Knowledge Innovation on Digital Measurement Methods of Aircraft Assembly Combining the Laser Tracker and the Articulated Arm Measuring Machine

The fundamental characteristic of aircraft assembly is assembly measurement accuracy. A single digital measurement device can meet the requirements of an analytical and small surface. But a single digital measurement device cannot meet the measurement requirements for synthetic and large surfaces, such as fuselage panel components. This research aims to establish a combined measurement method to improve the measurement quality and extend the measurement area. The method demonstrated the combined measurement method utilizing a combination of the laser tracker and the articulated arm measuring machine. In this research, the combined measurement system is constructed based on the complexity and large size of the fuselage panel. The articulated arm measuring machine is used to scan the surface of the panel components accurately and the coordinate conversion of the common points measured by the laser tracker to realize the shape of the aircraft fuselage panel. Then the measurement process of the combined measurement technique drew up, and the measurement data processing method is analyzed. Finally, the deviation vector matrix and the chromatogram deviation distribution are obtained to realize the measurement accuracy of the new combined measurement device. It is evident that the measurement accuracy for the fuselage panel assembly process is improved by utilizing combined measurement technology. Also, the current research reduces the assembly time and increases the assembly efficiency compared with the traditional measurement system. Through experimental analysis, the innovation is efficient and feasible. Also, it has a certain application value in the modern aerospace industry.