The Boeing Company

Mark P Proulx

Mark C Boberg

Hugh R Schlosstein

C Warren Turner

Gaye Turner, Legal Representative

Gayle L Turner, Legal Representative

Examples disclosed herein generally relate to methods and apparatus for the positioning and alignment of an electrodynamic shaker system relative to an excitation point on a structure to be tested. The electrodynamic shaker system includes a base plate, a support plate, and a locking mechanism. The base plate comprises a plurality of rollable ball transfer units coupled to the base plate. The support plate, supporting an electrodynamic shaker and trunnion thereon, is seated on the ball transfer units of the base plate such that the support plate may be aligned relative to the test article via the ball transfer units. Once the electrodynamic shaker system is in the desired location, a flexure of the electrodynamic shaker may be precisely aligned with and coupled to a test article. The electrodynamic shaker system disclosed utilizes no precision components and is tolerant of dust, dirt, and other environmental contaminants typically present in testing locations.

Positioner for electrodynamic shaker

A system and method for machining an elongate workpiece in a plurality of work cells are provided. The work cells are positioned along a substantially linear process flow path so that the work operations can be performed on different lengthwise portions of the workpiece simultaneously. A transport system advances the workpiece from an infeed system along the process flow path, thereby moving the lengthwise portions of the workpiece successively through the work cells. The transport system includes a plurality of pallets that can be engaged to the workpiece so that the workpiece is supported by the pallets throughout at least part of the machining system.

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Des Moines, WA, United States of America

Mark P Proulx