US 12,128,528 B2
Adaptive tooling assembly
Clifford D. Borowicz, Mukilteo, WA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Jul. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/221,804.
Application 18/221,804 is a continuation of application No. 16/822,291, filed on Mar. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,738,425.
Prior Publication US 2023/0356367 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B25B 11/00 (2006.01); B23Q 3/08 (2006.01); B23Q 3/18 (2006.01); B23Q 15/22 (2006.01); B25J 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25B 11/005 (2013.01) [B23Q 3/088 (2013.01); B23Q 3/183 (2013.01); B23Q 15/22 (2013.01); B25J 15/0052 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
at least one tooling fixture configured to hold a workpiece;
the tooling fixture comprising:
a top surface, a bottom surface opposing the top surface, and opposing sides between the top surface and the bottom surface; and
linear actuators disposed at the sides of the tooling fixture, and comprising vacuum grippers at outboard ends of the linear actuators, wherein each of the linear actuators is configured to extend a vacuum gripper linearly away from a respective side of the tooling fixture, and retract the vacuum gripper linearly toward the respective side of the tooling fixture; and
a controller configured to control the linear actuators;
wherein the tooling fixture is configured to support the workpiece in contact with the top surface, to reposition the workpiece on the tooling fixture with the linear actuators, and to secure the workpiece to the tooling fixture after repositioning;
wherein the controller is configured to:
control the linear actuators to extend the vacuum grippers linearly in opposite directions to contact surfaces of the workpiece, and to grip the surfaces via a vacuum applied by the vacuum grippers; and
operate the linear actuators in combination to reposition the workpiece on the tooling fixture by controlling one of the linear actuators to extend the vacuum gripper linearly in a direction while another of the linear actuators is configured to retract the vacuum gripper linearly to pull the workpiece in the direction.