The Boeing Company

Robert W Scott

Bryan G Dods

James Morrison

John Macke

Raymond J Slesinski

Jerry R Harmon

Lynn Braunschweig

A drill template includes a vacuum housing with a skirt having a CAD-formed contact surface formed to an exact fit with a mold line surface of a structure. The drill template includes at least one drill guide bushing extending through the vacuum housing from a top surface to an interior surface of the vacuum housing; a vacuum port integral to the vacuum housing; and at least one index hole for positioning and aligning the vacuum housing on the structure. Index holes extend from the top surface through to the CAD-formed contact surface of the vacuum housing. A CAD-formed edge of part locator is formed according to a CAD solid model of the aircraft fuselage and fits to a precise location of the structure for precisely positioning the template on the structure. A vacuum port provides vacuum to the interior of the vacuum housing for removing drilling debris and dust.

Formation of a pattern of holes in a structure

An adjustable drill template has a base plate and a plurality of drill blocks. The drill blocks are movably coupled to the base plate. The drill blocks can move along the length of the base plate so that the drill blocks can be configured to conform to a desired hole pattern. A locking device coupled to each drill block will hold each drill block in a desired position.

Adjustable drill template

Drill template with integral vacuum attach

Growing community of inventors

St. Charles, MO, United States of America

Robert W Scott