Patent ID: 7526851
Filing Date: 2009-05-05
Classification: B23Q,B25B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing an aircraft, the method comprising: urging a tool-carrying rail to follow a contour of the aircraft, wherein curvature of the tool-carrying rail is transferred via a series of standoff pins to a series of stiffening pads encapsulated within a vacuum cup; removably attaching the tool-carrying rail to a rail-side surface of the aircraft with the vacuum cup, the tool-carrying rail including a longitudinal axis to mount a tool, the vacuum cup being stiffened along a first axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tool-carrying rail and the vacuum cup being stiffened along a second axis parallel to the rail-side surface of the aircraft, wherein removably attaching the tool-carrying rail further comprises: slidably positioning the tool along the longitudinal axis of the tool-carrying rail.