The Boeing Company

Robert Michael Lawton

Kelsea Cox

Lindsay Leigh Waite Jones

Lindsay L W Jones

Richard Joel Thompson

Kristen Smith Williams

Craig S Bosma

Lindsay L Jones

Elizabeth Killelea

Ivan V Kwok

Shelby E Basham

Jordan S Falk

Emily O'Connor

Systems and methods for assessing plotting device accuracy in aid of a process for qualifying plotter systems. The system and process involve an ideal (virtual) test pattern consisting of digital data defining a nominal grid augmented by geometric features (e.g., closed two-dimensional geometric shapes which respectively surround intersections or vertices of the nominal grid). The plotting device under test is commanded to print a test plot having a pattern that matches the test pattern, but the test plot may deviate from the test pattern. To measure the amount of deviation, first an image of the test plot on the printed medium is captured using an accurate optical scanner. Then a mathematical measurement process, implemented in a computer vision application (e.g., a software package), is employed to detect deviations of the test plot from the test pattern. A statistical analysis is then performed to determine whether the deviations are within specifications.

Automated measurement of positional accuracy in the qualification of high-accuracy plotters

Techniques for qualifying a candidate supplier are presented. Such techniques may include obtaining a part produced by a candidate supplier and measuring a quantifiable property in each of a plurality of samples to obtain an empirical data set. Such techniques may also include selecting, based on the empirical data set, and fitting to the empirical data set, an appropriate linear mixed model for the quantifiable property. Such techniques may further include computing an acceptance parameter from a mean and standard deviation obtained from the appropriate linear mixed model. The acceptance parameter may include a process capability index or a tolerance interval bound. Such techniques may further include determining that the candidate supplier qualifies based on comparing the acceptance parameter to a threshold.

Qualification of second-source raw materials in the presence of multiple batch effects

A method, system, and apparatus for a rivet measurement system for non-destructive testing measurements comprising a first measurement apparatus, a second measurement apparatus and a rivet analyzer. The first measurement apparatus acquires non-destructive testing measurements for sample production grade rivets of a particular class installed in a production vehicle structure. The second measurement apparatus acquires destructive testing measurements for the sample production grade rivets of the particular class. The rivet analyzer creates a statistical model representing a relationship between the non-destructive testing measurements and destructive testing measurements of the production grade rivets and to acquire the non-destructive testing measurements for the button height and the button diameter for additional production grade rivets, predict rivet button concentricity from the non-destructive testing measurements for the button height and the button diameter using the statistical model and determine whether the additional production grade rivets installed in the production vehicle structure are acceptable.

Rivet measurement system

Techniques for qualifying for use in an overall manufacturing process items produced by a bulk manufacturing process that has a plurality of batch effects are presented. The techniques can include obtaining a collection of items produced by a bulk manufacturing process that has a plurality of batch effects; measuring a quantifiable property of a sample of items from the collection of items; developing a linear mixed model for the quantifiable property based on the measuring; determining a statistical process control standard deviation for the collection of items based on the linear mixed model; computing a statistical process control parameter from the statistical process control standard deviation; determining that at least a portion of the collection of items conform to the statistical process control parameter; accepting at least a portion of the collection of items; and using at least a portion of the collection of items in the overall manufacturing process.

Manufacturing statistical process control in the presence of multiple batch effects

A computing system, method and computer program product dynamically manage Monte Carlo simulations. In a method, convergence criteria conditions are identified and a set of outcomes is generated following the repeated performance of one or more functions upon randomly sampled input parameter distributions. The method also determines whether the convergence criteria condition is satisfied based upon a plurality of samples. In an instance in which the convergence criteria condition is not satisfied, the method supplements the set of outcomes by repeatedly performing the one or more functions upon randomly sampled input parameter distributions. In an instance in which the convergence criteria condition is satisfied, the method determines whether the set of outcomes has been supplemented prior to satisfying the convergence criteria condition and, if the set of outcomes has not been supplemented, the size of the set of outcomes to be generated during a subsequent Monte Carlo simulation is reduced.

Computing system and method for dynamically managing monte carlo simulations

A method and apparatus for analyzing potential corrosion for a vehicle. Potential corrosion surfaces for the vehicle are identified using a model for the vehicle. The corrosion risks are predicted for each of the potential corrosion surfaces. The corrosion risks predicted are aggregated into a group of aggregated corrosion risks for a group of functional design units for the vehicle. A corrosion risk assessment for the vehicle is generated to identify a corrosion risk in the vehicle from the group of aggregated corrosion risks, and to enable a change in the model to reduce the identified corrosion risk.

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Huntsville, AL, United States of America

Robert Michael Lawton