Mobile platforms for performing operations along an exterior of a fuselage assembly
A method and apparatus for performing an assembly operation. A tool may be macro-positioned relative to an exterior of a fuselage assembly. The tool may be micro-positioned relative to a particular location on the exterior of the fuselage assembly. An assembly operation may be performed at the particular location on the panel using the tool.
1. A method for performing an assembly operation, the method comprising:
using a controller to perform the steps of:
macro-positioning a tool relative to an exterior of a fuselage assembly, wherein macro-positioning comprises:
driving an assembly fixture to a position using an autonomous vehicle;
driving, using the autonomous vehicle, an external mobile platform having a tool, into a position relative to the assembly fixture such that the tool is positioned relative to the exterior of the fuselage assembly; and
micro-positioning the tool relative to a particular location on the exterior of the fuselage assembly; and
performing the assembly operation at the particular location using the tool.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein macro-positioning the tool further comprises:
moving a platform base of the external mobile platform carrying the tool with at least one degree of freedom relative to a floor.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein micro-positioning the tool further comprises:
moving the tool with at least one degree of freedom relative to the platform base of the external mobile platform.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein macro-positioning the tool further comprises:
driving the tool into the position relative to the exterior of the fuselage assembly autonomously using the external mobile platform.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein macro-positioning the tool further comprises:
driving the tool autonomously into position relative to the assembly fixture supporting the fuselage assembly using the autonomous vehicle associated with the external mobile platform.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein micro-positioning the tool comprises:
positioning an end effector with which the tool is associated relative to the particular location.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
attaching the tool to an end effector associated with an external robotic device that is associated with the external mobile platform.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein micro-positioning the tool comprises:
positioning the tool at the particular location using the end effector.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein micro-positioning the tool comprises:
commanding at least one of an external robotic device or a movement system to move the tool with at least one degree of freedom to the particular location.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
selecting the assembly operation to be performed at the particular location from one of a fastener insertion operation, a fastener installation operation, a drilling operation, and an inspection operation in which the fastener installation operation includes at least one of a bolting operation or a riveting operation.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein performing the assembly operation comprises:
performing the assembly operation autonomously using the tool.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
removably associating an end effector with an external robotic device associated with the external mobile platform.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
removably associating the tool with the end effector.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein macro-positioning the tool comprises:
driving the external mobile platform carrying the tool into the position relative to the assembly fixture.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein driving the external mobile platform comprises:
driving the external mobile platform using the autonomous vehicle and a number of radar sensors associated with at least one of the autonomous vehicle or the external mobile platform.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein driving the external mobile platform using the autonomous vehicle comprises:
detecting a number of radar targets associated with the assembly fixture using the number of radar sensors; and
driving the external mobile platform into the position relative to the assembly fixture based on the number of radar targets detected.
17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
coupling the external mobile platform to a corresponding coupling unit associated with the assembly fixture such that the external mobile platform receives a number of utilities from the corresponding unit.
18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
coupling a number of utilities between the external mobile platform and the assembly fixture.
19. An apparatus comprising:
a macro-positioning system associated with an external mobile platform, wherein the macro-positioning system comprises:
an autonomous vehicle configured to drive an assembly fixture to a position, and
the autonomous vehicle is further configured to drive the external mobile platform comprising a tool, into a position relative to the assembly fixture such that the tool is positioned relative to an exterior of a fuselage assembly; and
a micro-positioning system associated with the external mobile platform.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the micro-positioning system comprises:
an external robotic device associated with the external mobile platform.
21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the micro-positioning comprises:
a movement system for moving a tool associated with the external mobile platform with at least one degree of freedom relative to a platform base of the external mobile platform.
22. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the macro-positioning system comprises:
an autonomous platform movement system that moves a platform base of the external mobile platform with at least one degree of freedom relative to a floor.
23. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the macro-positioning system further comprises a plurality of stabilizing members that move a platform base of the external mobile platform with at least one degree of freedom relative to a floor.
24. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising:
the external mobile platform, wherein the external mobile platform comprises:
a platform base.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the micro-positioning system moves a tool associated with the external mobile platform with at least one degree of freedom relative to the platform base.
26. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising:
an external robotic device associated with the external mobile platform, wherein a tool is associated with the external robotic device.
27. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the macro-positioning system comprises:
the autonomous vehicle fixedly associated with the external mobile platform.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising:
a number of radar sensors associated with the autonomous vehicle; and
a controller that uses radar data generated by the number of radar sensors to drive the autonomous vehicle.
29. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the external mobile platform comprises:
a supporting structure associated with the platform base of the external mobile platform.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the micro-positioning system comprises:
a movement system that moves an external robotic device with at least one degree of freedom relative to the supporting structure.
31. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the supporting structure has a height that allows the external robotic device to be positioned such that a tool can reach a topmost point of a crown of a fuselage assembly.
32. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the micro-positioning system comprises at least one of an external robotic device associated with the external mobile platform or a movement system.
33. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the external mobile platform comprises:
a coupling unit that is coupleable to a corresponding coupling unit associated with a cradle fixture.
34. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the coupling unit comprises:
a number of utility connections for a number of utilities.