Manufacturing Control System

• US 20120330448A1
• Filed: 06/24/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Reid, Eric M., Merkley, Alan Ray
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/96
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/10 Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41805 characterised by assembly
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31027 Computer assisted manual assembly CAA, display operation, tool, result
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31031 Assembly, manipulator cell
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31034 Component identifier and location indicator corresponding to component
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31046 Aid for assembly, show display on screen next workpiece, task, position to be assembled, executed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31076 Controller for cell, for robot motion, for supervision
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31286 Detect position of articles and equipment by receivers, identify objects by code
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31295 Use integrated controller, processor during product, car assembly for ide, display, test
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31304 Identification of workpiece and data for control, inspection, safety, calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31308 Capture image asynchronously with processing of analysis, identification
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32001 Computer assisted machining, signals guide operator to manual machine object
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37618 Observe, monitor position, posture of tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A method and apparatus comprising a tracking system and a controller in communication with the tracking system. The tracking system is configured to identify characteristics about a group of portable machines configured to perform a number of manufacturing operations on a workpiece. The controller is configured to control performance of the number of manufacturing operations on the workpiece using the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a tracking system configured to identify characteristics about a group of portable machines configured to perform a number of manufacturing operations on a workpiece; and

a controller in communication with the tracking system, wherein the controller is configured to control performance of the number of manufacturing operations on the workpiece using the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

the group of portable machines.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tracking system is further configured to identify information about the workpiece.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tracking system comprises a number of cameras.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tracking system comprises:

a number of radio frequency identification tags associated with the group of portable machines; and

a number of radio frequency identification readers configured to identify position information about the group of portable machines using the number of radio frequency identification tags.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive information about the workpiece and information about the group of portable machines from the tracking system in which the information about the group of portable machines comprises the characteristics about the group of portable machines and wherein in being configured to control the performance of the number of manufacturing operations on the workpiece using the characteristics about the group of portable machines are identified using the tracking system, the controller is configured to control the performance of the number of manufacturing operations on the workpiece using the information about the workpiece, the information about the group of portable machines, and the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in being configured to control the performance of the number of manufacturing operations on the workpiece using the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system, the controller is configured to send at least one of a command and a program to the group of portable machines to control the performance of the number of manufacturing operations on the workpiece using the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when a portable machine in the group of portable machines is a tool positioned by a human operator and wherein in being configured to control the performance of the number of manufacturing operations on the workpiece using the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system, the controller is configured to send a signal to allow the portable machine to be operated by the human operator when the characteristics about the tool in the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system indicates that the tool is in a position relative to the workpiece to perform a desired manufacturing operation on the workpiece.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portable machine in the group of portable machines is selected from one of a computer controlled portable machine and an operator controlled portable machine.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the characteristics about the group of portable machines comprise at least one of a position of a portable machine, an orientation of the portable machine, and movement of the portable machine.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a manufacturing operation in the number of manufacturing operations is selected from one of a drilling operation, a sealing operation, a fastener installation operation, an inspection operation, and a painting operation.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the workpiece is selected from one of an aircraft, an aircraft part, a wing, a stabilizer, a portion of a fuselage, an engine, an engine housing, and a landing gear assembly.

13. An aircraft manufacturing system comprising:

a group of portable machines configured to perform a number of manufacturing operations on a workpiece for an aircraft;

a tracking system configured to identify characteristics about the group of portable machines; and

a controller in communication with the tracking system, wherein the controller is configured to control performance of the number of manufacturing operations on the workpiece using at least one of the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system, information about the workpiece, and information about the group of portable machines.

14. A method for managing manufacturing operations, the method comprising:

identifying characteristics about a group of portable machines using a tracking system and a controller; and

controlling performance of a number of manufacturing operations on a workpiece by the group of portable machines using the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

identifying information about the workpiece using the tracking system and the controller.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving information about the workpiece and information about the group of portable machines; and

wherein the controlling step comprises;

controlling the performance of the number of manufacturing operations on the workpiece using the information about the workpiece, the information about the group of portable machines, and the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the controlling step comprises:

sending at least one of a command and a program to the group of portable machines to control the performance of the number of manufacturing operations on the workpiece using the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein a portable machine in the group of portable machines is a tool positioned by a human operator and wherein the controlling step comprises:

sending a signal to allow the portable machine to be operated by the human operator when the characteristics about the group of portable machines identified using the tracking system indicates that the portable machine is in a position relative to the workpiece to perform a desired manufacturing operation on the workpiece.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifying step comprises:

identifying the characteristics about the group of portable machines using a number of cameras in the tracking system.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the characteristics about the group of portable machines comprise position information and further comprising:

identifying the position information about the group of portable machines using a number of radio frequency identification readers and a number of radio frequency identification tags in the tracking system, wherein the number of radio frequency identification tags is associated with the group of portable machines.