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Two Automated Electromagnetic Riveting Assembly Cells (AERAC) were manufactured for Textron Aerostructures by Electroimpact, Inc. The AERAC installs the final rivets in the A330/A340 upper wing panel in the floor assembly jig. At Textron for each wing the corresponding floor assembly jigs for each wing are lined up end to end. An operating procedure in which the formboards are removed in bays allows efficient operation of an in the jig riveter such as the AERAC. Specialized machine codes developed for the AERAC allows quick fully programmed stringer to stringer jumps of the stringer side offset tooling. The AERAC is programmed entirely from a CATIA drawing of the part. Of the 5 axes of rivet data available only two are retained for use by the AERAC.

The use of a narrow profile posts or Skinny Fixture increases build speed and flexibility while improving quality of aluminum aircraft panels fastened in one-up assembly cells. Aluminum aircraft panels are made up of an outer skin and a series of stringers. The components must be held in accurate relative positions while preliminary fasteners are installed. By using narrow fixture posts in conjunction with deep drop stringer side machine tools, the fastening machine can apply fasteners at tighter initial spacing. The spacing is gained by providing clearances that allows the centerline of the fastening system to work closer to the post than previously achieved with deep fixture posts and short stringer side tooling. At one time the standard process was to hold the parts in manual tack cells and after tacking the panels are moved to a separate automated fastening cell. One-up assembly fixtures improve the process by reducing manual processes while minimizing component handling.

A new wing panel riveting cell capable of replacing tack fasteners and performing small repair jobs has been developed. Using two mobile scissor lift platforms with electromagnetic riveters mounted on each, the operators can access every portion of the wing panel without the use of ladders or platforms. This method minimizes fatigue, allows workers to carry all tools and supplies with them, meets current safety standards and minimizes coldworking of the components.

A new method of installing LGP collars onto titanium lock bolts has been brought into production in the Airbus wing manufacturing facility in Broughton, Wales. The feed system involves transporting the collar down a rectangular cross-sectioned hose, through a rectangular pathway in the machine clamp anvil to the swage die without the use of fingers or grippers. This method allows the reliable feeding the collars without needing to adjust the position of feed fingers or grippers relative to the tool centerline. Also, more than one fastener diameter can be fed through one anvil geometry, requiring only a die change to switch between certain fastener diameters. In our application, offset and straight stringer geometries are accommodated by the same anvil.

Automated Floor Drilling Equipment (AFDE) have been used at Boeing for drilling floor panel, galley, lavatory and other holes in Boeing planes. New controller and drill spindle designs made it possible to redesign the AFDE as a self-contained unit with on-board CNC, custom operator interface, RF network and more compact drill spindles for increased robustness and versatility.