In one example, an on-wing apparatus for in-situ cutting on a wing-to-fuselage attachment includes a first linear bearing disposed on a first mount plate to move in a first direction. A second linear bearing is disposed on a second mount plate to move in a second direction. The second mount plate is attached to the first linear bearing. A tool mounting member is attached to the second linear bearing. A cutter is attached to the tool mounting member to be adjustable, relative to the second linear bearing, in a rotational direction around an adjustment axis. One of the first direction and the second direction is a depth direction of the cut parallel to the adjustment axis, and the other is a length direction of the cut. A width position of the cut is determined by rotational adjustment of the cutter with respect to the second linear bearing in the rotational direction.

In one example, an on-wing apparatus for in-situ cutting on a wing-to-fuselage attachment includes a first linear bearing disposed on a first mount plate to move in a first direction. A second linear bearing is disposed on a second mount plate to move in a second direction. The second mount plate is attached to the first linear bearing. A tool mounting member is attached to the second linear bearing. A cutter is attached to the tool mounting member to be adjustable, relative to the second linear bearing, in a rotational direction around an adjustment axis. One of the first direction and the second direction is a depth direction of the cut parallel to the adjustment axis, and the other is a length direction of the cut. A width position of the cut is determined by rotational adjustment of the cutter with respect to the second linear bearing in the rotational direction.

A portable and field-adjustable milling machine comprises: a base; a milling assembly coupled to the base and that includes a milling tool rotatable by a driver; a roller bed coupled to the base and configured to support a tubular member thereon; and a vice assembly that is coupled to the base. Each vice member of the vice assembly is configured to be moved towards the other of the pair and includes camming surfaces configured to lift the tubular member off of the roller bed in response to the vice members being moved toward one another. The vice member may have a v-shaped notch defined by a pair of angled surfaces. The vice assembly lifts the tubular member and retains it in the notch at a position that is a predetermined distance away from the roller bed.

A portable and field-adjustable milling machine comprises: a base; a milling assembly coupled to the base and that includes a milling tool rotatable by a driver; a roller bed coupled to the base and configured to support a tubular member thereon; and a vice assembly that is coupled to the base. Each vice member of the vice assembly is configured to be moved towards the other of the pair and includes camming surfaces configured to lift the tubular member off of the roller bed in response to the vice members being moved toward one another. The vice member may have a v-shaped notch defined by a pair of angled surfaces. The vice assembly lifts the tubular member and retains it in the notch at a position that is a predetermined distance away from the roller bed.

An end mill having a plurality of cutting edges on a surface of a rod-shaped main body is rotated about its longitudinal axis and is moved relative to a workpiece in a feed direction tangential and orthogonal to the longitudinal axis along the workpiece. The end mill is also moved relative to the workpiece in a reciprocal manner in the axial direction while it is moved in the feed direction. In this way, a plurality of dimples are formed by the end mill on the workpiece, such that the dimples are relatively spaced apart from each other on the workpiece. The plurality of dimples are arranged side by side in the feed direction along a line inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the feed direction so as to be offset while partially overlapping with respect to each other in the axial direction.

Methods involving adding a removable fixating material to a partially manufactured workpiece to stabilize a plurality of partially formed objects therein for subsequent manufacturing. In one example, a workpiece of interconnected structures is manufactured comprising precursors to the discrete objects as a function of a workpiece computer model. Manufacturing the workpiece further includes forming valleys between adjacent partially formed objects so that interconnecting portions remain to interconnect the partially formed objects. Further, the methods include removing the interconnecting portions so as to liberate the plurality of objects from one another. In some embodiments, a temporary frame is formed from the workpiece along with the plurality of objects during manufacturing.

Methods involving adding a removable fixating material to a partially manufactured workpiece to stabilize a plurality of partially formed objects therein for subsequent manufacturing. In one example, a workpiece of interconnected structures is manufactured comprising precursors to the discrete objects as a function of a workpiece computer model. Manufacturing the workpiece further includes forming valleys between adjacent partially formed objects so that interconnecting portions remain to interconnect the partially formed objects. Further, the methods include removing the interconnecting portions so as to liberate the plurality of objects from one another. In some embodiments, a temporary frame is formed from the workpiece along with the plurality of objects during manufacturing.

Methods involving adding a removable fixating material to a partially manufactured workpiece to stabilize a plurality of partially formed objects therein for subsequent manufacturing. In one example, valleys are formed in a workpiece between adjacent partially formed objects so that interconnecting portions remain to interconnect the partially formed objects. Then, the removable fixating material is installed in the valleys, and once the removable fixating material has hardened, the workpiece is further processed to at least remove the interconnecting portions. In some embodiments, a mold is used to install the removable fixating material into the workpiece. In some embodiments, a prefabricated temporary frame is used for installing the removable fixating material into the workpiece. In some embodiments, a temporary frame is formed from the workpiece along with the plurality of objects during manufacturing.

Methods involving adding a removable fixating material to a partially manufactured workpiece to stabilize a plurality of partially formed objects therein for subsequent manufacturing. In one example, valleys are formed in a workpiece between adjacent partially formed objects so that interconnecting portions remain to interconnect the partially formed objects. Then, the removable fixating material is installed in the valleys, and once the removable fixating material has hardened, the workpiece is further processed to at least remove the interconnecting portions. In some embodiments, a mold is used to install the removable fixating material into the workpiece. In some embodiments, a prefabricated temporary frame is used for installing the removable fixating material into the workpiece. In some embodiments, a temporary frame is formed from the workpiece along with the plurality of objects during manufacturing.

A new technique for making cube corner elements that involves end milling is used in the fabrication of cube corner elements having non-orthogonal dihedral angles and dihedral angle errors, and arrays of such cube corner elements. A given optical face of a cube corner element may be a compound face with two constituent faces. In some cases, the constituent faces may be parallel and coplanar such that a given dihedral angle error pertains to the entire optical face, while in other cases, the two constituent faces may not be parallel, and may be associated with different dihedral angle errors.