Systems and methods are provided for aircraft assembly. The method includes receiving a half barrel section of fuselage in an assembly line having a plurality of serially arranged work stations; advancing the half barrel section in a process direction through the assembly line such that the half barrel section extends across at least a portion of the work stations; and performing work on the half barrel section with the portion of the work stations simultaneously.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating a preform for a fuselage section of an aircraft. The method includes advancing a series of arcuate mandrel sections in a process direction through an assembly line, laying up fiber reinforced material onto the arcuate mandrel sections via layup stations, uniting the series of arcuate mandrel sections into a combined mandrel; and splicing the fiber reinforced material laid-up onto the arcuate mandrel sections.

Systems and methods are provided for assembling a structure. The systems and method including micro pulsing a structure along a track in a process direction by less than a length of the structure. The structure is indexed to one or more work stations by mating indexing features in a manufacturing excess of the structure to complementary features at the work stations. The work stations would the perform work on the structure at the work stations while the structure is indexed to the work stations. Iteratively repeating the micro pulsing and indexing and working upon the structure until it is ready to advance to the next assembly process.

Systems and methods are provided for assembling a section of a fuselage of an aircraft. The method includes pulsing a half barrel section of the fuselage along a track in a process direction, utilizing an indexing feature associated with the half barrel section to determine a desired contour for a portion of the half barrel section, and enforcing the desired contour onto the half barrel section using components that enforce an inner mold line and components that enforce an outer mold line when the half barrel section is out of tolerance from the desired contour.

Systems and methods are provided for placing preforms onto a mandrel. One illustrative method includes moving a mandrel in a process direction relative to a station(s) that comprises multiple pick-and-place machine(s), identifying a tray that stores a preform comprising an unhardened fiber-reinforced material, placing the strong back at the preform via at least one of the pick-and-place machine(s), applying a vacuum to hold the preform in contact with the strong back, transporting the preform to a mandrel via the pick-and-place machine(s), and placing the preform onto the mandrel.

Systems and methods are provided for assembling an aircraft. The method includes receiving an upper half barrel section of fuselage that is in a crown up orientation and installing a crown module into the upper half barrel section.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating a fuselage of an aircraft. The method includes: disposing arcuate sections of fuselage at a track of a factory such that concavities of the arcuate sections of the fuselage face a floor of the factory, and bearing edges of the arcuate sections of fuselage directly contact the track; advancing the arcuate sections of fuselage synchronously along the track in a process direction; and performing work within concavities of the arcuate sections of fuselage during pauses between pulses of the arcuate section of fuselage via stations that are disposed beneath the concavities and that are directly mounted to the floor of the factory.

Apparatus and methods are provided for fabrication of a structure, for example, a half barrel section of a fuselage. The apparatus includes an indexing unit dimensioned for coupling to an indexing feature disposed on the structure. The structure proceeds along a process direction during fabrication. A cutting station cuts out manufacturing excess from the structure to form, for example, openings for windows and doors. A method for fabrication of a structure includes indexing a structure to a cutting station based on an indexing feature associated or located on the structure. The method includes operating the cutting station to cut manufacturing excess from the structure. A method includes removing cut sections of the manufacturing excess and routing these sections away from the cutting station.

Described herein are methods and systems for forming composite stringer assemblies or, more specifically, for shaping composite charges while forming these stringer assemblies. A system comprises a bladder, having a bladder core, and a bladder skin. The bladder core is formed from foam. The bladder skin is formed from an elastic material and encloses the bladder core. When a composite stringer assembly is formed, the bladder is positioned over a charge base. The charge base later becomes a stringer base, such as a fuselage section or a wing skin. A charge hat is then positioned over the bladder and is conformed to the bladder. A combination of the bladder skin and the bladder core provides support during this forming operation and later while the stringer assembly is cured. In some examples, the bladder core is collapsible for the removal of the bladder from the cavity of the stringer assembly.

Systems and methods are provided for aircraft assembly. The method includes receiving a half barrel section of fuselage in an assembly line having a plurality of serially arranged work stations; advancing the half barrel section in a process direction through the assembly line such that the half barrel section extends across at least a portion of the work stations; and performing work on the half barrel section with the portion of the work stations simultaneously.