Patent ID: 6718610
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: B64G,F17C,Y10T

Abstract:
A system for assembling an enclosed fuel tank for a space travel vehicle, wherein said fuel tank comprises first and second fuel tank subassemblies, and wherein each of said first and second fuel tank subassemblies comprise first and second ends, said system comprising:first and second longitudinally spaced chucks, wherein said first chuck is engageable with said first end of said first fuel tank subassembly and said second chuck is engageable with said second fuel tank subassembly; a plurality of fuel tank supports spaced longitudinally between said first and second chucks; a longitudinally extending guide assembly; a first mount movably interconnected with said guide assembly; a drive assembly interconnected with said first mount; a first machining tool attached to said first mount; a measuring device attached to said first mount; a computer readable storage medium operatively interconnected with said measuring device; a first data storage structure stored on said computer-readable storage medium, said first data storage structure comprising a plurality of data segments, wherein data segments of information on a particular said fuel tank are associated with each other, wherein a first said data segment comprises length information for said first fuel tank subassembly of said particular said fuel tank prior to being processed by said first machining tool, and wherein a second said data segment comprises length information for said first fuel tank subassembly of said particular said fuel tank after being processed by said first machining tool; and a first welding assembly.