A simple mechanical measurement system for the posture evaluation of wing components using the PSO and ICP algorithms
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to present a new and relatively inexpensive method for posture evaluation of the positioning of the wing-body assembly. Positioning is an essential process to guarantee alignment accuracy in an assembly line.
Design/methodology/approach
The studied method includes a structural set-up and a software algorithm used to process a set of experimental input data to compute the actual position of the wing with respect to the ideal position, which is proposed considering measurement uncertainty, the deviation caused by large errors in measurement points and the different tolerance requirements.
Findings
The studied method has been found to be simple and effective in addition to being highly accurate. Compared with most of the current methods that have been developed with optical equipment, it is more cost- and space-efficient. The automation process determines how much operation time will be saved.
Practical implications
The studied method has been applied in an actual assembly line, and the economic and time savings illustrate its benefits.
Originality/value
This method provides an attractive wing-body assembly solution for those enterprises that want to find a low-cost option or have limited measuring space for optical equipment. It can also be the basis for the accurate assembly of other large parts for aircraft and other vessels.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the National Key Technology Research and Development Program of China, the Fund of National Engineering and Research for Commercial Aircraft Manufacturing, the Defense Industrial Technology Development Program and the University-Industry-Science Partnership Project of China Aviation Industry (CXY2010XG22) for financial support. Great thanks would also be given to the anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions, which are helpful to improve the manuscript.
Citation
Yukan, H., Yuan, L., Jie, Z., Tang, W.-B. and Shoushan, J. (2015), "A simple mechanical measurement system for the posture evaluation of wing components using the PSO and ICP algorithms", Assembly Automation, Vol. 35 No. 1, pp. 104-113. https://doi.org/10.1108/AA-03-2014-025
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited