Automated drilling through pilot holes
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorNicholas A. Norman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for drilling a hole through a first part and a second part. An image of a first pilot hole in the first part may be generated using an imaging system. A first feature related to the first pilot hole in the first part may be identified based on the image. A second feature related to a second pilot hole in the second part may be identified based on the image. A drilling vector for drilling the hole through the first part and the second part may be identified based on the first feature and the second feature.
Claims22
A method for drilling a hole through a first part and a second part, the method comprising:
- generating an image of a first pilot hole in the first part using an imaging system;
- identifying a first feature related to the first pilot hole in the first part based on the image;
- identifying a second feature related to a second pilot hole in the second part based on the image;
- and
- identifying a drilling vector for drilling the hole through the first part and the second part based on the first feature and the second feature.
A method for drilling a hole through a first part and a second part, the method comprising:
- positioning a drilling device at a preselected drill location over an outer surface of the first part;
- generating an image of a first pilot hole in the first part with the drilling device positioned at the preselected drill location using an imaging system in which a temporary fastener is located within the first pilot hole;
- identifying a first center of a first end of the temporary fastener exposed at the first pilot hole as a first feature based on the image;
- identifying a second center of a second end of the temporary fastener exposed at a second pilot hole as a second feature based on the image;
- identifying a line between the first center and the second center;
- identifying a drilling point along the line in which the drilling point is a point on the line that intersects an inner surface of the second part;
- identifying a vector that contains the drilling point and that is substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the first part as the drilling vector;
- and
- drilling the hole along the drilling vector through the first part and the second part such that the hole completely overlaps the first pilot hole and the second pilot hole within selected tolerances.
An apparatus comprising:
- a drilling device configured to drill a hole through a first part having a first pilot hole and a second part having a second pilot hole;
- an imaging system configured to generate an image of the first pilot hole in the first part;
- and
- a controller configured to identify a first feature related to the first pilot hole and a second feature related to the second pilot hole based on the image and to identify a drilling vector along which the hole is to be drilled based on the first feature and the second feature.
An automated drilling system comprising:
- an imaging system configured to generate an image of a first pilot hole in a first part that is positioned relative to a second part having a second pilot hole in which a temporary fastener is located within the first pilot hole and the second pilot hole;
- a controller configured to identify a first center of a first end of the temporary fastener exposed at the first pilot hole and a second center of a second end of the temporary fastener exposed at the second pilot hole based on the image;
- identify a line between the first center and the second center;
- identify a drilling point along the line in which the drilling point is a point on the line that intersects an inner surface of the second part;
- and identify a vector that contains the drilling point and that is substantially perpendicular to an outer surface of the first part as a drilling vector;
- and
- a drilling device configured to drill a hole through the first part and the second part along the drilling vector identified such that the hole completely overlaps the first pilot hole in the first part and the second pilot hole in the second part within selected tolerances.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.