Metrology Enabled Tooling for the Assembly of Aero-Structures

Abstract

Metrology and Tooling are considered as discrete disciplines within ManufacturingEngineering, however, assembly tooling often acts as a checking mechanism. Assembly tooling has the primary function of controlling part location during assembly; with a secondary requirement as a quality gate. In-tool checks are manual mechanical checks of the assembly, these gauging checks assume the tooling has the correct, nominal geometry. Tooling conformance is certified periodically; however these intervals can be up to three years. Further examination of the metrology requirements within the aerospace industry with respect to large scale assembly tooling identify a requirement to: reduce manual metrology checks, reduce tooling recertification time, and enable greater automation.Currently, there is a lack of integration between metrology and Wing-box assembly tooling. This research investigates how to increase manufacturing confidence with respect to tooling conformance; and, ultimately improve the manufacturing process for aero-structures, through the increased and enhanced use of metrology in the assembly tooling environment.The Metrology Enhanced Tooling for Aerospace (META) framework has been created to provide a robust framework for deploying metrology in the tooling environment.The major elements of the framework are subsequently detailed and demonstrated in three chapters: i) large volume metrology networks, for the measurement of tooling structures; testing instrument performance, quantifying and improving the uncertainty estimation, and ultimately, establishing a rapid measurement process for assembly tooling; ii) embedded metrology systems demonstrates how local measurement systems can be utilised to replace and improve on, traditional in-tool checks; and iii) metrology feedback presents an example of an automated tooling pick-up that manipulates the assembly to achieve the design intent.The contributions can be summarised as: firstly, the creation of the META framework for the deployment of metrology in assembly tooling environment, accommodating and facilitating a number of the future tooling and assembly requirements. Secondly, the establishment of a generic commissioning methodology and measurement strategy for the rapid measurement of assembly tooling to increase tooling confidence. The research output was demonstrated in a case study, through a combination of physical measurement and digital automation simulation to prove the process time was greatly decreased from current methods.

Date of Award	14 Jan 2016
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Sponsors	Airbus Group Ltd
Supervisor	Vimal Dhokia (Supervisor), Stephen Newman (Supervisor) & Patrick Keogh (Supervisor)