An automated apparatus comprising: a chassis configured to be mounted on an airfoil-shaped body without contacting its trailing edge; a carriage translatably coupled to the chassis; and an end effector pivotably coupled to the carriage. The chassis comprises: a frame; a motorized drive rolling element rotatably coupled to the frame; a rocker mechanism pivotably coupled to the frame; first and second ball and socket bearings mounted to opposing ends of the rocker arm; and a third ball and socket bearing mounted to the frame. During a maintenance procedure, the airfoil-shaped body is oriented at a non-zero angle of attack with the leading edge higher than the trailing edge and with the balls of the ball and socket bearings in contact with the airfoil-shaped body. A gravitational force exerted urges the chassis toward the trailing edge of the airfoil-shaped body for all chordwise positions of the carriage.

According to one implementation, a drilling machine includes at least one drilling structure, a travelling machine, a reader and a controlling device such as a controlling circuit. The at least one drilling structure drills an object to be drilled. The travelling machine positions the at least one drilling structure in a travelling direction of the travelling machine by travelling in a direction different from a drilling direction. The reader reads information recorded on at least one integrated circuit tag attached to at least one drilling plate attached to the object to be drilled. The controlling device controls the travelling machine based on the information read by the reader.

Provided is a router guide that comprises: a guide part that has a first through-hole and a guide surface that guides a cutting tool attachment part of a router device along the first through-hole; a maintaining part that maintains the position of the guide surface; and a positioning part that positions the guide part. The guide surface is formed such that, in a state where the maintaining part is in contact with a surface of a composite material, the distance from the surface becomes smaller as the guide surface approaches a second through-hole. The guide part is formed so as to be elastically deformable. In a case where the guide part is caused to elastically deform along the surface shape of the composite material, the maintaining part maintains the position of the guide surface with respect to the surface at a position that corresponds to the surface shape.

A system and method for constructing a composite structure using a multi-piece tool. The pieces are assembled, including making a connection, such as a mortise-and-tenon connection, between pieces using an adhesive mixed with an induction heatable material, such as iron filings having a unit size of between 5 microns and 600 microns, and an amount of between 5% and 50% by volume. Plies of a material are applied around the connection between the pieces, and the plies are cured to create the composite structure, which results in the pieces being trapped within the composite structure by the connection. The adhesive is exposed to electromagnetic induction from an electromagnetic induction coil which generates heat in the induction heatable material and thereby loosens the connection. The tool can then be disassembled by individually pulling at least some of the pieces from within the composite structure.

A method for implementing machining operations for a workpiece. Pre-existing hole locations for temporary fasteners in the workpiece requiring a clamp-up force for performing the machining operations to form holes in the workpiece is identified. A set of the pre-existing hole locations is determined from the pre-existing hole locations that results in an optimal path for performing the machining operations on the workpiece taking into account clamp-up force specifications for the workpiece. The optimal path has a near-minimum distance. An ordered sequence for performing the machining operations to form the holes at hole locations is determined that has the optimal path. Robotic control files that causes robotic devices to perform the machining operations using the optimal path is created. The robotic devices are operated using the robotic control files to form the holes in the ordered sequence using the optimal path that takes into account the clamp-up force specifications.

An assembly system for an automated internal assembly on a curved assembly surface of an aircraft fuselage includes two assembly rails shaped in accordance with a curvature of the assembly surface such that they follow a longitudinal direction or a peripheral direction of the aircraft fuselage, so that the assembly rails are fastenable in the aircraft fuselage, along the longitudinal direction or along the peripheral direction of the aircraft fuselage, parallel to one another and parallel to the assembly surface of the aircraft fuselage; an assembly slide configured to slide along the assembly rails; and a tool supported by the assembly slide and configured to perform an assembly step; wherein the assembly slide has an assembly axis, along which the tool is movable relative to the assembly slide; and wherein the assembly axis is configured such that it follows the curvature of the assembly surface of the aircraft fuselage.

A guiding device includes a rail which extends in a direction, a plurality of runners distributed in the direction, and, for each runner, at least one runner/rail connection connecting each runner and the rail, configured to allow each runner to pivot independently from the other runners relative to the rail, around an axis of pivoting parallel to the direction.

A guiding system for portable machine tools has at least one guiding apparatus which is fixable on a portable machine tool. The guiding system also has at least one positive guidance unit to which the at least one guiding apparatus is connectable in a positive-locking manner to positively guide the portable machine tool. The guiding system also has at least one position fixing unit configured to fix a position of the at least one guiding apparatus on the at least one positive guidance unit. The at least one position fixing unit has at least one fastening unit configured to releasably fix the at least one position fixing unit on the at least one guiding apparatus.

A worktop jig comprising a jig frame, wherein the jig frame comprises a pair of opposed end members and a pair of opposed side members; the opposed end members and the opposed side members together define a rectangular aperture within the jig frame; the opposed end members and the opposed side members each define an upwardly facing surface and the upwardly facing surfaces are arranged to lie in a common plane; and each of the opposed side members defines a downwardly facing surface, wherein each side member downwardly facing surface carries an angled elongate base element, whereby when the angled base elements of the worktop jig are located on a planar substrate, the common plane of the jig frame is angled with respect to the plane of the substrate

A straight edge clamping device for clamping workpieces includes an elongated hollow base, and first and second stops. The first stop is fixed at the base, and the second stop is movably provided along the base. The second stop has a body movably received in the channel of the base and a slider that slides in the channel and along the lower wall of the base, contacts the workpiece, and engages with the body in a locking state and disengages from the body in a releasing state. The body has a sliding portion and pressing bumps, and the slider has pressing portions having outer surfaces and inner surfaces. In the locking state the pressing bumps contact with and push the inner surfaces of the pressing portions outwards, so that the outer surfaces of the pair of pressing portions are pushed outwards and contact sidewalls of the recess tightly.