A workpiece having at least one physical feature is placed into a workstation fixture having at least one adjustable locator. Measurement data reflecting the position of the at least one physical feature of the workpiece and measurement data reflecting the position of the at least one adjustable locator are obtained. A processor ingests and utilizes the collection of assembly data and the measurement data to define and store in memory at least one ordered pair correlating the physical feature and the adjustable locator. The processor defines a test vector that connects the position of the at least one physical feature and the position of the at least one adjustable locator. The processor to computationally discovers a best fit for adjusting the position of the adjustable locator to register with the physical feature by applying to the test vector a computational optimization process that seeks to minimize the length of the test vector to thereby generate a digital shim vector. The adjustable locator is then physically moved according to the digital shim vector, which is stored in association with the collection of assembly data.

The disclosure herein describes an aircraft assembly tracker system including a user interface configured to display an aircraft part under assembly and overlay one or more zones on the displayed part. The user interface operates on a computing device. The zones represent different panels to be affixed to the aircraft during assembly and their shape displayed on the user interface is identical to the shape of their corresponding panel being affixed to the physical aircraft part. The aircraft assembly tracker system monitors the assembly progress of each zone and automatically alerts aircraft assembly workers when the zone is ready for closure.

A method and system for assembling a modular structure from components configured to be fitted together to create the modular structure in accordance with a construction plan. Each component includes: a communication interface; and an output interface configured to generate sensory signals. The components communicate, via the communication interface of each component, with a controller to establish an availability of the components for the modular structure. A target component is determined at the controller from the components based on the construction plan and the availability of the components. The target component is a starting component used for initiating creation of the modular structure in accordance with the construction plan. A first sensory signal indicating the target component to a user is generated by the output interface of the target component.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a product. The method comprises creating a product plan comprising time units during which manufacturing of the product occurs, wherein the time units are grouped into phases of the manufacturing. Further, the product plan also includes entities performing work on systems for the product and work items performed by the entities during the manufacturing days. The manufacturing of the product is controlled using the product plan.

A workpiece having at least one physical feature is placed into a workstation fixture having at least one adjustable locator. Measurement data reflecting the position of the at least one physical feature of the workpiece and measurement data reflecting the position of the at least one adjustable locator are obtained. A processor ingests and utilizes the collection of assembly data and the measurement data to define and store in memory at least one ordered pair correlating the physical feature and the adjustable locator. The processor defines a test vector that connects the position of the at least one physical feature and the position of the at least one adjustable locator. The processor to computationally discovers a best fit for adjusting the position of the adjustable locator to register with the physical feature by applying to the test vector a computational optimization process that seeks to minimize the length of the test vector to thereby generate a digital shim vector. The adjustable locator is then physically moved according to the digital shim vector, which is stored in association with the collection of assembly data.

A robotic tool is positioned relative to a feature of a component during a manufacturing process. The tool may be used to perform a manufacturing operation on the component. The tool is also be used to dispose a fiducial mark with a known registration to the feature, even if the feature is subsequently obscured. The position of tools for subsequent manufacturing operations are then set relative to the fiducial mark.

A cooperation robot for moving a bumper to a predetermined position of a vehicle in a vehicle production system includes: a multi-axis arm, a front end portion of which is connected to and a rear end portion of which is connected to a robot body so that the multi-axis arm is movably disposed to upper, lower, left and right sides on the basis of the robot body. The multi-axis arm is disposed to rotate the gripper. A force torque (FT) sensor is disposed between the multi-axis arm and the gripper and detects a direction of external force which is applied to the gripper and the bumper gripped by the gripper. An operator controls the multi-axis arm so that positions of the gripper and the bumper vary. A controller controls the operator according to the direction of the external force detected by the FT sensor when the multi-axis arm is in a stand-by condition to move the gripper in the direction the external force.

A workpiece having at least one physical feature is placed into a workstation fixture having at least one adjustable locator. Measurement data reflecting the position of the at least one physical feature of the workpiece and measurement data reflecting the position of the at least one adjustable locator are obtained. A processor ingests and utilizes the collection of assembly data and the measurement data to define and store in memory at least one ordered pair correlating the physical feature and the adjustable locator. The processor defines a test vector that connects the position of the at least one physical feature and the position of the at least one adjustable locator. The processor to computationally discovers a best fit for adjusting the position of the adjustable locator to register with the physical feature by applying to the test vector a computational optimization process that seeks to minimize the length of the test vector to thereby generate a digital shim vector. The adjustable locator is then physically moved according to the digital shim vector, which is stored in association with the collection of assembly data.

Workpieces are placed in the workstation so one is in registration with a fixed locator. Measurement data are obtained reflecting the positions of the respective features of the workpieces and represented in a common reference frame associated with the fixed locator. A processor uses the collection of assembly data and the measurement data to define and store ordered pairs of mating feature locations. The pairs are then reoriented using a computationally discovered best fit. The position of a feature demarked for registration with the adjustable locator is calculated and the adjustable locator is caused to move to the calculated position of the feature demarked for registration thereby establishing a best fit orientation of the mating workpieces in physical space. The mating workpieces are then positioned in said best fit orientation by registration with said fixed and adjustable locators and then mechanically joining the mating workpieces.

Devices, systems, and methods for dynamic repair of bypassed vehicles are disclosed. Information regarding an abnormality (for example, an incorrectly installed joint) occurring in a vehicle being assembled on an assembly line can be captured and recorded in a database. Following a bypass command, the vehicle can be flagged and released to continue down the assembly line to be repaired at a later time. When a user is ready to repair the vehicle, repair instructions specific to the abnormality can be retrieved from a database and presented to the user, and the repair procedure can be monitored to ensure that the abnormality has been repaired correctly. The vehicle can be unflagged only if all abnormalities in the vehicle have been repaired. The vehicle can be prevented from exiting the last station in the assembly line if it remains flagged.