Metrology Enhanced Tooling for Aerospace (META): Strategies for Improved Accuracy of Jig Built Structures

Authors

J E Muelaner, O C Martin, P G Maropoulos

Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Bath, Bath, UK

Presented at

SAE Aerotech 2011

18-21st October 2011, Toulouse, France

Official URL

http://www.sae.org/events/atc/

Abstract

The accuracy of many aerospace structures is limited by the accuracy of assembly tooling which is in turn limited by the accuracy of the measurements used to set the tooling. Further loss of accuracy results from different rates of thermal expansion for the components and tooling. This paper describes improved tooling designs and setting processes which have the potential to significantly improve the accuracy of aerospace structures. The most advanced solution described is environmentally isolated interferometer networks embedded within tooling combined with active compensation of component pick-ups. This would eliminate environmental effects on measurements while also allowing compensation for thermal expansion. A more immediately realizable solution is the adjustment of component pick-ups using micrometer jacking screws allowing multilateration to be employed during the final stages of the setting process to generate the required offsets.

Download

References

1. BOYES, W.E., JIGS AND FIXTURES. 1980, MICHIGAN: SOCIETY OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERS.
2. POLLOCK, H.W., TOOL DESIGN 2ND ED. 1988, NEW JERSEY: PRENTICE HALL.
3. LEOPOLD, J., A. POPPITZ, M. KLARNER, A.K. SCHMIDT, AND J. BERGER, INTERACTION BETWEEN MACHINING AND NEW
   FIXTURING PRINCIPLES FOR AEROSPACE STRUCTURES. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MATERIAL FORMING, 2008.
   1(COMPENDEX): P. 531-533.
4. MARTIN, O.C., J.E. MUELANER, AND P.G. MAROPOULOS. THE METROLOGY ENHANCED TOOLING FOR AEROSPACE (META)
   FRAMEWORK. 2010. MANCHESTER, UK.
5. MUELANER, J.E. AND P.G. MAROPOULOS, DESIGN FOR MEASUREMENT ASSISTED DETERMINATE ASSEMBLY (MADA) OF LARGE
   COMPOSITE STRUCTURES. JOURNAL OF THE CMSC, 2010. 5(2): P. 18-25.
6. ROOKS, B., ASSEMBLY IN AEROSPACE FEATURES AT IEE SEMINAR. ASSEMBLY AUTOMATION, 2005. 25(2): P. 108-111.
7.  BURLEY, G., R. ODI, S. NAING, A. WILLIAMSON, AND J. CORBETT, JIGLESS AEROSPACE MANUFACTURE – THE ENABLING
   TECHNOLOGIES, IN SAE TECHNICAL PAPER SERIES. 1999, SAE INTERNATIONAL DOC
8.  FLACK, D., MEASUREMENT GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE NO. 42: CMM VERIFICATION. 2001: NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY.
9.  KAYANI, A. AND J. JAMSHIDI. MEASUREMENT ASSISTED ASSEMBLY FOR LARGE VOLUME AIRCRAFT WING STRUCTURES. IN 4TH
   INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DIGITAL ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY. 2007. BATH, UNITED KINGDOM. P. 426-434
10.  LEICA, PCMM SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS: LEICA ABSOLUTE TRACKER AND LEICA T-PRODUCTS. 2008.
11.  AUTOMATED PRECISION INC, TRACKER3 LASER TRACKING SYSTEM. 2008.
12.  FARO, LASER TRACKER ION TECH SHEET. 2010.
13.  ASME, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF LASER-BASED SPHERICAL COORDINATE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS, IN B89.4.19. 2006.
14.  CIDDOR, P.E., REFRACTIVE INDEX OF AIR: NEW EQUATIONS FOR THE VISIBLE AND NEAR INFRARED. APPL. OPTICS, 1996. 35: P.
    1566-1573.
15.  STONE, J.A. AND J.H. ZIMMERMAN. INDEX OF REFRACTION OF AIR. 2000 7TH DECEMBER 2004 [CITED 28 JULY 2008];
    CALCULATE WAVELENGTH IN AMBIENT CONDITIONS USING CIDDOR EQUATION]. AVAILABLE FROM:
    HTTP://EMTOOLBOX.NIST.GOV/WAVELENGTH/CIDDOR.ASP.
16.  ESTLER, W.T., K.L. EDMUNDSON, G.N. PEGGS, AND D.H. PARKER, LARGE-SCALE METROLOGY – AN UPDATE. CIRP ANNALS –
    MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY, 2002. 51(2): P. 587-609.
17.  MUELANER, J.E., Z. WANG, O. MARTIN, J. JAMSHIDI, AND P.G. MAROPOULOS, ESTIMATION OF UNCERTAINTY IN THREE
    DIMENSIONAL COORDINATE MEASUREMENT BY COMPARISON WITH CALIBRATED POINTS. MEASUREMENT SCIENCE AND
    TECHNOLOGY, 2010. 21 (2): P. 9 PAGES.
18.  CALKINS, J.M., QUANTIFYING COORDINATE UNCERTAINTY FIELDS IN COUPLED SPATIAL MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS IN
    MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. 2002, VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY: BLACKSBURG. P. 226.
19.  SANDWITH, S. AUTOMATING LASER TRACKER CALIBRATION AND TECHNIQUE COMPARISON. IN LARGEVOLUME METROLOGY
    CONFERENCE. 2007
20.  BSI, GEOMETRICAL PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS (GPS) — STANDARD REFERENCE TEMPERATURE FOR GEOMETRICAL PRODUCT
    SPECIFICATION AND VERIFICATION, IN BS EN ISO 1. 2002.
21.  FLACK, D. AND J. HANNAFORD, FUNDAMENTAL GOOD PRACTICE IN DIMENSIONAL METROLOGY – MEASUREMENT GOOD
    PRACTICE GUIDE NO. 80 MEASUREMENT GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE. 2005: NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY NPL.
22.  HIBBELER, R.C., MECHANICS OF MATERIALS. 5TH ED. 2003, NEW JERSEY: PEARSON EDUCATION, INC.
23.  ENGINEERING-ABC.COM. TRIBOLOGY: MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS. 2010 [CITED; AVAILABLE FROM:
    HTTP://WWW.TRIBOLOGY-ABC.COM/ABC/PROPERTIES.HTM.
24.  COE, P.A., D.F. HOWELL, AND R.B. NICKERSON, FREQUENCY SCANNING INTERFEROMETRY IN ATLAS: REMOTE, MULTIPLE,
    SIMULTANEOUS AND PRECISE DISTANCE MEASUREMENTS IN A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT. MEASUREMENT SCIENCE AND
    TECHNOLOGY, 2004. 15(11): P. 2175-2187.
25.  COE, P., D. HOWELL, R. NICKERSON, AND A. REICHOLD (2000) AN FSI ALIGNMENT SYSTEM FOR THE ATLAS INNER DETECTOR
    AND SOME EXTRAPOLATIONS TOWARDS NLC. VOLUME,
26.  GIBSON, S.M., P.A. COE, A. MITRA, D.F. HOWELL, AND R.B. NICKERSON, COORDINATE MEASUREMENT IN 2-D AND 3-D
    GEOMETRIES USING FREQUENCY SCANNING INTERFEROMETRY. OPTICS AND LASERS IN ENGINEERING, 2005. 44(1): P. 79-95.
27.  HUGHES, B., A. FORBES, W. SUN, P.G. MAROPOULOS, J.E. MUELANER, J. JAMSHIDI, AND Z. WANG, IGPS CAPABILITY STUDY, IN
    NPL REPORT NO. ENG 23. 2010, NPL: TEDDINGTON. P. 35, DOC