3D Microdisplacement Monitoring of Large Aircraft Assembly with Automated In Situ Calibration

Three-dimensional (3D) microdisplacement monitoring plays a crucial role in the assembly of large aircraft. This paper presents a broadly applicable high-precision online 3D microdisplacement monitoring method and system based on proximity sensors as well as a corresponding in situ calibration method, which can be applied under various extreme working conditions encountered in the aircraft assembly process, such as compact and obstructed spaces. A 3D monitoring model is first established to achieve 3D microdisplacement monitoring based only on the one-dimensional distances measured by proximity sensors, which concerns the extrinsic sensor parameters, such as the probe base point (PBP) and the unit displacement vector (UDV). Then, a calibration method is employed to obtain these extrinsic parameters with high precision by combining spatial transformation principles and weighted optimization. Finally, calibration and monitoring experiments performed for a tailplane assembly process are reported. The calibration precision for the PBP is better than ±10 μm in the X and Y directions and ±2 μm in the Z direction, and the calibration precision for the UDV is better than 0.07°. Moreover, the accuracy of the 3D microdisplacement monitoring system can reach ±15 μm. In general, this paper provides new insights into the modeling and calibration of 3D microdisplacement monitoring based on proximity sensors and a precise, efficient, and low-cost technical means for performing related measurements in compact spaces during the aircraft assembly process.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2021.02.023
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809921004331
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/20958099
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2021 Zhenyuan Jia et al. Published by Elsevier LTD on behalf of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Higher Education Press Limited Company. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Jia, Zhenyuan
  • Liang, Bing
  • Liu, Wei
  • Liu, Kun
  • Ma, Jianwei
• Publication Date: 2022-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 105-116
• Serial:
  • Engineering
  • Volume: 19
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 2095-8099
  • Serial URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/engineering

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aircraft industry; Calibration; Manufacturing; Mathematical models; Monitoring
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01788377
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 17 2021 2:25PM