Mobile automated assembly tool for aircraft structures
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsEric M. Reid, Darrell Darwin Jones, Clayton Lynn Munk, Steven A. Best, Matthew Ray DesJardien, Carlos Daniel Crespo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for performing an operation on a surface of a structure. An assembly system may comprise a motion platform and a mobile platform. The motion platform may be configured to be positioned below the surface of the structure to perform the operation on the surface. The mobile platform may be configured to carry the motion platform across a floor of a manufacturing environment from a first location to a second location.
Claims41
An assembly system for a structure comprising:
- a motion platform, configured to be positioned below a surface of the structure to perform an operation on the surface, and connected to a shuttle table, configured to hold and move a set of tools and configured to move through seven degrees of motion via connection to a disk actuator connected to linear actuators configured to move the disk actuator through six degrees of motion;
- and a mobile platform configured to carry the motion platform across a floor of a manufacturing environment from a first location to a second location.
A method for operating an assembly system, the method comprising:
- connecting a set of tools to a motion platform:
- connecting a motion platform to a shuttle table via connecting a disk actuator to linear actuators configured for moving the disk actuator through six degrees of motion;
- carrying the motion platform across a floor of a manufacturing environment from a first location to a second location using a mobile platform;
- and
- positioning the motion platform below a surface of a structure and performing an operation on the surface via holding and moving the set of tools through seven degrees of motion.
A method for installing a fastener in a lower skin panel of a structure, the method comprising:
- connecting linear actuators, configured for moving through six degrees of motion, to a hexapod;
- driving a mobile platform carrying the hexapod across a floor of a manufacturing environment from a first location to a second location using a movement system;
- positioning an end effector on the hexapod under the lower skin panel via holding and moving a set of tools through seven degrees of motion via connecting a disk actuator to the linear actuators;
- and
- installing the fastener in the lower skin panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.