A method of producing an assembly tool (60) for assembling an assembly (6), the method comprising: providing at least a portion of a jig frame (62); fixing support plates (65) to the jig frame (62); machining the one or more support plates (65) such that a surface of each of the support plates (65) lies in a common plane (130); positioning the jig frame (62) such that the machined surfaces of the support plates (65) contact with a supporting surface (138); fixing pickup device mounting plates (140a, 140b) to the jig frame (62); machining, with respect to the supporting surface (138), the pickup device mounting plates (140a, 140b) such that a surface of each mounting plate (140a, 40b) has a respective predetermined position and orientation with respect to the supporting surface (138); and fixing, to the machined surfaces of the mounting plates (140a, 140b), a respective pickup device (66-72).

Disclosed wing-to-body join methods include commanding a wing to a first command position and then iteratively repeating a first-phase movement and/or commanding a wing to a second command position and then iteratively repeating a second-phase movement. The first-phase movement includes determining a real position of the wing, calculating a first-phase difference between the real position and the first command position, and commanding the wing to reduce the magnitude of the first-phase difference. The second-phase movement includes determining a real position of the wing, determining a real position of the body, calculating a second-phase difference based on the second command position and the real positions of the wing and body, and commanding the wing to reduce the magnitude of the second-phase difference. Some embodiments include performing a port-side move for a port wing of the aircraft and performing a starboard-side move for a starboard wing of the aircraft.

A method of producing an assembly tool (60) for assembling an assembly (6), the method comprising: providing at least a portion of a jig frame (62); fixing support plates (65) to the jig frame (62); machining the one or more support plates (65) such that a surface of each of the support plates (65) lies in a common plane (130); positioning the jig frame (62) such that the machined surfaces of the support plates (65) contact with a supporting surface (138); fixing pickup device mounting plates (140a, 140b) to the jig frame (62); machining, with respect to the supporting surface (138), the pickup device mounting plates (140a, 140b) such that a surface of each mounting plate (140a, 40b) has a respective predetermined position and orientation with respect to the supporting surface (138); and fixing, to the machined surfaces of the mounting plates (140a, 140b), a respective pickup device (66-72).

A machine learning device which learns an operation of a laminated core manufacturing apparatus for stacking a plurality of core sheets to manufacture a laminated core, wherein the machine learning device includes a state observation unit which observes states of the core sheets and the laminated core manufacturing apparatus; and a learning unit which updates a manipulated variable for stacking the core sheets, on the basis of a state variable observed by the state observation unit.

An assembly process for assembling at least part of an aircraft airframe, the assembly process comprising: providing a first assembly including a first part of the airframe and a first reference structure attached thereto; providing a second assembly including a second part of the aircraft airframe and a second reference structure attached thereto; receiving, by a first receptacle, the first reference structure; receiving, by a second receptacle, the second reference structure; moving, by an actuation device, the receptacles into a predetermined configuration, thereby moving the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe into a predetermined configuration; and performing an assembly operation on the airframe parts to fixedly attach together the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe, thereby producing the part of the aircraft airframe.

An emulator configured to emulate an automated aircraft assembly jig supporting an aircraft assembly is disclosed. The emulator connectable to an automated equipment module and configured to: send a first signal to an automated equipment module, wherein the first signal is representative of a communication to the automated equipment module; and receive a second signal from the automated equipment module representative of a communication from the automated equipment module, wherein the automated equipment module is arranged to operate autonomously on an aircraft assembly.

An end-of-line task system includes a plurality of bays each including a plurality of task stations and a task execution system for executing software-based tasks, a conveyor system for transporting the vehicle to and from the plurality of bays, and a task and vehicle management system. The task and vehicle management system includes a station module for collecting data from the task stations and for determining whether each of the task stations is available to receive the vehicle, an assignment module, and a transport module. The assignment module obtains a task request for the vehicle to perform a task. The assignment module assigns the vehicle to a selected bay based on the task request and to a selected task station based on availabilities of the task stations. The transport module operates the conveyor system to transport the vehicle to the selected bay and to the selected task station.

A system for controlling operations during production of an assembly of parts is provided. The system includes a tool for performing manual operations on a plurality of elements of the assembly of parts, and locating means integrated at least in part into an electronic module attached to the tool and able to determine a location of at least one operation associated with an element by locating the position of the tool in a three-dimensional coordinate system associated with a set of modelling data representing a three-dimensional modelled image of the assembly of parts. The locating means includes a depth camera belonging to the electronic module and a processing module able to estimate the position of the portable hand tool on the basis of images captured by the depth camera.

A task system includes a plurality of task stations, a task and vehicle management system, and a conveyor system. The task and vehicle management system is configured to collect data from each of the plurality of task stations to determine whether at least one of the plurality of task stations is available to receive a vehicle, obtain a task request for the vehicle to perform a task, and assign the vehicle to a selected task station from among the plurality of task stations based on availabilities of the plurality of task stations and the task request. The conveyor system is configured to transport the vehicle to the selected task station.

Methods and systems are provided for managing vehicle manifest data at a vehicle. Vehicle manifest data is received from a plant operation system at a vehicle manifest data management system of the vehicle. The vehicle manifest data includes a plurality of component identifiers. Each of the component identifiers corresponds to a vehicle component for installation in the vehicle during a vehicle assembly process. The vehicle manifest data includes installation data associated with the installation of each of the vehicle components. A first component identifier associated with a first vehicle component and a first assembly station identifier associated with a first assembly station equipped to install the first vehicle component are received at the vehicle manifest data management system from the plant operation system. The installation data associated with the first vehicle component is transmitted from the vehicle manifest data management system to a station controller of the first assembly station.