A tool including a pair of rails is attachable to the inside surface of the skin panel. A housing is pivotally and slidably connected between the pair of rails. The housing is pivotable about a first axis and is slidable along grooves in the pair of rails. The housing has a first end and a second end opposite each other. The tool includes a rod having a third end and a fourth end, the third end attached to and extending from the first end of the housing. The tool also includes a pressure foot attached to the fourth end of the housing. The pressure foot includes a curved ankle integrally formed with a flat flange, the curved ankle curving into the flat flange. The pressure foot is configured to apply pressure along a portion of the inside surface of the skin panel when the housing is in a vertical position.

An apparatus for clamping a robotically controlled tool to a workpiece comprises a tool support mountable on a robotic arm and configured to support the tool, a plurality of clamping modules, each of which includes at least one vacuum cup arranged to clamp the tool support to the workpiece, and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the position of the tool support relative to the workpiece.

A pneumatic mechanism includes: a casing having a main body and a base seat; a drive mechanism disposed in the main body; a first air bypass disposed in the main body, a rear end of the first air bypass communicating with the drive mechanism; a second air bypass having a rear end positioned on the base seat; at least one airflow passage disposed on the base seat, one end of which communicating with the second air bypass; at least one sucker disposed on the base seat; and at least one air-sucking passage disposed between the base seat and the sucker. One end of the air-sucking passage communicates with the air chamber of the sucker, the other end communicates with the airflow passage. The pneumatic mechanism is powered by one single power source to operate and produce sucking force.

A tool including a pair of rails is attachable to the inside surface of the skin panel. A housing is pivotally and slidably connected between the pair of rails. The housing is pivotable about a first axis and is slidable along grooves in the pair of rails. The housing has a first end and a second end opposite each other. The tool includes a rod having a third end and a fourth end, the third end attached to and extending from the first end of the housing. The tool also includes a pressure foot attached to the fourth end of the housing. The pressure foot includes a curved ankle integrally formed with a flat flange, the curved ankle curving into the flat flange. The pressure foot is configured to apply pressure along a portion of the inside surface of the skin panel when the housing is in a vertical position.

Embodiments generally relate to an alignment device to assist in drilling or reaming an opening in a structure. The device comprises: a base element, the base element having at least one first fixation element to allow fixation of the device relative to the structure; a positioning element coupled to the base element, wherein a position of the positioning element relative to the base element is adjustable; an alignment element mounted to the positioning element and rotatable in at least two dimensions to allow precise alignment for a drilling or reaming tool with a drilling or reaming site on the structure; at least one second fixation element to allow fixation of the positioning element relative to the base element; and at least one third fixation element to allow fixation of the alignment element relative to the positioning element.