A method and system provide for reducing gaps between two mating parts. Either or both parts may be nondestructively inspected at a plurality of locations on a surface to gather a data set relating to the part thickness. The data set may be used to calculate a set of as-built thickness values for the part and a set of deviations from a design model. A mating area may be determined for mating surfaces of the parts. One or more layers of sacrificial material in the mating area may be prepared for any deviations greater than a design allowance. The system may include a ply cutting device and an additive manufacturing device coupled to a computer to receive the sacrificial material layer data and shim data and to cut the one or more layers of sacrificial material and to construct the shim. A shim may be constructed for any deviations equal to or greater than a minimum shim thickness. The one or more layers of sacrificial material may be applied to the part, cured, and machined to a desired thickness. The shim may be applied between the part surfaces. The parts may be fitted and assembled together.
Predictive surface adjustment for joint assembly
2021-11-23
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | G05B Steuer- oder Regelsysteme allgemein , CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL / B29C Formen oder Verbinden von Kunststoffen , SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS / B29L INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES , Index-Schema für besondere Gegenstände in Verbindung mit Unterklasse B29C / B33Y ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING , Additive (generative) Fertigung, d. h. die Herstellung von dreidimensionalen [3D] Bauteilen durch additive Abscheidung, additive Agglomeration oder additive Schichtung, z. B. durch 3D- Drucken, Stereolithografie oder selektives Lasersintern / 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 / G06F ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING , Elektrische digitale Datenverarbeitung |