초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for manufacturing wings includes a fixture that holds wing panels for drilling and edge trimming by accurate numerically controlled machine tools using original numerical part definition records, utilizing spatial relationships between key features of detail parts or subassemb

A method and apparatus for manufacturing wings includes a fixture that holds wing panels for drilling and edge trimming by accurate numerically controlled machine tools using original numerical part definition records, utilizing spatial relationships between key features of detail parts or subassemblies as represented by coordination features machined into the parts and subassemblies, thereby making the parts and subassemblies intrinsically determinant of the dimensions and contour of the wing. Spars are attached to the wing panel using the coordination holes to locate the spars accurately on the panel in accordance with the original engineering design, and in-spar ribs are attached to rib posts on the spar using accurately drilled coordination holes in the ends of the rib and in the rib post. The wing contour is determined by the configuration of the spars and ribs rather than by any conventional hard tooling which determines the wing contour in conventional processes.

대표청구항 ▼

[ Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the system disclosed herein will occur to those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure. Therefore, it is expressly to be understood that these modifications and variations, and the equivalents thereof, will be considered to be within the s

[ Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the system disclosed herein will occur to those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure. Therefore, it is expressly to be understood that these modifications and variations, and the equivalents thereof, will be considered to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims, wherein we claim:] [1.]1. A method of manufacturing a wing, comprising:positioning a wing panel on a fixture and holding said panel immobile on said fixture;accurately placing critical coordination features in said wing panel and in two wing spars using a numerically controlled machine tool running on part programs incorporating digital wing product definition data from an engineering data authority, said critical coordination features being placed in said wing panel at locations having predetermined relationships with corresponding coordination features in said wing spars when said spars are accurately located in predetermined positions, spaced chord-wise from each other on said wing panel, specified by said digital wing product definition against said wing panel with said critical features in said spars and said wing panel positioned in said predetermined relationship to each other;fastening said wing spars in fixed relation relative to said wing skin in said predetermined position;placing rib-to-spar critical coordination features in a plurality of wing ribs and in said spars using numerically controlled machine tools running on programs incorporating digital wing product definition from an engineering data authority, said ribs being accurately located in a predetermined position specified by said digital wing product definition relative to said wing spars when said rib-to-spar critical features in said ribs and said wing spars are positioned in a predetermined relation to each other;fastening said wing ribs to said wing spars in said predetermined position;drilling a plurality of stringer-to-chord coordination holes in lower wing skin stringers attached to a lower wing skin and in a lower spar chord using a numerically controlled machine tool running on a program incorporating said digital wing product definition data from said engineering data authority, said lower wing skin being accurately located in a predetermined position specified by said digital wing product definition relative to said wing spars when said stringer-to-chord critical features in said ribs and said wing spars are positioned in a predetermined relation to each other;fastening said wing stringers and said wing spars together in said predetermined position;locating a reference fixture spatially relative to a rear spar at a position corresponding to a predetermined position of a hinge axis specified by said digital wing product definition relative to said rear wing spar, using a numerically controlled machine tool running on a program incorporating said digital wing product definition data from said engineering data authority; andsliding a hinge barrel attached to a distal end of a hinge rib onto said fixture, and fixing a proximal end of said hinge rib to said rear spar at a position such that said hinge axis remains at said predetermined hinge axis position, said hinge axis being accurately located in a predetermined position specified by said digital wing product definition relative to said wing.