A Novel Smart Installation System for Airframe Production

ABSTRACT:For the F-35 program, the installation and inspection of Eddie-Bolt assemblies is challenging in some aircraft locations, requires significant manual labor, and dramatically impacts system affordability.After installation, the fastener is inspected multiple times to ensure proper nut swaging and thread protrusion length.Creares novel solution to combine the installation and inspection steps for Eddie-Bolt installations is our Smart Installation System (SIS).Our SIS enables the operator to install, inspect, and record inspection data in a single step, and it dramatically reduces the cost of Eddie-Bolt installations across the military aircraft.During the Phase I project, we: demonstrated that our SIS maintains the ease-of-use and accessibility of the current tools; established that the SIS enables the operator to install, inspect, and record inspection data in a single step; and integrated our proof-of-concept SIS with the most challenging tool geometry significantly reducing the technical risk of our approach.During the Phase II project, we will: develop a preliminary specification; design the SIS prototype; fabricate the SIS prototypes and complete functional, performance, and on-site testing; refine the system design; develop a tool certification plan; and develop a production plan that will enable the rapid transition of our SIS to the production floor.BENEFIT:Proper fastener installation is a fundamental manufacturing process used in everyday construction and military systems.The ability to safely, efficiently, and conveniently join two parts together using fasteners that are installed to critical specifications is common in a wide variety of commercial and military products.The commercial applications of our innovation include large-scale manufacturing, automotive, construction, and the commercial aerospace industries.