Apparatus and method for measuring and modifying components using reverse engineering

A method for conforming components, comprising:

• measuring a first feature of a first component using a conforming tool, the conforming tool comprising a measuring member and a modifying member;
• recording position data for the first feature based on the measuring;
• providing a path for the conforming tool using the position data;
• exposing the modifying member;
• and
• forming with the modifying member a second feature on a second component that conforms to the first feature on the first component by moving the same conforming tool based on the provided path.

An apparatus for conforming components, the apparatus comprising:

• a conforming tool for measuring a first component, the conforming tool comprising a measuring member and a modifying member, the measuring member configured to surround the modifying member during measuring of the first component, and wherein the measuring member is removed from the modifying member during modifying of a second component by the modifying member;
• a controller for providing a path for the conforming tool to modify the second component based on the measuring;
• and
• a driver for moving the same conforming tool along the provided path for modifying the second component.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer recordable medium storing computer usable program code executed by a processor for conforming components, the computer program product comprising:
• computer usable program code for measuring a first component using a conforming tool, the conforming tool comprising a measuring member and a modifying member, the measuring member configured to surround the modifying member during measuring of the first component, and wherein the measuring member is removed from the modifying member during modifying of a second component by the modifying member;
• computer usable program code for recording position data for the first component based on the measuring;
• computer usable program code for providing a path for the conforming tool using the position data;
• and
• computer usable program code for modifying a second component by moving the same conforming tool based on the provided path.

A method for conforming holes on aircraft components, comprising:

• measuring a first hole of a first aircraft component with a measuring member attached to an arm of a robot;
• recording position data for the first hole based on the measuring;
• providing a map of the first hole from the recorded position data;
• modifying a CAD file using the map;
• creating a numerically controlled path for the robot based on the CAD file;
• and
• downloading the numerically controlled path to the robot;
• exposing a drill also attached to the arm of the robot;
• and
• drilling a second hole on a second aircraft component that conforms to the first hole on the first aircraft component by moving the drill also attached to the arm of the robot based on the downloaded numerically controlled path.

An apparatus for conforming a first component with a second component, comprising:

• a conforming tool comprising a measuring member and a modifying member;
• the measuring member configured to measure the first component;
• a controller configured to record position data for the first component based on the measuring by the measuring member;
• the measuring member surrounds the modifying member during measuring of the first component by the measuring member, and the modifying member is exposed during modifying of the second component by the modifying member;
• and
• a driver configured to position and move the modifying member with respect to the second component such that the modifying member modifies the second component so as to conform to the first component.