LINE TRANSFER SYSTEM FOR AIRPLANE

• US 20090261201A1
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boening Company
• Inventors: Stone, Patrick B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,733,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/119
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/10 Aligning parts to be fitted together
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/01 Aircraft parts
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/402 characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position G05B19/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A method is provided for establishing a physical reference inside an airplane representing the airplane'"'"'s optimized line of flight based on the as-built orientation of aerodynamically significant features of the airplane. Values generated for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw representing the optimized line of flight are used to orient a tool reference surface outside the airplane. The orientation of the tool reference surface is recorded using an inertial reference unit placed on the tool reference surface. The tool reference surface and inertial reference unit are moved into the airplane where they are used to establish the physical reference on the airframe.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a physical reference within an airplane representing an optimized line of flight for the airplane, comprising:

generating values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw representing the optimized line of flight;

orienting a tool reference surface outside the airplane using the generated values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw;

recording the orientation of the tool reference surface;

moving the tool reference surface from outside the airplane to a location inside the airplane; and

,

establishing the physical reference inside the airplane using the tool reference surface and the recorded orientation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the orientation of at least one aerodynamically significant feature of the airplane after the airplane has been assembled, and

wherein generating the values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw representing an optimized line of flight is performed using the results of the determination of the at least one aerodynamically significant feature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein orienting the tool reference surface includes using servo motors to displace the tool reference surface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the orientation of the tool reference surface is performed using an inertial reference unit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein establishing the physical reference inside the airplane includes:

supporting the tool reference surface on at least three hard points within the airplane, and

adjusting the dimensions of one or more of the at least three hard points on order to alter the orientation of the tool reference surface to match the orientation of the tool reference surface recorded outside the airplane.

6. A method of establishing a physical reference on the airframe of an airplane representing an optimized line of flight for the airplane, comprising:

generating a data file representing the as-built orientation of one or more aerodynamically significant features of the airplane;

using the data file to generate values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw of the airframe representing the optimized line of flight;

orienting a reference tool outside the airplane to substantially match the generated values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw;

recording the orientation of the reference tool using an inertial reference unit;

transferring the recorded orientation of the reference tool from outside the airplane to a location inside the airplane; and

,

using the recorded orientation transferred to the location inside the airplane to establish the physical reference.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

recording the orientation of the reference tool is performed using an inertial reference unit, and

transferring the recorded orientation includes moving the inertial reference unit from outside the airplane to the location inside the airplane.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein generating the data file includes:

recording the position of jacks used to move components of the airplane during assembly of the airplane, and

measuring the position of the at least one or more aerodynamically significant features of the airplane after the components have been assembled.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein orienting the tool is performed using at least three servo motors to displace the reference tool along pitch, roll and yaw axes.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein transferring the recorded orientation is performed by:

mounting a device on a reference surface of the reference tool used to record the orientation of the reference tool,

moving the tool reference surface having the recording device mounted thereon to the location inside the airplane, and

using the recording device to orient the tool reference surface at the location inside the airplane.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein using the recorded orientation of the reference tool to establish the physical reference includes:

adjusting the dimensions of at least three features on the airframe, and

fixing the tool reference surface on the at least three features in an orientation corresponding to the orientation recorded in the recording device.

12. A system used to establish a physical reference within an airplane representing an optimized line of flight for the airplane, comprising:

a tool positioned outside the airplane and including a tool reference surface;

means for calculating values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw of the airplane representing the optimized line of flight;

means coupled with the calculating means for moving the tool reference surface to an orientation corresponding to the calculated values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw of the airplane representing the optimized line of flight; and

,

means for transferring the orientation of the tool reference surface to a location inside the airplane.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for generating a data file representing the as-built orientation of at least one aerodynamically significant feature of the airplane, and

wherein the calculating means uses data file to calculate the values of aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw representing the optimized line of flight of the airplane.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for moving the tool reference surface includes servo motors for moving the tool reference surface about pitch, roll and yaw axes.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for transferring the orientation of the tool reference surface includes means mounted on the tool reference surface for recording the orientation of the tool reference surface.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the recording means includes an inertial reference unit, and

the tool reference surface is removably mounted on the tool to allow the tool reference surface and the inertial reference unit to be moved into the airplane.

17. A system for assembling and optimizing the line of flight of an airplane, comprising:

a jacking system including servos for moving components of the airplane into a final assembly position;

a tool including a movable tool reference surface;

means for calculating values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw of the airplane representing the optimized line of flight based on the position of the jacking system servos;

means coupled with the calculating means for moving the tool reference surface to an orientation corresponding to the calculated values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw of the airplane; and

,

means for transferring the orientation of the tool reference surface to a physical reference inside the airplane.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the tool includes a tool base disposed outside the airplane, and the tool reference surface is removably mounted on the tool base.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for transferring the orientation includes an inertial reference unit mounted on the tool reference surface.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the tool reference surface includes guides for establishing the physical reference inside of the airplane.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the calculating means includes a computer, and

the means for moving the tool reference surface includes servo motors controlled by the computer.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the servo motors include:

at least three servo motors for controlling the pitch and roll of the tool reference surface, and

a fourth servo motor for controlling the yaw of the tool reference surface.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for transferring the orientation of the tool reference surface includes a yaw adjusting device carried on the tool reference surface for adjusting the yaw of the tool reference surface inside the airplane.

24. A method of assembling components of an airplane, including establishing a physical reference on the airframe of the airplane representing an optimized line of flight for the airplane, comprising:

using a servo controlled jacking system to move the components into a final assembly position;

using final positions of the servos to establish the as-built orientation of one or more aerodynamically significant features of the airplane;

generating values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw of the airframe representing the optimized line of flight based on the established as-built orientation of the one or more aerodynamically significant features;

using servo controlled motors to move a tool reference surface outside the airplane to an orientation that substantially matches the generated values for aerodynamic pitch, roll and yaw;

recording the orientation of the tool reference surface outside the airplane using an inertial reference unit;

moving the tool reference surface and the inertial reference unit to a location inside the airplane;

mounting the tool reference surface on the airframe at the location inside the airplane;

using the inertial reference unit to orient the tool reference surface on the airframe to match the orientation recorded outside the airplane; and

,

using the tool reference surface to establish a physical reference on the airframe.

25. A system for assembling components of an airplane, including establishing a physical reference on the airplane'"'"'s airframe representing an optimized the line of flight for the airplane, comprising:

a jacking system including servos for moving components of the airplane into a final assembly position;

computer means for determining the as-built orientation of one or more aerodynamically significant features of the airplane based on the final position of the servos and for calculating the values pitch, roll and yaw representing an optimized line of flight for the airplane using the as-built orientation;

a tool assembly located outside the airplane, including a tool base and a tool reference surface;

a fastener system for removably mounting the tool reference surface on the tool base;

servo motors controlled by the computer means for moving the tool reference surface to an orientation substantially matching the calculated values of pitch, roll and yaw; and

,

an inertial reference unit mounted on the tool reference surface for recording the orientation of the tool reference surface when the servo motors have moved the tool reference surface to the orientation substantially matching the calculated values of pitch, roll and yaw, and for reorienting the tool reference surface on the airframe to match the recorded orientation.