Method and apparatus for precision manufacturing of moment connection assemblies

1. An apparatus for connecting collar components to an elongate member, comprising:

a frame structure having a central opening configured to receive an elongate member, and including at least a first gripping station and a second gripping station, each gripping station including a reference surface and clamp device configured to force a collar component against the reference surface, the first and second gripping stations being configured to control relative spatial location of a first collar component held by the first gripping station relative to a second collar component gripped by the second gripping station, prior to connecting the first and second collar components to the elongate member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the central opening has a central axis, the clamp device of each gripping station being configured to pull a component away from the central axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the clamp device of each clamping station is configured to pull a component along a radial axis intersecting the central axis and a corner of a column.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third gripping station and a fourth gripping station, the first, second, third, and fourth gripping stations being configured to hold four collar corner components in position for welding attachment to four corners of a rectangular column.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the gripping stations establish desired pre-set relative positioning between the collar corner components irrespective of variances in the column's shape or position within the positioning device.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:

four flange simulators, each flange simulator being positioned between an adjacent pair of the first, second, third, and fourth gripping stations.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein each gripping station has a first and second reference surfaces, the first reference surface being perpendicular to the second reference surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame structure includes first and second plate structures, connected in parallel by a plurality of struts, wherein the central opening passes through the plate structures.

9. An apparatus for connecting collar components to an elongate member, comprising:

a reference frame including first and second plate structures connected in parallel by a plurality of struts, each plate structure having an opening for receiving a column,

a plurality of holding stations, each holding station being mounted between a pair of the plurality of struts, and including a reference surface and a clamp device configured to pull a collar component against the reference surface into a pre-set location relative to other collar components secured at others of the plurality of holding stations.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least four holding stations are mounted between the struts corresponding to four corners of a rectangular column.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least eight holding stations are mounted between the struts corresponding to four corners of a rectangular column.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein at least four pairs of holding stations are mounted between the struts, each pair of holding stations corresponding to a different corner of a rectangular column.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the opening of each plate structure is rectangular and formed by four internal edge portions, wherein rollers are mounted along the internal edge portions to allow the reference frame to translate along a column.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the reference frame has a central axis passing through the centers of the openings in the plate structures, each clamp device being configured to pull a collar component in a direction directly opposite from the central axis.

15. A method of connecting a collar component to an elongate member, comprising:

securing an elongate member in a support assembly configured to allow rotation of the elongate member around a central axis,

encompassing the elongate member with a frame structure, the frame structure including a plurality of holding stations, each holding station having a reference surface and a clamp device configured to force a collar component against the reference surface prior to connecting the collar component to the elongate member.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the gripping stations are configured to control relative spatial location of four of the collar components around the elongate member.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

pulling one or more collar components in an opposite and perpendicular direction relative to the central axis.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the pulling step includes:

contacting a collar component with at least two orthogonal reference surfaces at one of the holding stations.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

welding the collar component to the elongate member after the contacting step.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the welding step includes tack welding.