An automated apparatus for use in selectively installing temporary fasteners in an assembly is provided. The apparatus includes an end effector, a cutting mechanism coupled to the end effector and that forms an opening in the assembly when a potential opening location is substantially aligned with a cutting mechanism center point. The apparatus also includes at least one of a first sub-assembly and a second sub-assembly coupled to the end effector. The first sub-assembly includes a temporary fastener insertion mechanism that inserts a temporary fastener through the opening in the assembly when the opening is substantially aligned with an insertion mechanism center point different from the cutting mechanism center point. The second sub-assembly includes a temporary fastener removal mechanism that removes installed temporary fasteners from the assembly when the installed temporary fastener is substantially aligned with a removal mechanism center point different from the cutting mechanism center point.

Coring augers, tools, methods, and connectors for preparing an end of a coaxial cable for introduction of a flowable medium into the end are disclosed. The disclosed methods and tools may form a frustoconical dielectric portion at an end of the coaxial cable. An annular space formed between the outer conductor and the frustoconical dielectric portion may facilitate the introduction of the flowable medium into the annular space. The disclosed methods and tools may also flare an outer conductor at the end of the coaxial cable and engage the flared outer conductor in a corresponding flared connector.

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.

A method for attaching a porous metal layer to a dense metal substrate, wherein the method is particularly useful in forming orthopedic implants such as femoral knee components, femoral hip components, and/or acetabular cups. The method, in one embodiment thereof, comprises providing a solid metal substrate; providing a porous metal structure; contouring a surface of the porous metal structure; placing the porous structure against the substrate such that the contoured surface of the porous metal structure is disposed against the substrate, thereby forming an assembly; applying heat and pressure to the assembly in conjunction with thermal expansion of the substrate in order to metallurgically bond the porous structure and the substrate; and removing mass from the substrate after the porous structure is bonded to the substrate, thereby finish processing the assembly.

A method for attaching a porous metal layer to a dense metal substrate, wherein the method is particularly useful in forming orthopedic implants such as femoral knee components, femoral hip components, and/or acetabular cups. The method, in one embodiment thereof, comprises providing a solid metal substrate; providing a porous metal structure; contouring a surface of the porous metal structure; placing the porous structure against the substrate such that the contoured surface of the porous metal structure is disposed against the substrate, thereby forming an assembly; applying heat and pressure to the assembly in conjunction with thermal expansion of the substrate in order to metallurgically bond the porous structure and the substrate; and removing mass from the substrate after the porous structure is bonded to the substrate, thereby finish processing the assembly.

A metal processing apparatus comprising: (i) a first tool portion including a first carrier, a cutting surface, a first plurality of dimple forming elements; (ii) a second tool portion including a second carrier, in opposing relation to the first tool portion, the second tool portion having a blade or adapted to receive the blade which is adapted to contact the cutting surface for cutting an edge of a metal sheet to form a cut edge in the metal sheet, a second plurality of dimple forming elements; and (iii) a dimpler indexer to index the first plurality of dimple forming from a first pre-determined location to a second pre-determined location. The metal processing apparatus may find particular use in creating dimples along one or more cut edges of a metal sheet to allow for stacking of the metal sheets with an airgap therebetween.

A double-track welding system is provided. A first track is detachably mounted on a first side of a weld seam of a workpiece, and a second track is detachably mounted on a second side of the weld seam of the workpiece. The first track and the second track are both mounted on a fixed support, and the fixed support can drive the first track and second track to move. At least one welding trolley is arranged on each of the first track and the second track. An image acquisition component is used for acquiring an image of a part to be welded; a weld seam scanning device is used for acquiring the weld seam morphology; and a control system is used for controlling, according to the image of the part to be welded, the fixed support to move.

An apparatus for the processing of wire and/or tubular components includes a base member and at least two wire/tube processing modules. The modules can be releasably engaged with each other and the base member in which engagement mechanically and electrically couples the modules and the base member. The base member includes an operator interface enabling operation to any linked module.

An apparatus for the processing of wire and/or tubular components includes a base member and at least two wire/tube processing modules. The modules can be releasably engaged with each other and the base member in which engagement mechanically and electrically couples the modules and the base member. The base member includes an operator interface enabling operation to any linked module.

An apparatus for forming and sealing an adjustable duct member for use in an air handling system. At least one work station accommodates a tapered work piece. A repositionable die is positioned relative to the work piece, and a cutting and forming assembly cooperates with the repositionable die to cut the work piece and form a coupling bead to reconnect the members together. A sealing assembly cooperates with the first repositioning die to seal the coupling bead in the first and second members. The work station includes an insertion channel having predetermined dimensions to accommodate at least a portion of the work piece. A clamping assembly is associated with the insertion channel to securely hold the tapered work piece at the predetermined position during the cutting and forming and sealing operations.