Browse Topic: Fuselages

Items (88)

The applications of Acoustic Black Holes to attenuation of Coach/Bus Frame Structure Vibrations

2025-01-006505/05/2023

Abstract An acoustic black hole (ABH) is a structure whose cross-sectional thickness decreases exponentially to zero, and the phase velocity and group velocity of wave propagation in those structure acoustic black holes decrease as the thickness decreases until they are zero. ABH produce some very magical physical phenomena. For example, because the wave velocity decreases to zero, the wave can never reach the center of the ABH, so the wave propagation in the acoustic black hole has neither refraction nor reflection; that is to say the vibration wave will not go through the acoustic black hole. As a result, the wave energy is concentrated in the center of the ABH. The arrangements of those acoustic black holes in the structures could change the directions of the vibrational wave propagation in the structures at NVH engineers’ wills. These amazing phenomena could play a magical role in reducing structural vibration, structural noise radiation and structure-borne noise. Basic structures

Huang, Xianli

Rear Fuselage Packer

TBMG-3759909/01/2020

Kaman UK Darwen, UK +44 1254 706000

Foldable Mechanical Devices

TBMG-3686005/01/2020

Engineers have developed new technology that builds complex mechanisms into the exterior of a structure without taking up any actual space below the surface. This new class of mechanisms, called “developable mechanisms,” get their name from developable surfaces, or materials that can take on 3D shapes from flat conformations without tearing or stretching, like a sheet of paper or metal. They reside in a curved surface and can transform or morph when deployed to serve unique functions. When not in use, they can fold back into the surface of the structure seamlessly.

Application of Extended Messinger Models to Complex Geometries

2020-01-002203/10/2020

Since, ice accretion can significantly degrade the performance and the stability of an airborne vehicle, it is imperative to be able to model it accurately. While ice accretion studies have been performed on airplane wings and helicopter blades in abundance, there are few that attempt to model the process on more complex geometries such as fuselages. This paper proposes a methodology that extends an existing in-house Extended Messinger solver to complex geometries by introducing the capability to work with unstructured grids and carry out spatial surface streamwise marching. For the work presented here commercial solvers such as STAR-CCM+ and ANSYS Fluent are used for the flow field and droplet dispersed phase computations. The ice accretion is carried out using an in-house icing solver called GT-ICE. The predictions by GT-ICE are compared to available experimental data, or to predictions by other solvers such as LEWICE and STAR-CCM+. Three different cases with varying levels of

Gupta, Avani, Sankar, Lakshmi, Kreeger, Richard

Structure Deformation Calculation Program for Structural Shape Monitoring

TBMG-3528910/01/2019

Researchers at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center are pioneering shape-sensing technologies that seek to maximize structural integrity and efficiency. A new and versatile computer program offers critical shape-monitoring capabilities and has applications for a wide variety of structures.

Advanced Assembly Solutions for the Airbus RACER Joined-Wing Configuration

2019-01-188409/16/2019

The Rapid And Cost Effective Rotorcraft (RACER) is being developed by Airbus Helicopters (AH) to demonstrate a new Vertical Take-Off and Landing configuration to fill the mobility gap between conventional helicopters and aeroplanes. RACER is a compound rotorcraft featuring wings and multiple rotors. The wing arrangement suggested by AH is defined as a staggered bi-plane joined configuration with an upper and a lower straight wing, either side of the fuselage, connected at their outboard extent to form a triangular structure. The ASTRAL consortium, consisting of the University of Nottingham and GE Aviation Systems, are responsible for the design, manufacture, assembly and testing of the wings. Producing an optimised strategy to assemble a joined-wing configuration for a passenger carrying rotorcraft is challenging and novel. The objective of this work concerns all aspects of assembling the joined-wing structure. The joined-wing and fuselage structures will be produced independently and

Bainbridge, David, Bacharoudis, Konstantinos, Cini, Andrea, Turner, Alison, Popov, Atanas, Ratchev, Svetan

Landing Gear Integration into Aircraft Structure in Early Design Stage

2019-01-189009/16/2019

The demanded development towards various emission reduction goals set up by several institutions forces the aerospace industry to think about new technologies and alternative aircraft configurations. With these alternative aircraft concepts, the landing gear layout is also affected. Turbofan engines with very high bypass ratios could increase the diameter of the nacelles extensively. In this case, mounting the engines above the wing could be a possible arrangement to avoid an exceedingly long landing gear. Thus, the landing gear could be shortened and eventually mounted at the fuselage instead of the wings. Other technologies such as high aspect ratio wings have an influence on the landing gear integration as well. To assess the difference, especially in weight, between the conventional landing gear configuration and alternative layouts a method is developed based on preliminary structural designs of the different aircraft components, namely landing gear, wing and fuselage. Simplified

Kling, Ulrich, Hornung, Mirko

Step & Repeat: Reduce Derivative Aircraft Development Risk with Design Reuse

2019-01-187109/16/2019

The complex and risky process of designing derivative aircraft, especially when it comes to electrical systems, can be a daunting task at best. There are a number of design strategies that can be employed to mitigate risk and increase the overall efficiency. Quite simply, the current methods of manual processes, design and integration approaches that were optimized from mechanical approaches, are no match for today’s complexities. One method gaining significant traction is to employ a central database serving global interface definitions for the entire design process. Automation through generative design minimizes manual intervention and repetitive work. Furthermore, detecting changes through design rule checks allows system engineers to verify their designs, capturing both inadvertent and planned changes. The ability to instantly update the design content from the new definition streamlines the change management process. Employing these technologies in a digital, connected thread

Askar, Muhammad

NASA crash landing is a complete success

SAE-MA-0354906/24/2019

The test was conducted to better understand the dynamic forces on an aircraft and its passengers during a crash landing. Findings form the event will support a new FAA performance-based rule that will simplify aircraft certification by eliminating or minimizing the use of special conditions.

Kucinski, William

Predicted Ice Shape Formations on a Boundary Layer Ingesting Engine Inlet

2019-01-202506/10/2019

Computational ice shapes were generated on the boundary layer ingesting engine nacelle of the D8 Double Bubble aircraft. The computations were generated using LEWICE3D, a well-known CFD icing post processor. A 50-bin global drop diameter discretization was used to capture the collection efficiency due to the direct impingement of water onto the engine nacelle. These discrete results were superposed in a weighted fashion to generate six drop size distributions that span the Appendix C and O regimes. Due to the presence of upstream geometries, i.e. the fuselage nose, the trajectories of the water drops are highly complex. Since the ice shapes are significantly correlated with the collection efficiency, the upstream fuselage nose has a significant impact on the ice accretion on the engine nacelle. These complex trajectories are caused by the ballistic nature of the particles and are thus exacerbated as particle size increases. Shadowzones are generated on the engine nacelle, and due to

Porter, Christopher

Machining Titanium Aero-Frames

TBMG-3454306/01/2019

Machining Titanium Aero-Frames

19AERP06_1106/01/2019

The rise of titanium for aerospace applications has been well documented in recent years. Equally, the challenges associated with the efficient, productive and high-quality machining of this popular material, have also been a topic of debate and scrutiny. Of course, every machine shop wants optimized performance from its cutters when milling titanium, but this can prove less than straightforward without the right technology and know-how in place. Today, however, thanks to a breakthrough in this area, things are beginning to change. The aerospace segment is expected to demonstrate impressive growth in the coming years as consumers continue to drive demand for new routes and greater flight frequency. Further drivers include global demographics and wealth creation in Asia and the Middle East. In fact, according to Airbus, air traffic is set to double from its current levels over the course of the next fifteen years.

Automated Surface Preparation of Embraer’s Commercial Jet Fuselage for Painting Process

2019-01-133903/19/2019

The surface preparation of the fuselage prior to painting is largely done manually in the Aerospace Industry; utilizing scrubbers, sanders, chemicals, and manlifts resulting in safety and ergonomic issues without delivering a consistent result. The automation of the process employing robots, vision systems, machine movers, and automated process equipment provided the following benefits: Improved Safety and Ergonomics Reduced exposure to hazardous materials and working conditions Improved Consistency and Quality Improved Production Capabilities and Reduced Labor Costs Reduced Material Usage Less weight Lower environmental risks Lower cost This paper will describe the equipment used and the process changes required to automate the surface preparation process, then discuss the benefits that were realized.

Schuknecht, Karl, Scotton, Rogerio Scafutto

Numerical Analysis of Asymmetric Canard-Wing System in Detroit Flying Cars

2019-01-136103/19/2019

A numerical simulation system of airflow around the Detroit Flying Cars-Wild Dream 1 (WD-1) is introduced. It involves the application of FVM, the mesh-independence system, boundary conditions and the verification of the simulation conditions to NACA airfoil data and the discussion of technological treatments corresponding to the evaluation of asymmetric wings. The present work is investigating the aerodynamic behavior of an asymmetric canard-wing system used on the Detroit Flying Cars-WD 1 model. The work involves the application of Finite Volume Method (FVM), the mesh-independence system, boundary conditions and the verification of simulation conditions to NACA airfoil data using OpenFOAM software. The Reynolds number based on free stream velocity and root chord is 5X106. Based on the Coefficient of Lift and Coefficient of Drag obtained from the analysis, the effect of canards on the wings, the distance between the canard trailing edge and the leading edge of the wings and the

Kocherla, Isaac Shanth, Yu, ChenXing

Axiomatic Design of a Reconfigurable Assembly System for Aircraft Fuselages

2019-01-135903/19/2019

Modern aerospace industry develops assembly process lines for new aircraft which is produced on a single production line while shortening production times by new technologies. Production processes are developed with systems such as lightweight fixtures, reconfigurable tools, automated part positioning, automated scanning countersink control, automated riveting, robotic measurement etc. These systems provide the necessary flexibility for aircraft fuselage and wing assembly projects. Aerospace manufacturers invest in assembly lines in order to increase production rates and meet growing customer demands. Most of the investments are allocated to state-of-the-art robots for drilling and riveting, sealing, coating and painting applications, in addition to material handling, carbon fiber layup and different types of machining operations. In this study, an assembly system design methodology is developed by using axiomatic design principles in order to propose a solution to design complexity

Celek, Osman Emre, Yurdakul, Mustafa, Ic, Tansel

MOMENTUM: APRIL 2018

18MOMP0404/02/2018

The road to victory is not a straight line Through highs and lows and curves in the road, Milwaukee School of Engineering's Formula SAE Hybrid team kept its focus and ended up with a championship. Winging it BYU-Idaho students develop innovative wing-to-fuselage connection for SAE Aero Design competition. The SpiRIT of Baja BYU-Idaho students develop innovative wing-to-fuselage connection for SAE Aero Design competition. Kettering Baja SAE hoists the SAE Collegiate Cup Seven SAE Collegiate Design Series teams competed in an annual presentation contest hosted by the SAE Mid-Michigan Section.

Neighboring Mobile Robot Cell with Drilling and Fastening

2017-01-209409/19/2017

Electroimpact, in collaboration with Boeing, has developed an advanced robotic assembly cell, dubbed “The Quadbots.” Using Electroimpact’s patented Accurate Robot technology and multi-function end effector (MFEE), each robot can drill, countersink, inspect hole quality, apply sealant, and insert fasteners into the part. The cell consists of 4 identical machines simultaneously working on a single section of the Boeing 787 fuselage, two on the left, and two on the right. These machines employ “collision avoidance” a new feature in their software to help them work more synchronously. The collision avoidance software uses positional feedback from external safety rated encoders mounted to the motors on the robot. From this feedback, safe spaces, in the form of virtual boundaries can be created. Such that a robot will stop and wait if the adjacent robot is in, or going to move into its programmed work envelope. Another feature of the collision avoidance is to limit robot speeds when they are

Everhart, Tyler

Automatic Tool Change System for Stringer Side Rivet and Bolt Anvils on a D-Frame or C-Frame Fuselage Fastening Machine

2017-01-208009/19/2017

Manually changing stringer-side tooling on an automatic fastening machine is time consuming and can be susceptible to human error. Stringer-side tools can also be physically difficult to manage because of their weight, negatively impacting the experience and safety of the machine operator. A solution to these problems has recently been developed by Electroimpact for use with its new Fuselage Skin Splice Fastening Machine. The Automatic Tool Changer makes use of a mechanically passive gripper system capable of securely holding and maneuvering twelve tools weighing 40 pounds each inside of a space-saving enclosure. The Automatic Tool Changer is mounted directly to the stringer side fastening head, meaning the machine is capable of changing tools relatively quickly while maintaining its position on the aircraft panel with no machine operator involvement. Additionally, since the tools are all contained within an interlocked enclosure, this system reduces the required frequency of tool

Merluzzi, James, Bahr, Isaac

The Evolution of the Composite Fuselage - A Manufacturing Perspective

2017-01-215409/19/2017

A review of critical technologies and manufacturing advances that have enabled the evolution of the composite fuselage is described. The author’s perspective on several development, military, and production programs that have influenced and affected the current state of commercial fuselage production is presented. The enabling technologies and current approaches being used for wide body aircraft fuselage fabrication and the potential reasons why are addressed. Some questions about the future of composite fuselage are posed based on the lessons learned from today and yesterday.

Hiken, Alan

Automated Riveting of C-130J Aft Fuselage Panels

2017-01-207509/19/2017

Electroimpact and Lockheed Martin have developed an automated drilling and fastening system for C-130J aft fuselage panels. Numerous design and manufacturing challenges were addressed to incorporate the system into Lockheed Martin’s existing manufacturing paradigm and to adapt Electroimpact’s existing line of riveting machines for manufacture of these legacy aircraft parts. Challenges to automation included design of a very long yet sufficiently rigid and lightweight offset riveting anvil for fastening around deep circumferential frames, automated feeding of very short, “square” rivets in which the length is similar to the head diameter, creation of part programs and simulation models for legacy parts with no existing 3d manufacturing data, and crash protection for the aircraft part from machine collisions, given the uncertainties inherent in the model and the unique geometry of the aircraft parts. Additional challenges were overcome in integrating the system into Lockheed Martin’s

Bigoney, Burton, Huddleston, Nicholas

Automated FML Manufacturing for Aircraft Fuselages

2016-01-211209/27/2016

As a new material FML, made by aluminum foils and Glasfiber-Prepreg, is a real alternative to common materials for fuselages of aircrafts like monolithic aluminum or CFRP. Since experiences within A380 this material has some really good advantages and develops to the status as alternative to aluminum and composite structures. To become FML as a real alternative to aluminum and carbon structures there are many things to improve: design, material, costs and process chain. So following one of the main goals for an industrial application for high production rates of aircrafts is the automation of production processes inside the process chain for FML-parts like skins and panels for fuselages. To reach this goal for high production rates first steps of automation inside this new process chain have been developed in the last two years. Main steps is the automated lay-up of metallic foils and Glasfiber-Prepreg. Over this there are some more steps within positioning of i.e. stringers and

Apmann, Hilmar

Automatic Drilling, Countersink and Riveting Experience. Aernnova Highlights Based on More Than 20 Million of Fasteners Installed

2016-01-208909/27/2016

Aernnova experience on automatic drilling operations started in 1,999. The company signed a new contract with Embraer, to design, manufacture and assembly several structures of the model 170. It was big news for the company. But after that minute of pride, manufacturing engineering people of the company started to think about the process to assemble those big panels of the Horizontal Stabilizer, Vertical Stabilizer and Rear Fuselages in the best Quality and Cost. There were a lot of rows of rivets to install. Some ideas arisen, but the final decision was to forget the available processes at that time and think about to automate the drilling, countersink and riveting of the stringers, doublers and window frames to the panels. There were a lot of doubts, figures to do and obstacles, but the company took the decision of going ahead with that process. That step changed the state of the art at that time in the company. The investment was important, the risks were high, and the beginnings

Guerra cEng, Jose, Castillo, Miguel Angel

High Performance Motion Control Without a Foundation For Fuselage Fastening Automation

2016-01-210309/27/2016

This technical paper details an optimized Drivmatic machine design delivered to a Tier 1 aero structure supplier to automate drilling and installation of rivets, hi-loks, lockbolts & swage collars for individual fuselage panel assemblies with high throughput & strict quality requirements. While certain robot solutions continue to be explored for specific applications at many Tier 1 aero structure suppliers, robot payload capacity has limitations beyond certain criteria, which often times point towards an alternative machine design as in this case study. A typical approach for adding more automation is to allocate shop floor space based on the solution’s foot print, however contrary to most approaches this solution had to be designed to fit within a pre-determined factory footprint over a geographic location with a high water table that would not permit a foundation. GEMCOR was therefore challenged to deliver a CNC automatic fastening solution with high-speed motion control technology

Barton, Eric

Passive Heat Exchange System for Aircraft Equipment Cooling Applications

2015-01-241809/15/2015

Due to the increasing power density of onboard electric and electronic equipment and heat dissipation in civil and military aircraft, more efficient ways of transferring heat and new cooling techniques are necessary. A passive heat transfer prototype was developed and experimentally evaluated in laboratory and on ground and flight tests in an Embraer test aircraft. The passive heat transfer device consists of a loop-thermosyphon with two condensers and a common evaporator, using water as the heat transfer working fluid. An electric resistance and a variable power source were used to dissipate heat inside the evaporator simulating heat transfer from an onboard electronics bay. The fuselage/external air stream and the air flow inside an air conditioning system duct were used as heat sinks. Prior to flight test, laboratory tests were conducted simulating ground and flight operations. During flight test, the fuselage/external air stream was responsible for dissipating over 80% of the heat

Gandolfi, Ricardo, Ribeiro, Luiz, Oliveira, Jorge, Paiva, Kleber, Mantelli, Marcia

Innovative Approach for Modular and Flexible Positioning Systems for Large Aircraft Assembly

2015-01-250309/15/2015

This paper presents an innovative approach for modular and flexible positioning systems for large aircraft assembly, for instance the manufacturing of the fuselage sections from shell panels and floor grids, the alignment of the sections to build the fuselage, and the joining of wings and tail units to the fuselage. The positioning system features a modular, reconfigurable, and versatile solution for various aircraft dimensions and different applications. This includes the positioning units, the controls, the measurement interface and the product supports. It provides the customer with a holistic solution that considers the specific positioning task taking into account high absolute positioning accuracy, repeatability and synchronization of the motion for all manipulators that constitute the positioning system. Various tools and method which were used during the development process are introduced and the developed standardized Positioning Technology is briefly explained.

Dr. Schneider, Thomas

Wireless and Flexible Ice Detection on Aircraft

2015-01-211206/15/2015

We present a wireless sensor system for temperature measurement and icing detection for the use on aircraft. The sensors are flexible (i.e. bendable), truly wireless, do not require scheduled maintenance, and can be attached easily to almost any point on the aircraft surface (e.g. wings, fuselage, rudder, elevator, etc.). With a sensor thickness of less than two millimeters at the current state of development, they hardly affect the aero dynamical behavior of the structure. In this paper, we report laboratory and field results for temperature measurement and icing detection.

Schlegl, Thomas, Moser, Michael, Zangl, Hubert

Numerical and Experimental Study of Sound Power Reduction Performance of Acoustic Black Holes in Rectangular Plates

2015-01-227006/15/2015

Global attenuation of structural velocities is one of the most effective approaches in order to reduce noise emitted by shell structures such as a car roof or aircraft fuselage panels. This global reduction can be achieved by the application of passive damping treatments like constraint layer damping on large fractions of the vibrating surface. The main disadvantage of this approach arises from the fact that it leads to increasing total cost and weight of the structure. To overcome this problem, acoustic black holes can be used to create locations with high vibration amplitudes and low bending waves velocity in order to dissipate the energy of structure borne sound by very limited application of damping treatments. Acoustic black holes are funnel shaped thickness reductions that attract sound radiating bending waves and allow a global vibration reduction by an acceptable use of additional damping. This paper presents the results of a numerical and experimental study of acoustic black

Unruh, Oliver, Blech, Christopher, Monner, Hans Peter

Designed for the Environment

1193402/25/2015

Boeing is designing jetliners with the environmental impact of their life span in mind. From the fuselage to the carpet, Boeing Director of Environmental Performance Jeanne Yu explains why Boeing considers how entire airplanes will be recycled before they're ever built.

Riveting Thin A320 Stacks

2014-01-226409/16/2014

The E7000 riveting machine installs NAS1097KE5-5.5 rivets into A320 Section 18 fuselage side panels. For the thinnest stacks where the panel skin is under 2mm (2024) and the stringer is under 2mm (7075), the normal process of riveting will cause deformation of the panel or dimpling. The authors found a solution to this problem by forming the rivet with the upper pressure foot extended, and it has been tested and approved for production.

Zieve, Peter B., Celek, Osman Emre, Fenty, John

Flex Track One Sided One Up Assembly

2014-01-227409/16/2014

The Boeing Company is striving to improve quality and reduce defects and injuries through the implementation of lightweight “Right Sized” automated drill and fasten equipment. This has lead to the factory adopting Boeing developed and supplier built flex track drill and countersink machines for drilling fuselage circumferential joins, wing panel to spar and wing splice stringers. The natural evolution of this technology is the addition of fastener installation to enable One Up Assembly. The critical component of One Up Assembly is keeping the joint squeezed tightly together to prevent burrs and debris at the interface. Traditionally this is done by two-sided machines providing concentric clamp up around the hole while it is being drilled. It was proposed that for stiff structure, the joint could be held together by beginning adjacent to a tack fastener, and assemble the joint sequentially using the adjacent hole clamp up from the previous hole to keep the joint clamped up. This process

HansonSmith, Riley, Merkley, Alan

5-Axis Flex Track Drilling Systems on Complex Contours: Solutions for Position Control

2013-01-222409/17/2013

Previous Flex Track drilling systems move along two parallel tracks that conform to the contour of a work piece surface. Until recently, applications have been limited to relatively simple surfaces such as the cylindrical mid-body fuselage join of a commercial aircraft. Recent developments in the state of the art have introduced the 5-axis variant which is capable of precision drilling on complex contours. This paper presents solutions to two positioning challenges associated with this added functionality: the ability to align the spindle axis normal to an angled drilling surface while maintaining accuracy in tool-point position, the ability to maintain synced motion between dual drives on complex track profiles.

Malcomb, Joseph R.

A Technique for Performing Closed Loop Flutter Evaluation on a Joined Wing UAV

2013-01-219709/17/2013

The present paper is focused on techniques aimed at including control law dynamics into linear flutter equations. An UAV in an unconventional joined wing configuration has been taken as test case for setting up the methodology. For this test case the pitch control law is included in the flutter equations, obtaining a model to perform closed loop flutter calculations. The extra degrees of freedom of control surfaces and additional terms due to the control law have been modeled by means of dynamic sub-structuring approach. The equations governing the dynamics of the control law are added to the aeroelastic stability equations after a suitable manipulation based on a derivative approach. The interesting aspect of the work is that the control law can be modeled as six external matrices to be properly assembled into the aeroelastic system. This is advantageous when already written codes for flutter evaluation are available since the requested modifications are minimal. For the test case two

Belardo, Marika, Pecora, Modesto, Paletta, Nicola

Development of Low Cost Fuselage Frames by Resin Transfer Molding

2013-01-232509/17/2013

This paper presents work on the development of a low cost fuselage C-frame for aircraft primary structure using a Light Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) process. Compared to labor intensive hand layup prepreg technologies, Light RTM offers some substantial advantages by reducing infrastructure requirements such as hydraulic presses or autoclaves. Compared to Prepreg, Light RTM tooling creates two finished surfaces, which is an advantage during installation due to improved dimensional accuracy. The focus of this work was to develop means of achieving high fiber volume fraction structural frames using low cost tooling and a low volume manufacturing strategy. In this case a three piece Light RTM mold was developed using an internal mandrel. To achieve the strength requirements, a combination of crimped and non-crimped fabrics were selected for the reinforcing preform. This made it possible to reduce the number of flat patterns by more than 8 times, saving layup time compared to the prepreg

Salek, Hasan, Trudeau, Paul

Frame-Clip Riveting End Effector

2013-01-207909/17/2013

A frame-clip riveting end effector has been developed for installing 3.97mm (5/32) and 4.6mm (3/16) universal head aluminum rivets. The end effector can be mounted on the end of a robot arm. The end effector provides 35.6 kNt (8000 lbs) of rivet upset. Rivets can be installed fifteen millimeters from the IML. The clearance allowed to rivet centerline is 150 millimeters. The riveting process features a unique style of rivet fingers for the universal head rivet. These fingers allow the rivet to be brought in with the ram. This differentiates from some styles of frame-clip end effectors in which the rivet is blown into the hole. The paper shows the technical components of the end effector in sequence: the pneumatic clamp, rivet insert and upset. The end effector will be used for riveting shear ties to frames on the IML of fuselage panels.

Zieve, Peter B.

An Anecdote - Order of Magnitude Cost and Time Reduction in Delivering an Aircraft Manufacturing Solution

2013-01-233509/17/2013

From purchase order to production womb-to-tomb in 5 months to the day, Bombardier's Fuselage Assembly line was upgraded and made into a fuselage automated assembly pulse line. This was accomplished with a factory move of the assembly line while maintaining production of this legacy line without missing one aircraft. Early in 2012, a bold decision was made to change the plan from a manual process to an automated process and implemented on schedule. This was applying automation to a legacy aircraft assembly line. It worked. Both technology and recurring cost savings will be addressed in this paper.

Krofchak, Leona, Mack, Ronald J.

Preforming of a Fuselage C-Shaped Frame Manufactured by Resin Transfer Molding

2013-01-221409/17/2013

The need for efficient manufacturing approaches has emerged with the increasing usage of composites for structural components in commercial aviation. Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), a process where a fiber preform is injected with resin into a closed tool, can achieve high fiber content required for structural components as well as improved dimensional accuracy since all surfaces are controlled by a tool surface. Moreover, RTM is well suited for parts that can be standardized throughout the aircraft, such as a fuselage frames and stringers. The objective of this investigation is to develop a preforming approach for a C-Shaped Fuselage frame. Two approaches are proposed: tri-axial braiding and hand lay-up of Non-Crimp Fabrics. The fiber architecture of the basic materials as well as the complete preforms is explained. The necessary preforming operations are detailed. The quality control measurement of fiber orientation and thickness are presented. A relation between the fabric lay-up

Laberge Lebel, Louis, Trudeau, Paul

Challenges Associated with a Complex Compound Curvature Passenger Doors

2013-01-221709/17/2013

This study investigates challenges associated with integrating a passenger (PAX) door on complex compound curvature (CCC) fuselages. Aerospace companies are investigating concepts that no-longer have constant cross-section (CS) fuselages. The PAX door is based on a generic semi-plug door for a long range business jet (BJ). This study investigates limitations of locating the door by varying the transition zone angle. A parametric CATIA tool, coupled with the use of finite element model (FEM) results can highlight key drivers in the design and location of PAX doors, creating a first-draft structural layout. The associated impact on the design and structural architecture for a fold down PAX door with integrated stairs is discussed. The impact of CCCs on the PAX door design is investigated with consideration to location, kinematics and function of the door. Design requirements, when coupled with stress analysis to simulate pressurization effect of the load applied to the stops, can create

Mistry, Sunil

E7000 High-Speed CNC Fuselage Riveting Cell

2013-01-215009/17/2013

Electroimpact has recently produced a high-speed fuselage panel fastening machine which utilizes an all-electric, CNC-controlled squeeze process for rivet upset and bolt insertion. The machine is designed to fasten skin panels to stringers, shear ties, and other internal fuselage components. A high riveting rate of 15 rivets per minute was achieved on the first-generation E7000 machine. This rate includes drilling, insertion, and upset of headed fuselage rivets. The rivets are inserted by a roller screw-driven upper actuator, with rivet upset performed by a lower actuator driven by a high-load-capacity ball screw. The rivet upset process can be controlled using either position- or load-based feedback. The E7000 machine incorporates a number of systems to increase panel processing speed, improve final product quality, and minimize operator intervention. The upper riveting head includes automatic tool changers for drills and upper anvils, both designed with very fast tool changes as a

Stansbury, Erin C., Bigoney, Burton, Allen, Reese

Aircraft Structure Paint Thickness and Lightning Swept Stroke Damages

2013-01-213509/17/2013

During its flight an aircraft can be struck by lightning and the induced high current will require a highly conductive airframe skin structure in order for it to propagate through with minimum damage. However an aircraft skin is generally coated with paint and the airframer does not always have control on the paint thickness. Paint thickness generates heightened concerns for lightning strike on aircraft, mainly because most of coatings dedicated to that purpose are non-conductive. Using insulating material or non-conductive coating with certain thickness may contribute to or increase damage inflicted by the swept stroke lightning energy, even on metallic structures Due to its high relative permittivity, a non-conductive paint or coating on a fuselage skin surface will contribute to slow down the lightning current propagation through structure. With this comes the risk of increasing heat that will favor structural damage and possible melt through. The correlation between paint thickness

Moupfouma, Fidele

Automated Work Sequencing in Constrained Areas Using Easily Portable and Optical Projection System

2012-01-188509/10/2012

Projection systems are an optically projected 3-D sequence of operations that will guide an assembly technician through a set of complex operations with an intuitive instruction set that is portable and can be quickly set up in complex work areas. Example assembly applications include an aircraft baggage hold of a commercial jet, an inlet duct of a fighter jet, or inside a fuselage of a business jet. Clear, easy-to-follow instructions have been demonstrated to significantly improve assembly time and reduce rework. In many cases, instructions can be completely language independent allowing people of different nationalities to look at the same projection and work the same way without requiring additional instructions. This system provides increased uniformity of span time for given tasks between workers with a wide range of experience which improves scheduling. This paper highlights the uses and application of optically projected work instructions, particularly related to grip length

Richardson, Roger C.

Development of a Robotic End-Effector of Drilling and Fasteners Inserter for Aircraft Structures

2012-01-185809/10/2012

This work presents the EFIP project (Efetuador de Furação e Inserção de Prendedores, Portuguese for “Effector of Drilling and Fasteners Inserter”), a robot end-effector design for implementing an automatic riveting process used in manufacturing aircraft fuselage components. The EFIP is mounted in an industrial anthropomorphic robot, with a seven-meter (7m) linear unit able to range over the entire side of an aircraft fuselage section. The end-effector has several modules that allows for a one-step-drilling process, including a special drill with chamfer; automatic rivet delivery; automatic rivet insertion; sealant applicator for each rivet; perpendicular drilling correction mechanism; clamp force control loop, and means for visual inspection. Each module can work independently or in integration with others, controlled by a graphical interface in a remote station. Other support devices complete the system, managing chip aspiration, tool cleaning and lubrication, liquid cooling of the

Eguti, Carlos C. A., Trabasso, Luis Gonzaga, Villani, Emilia, Coracini, Guilherme K., Furtado, Luis Fernando F.

Automated Positioning and Alignment Method and System for Aircraft Structures Using Robots

2012-01-187609/10/2012

Automated assembly of components and parts has been largely applied in aerospace industry due to several advantages such as low cost, high flexibility, reduction of floor space and high repeatability of process. The work described herein is part of the activities being carried at the Aircraft Structure Assembly Automation Laboratory (ASAA Lab). An outcome of a partnership between the Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA) and the Brazilian aerospace sector, the ASAA Lab is developing an automated process for the assembly of aircraft fuselages. This process [1] is constituted of two main steps: the leveling and alignment of the fuselage barrels and the drilling and riveting procedures that join the barrels together. This paper is related to the first step, a method and a system for positioning and aligning aircraft parts one in relation to each other during the structural assembly using robots with articulated arms as positioning means assisted by large volume measurement systems.

Negroni, Daniella Yada, Trabasso, Luis, Simonetti, Marcos Leandro

Automation for Unprecedented Production Rates

2012-01-187009/10/2012

Unprecedented rates in Boeing 737 aircraft production have driven a need for an increase in capacity in fuselage manufacturing and assembly. This paper will discuss the requirements by Spirit AeroSystems to add capacity, and the new and upgraded machinery provided by Broetje Automation in response to these requirements. Production areas found to require additional capacity included galley and entry door skin fastening, as well as frame fastening in upper and lower lobes. Three new Mobile Panel Assembly Cell (MPAC) machines were installed in rapid succession for efficient and flexible production of door panels. For frame fastening of upper and lower lobes, three existing machines were taken out of production one at a time for a comprehensive upgrade resulting in process speed increases of more than 40%.

O'Rourke, Brian, Rounkles, Randy

Mating Aircraft Using Flexible Tooling via the Digital Thread

2012-01-185109/10/2012

Tooling structures to make wing/wing, fuselage/fuselage, and wing/fuselage mates have long been rather massive tools. Not only are these tools large and expensive, but they often obstruct the very drilling and fastening work to be done in the mate tool. Furthermore, these legacy mate tools can only do one job - a mate tool cannot be used for a different airplane, or even a different part of the same airplane. A flexible, more versatile system will lower the cost of aircraft with a low quantity production run planned, and a more open design can reduce the cost of assembly on a high production aircraft. This paper will discuss the development and recent breakthroughs that allow the mating of any size aircraft sections with very high precision using only a set of specialized jacks that provide six degrees-of-freedom coupled with a non-contact measurement system. Data extracted directly from a CAD 3-D model is fed into a computer system that is then used with a closed-loop control system

Richardson, Roger C.

Automated Metrology Solution to Reduce Downtime and De-Skill Tooling Recertification

2012-01-186909/10/2012

Wing and fuselage aircraft structures require large precise tools for assembly. These large jigs require periodic re-certification to validate jig accuracy, yet metrology tasks involved may take the tool out of service for a week or more and typically require highly specialized personnel. Increasing the time between re-certifications adds the risk of making out-of-tolerance assemblies. How can we reduce jig re-certification down time without increasing the risk of using out-of-tolerance tooling? An alternative, successfully tested in a prototype tool, is to bring automated metrology tools to bear. Specifically, laser tracker measurements can be automated through a combination of off-the-shelf & custom software, careful line-of-sight planning, and permanent embedded targets. Retro-reflectors are placed at critical points throughout the jig. Inaccessible (out of reach) tool areas are addressed through the use of low cost, permanent, shielded repeatability targets. Simple locators enable

Flynn, Robert, Christensen, Karl, Ryan, Ray

5-Axis Flex Track System

2012-01-185909/10/2012

Flex Track Systems are seeing increased usage in aerospace applications for joining large assemblies, such as fuselage sections. Previous systems were limited to work pieces that allowed the tracks to follow a gentle radius of curvature, limiting the locations where the system could be used. This paper describes a new 5-Axis Flex Track System developed to expand the usage of the systems, allowing them to process work pieces containing complex and irregular contours. Processing complex contours is accomplished through the addition of A and B axes providing normalization in multiple directions. These new systems are configured with the latest multi-function process capabilities allowing drilling, hole quality measurement, and temporary or permanent fastener installation.

Seater, Brian

Offset Fastening Flex Track

2012-01-185009/10/2012

Flex Track Drilling systems have been successfully implemented into several production environments and scenarios over the past couple of years. They continue to see a high demand where traditional machine tool implementations might be prohibitive due to cost or existing jig structures. This demand for innovation has led to a unique Flex Track design termed an Offset Flex Track that not only works between the vacuum rails, but can work beyond the envelope of the rails. This allows the machine to be used in situations such as the leading edge of wings where the vacuum rails cannot straddle the work envelope. The next evolution of this Offset machine is the introduction of final fastener installation onto the head using an onboard rivet gun. In addition, the camera used to locate datum points on the fuselage is now integrated into the nose piece, eliminating the need for a tool change to a spindle mounted camera. The next generation of Flex Track machines will continue to push the

Brown, Cody

Design and Safety Criteria for Passenger Boarding Stairways

ARP836C (Current)03/28/2012

This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) is broken into various categories for convenience and ease of identification. It is the purpose of this document to provide certain criteria for the design and selection of stairways, for the boarding of passengers onto an aircraft. The criteria presented are limited to those factors which affect the safety of the passengers and are coordinated, where applicable, with the practices of the architectural profession, with respect to the design of stairways. The recommended practices are applicable to both mobile variable-elevation type stairways and to fixed-elevation stairways of the type built into an aircraft fuselage.

AGE-3 Aircraft Ground Support Equipment Committee

Positioning System for the Aircraft Structural Assembly

2011-01-263710/18/2011

This paper presents a new conception of a positioning technology concept for aircraft structural assembly, for instance the manufacturing of the fuselage sections from shell panels and floor grids, the alignment of the sections to build the fuselage, and the joining of wings and tail units to the fuselage. The positioning system features a modular, reconfigurable, and versatile solution for various aircraft dimensions and different applications. It provides the customer with a holistic solution that considers the positioning task taking into account the operation conditions and the environmental influences within the very same control unit. The positioning system consists of three main modules that communicate over a standardized interface: A large-scale metrology system for an accurate identification of the positions and orientation of the aircraft components, a mechanical system for the handling of these components and a control system. The latter is the core module of the

Mbarek, Taoufik, Meissner, Alexander, Biyiklioglu, Nihat

Development of Modular Low Cost Automation Systems for Aircraft Assembly

2011-01-263810/18/2011

In the assembly of large aircraft components such as fuselage sections, wings and tail planes, today large fixtures are necessary to assure correct assembly results in terms of geometric accuracy. These fixtures need to be rigid, accurate and tailor-made for the related components and assembly operations. This results in inflexibility regarding changes of the components form and dimensions, and cost disadvantage [1]. On the other hand, the demands concerning tolerances in aircraft assembly are high, for instance position accuracy of less than ±0.2mm is required for large aircraft structural components. In order to reduce cost and improve quality, innovative approaches are required that enable an easy reconfiguration of assembly systems, while ensuring highly accurate positioning of the aircraft components. The aim of this work is to develop modular low cost automation systems for aircraft structural assembly. These systems should allow for flexible assembly as well as high positioning

Müller, Rainer, Esser, Martin, Mbarek, Taoufik, Biyiklioglu, Nihat, Quinders, Stefan

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