FIXTURE AND METHOD OF INSTALLING A FIXTURE

• Main Authors: HOSHI Hikaru, GOEHLICH Robert Alexander, HIRABAYASHI Daisuke
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 24.08.2017
• Subjects: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY; ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OFTHREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVEAGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING,STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING; AEROPLANES; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; CASTING; COSMONAUTICS; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING ORREPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLYADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFTCOMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HELICOPTERS; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING METALLIC POWDER; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A method of installing a fixture, such as a bracket, in a fuselage structure of an aircraft or spacecraft, includes providing or generating a three-dimensional digital model of the fixture; arranging a head of an additive manufacturing apparatus in, on or adjacent the fuselage structure; and forming the fixture in situ in or on the fuselage structure with the head of the additive manufacturing apparatus based upon the digital model of the fixture. The fixture is installed in or on the fuselage structure by bonding or fusing the fixture to the fuselage structure as the fixture is formed, and the step of forming the fixture in situ includes: forming an anchored portion of the fixture which is non-movably fixed to the structure; and forming an operable portion of the fixture which is movable relative to the anchored portion.