Flexible Track Manufacturing System and Method

A vacuum track manufacturing system comprising:

• flexible tracks comprising a first flexible track and a second flexible track in which the first flexible track and the second flexible track are configured to bend to correspond to a contour in a surface of a structure;
• a vacuum cup system;
• a variable height base system connecting the vacuum cup system and the flexible tracks to each other;
• a flexible track system in which the variable height base system has heights that are selected to maintain a desired distance between the flexible tracks and the surface of the structure to which the vacuum cup system is attached in which the variable height base system comprises:
• frames connected to the flexible tracks;
• and
• bases connected to the frames in which the frames of the bases have the heights selected to maintain the flexible tracks at the desired distance from the surface of the structure such that the flexible tracks match a contour of the structure, in which a base in the bases is configured to set an angle for a flexible track in the flexible tracks connected to the base such that the flexible track matches a contour of the structure at a location for the flexible track by at least one of being rotatably connected to a frame in the frames to set the angle for the flexible track connected to the frame in a manner that causes the flexible track to match the contour of the structure at the location of the flexible track on the structure or having an angled end connected to the frame in which the angled end has the angle that causes the flexible track to match the contour of the structure at the location of the flexible track on the structure in which in a configuration of at least one of the variable height base system or the vacuum cup system enables the flexible tracks to bridge structural frames on the surface of the structure;
• a positioning system, wherein the positioning system extends from the variable height base system and is configured to connect to a group of features for the structure to position the flexible track system in a desired position on the structure for performing manufacturing operations on the structure;
• spreader bars configured to connect to the first flexible track and the second flexible track such that a desired span is present between the first flexible track and the second flexible track in which the spreader bars bridge a splice between the first flexible track and the second flexible track;
• and
• a crawler robot configured to move along the flexible tracks and perform the manufacturing operations on the structure.

A method for moving a crawler robot on a surface of a structure, the method comprising:

• connecting a flexible track system relative to a group of features for the structure using a positioning system to position the flexible track system in a desired position on the structure for property performing manufacturing operations;
• attaching the flexible track system to the surface of the structure in which the flexible track system comprises flexible tracks, a vacuum cup system, and a variable height base system having frames and bases connecting the vacuum cup system to the flexible tracks, in which the bases are connected to vacuum cups and the frames, in which a base in the bases has a height selected to maintain a flexible track in the flexible tracks at a desired distance from the surface of the structure at a location of the structure selected for the base such that the flexible tracks match a contour of the structure, in which the base is configured to set an angle for the flexible track connected to the base such that the flexible track matches a contour of the structure at a location for the flexible track by at least one of being rotatably connected to a frame in the frames to set the angle for the flexible track connected to the frame in a manner that causes the track to match the contour of the structure at the location of the track on the structure or having an angled end connected to the frame, in which the angled end has the angle that causes the flexible track to match the contour of the structure at the location of the flexible track on the structure in which the variable height base system enables the flexible tracks to bridge structural frames on the surface of the structure;
• attaching the crawler robot to the flexible track system;
• moving the crawler robot on the flexible track system attached to the surface of the structure;
• and
• performing manufacturing operations on the structure using the crawler robot.