Manufacturing system for aircraft structures and other large structures

US6979288B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Boeing Company · US

Inventors

• Laurance N. Hazlehurst · Renton, US
• Bobby C. Philpott, Jr. · Kent, US
• James N. Buttrick · Seattle, US
• Darrell D. Jones · Mill Creek, US
• Kostadinos D. Papanikolaou · Southfield, US
• David P. Banks · Lake Stevens, US
• Terrence J. Rowe · Seattle, US
• Ronald Outous · Shoreline, US
• Charles H. Glaisyer · Everett, US
• Harry E. Townsend · Seattle, US
• Mark Boberg · Issaquah, US
• Paul E. Nelson · University Place, US
• John R. Porter · Eagan, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 30, 2004
• Grant date: Dec 27, 2005
• Expiry date: Dec 30, 2024

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T483/1752
• WIPO field: Machine tools
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A production system for manufacturing a workpiece comprises an index system including a plurality of index devices removably mounted on the workpiece at known longitudinally spaced locations therealong, and a longitudinally extending index member releasably engaged with at least two of the index devices such that a position and orientation of the index member are fixed relative to the workpiece by the index devices, the index member having position-indicating features distributed therealong. The production system further comprises a machine module mounted for longitudinal movement along the index member and operable to perform an operation, the machine module being operable to detect the position-indicating features on the index member and thereby determine a position of the machine module relative to the workpiece.