Automatic drilling of holes for wing- and fin interface : A theoretic idea of how the drilling could be automated

Abstract: Year 2024 U.S. Air Force will replace their current Northrop T-38 Talon aircraft trainer for pilots, and therefore they have designed the T-X program where several aircraft manufactures competes about the first order of 350 aircrafts. Boeing and Saab AB have in cooperation produced a new aircraft trainer, Boeing T-X, where Saab AB produces the rear part of the fuselage. Today two prototypes have been produced and tested to fly, but if Boeing and Saab wins the order the production has to be more effective to manage the production volume. The aircraft has two wings and two fins which are assembled via an interface with several larger holes which were partially drilled manually during the prototype manufacturing. The purpose with this thesis was to examine if the drilling of the interfaces could be automated in order to increase the production volume, regarding to economy and high tolerance - and flatness requirements. The purpose was also to determine how much of the drilling should be done in an earlier stage and how much should be done where the fuselage is assembled. To manage the time limit, delimitations were set to only make a pre-study and examine which path Saab should take when selecting a suitable solution, the time limit will not be enough for a ready solution. Different drilling methods and different machines and robots suitable for drilling were examined. Concept selection matrices were used in the work process to reach a result, where different concepts were developed and compared with each other based on the requirements. The result was to develop the CNC gantry machine concept.