US 11,970,289 B2
Method and apparatus for producing shims
Jack Richard Sharples, Preston (GB); Alistair James Fletcher, Balderstone (GB); and Jonathan Michael Carberry, Balderstone (GB)
Assigned to BAE Systems plc, London (GB)
Appl. No. 16/972,423
Filed by BAE Systems plc, London (GB)
PCT Filed Jun. 27, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/051826
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 4, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/002928, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18180582 (EP), filed on Jun. 28, 2018; application No. 18180583 (EP), filed on Jun. 28, 2018; application No. 18180584 (EP), filed on Jun. 28, 2018; application No. 18180587 (EP), filed on Jun. 28, 2018; application No. 1810648 (GB), filed on Jun. 28, 2018; application No. 1810649 (GB), filed on Jun. 28, 2018; application No. 1810651 (GB), filed on Jun. 28, 2018; and application No. 1810655 (GB), filed on Jun. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0229836 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. B64F 5/10 (2017.01); B23P 19/04 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B64C 1/06 (2006.01); G05B 19/4099 (2006.01); G05B 19/418 (2006.01); G06F 30/15 (2020.01)
CPC B64F 5/10 (2017.01) [B23P 19/04 (2013.01); B25J 9/1669 (2013.01); B25J 9/1671 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B64C 1/061 (2013.01); G05B 19/4099 (2013.01); G05B 19/41805 (2013.01); G06F 30/15 (2020.01); B23P 2700/01 (2013.01); G05B 2219/35134 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45064 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45129 (2013.01); G05B 2219/49023 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of applying a shim to an aircraft airframe, the method comprising:
providing at least part of an aircraft airframe;
measuring a surface of the at least part of the aircraft airframe;
creating a digital model of the at least part of the aircraft airframe using the measurements of the surface of the at least part of the aircraft airframe;
providing an aircraft skin;
measuring a surface of the aircraft skin;
creating a digital model of the aircraft skin using the measurements of the surface of the aircraft skin;
digitally assembling the digital model of the at least part of the aircraft airframe with the digital model of the aircraft skin;
using the digitally assembled digital model of the at least part of the aircraft airframe and the digital model of the aircraft skin, creating a digital model of a shim, the digital model of the shim filling a gap between the digitally assembled digital model of the at least part of the aircraft airframe and the digital model of the aircraft skin; and
performing an additive manufacturing (AM) process to form the shim directly onto the surface of the at least part of the aircraft airframe, the AM process using the digital model of the shim.