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US 9,505,051 B2Granted
Mobile platforms for performing operations along an exterior of a fuselage assembly
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsHarinder S. Oberoi, Richard Griffith Reese, IV, Kevin Marion Barrick, Quang T. Do, Jeffrey Lawrence Miller, Vanco Stojanoski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for performing an assembly operation. A tool may be macro-positioned relative to an exterior of a fuselage assembly. The tool may be micro-positioned relative to a particular location on the exterior of the fuselage assembly. An assembly operation may be performed at the particular location on the panel using the tool.
Claims34
A method for performing an assembly operation, the method comprising:
- using a controller to perform the steps of:
- macro-positioning a tool relative to an exterior of a fuselage assembly, wherein macro-positioning comprises:
- driving an assembly fixture to a position using an autonomous vehicle;
- driving, using the autonomous vehicle, an external mobile platform having a tool, into a position relative to the assembly fixture such that the tool is positioned relative to the exterior of the fuselage assembly;
- and
- micro-positioning the tool relative to a particular location on the exterior of the fuselage assembly;
- and
- performing the assembly operation at the particular location using the tool.
5 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a macro-positioning system associated with an external mobile platform, wherein the macro-positioning system comprises:
- an autonomous vehicle configured to drive an assembly fixture to a position, and
- the autonomous vehicle is further configured to drive the external mobile platform comprising a tool, into a position relative to the assembly fixture such that the tool is positioned relative to an exterior of a fuselage assembly;
- and
- a micro-positioning system associated with the external mobile platform.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.