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US 6,779,272 B2Granted
Single piece flow based wing assembly system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDan D. Day, Clayton L. Munk, Luis A. Perla, Harry E. Townsend
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for assembling wings includes supporting a pair of wing spars, which include a plurality of coordination features, upon a pair of stanchions in a generally horizontal position. A plurality of ribs and wing panels are accurately fastened to the pair of wing spars at a first workstation using the coordination features to position accurately the parts. The combination is transferred to downstream workstations via a ground transport vehicle for further processing and assembly to define a pulsed flow wing assembly system.
Claims25
A method of assembling a wing comprising:
- providing a first wing component having a first plurality of coordination features disposed in predetermined positions along said first wing component;
- supporting said first wing component in a generally horizontal position at a first workstation;
- providing a second wing component having a second plurality of coordination features disposed in predetermined positions;
- accurately fastening said second wing component relative to said first wing component at said first workstation such that at least some of said first plurality of coordination features cooperate with at least some of said second plurality of coordination features to define an assembly;
- moving said assembly on a transport vehicle from said first workstation to a second workstation, said second workstation being separate from said first workstation;
- providing a third wing component having a third plurality of coordination features disposed in predetermined positions;
- accurately fastening said third wing component relative to said assembly at said second workstation such that at least some of said third plurality of coordination features cooperate with at least some of said first or second plurality of coordination features to define an assembly.
4 more elements
A method of assembling a wing comprising:
- providing a first spar and a second spar, each of said first spar and said second spar having a plurality of spar coordination features disposed in predetermined positions along said first spar and said second spar;
- supporting said first spar and said second spar in a generally horizontal position upon a plurality of support stanchions at a first workstation;
- providing a plurality of in-spar ribs having a plurality of rib coordination features disposed in predetermined positions;
- accurately fastening each of said plurality of in-spar ribs relative to said first spar and said second spar at said first workstation such that at least some of said plurality of rib coordination features cooperate with at least some of said plurality of spar coordination features to define an egg crate assembly;
- moving a lower wing panel on an automated transport vehicle into a position below and generally parallel to said egg crate assembly at said first workstation, said lower wing panel having a plurality of panel coordination features disposed in predetermined positions;
- releasably mounting said lower wing panel to said egg crate assembly;
- moving said egg crate assembly and said lower wing panel on said transport vehicle from said first workstation to a second workstation, said second workstation being separate from said first workstation;
- moving an upper wing panel using a material handling system into a position above and generally parallel to said egg crate assembly at said second workstation, said upper wing panel having a plurality of panel coordination features disposed in predetermined positions;
- releasably mounting said upper wing panel to said egg crate assembly;
- finishing at least one of said upper wing panel, said lower wing panel, and said egg crate assembly;
- and
- fixedly coupling said lower wing panel and said upper wing panel to said egg crate assembly such that at least some of said plurality of panel coordination features cooperate with at least some of said plurality of spar coordination features.
9 more elements
A method of assembling a wing comprising:
- providing a first spar and a second spar, each of said first spar and said second spar having a plurality of spar coordination features disposed in predetermined positions along said first spar and said second spar;
- supporting said first spar and said second spar in a generally horizontal position at a first workstation;
- providing a plurality of in-spar ribs having a plurality of rib coordination features disposed in predetermined positions;
- accurately positioning each of said plurality of in-spar ribs relative to said first spar and said second spar at said first workstation such that at least some of said plurality of rib coordination features cooperate with at least some of said plurality of spar coordination features to define an egg crate assembly;
- fastening each of said plurality of in-spar ribs to said first spar and said second spar at said first workstation;
- moving a lower wing panel into a position below and generally parallel to said egg crate assembly at said first workstation, said lower wing panel having a plurality of panel coordination features disposed in predetermined positions;
- releasably mounting said lower wing panel to said egg crate assembly such that at least some of said plurality of panel coordination features of said lower wing panel cooperate with at least some of said plurality of spar coordination features;
- moving said egg crate assembly and said lower wing panel from said first workstation to a second workstation, said second workstation being separate from said first workstation;
- moving an upper wing panel into a position above and generally parallel to said egg crate assembly at said second workstation, said upper wing panel having a plurality of panel coordination features disposed in predetermined positions;
- releasably mounting said upper wing panel to said egg crate assembly such that at least some of said plurality of panel coordination features of said upper wing panel cooperate with at least some of said plurality of spar coordination features;
- separating said upper wing panel and said lower wing panel from said egg crate assembly;
- finishing at least one of said upper wing panel, said lower wing panel, and said egg crate assembly;
- fixedly coupling said lower wing panel to said egg crate assembly such that at least some of said plurality of panel coordination features of said lower wing panel cooperate with at least some of said plurality of spar coordination features;
- and
- fixedly coupling said upper wing panel to said egg crate assembly such that at least some of said plurality of panel coordination features of said upper wing panel cooperate with at least some of said plurality of spar coordination features.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.