A method includes making a first structure with a first plurality of pre-drilled holes at pre-defined locations, making a second structure with a second plurality of pre-drilled holes at pre-defined locations, making a third structure without pre-drilled full-size holes, measuring the location and orientation of the first and second plurality of pre-drilled holes in the first and second structures, determining the location of a third plurality of holes to be drilled in the third structure that correspond to first and second plurality of pre-drilled holes measured in the first and second structures, creating a program to drill the third plurality of holes in the third structure that align with the measured location and orientation of the first and second plurality of pre-drilled holes in the first and second structures based on the measure location and orientation of the first and second plurality of pre-drilled holes in the first and second structure, drilling the third plurality of holes in the third structure based on the program, positioning the third structure on the first and second structures such that the third plurality of holes in the third structure are aligned with the first and second plurality of pre-drilled holes in the first and second structures, and inserting fasteners through the third plurality of holes and the first and second plurality of predrilled holes that are aligned with the third plurality of holes to secure the second structure to the first structure using the third structure.

A system and method for drilling a hole in a vehicle structure and installing a fastener in the hole. A drill plate having openings and associated machine-readable elements is positioned on the structure. A drill gun is positioned in a particular opening and reads hole information from the associated element, and a computer determines whether the drill gun is properly set-up to drill the hole. A fastener insertion gun is positioned in the particular opening and reads fastener information from the element, and the computer determines whether the hole has been drilled and, if so, whether the fastener insertion gun is properly set-up to insert the fastener. A fastener delivery subsystem stores, tracks, and delivers fasteners to the fastener insertion gun. A system computer monitors the drilling of every hole, the insertion of every fastener, and the overall operation of the fastener delivery subsystem.

A system includes a mandrel contoured to define a tapering tubular shape of a workpiece cured on the mandrel and a demolding tool. The demolding tool is configured to remove the workpiece from the mandrel after the workpiece is cured on the mandrel and cut longitudinally. The demolding tool is configured to remove the workpiece from the mandrel by deforming a first end of the workpiece to at least partially disengage the first end of the workpiece from a first end of the mandrel, and subsequently, deforming a second end of the workpiece to at least partially disengage the second end of the workpiece from a second end of the mandrel. The first end of the workpiece may have a first cross-sectional area that is smaller than a second cross-sectional area of the second end of the workpiece.

Systems and methods are provided for advancing a fuselage section of an aircraft. One embodiment is a system that includes a series of plates configured to be sequentially affixed along a length of the fuselage section, and a track configured to form a frictional fit with the plates. The track includes drive units configured to form nips retaining the series of plates, and that are configured to advance the fuselage section along the track in a process direction, and indexing elements that are configured to engage with indexing elements at the plates during pauses between operation of the drive units. The system also includes tools configured to perform work on the fuselage section while the indexing elements of the track are engaged.

An aircraft fuselage assembling jig is a horizontal-type jig on which an aircraft fuselage panel is placed in a laid-down state, and includes: a base with a plurality of frame indexes for positioning both ends of a plurality of aircraft fuselage frames; a plurality of header plates, each of which protrudes from the base to extend along the panel, the header plates being arranged in parallel in an axial direction of the panel; a plurality of electric cylinders radially provided on each plate, the electric cylinders moving respective receiving members in a radial direction of the panel, the receiving members contacting a skin included in the panel; and air lifting devices provided on the respective receiving members and that, when supplied with air pressure, lift the skin from receiving surfaces of the respective receiving members and support the aircraft fuselage panel such that the aircraft fuselage panel is slidable.

A transport carriage for wings that are secured together, wherein the transport carriage comprises a chassis mounted on wheels, cradles mounted on positioning cylinders, support cylinders that each have a support mounted on the stem of the support cylinder, a central support having a frame and, for each wing, a rotatable lateral cradle, wherein the frame is movable vertically, for each wing, a lifting system with a mast and an arm, wherein each arm is movable vertically on the mast between a low position and a high position, and for each arm, at least two bearing points for the wing. The use of different movable elements allows good loading of the wings and makes it easier to move the wings thus loaded.

A method of producing a shim for use in an aircraft airframe (200) comprising: providing a plurality of component parts (202, 204) of the aircraft airframe (200); measuring a surface of each of the component parts (202, 204) and creating a digital models of the component part (202, 204) therefrom; digitally assembling together the digital models of the component parts (202, 204) thereby to produce a digital model (600) of at least part of the aircraft airframe (200); using that digital model (600), creating a digital model of a shim (604), the digital model of the shim (604) filling a gap between at least two digital models of component parts (202, 204) in the digital model (600) of at least part of the aircraft airframe (200); and producing a physical shim using the digital model of the shim (604).

In one embodiment, a method includes fastening a plurality of components of a composite structure in an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the assembly fixture further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture; and heating the assembly fixture in an autoclave to bond the plurality of components of the composite structure.

A factory for assembling aircraft or other systems includes a factory floor with multiple build stations. The factory floor includes a hub-and-spoke tool track having radial track sections connected to and extending radially from a circular center hub section. Each track section terminates at a respective build station. A mobile transport travels along the track to the build stations, transforms into different join tools at a predetermined build station, and thereafter engages and supports the components. An overhead crane may perform another task at each build station. The factory floor may include a first floor positioned below a smaller diameter second floor with ramps interconnecting the floors. A center tower is surrounded by the floor(s), with the center tower defining rooms. An aircraft may be assembled via a method using the above-noted factory.

A method for depositing composite material onto a tool using an automated machine. The method includes coupling a first mobile platform with a second mobile platform to form a coupled system, the first mobile platform supporting the automated machine and the second mobile platform supporting the tool. The method further includes indexing the automated machine relative to the tool. The method further includes depositing composite material from the automated machine onto the tool while the coupled system moves along a production line.