The Boeing Company

The Boeiog Company

Clayton Lynn Munk

Dan Dresskell Day

Eric M Reid

Paul Elfes Nelson

David E Strand

Darrell Darwin Jones

Paul Reed Stone

Matthew Ray DesJardien

Steven A Best

Steven Best

Samuel Roderick Dobbs

John Walter Hall

Philip W Boyd

James C Roberts

Michael J Fant

Richard D Fiedler

Barry A Lewis

Gary E Mansell

Matthew Ray Desjardien

Max Urban Kismarton

Daniel R Smith

James Niemann Buttrick

Gregory Louis Clark

Edward John Batt

Farahnaz Sisco

James M Cobb

Antonio C Micale

Luis A Perla

Raymond C Eng

Kim Marie Larson

Mario A Mendez

Donald A Mottaz

Jayson J Aquino

Chris G Couevas

Azita N Namdaran

Noman S Noor

Steven John Schmitt

Tanni Sisco

Fei Cai

Monica Joy Brockway

Harry E Townsend

Stephen Glade Holley

Christopher Wheaton

Daniel Richard Smith, Jr

James C Murphy

Gordon Dale Davis

Thomas Dee Hall

Brian R Conlan

Carlos Crespo

Eric Scott Patton

Gavin Lloyd Smith

Victor Joseph Bolton

Carlos Daniel Crespo

Darell Darwin Jones

Raymond Cho Eng

Christopher J Wheaton

Daniel Richard Smith Jr

Luis A Peria

Farahnaz Tanni Sisco

Mario Ramos

Safety architecture for an automated work cell provides a barrier separating a work cell area from an operator or personnel area. The safety architecture enables personnel to conduct routine interactions with nonfunctioning motion platforms or positioning machines located in the work cell area through openings in the barrier separating the personnel area from the work cell area while other motion platforms or positioning machines in the work cell area continues to function.

Safety architecture for an automated work cell

A method and apparatus for manufacturing an aircraft structure. A drivable support may be driven from a first location to a second location to bring the drivable support together with at least one other drivable support to form a drivable support system. A structure may be held in a desired position using the drivable support system.

Flexible manufacturing system for aircraft structures

Compliant end effectors, robots that include compliant end effectors, and methods of utilizing the same. The robots include a robotic arm and the compliant end effector. The compliant end effector includes a base, a jaw fixedly coupled to the base, a part-engaging surface, and a pivot structure. The pivot structure extends between the part-engaging surface and the jaw and is configured to permit limited rotation of the part-engaging surface relative to the jaw about a single pivot axis. The methods include locating an apparatus with a vision system of the robot, locating a part with the vision system, gripping the part with the compliant end effector, positioning the part relative to the apparatus, and operatively attaching the part to the apparatus. The positioning includes deliberately contacting a toe end of a flange of the part with the apparatus prior to contacting a heel end of the flange with the apparatus.

Compliant end effectors, robots that include compliant end effectors, and methods of utilizing the same

A method and apparatus for maintaining a selected configuration for a structure. Metrology data for a support system is received while the support system holds the structure. A determination is made as to whether a current configuration of the structure is within selected tolerances of the selected configuration for the structure based on the metrology data. The support system is moved to move the structure held by the support system into the selected configuration in response to a determination that the current configuration of the structure is not within the selected tolerances of the selected configuration for the structure.

Metrology system for positioning assemblies

Flexible manufacturing for aircraft structures

Systems and methods are provided for structurally supporting an aircraft wing. The system comprises a section of aircraft wing that includes skin. The skin surrounds an internal volume of the wing and comprises layers of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) having fiber orientations aligned to bear shear stresses applied to the wing. The section of aircraft wing also includes planked stringers that are laterally oriented within the wing, contact the skin within the internal volume, are attached to the skin, and comprise layers of CFRP having fiber orientations that are aligned to bear bending at the wing. Furthermore, the section includes spars that are positioned between planked stringers on an upper portion of the wing and planked stringers on a lower portion of the wing, wherein the spars are aligned with the planked stringers.

Planked stringers that provide structural support for an aircraft wing

A single piece pulsed flow wing assembly method providing for horizontal wing manufacture is accomplished using synchronized automated vehicles guided in a predetermined manner to move and, locate wing structure in a plurality of assembly positions. Multi-axis assembly positioning systems (MAPS) are used at each assembly position to support and index components in the wing structure and determinant assembly techniques are used for indexing of the components. Modular automated manufacturing processes employing magnetic assembly clamping, drilling, fastener insertion, and sealant application are employed.

High rate pulsing wing assembly line

A system and method are provided to automate the assembly of a wing panel, such as utilized by commercial aircraft. In the context of a system, a tacking cell is provided that is configured to tack one or more stringers to a skin plank. The system also includes a riveting cell configured to receive a tacked plank from the tacking cell and to rivet the one or more stringers to the skin plank. The system also includes a splicing cell configured to receive a plurality of riveted planks from the riveting cell and to attach one or more splice stringers to the plurality of riveted planks. Further, the system includes a side of body cell configured to receive a spliced panel from the splicing cell and to attach a side of body chord thereto to produce a wing panel.

System and method for manufacturing a wing panel

Systems and methods are provided for integrating structural components of a wing box. One embodiment is a system that includes outboard planked stringers within an outboard section of a wing box and are co-cured with composite skin at the outboard section. Each outboard planked stringer of the outboard section includes planar layers of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) that are parallel with the composite skin at the outboard section, have fiber orientations aligned to bear tension and compression applied to the wing box, and each extend a different distance along the composite skin at the outboard section. The system also includes center planked stringers within the center section and are co-cured with composite skin at the center section. Each center planked stringer of the center section includes planar layers of CFRP that are parallel with the composite skin at the center section, have fiber orientations aligned to bear tension and compression applied to the wing box, and each extend a different distance along the skin at the center section.

Aircraft composite wingbox integration

A method and apparatus for maintaining a selected configuration for a structure during a manufacturing process for forming a product using the structure. Metrology data for a support system is received. The support system holds the structure during the manufacturing process. A determination is made as to whether a current configuration of the structure is within selected tolerances of the selected configuration for the structure based on the metrology data. The support system is reconfigured to move the structure into the selected configuration in response to a determination that the current configuration of the structure is not within the selected tolerances of the selected configuration for the structure.

A method and apparatus for positioning one component relative to another component. First metrology data may be identified for a first component and second metrology data may be identified for a second component. First locations of first features may be identified on the first component using the first metrology data. Second locations of second features on the second component may be identified using the second metrology data. A transformation may be computed based on the first locations identified and the second locations identified for use in modifying a movement plan of a robotic system for positioning the second component relative to the first component.

Method and apparatus for multi-stage spar assembly

A method and apparatus for performing an operation on a surface of a structure. An assembly system may comprise a motion platform and a mobile platform. The motion platform may be configured to be positioned below the surface of the structure to perform the operation on the surface. The mobile platform may be configured to carry the motion platform across a floor of a manufacturing environment from a first location to a second location.

Mobile automated assembly tool for aircraft structures

Growing community of inventors

Maple Valley, WA, United States of America

Clayton Lynn Munk