Aircraft skin alignment system with edge indexing

1 . An aircraft skin alignment system, comprising:

at least one support structure configured to support one or more aircraft skins and one or more assembly tools;

the one or more assembly tools including:

a puller tool configured to releasably engage with a first aircraft skin and apply a pulling force to the first aircraft skin; and

a clamp tool having a body supporting an edge locator;

wherein the puller tool is configured to pull the first aircraft skin such that a first edge of the first aircraft skin abuts the edge locator, the edge locator preventing the first edge from being pulled past the edge locator; and

wherein one or more tool holes can be drilled into the first aircraft skin such that the one or more tool holes are aligned based on an edge index due to a position of the edge locator.

2 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 1 , wherein the puller tool further comprises a base.

3 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 2 , wherein puller tool further comprises:

a mount attached to the base such that the mount can slidingly adjust relative to the base; and

a locator pin configured to extend through a thickness of the first aircraft skin such that the first aircraft skin is thereby attached to the mount.

4 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 3 , wherein the mount is attached to the base via at least one bolt extending through a channel as part of the mount and into the base, the channel configured to allow the mount to slidingly adjust while the at least one bolt retains the mount to the base.

5 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 1 , wherein the puller tool further comprises at least one clamp configured to clamp onto the first aircraft skin.

6 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one clamp further comprises a lever configured to pivot about a pivot point, the lever further configured to operate a foot such that the foot is configured to clamp onto the first aircraft skin.

7 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 4 , wherein the puller tool further comprises a handle to operate a latch, the latch configured to engage with the mount such that the handle can exert a pulling force on the mount.

8 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 1 , wherein the edge locator is a protruding body extending from the body of the clamp tool, the protruding body configured to block the first edge of the first aircraft skin.

9 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 1 , wherein the clamp tool further comprises one or more clamps mounted to the body, the one or more clamps configured to clamp down onto the first aircraft skin.

10 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more clamps further comprises a foot coupled to a lever, the lever configured to actuate the foot to engage and disengage the first aircraft skin.

11 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 1 , wherein the clamp tool further comprises a hole extending through a thickness of the body, the hole configured to provide a location for drilling into the first aircraft skin from a rear side of the clamp tool.

12 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 1 ,

wherein the clamp tool and the puller tool are separate entities.

13 . An aircraft skin alignment system, comprising:

at least one support structure configured to support one or more aircraft skins and one or more assembly tools;

the one or more assembly tools including:

a puller tool having a mount attached to a base such that the mount can slidingly adjust relative to the base and a locator pin configured to extend through a thickness of a first aircraft skin such that the first aircraft skin is thereby attached to the mount, wherein the mount is attached to the base via at least one bolt extending through a channel as part of the mount and into the base, the channel configured to allow the mount to slidingly adjust while the at least one bolt retains the mount to the base; and

an edge locator;

wherein the puller tool is configured to pull the first aircraft skin such that a first edge of the first aircraft skin abuts the edge locator, the edge locator preventing the first edge from being pulled past the edge locator; and

wherein one or more tool holes can be drilled into the first aircraft skin such that the one or more tool holes are aligned based on an edge index due to a position of the edge locator.

14 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 13 , wherein the puller tool further comprises at least one clamp configured to clamp onto the first aircraft skin.

15 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one clamp further comprises a lever configured to pivot about a pivot point, the lever further configured to operate a foot such that the foot is configured to clamp onto the first aircraft skin.

16 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 13 , wherein the puller tool further comprises a handle to operate a latch, the latch configured to engage with the mount such that the handle can exert a pulling force on the mount.

17 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more assembly tools further comprises a clamp tool having a body supporting the edge locator, the edge locator being a protruding body extending from the body of the clamp tool, the protruding body configured to block the first edge of the first aircraft skin.

18 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 17 , wherein the clamp tool further comprises one or more clamps mounted to the body, the one or more clamps configured to clamp down onto the first aircraft skin.

19 . The aircraft skin alignment system of claim 18 wherein the puller tool and the clamp tool are separate entities.