Systems and methods for automated maintenance of the top and bottom surfaces or skins of an integrally stiffened hollow structure (e.g., a horizontal stabilizer) using surface crawling vehicles. Each system uses dynamically controlled magnetic coupling to couple an external drive tractor to a pair of passive trailers disposed in the interior of the hollow structure on opposite sides of a vertical structural element. The external drive tractor is also coupled to an external maintenance tool, which the tractor pushes or pulls across the surface skin to perform a maintenance function. The systems allow maintenance operations to be performed on both surface skins without turning the hollow structure over. Each system is modular and can be transported to and easily set up in a building or factory.


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    Title :

    Automated maintenance of surface skins using transporter system


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2018-08-21


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    G05D SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES , Systeme zum Steuern oder Regeln nichtelektrischer veränderlicher Größen / B62D MOTOR VEHICLES , Motorfahrzeuge / B64F GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT , Boden- oder Flugzeugträgerdeckeinrichtungen besonders ausgebildet für die Verwendung in Verbindung mit Luftfahrzeugen / G01N Untersuchen oder Analysieren von Stoffen durch Bestimmen ihrer chemischen oder physikalischen Eigenschaften , INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES



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