The Boeing Company

Steven Malarkey

James J Troy

William McGarry

Michael Patrick Sciarra

Nikoli Prazak

James Philip Parsons

Robert Brandt

Vladimir Karakusevic

William Eric Ward

John Carney Gass

Kevin Puterbaugh

Katherine I Meza

William J Brown

Jeffery A Bus

James E Fadenrecht

Robert S Van Den Berg

A computer-automated separation rules compliance method is disclosed. Separation rules that establish separation distance requirements between objects in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual environment are defined. Sample locations associated with at least some of the objects in the 3D virtual environment are specified. One or more of proximity and/or collision analysis is performed on the sample locations to determine separation distances between the objects. The determined separation distances are compared to the separation distance requirements. Objects in the 3D virtual environment that violate the separation rules based on said comparing are identified.

Computer-automated separation rules compliance analysis

A system for analysis of gaps between modeled parts of an assembly to be produced is provided. The system generates a three-dimensional (3D) visualization environment of 3D models of a plurality of parts in the assembly and performs an analysis of those of the 3D models within a given proximity to each other to determine gaps therebetween, including any non-acceptable gaps with gap distances that exceed an acceptable gap threshold. The system generates, for a non-acceptable gap, an instruction and automatically implements the instruction to correct the non-acceptable gap and confirms that the non-acceptable gap as corrected does not have a gap distance that exceeds the acceptable gap threshold. The system generates an output of a 3D model of the assembly populated with the 3D models and with the non-acceptable gap as corrected for use in connection with production of the assembly.

Gap detection for 3D models

A multi-configuration massive model system. The system comprises a processor unit and a comparator configured to run on the processor unit, a memory, and a configuration manager. The comparator compares sets of parts for two or more configurations of a vehicle to form a list comprising a group of common parts and a group of unique parts. The memory is configured to store a massive model dataset of the configurations of the vehicle with a list of the group of common parts and the group of unique parts for the configurations of the vehicle. The configuration manager, configured to run on the processor unit, receives input of a selected configuration and performs an action relating to the vehicle using the massive model dataset for the selected configuration of the vehicle with the list of the group of common parts and the groups of unique parts stored in the memory.

Multi-configuration massive model system

A method is provided that includes rendering for display, a digital three-dimensional (3D) model of a structural product composed of a plurality of parts, with the digital 3D model being observed from a home viewpoint. Input is received to navigate the digital 3D model to a part of the plurality of parts, observation of the digital 3D model being moved from the home viewpoint to a navigated viewpoint. A digital label is generated that includes information specifying the navigated viewpoint and includes information for the part. The digital label may be output to a label recorder configured to record the digital label on a physical medium and thereby produce a corresponding physical label. At least the navigated viewpoint of the digital 3D model in the digital label and corresponding physical label are in a machine-readable format and capable of being machine-read to automatically restore the digital 3D model at the navigated viewpoint.

Data acquisition and encoding process linking physical objects with virtual data for manufacturing, inspection, maintenance and repair

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Lynnwood, WA, United States of America

Steven Malarkey