System and method for assembly manufacturing

• Main Authors: Batt, Edward J, Micale, Antonio C, Reid, Eric M, Desjardien, Matthew R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.04.2019
• Subjects: AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; COMBINED OPERATIONS; COSMONAUTICS; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING ORREPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FORGE FURNACES; FORGING; GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLYADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; HAMMERING; HAND TOOLS; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFTCOMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MACHINE TOOLS; MANIPULATORS; MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVINGMATERIAL; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; OTHER WORKING OF METAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; PRESSING METAL; PUNCHING METAL; RIVETING; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; TRANSPORTING; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

A method for assembly manufacturing may include the steps of: (1) positioning, by a material-handling system, an unassembled workpiece in a first assembly position within a tacking cell, (2) performing, by a first plurality of fastening machines, a tack fastening operation on the unassembled workpiece to form a partially assembled workpiece, (3) transferring, by the material-handling system, the partially assembled workpiece from the tacking cell to a fastening cell, (4) positioning, by the material-handling system, the partially assembled workpiece in a second assembly position within the fastening cell, and (5) performing, by a second plurality of fastening machines, a final fastening operation on the partially assembled workpiece to form an assembled workpiece.