An end effector provides one up assembly drilling through mated components, including a panel, by preloading the components to assure interface integrity, thus avoiding subsequent separation for cleaning and deburring. The end effector includes a drill and clamp dispenser for temporarily inserting and removing expansible single-sided clamps at various pre-drilled locations in the panel. In one method, pilot holes are first pre-drilled into mated components, for example an aircraft wing panel and a wing rib or spar; an initial pilot hole location is identified, and an expansible clamp is inserted into a pilot hole adjacent a desired initial fastener hole location. The clamp is torqued, causing its expansion for preloading the wing panel and rib and/or spar components under a predetermined load. The fastener hole is then drilled, the end effector untorques and removes the clamp and identifies a second (and/or next) pilot hole location, and the process is replicated.

An end effector provides one up assembly drilling through mated components, including a panel, by preloading the components to assure interface integrity, thus avoiding subsequent separation for cleaning and deburring. The end effector includes a drill and clamp dispenser for temporarily inserting and removing expansible single-sided clamps at various pre-drilled locations in the panel. In one method, pilot holes are first pre-drilled into mated components, for example an aircraft wing panel and a wing rib or spar; an initial pilot hole location is identified, and an expansible clamp is inserted into a pilot hole adjacent a desired initial fastener hole location. The clamp is torqued, causing its expansion for preloading the wing panel and rib and/or spar components under a predetermined load. The fastener hole is then drilled, the end effector untorques and removes the clamp and identifies a second (and/or next) pilot hole location, and the process is replicated.

A drilling system may include a plurality of robotic drilling units. Each one of the robotic drilling units may include a drill end effector positioned inside a barrel section. The barrel section may be configured as a composite sandwich structure having an inner face sheet. The robotic drilling units maybe operable in synchronized movement with one another to drill a plurality of perforations into the inner face sheet using the drill end effectors in a manner providing a predetermined percent-open-area of the inner face sheet.

A drilling system may include a plurality of robotic drilling units. Each one of the robotic drilling units may include a drill end effector positioned inside a barrel section. The barrel section may be configured as a composite sandwich structure having an inner face sheet. The robotic drilling units maybe operable in synchronized movement with one another to drill a plurality of perforations into the inner face sheet using the drill end effectors in a manner providing a predetermined percent-open-area of the inner face sheet.