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Virtual shimming simulation for smart assembly of aircraft skin panels based on a physics-driven digital twin
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Esposito, Chris, Cosenza, Chiara, Gerbino, Salvatore, Martorelli, Massimo and Franciosa, Pasquale (2022) Virtual shimming simulation for smart assembly of aircraft skin panels based on a physics-driven digital twin. International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM) , 16 . pp. 753-763. doi:10.1007/s12008-022-00875-4 ISSN 1955-2505.
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WRAP-virtual-shimming-simulation-smart-assembly-aircraft-skin-panels-based-physics-driven-digital-twin-Franciosa-2022.pdf - Published Version - Requires a PDF viewer. Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Download (2871Kb) | Preview |
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-022-00875-4
Abstract
A leading challenge in the assembly process of aircraft skin panels is the precise control of part-to-part gaps to avoid excessive pre-tensions of the fastening element which, if exceeded, impair the durability and the response under dynamics loads of the whole skin assembly. The current practice is to measure the gap in specific points of the assembly with parts already at their final location, and then be-spoke shims are machined and inserted between the mating components to fill the gap. This process involves several manual measurement-fit-adjust quality loops, such as loading parts on the assembly frame, measuring gaps, off-loading parts, adding be-spoke shims and re-positioning parts ready for the fastening operation—as a matter of fact, the aircraft is re-assembled at least twice and therefore the current practice has been proved highly cost and time ineffective. Additionally, the gap measurement relies on manual gauges which are inaccurate and unable to follow the actual 3D profile of the gap. Taking advantage of emerging tools such as in-line measurement systems and large-scale physics-based simulations, this paper proposes a novel methodology to predict the part-to-part gap and therefore minimise the need for multiple quality loops. The methodology leverages a physics-driven digital twin model of the skin assembly process, which combines a physical domain (in-line measurements) and a digital domain (physics-based simulation). Central to the methodology is the variation model of the multi-stage assembly process via a physics-based simulation which allows to capture the inherent deformation of the panels and the propagation of variations between consecutive assembly stages. The results were demonstrated during the assembly process of a vertical stabiliser for commercial aircraft, and findings showed a significant time saving of 75% by reducing costly and time-consuming measurement-fit-adjust quality loops.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||||||
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Subjects: | T Technology > TL Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics | ||||||||
Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Engineering > WMG (Formerly the Warwick Manufacturing Group) | ||||||||
SWORD Depositor: | Library Publications Router | ||||||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Airframes -- Design and construction, Artificial intelligence -- Engineering applications, Airplanes -- Fuselage -- Design and construction, Airplanes -- Wings -- Design, Virtual computer systems, Manufacturing industries -- Technological innovations, Manufacturing processes -- Data processing | ||||||||
Journal or Publication Title: | International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM) | ||||||||
Publisher: | Springer | ||||||||
ISSN: | 1955-2505 | ||||||||
Official Date: | June 2022 | ||||||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | 16 | ||||||||
Page Range: | pp. 753-763 | ||||||||
DOI: | 10.1007/s12008-022-00875-4 | ||||||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||||||
Access rights to Published version: | Open Access (Creative Commons) | ||||||||
Date of first compliant deposit: | 27 May 2022 | ||||||||
Date of first compliant Open Access: | 30 May 2022 |
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