Development of Automated Flexible Tooling as Enabler in Wing Box Assembly

Flexible tooling has been a focal point of investigation for various industries with an emphasis on cost and time effectiveness. Previous research has shown that when combined with the general requirements of tooling such as rigidness and repeatability, the implementation of flexibility can be a very daunting task. Therefore, LOCOMACHS (Low Cost Manufacturing and Assembly of Composite and Hybrid Structures) project has dedicated a work package for the creation of an automated flexible tooling to meet the demands of future aerospace production. The work package focuses on a creation of a tooling technology that can facilitate the process requirements of an automated wing-assembly by using flexible tooling and intelligence support from a force sensor. Hence, this paper aims to present the framework for automated flexible tooling development and results on a hexapod fixture as a case study.