction, and indexing elements that are configured to engage with indexing elements at the plates during pauses between operation of the drive units. The system also includes tools configured to perform work on the fuselage section while the indexing elements of the track are engaged.
Claims20
A system for advancing a fuselage section of an aircraft, the system comprising:
- a series of plates configured to be sequentially affixed along a length of the fuselage section;
- a track configured to form a frictional fit with the plates, the track comprising:
- drive units configured to form nips retaining the series of plates, and to advance the fuselage section along the track in a process direction;
- and
- indexing elements configured to engage with indexing elements at the plates during pauses between operation of the drive units;
- and
- tools configured to perform work on the fuselage section while the indexing elements of the track are engaged.
A method for transporting and performing work upon a fuselage section, the method comprising:
- affixing a series of plates sequentially along a length of a lower portion of the fuselage section;
- forming a frictional fit between the plates and a track;
- advancing the fuselage section along the track in a process direction by operating drive units at the track that contact the series of plates;
- pausing advancement of the fuselage section;
- engaging indexing elements of the track with indexing elements at the plates during the pause;
- and
- performing work on the fuselage section via tools at the track while the indexing elements of the track are engaged.
A system for performing work on a fuselage section, the system comprising:
- a series of plates configured to be sequentially affixed along a length of the fuselage section;
- a track;
- and
- work stations disposed along the track;
- wherein drive units at the track are configured to form a frictional fit with the plates, and to iteratively advance the fuselage section along the track in a process direction with pauses between advancement of the fuselage section;
- wherein indexing elements at the track are configured to engage with indexing elements at the plates during the pauses;
- wherein the work stations include tools configured to perform work on the fuselage section when the fuselage section is paused.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.