Automated edge peener apparatus

An automated edge peener apparatus includes a peener housing, a slide carried by the peener housing, a shotpeener mechanism carried by the slide and a shot recovery system communicating with the shotpeener mechanism.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to shotpeening of wing skins in the fabrication of aircraft. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an automated edge peener apparatus which is suitable for peening edges of wing skins.

BACKGROUND

During the fabrication of aircraft wing skins, tooling tabs may be provided on the skins to facilitate tool handling and placement. After the majority of manufacturing steps have been completed on a wing skin, the tooling tabs may be removed from the wing skin. This step may expose several areas on the wing skin which have not been subjected to a shotpeening process. Completion of the fabrication process may require that these unprocessed areas on the wing skin be subjected to shotpeening.

Conventional shotpeening methods may include masking of the wing skin, clamping of the shotpeen fixture to the portion of the wing skin which is to be processed and then manual application of the shotpeening process to the wing skin using a mobile blasting system. This process, however, may require that masking be applied at each area on the skin which is exposed by each removed tab. The shotpeening operator may be required to move heavy shotpeening equipment to each exposed area. The process may not be repeatable from one area to another on the wing skin due to operator techniques. The weight and design of the shotpeening equipment may render the equipment awkward to operate.

Therefore, an automated edge peener apparatus which is ergonomic, requires reduced set-up time and is amenable to increased process control may be desirable for some applications.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is generally directed to an automated edge peener apparatus. An illustrative embodiment of the apparatus includes a peener housing, a slide carried by the peener housing, a shotpeener mechanism carried by the slide and a shot recovery system communicating with the shotpeener mechanism.

In some embodiments, the automated edge peener apparatus may include a peener housing; a slide carried by the peener housing; at least one rail carried by the peener housing; a shotpeener mechanism carried by the slide and the at least one rail; a pair of adjustable clamp bars carried by the peener housing; and a shot recovery system communicating with the shotpeener mechanism.

In some embodiments, the automated edge peener apparatus may include a peener housing; at least one handle carried by the peener housing; a slide carried by the peener housing; a seal plate carried by the peener housing in spaced-apart relationship to the slide; a pair of adjustable clamp bars carried by the peener housing; and a shotpeener mechanism comprising a mechanism housing carried by the slide and the seal plate, a shot conduit rotator carried by the mechanism housing, a shot conduit pivot support carried by the mechanism housing in spaced-apart relationship to the shot conduit rotator; a shot conduit extending through the shot conduit rotator and the shot conduit pivot support and having an air inlet and a shotpeen nozzle spaced-apart from the air inlet; and a shot recovery system communicating with the mechanism housing and the shot conduit.

In some embodiments, the automated edge peener apparatus may include a peener housing; a pair of handles carried by the peener housing; a slide carried by the peener housing; a seal plate carried by the peener housing in spaced-apart relationship to the slide; a pair of adjustable clamp bars carried by the peener housing; a handle switch carried by at least one of the pair of handles and operably engaging the pair of adjustable clamp bars for opening and closing of the pair of adjustable clamp bars; and a shotpeener mechanism comprising a mechanism housing carried by the slide and the seal plate and having a shot reservoir; a shot conduit rotator carried by the mechanism housing; a rotator motor carried by the peener housing and drivingly engaging the shot conduit rotator; a shot conduit pivot support carried by the mechanism housing in spaced-apart relationship to the shot conduit rotator; a shot conduit extending through the shot conduit rotator and the shot conduit pivot support and having an air inlet and a shotpeen nozzle spaced-apart from the air inlet; and a shot recovery system having a shot tube communicating with the shot reservoir and the shot conduit between the air inlet and the shotpeen nozzle; and a fixed limit switch and an adjustable limit switch carried by the peener housing on respective sides of the peener mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, an illustrative embodiment of the automated edge peener apparatus is generally indicated by reference numeral1inFIGS. 1 and 2. The automated edge peener apparatus1may include a peener housing2. A pair of handles3may extend from opposite ends of the peener housing2. A pair of generally elongated, parallel, spaced-apart rails4may be provided in the peener housing2for purposes which will be hereinafter described. A slide5may be slidably mounted in the peener housing2generally beneath the rails4. A fixed limit switch8may be provided between the rails4at one end of the peener housing2. An adjustable limit switch10may be provided on one of the rails4generally at or adjacent to the other end of the peener housing2. Counters12may be provided on the peener housing2for purposes which will be hereinafter described. An air inlet port16may be provided on the peener housing2. In operation of the automated edge peener apparatus1, which will be hereinafter described, an air inlet conduit17which is connected to an air source (not shown) may be coupled to the air inlet port16.

As shown inFIG. 3, a seal plate20may be slidably mounted in the peener housing2generally beneath and in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the slide5(FIG. 2). A pair of generally elongated, parallel, spaced-apart clamp bars24may be provided on the peener housing2generally beneath and in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the seal plate20. A pair of clamp seals25may extend inwardly toward each other from the respective clamp bars24. A gap26may be defined between the clamp seals25.

As shown inFIG. 1, a shotpeener mechanism30may include a mechanism housing31which may extend through housing openings (not shown) provided in the slide5and the seal plate20, respectively. As shown inFIG. 2, in some embodiments, the mechanism housing31may slidably engage one or both of the rails4. A shot conduit rotator32may be provided in the mechanism housing31and may be rotatable on a rotator bearing35provided in the mechanism housing31. A rotator motor33may be provided on the mechanism housing31and may drivingly engage the shot conduit rotator32through a rotator gear34to rotate the shot conduit rotator32in the mechanism housing31.

A shot conduit pivot support40may be provided in the mechanism housing31generally beneath or in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the shot conduit rotator32. A generally funnel-shaped partition43may extend generally between the shot conduit rotator32and the shot conduit pivot support40. The partition43may divide the interior of the mechanism housing31into an outer shot reservoir38and an inner conduit chamber39. In some embodiments, at least one exhaust vent36may be provided in the peener housing2at the shot reservoir38.

A generally elongated shot conduit46may extend through a conduit rotation bearing54provided in the shot conduit rotator32and through the conduit chamber39and a conduit pivot bearing55provided in a pivot opening56in the shot conduit pivot support40, respectively. An air inlet47may be provided in a first end of the shot conduit46. A shotpeen nozzle48may be provided in a second end of the shot conduit46.

As shown inFIG. 1, the automated edge peener apparatus1may include a shot recovery system50which may be adapted to recover shot60from a surface82which is to be peened using the apparatus1as will be hereinafter described. The shot recovery system50may include a shot inlet49provided in the shot conduit46between the air inlet47and the shotpeen nozzle48. In some embodiments, the shot inlet49may be between the air inlet47and the conduit rotation bearing54. A shot outlet37may be provided in the peener housing2in communication with the shot reservoir38. A shot tube52may connect the shot outlet37in the peener housing2to the shot inlet49in the shot conduit46.

Referring next toFIG. 4, an illustrative control system62which is suitable for implementation of an illustrative embodiment of the automated edge peener apparatus1is shown. The control system62may include an air supply63which may be pneumatically connected to the air inlet port16(FIG. 2) on the peener housing2via the air inlet conduit17. A control switch14(FIG. 2) provided on the peener housing2may control flow of air from the air supply63into the air inlet port16. Multiple relays64may be pneumatically connected to the air supply63. A motion cylinder control switch65may be pneumatically connected to the relays64. Motion cylinder lines66may pneumatically connect the motion cylinder control switch65to a motion cylinder67. The motion cylinder67may operably engage the slide5(FIG. 2) of the automated edge peener apparatus1to move the slide5back and forth between the fixed limit switch8and the adjustable limit switch10responsive to manipulation of the motion cylinder control switch65. The fixed limit switch8and the adjustable limit switch10may be connected to the motion cylinder67to limit the distance the slide5travels in the peener housing2. Shot switch lines70may pneumatically connect the relays64to a shot switch71the opening and closing of which may control flow of shot60from the shot reservoir38through the shot tube52. A bladder line74may pneumatically connect the relays to the bladder42in the shot reservoir38(FIG. 1). Clamp mechanism lines77may connect the relays64to a clamp mechanism76which may be adapted to open and close the clamp bars24(FIG. 3). In some embodiments, a handle switch78may be provided in the clamp mechanism lines77and provided on at least one of the handles3(FIGS. 2 and 3) to facilitate opening of the clamp bars24via the clamp mechanism76by gripping of the handles3. A shotpeener line80may pneumatically connect the relays64to the air inlet47(FIG. 1) in the shot conduit46of the shotpeener mechanism30.

In typical operation, the automated edge peener apparatus1may be used to peen an area or areas on a surface82(FIG. 1) such as a wing skin (not shown), for example and without limitation. In some applications, the surface82may have been a surface on the wing skin which was previously covered by tooling tabs during processing of the skin, for example and without limitation. Accordingly, the air supply63(FIG. 4) may be pneumatically connected to the air inlet port16(FIG. 2) of the automated edge peener apparatus1through the air inlet conduit17. A supply of shot60(FIG. 1) may be placed in the shot reservoir38of the shotpeener mechanism30. An operator (not shown) may grasp the handles3and open the clamp bars24(FIG. 3) via actuation of the handle switch78. The automated edge peener apparatus1may then be placed in location and the handles3released such that the panel (not shown) the surface of which is to be peened may be clamped between the clamp seals25on the clamp bar24. The length of the area on the surface which is to be peened may be accommodated by moving the adjustable limit switch10(FIG. 2) along the rail4.

The peening process may be started by actuation of the control switch14. This may cause the motion cylinder67(FIG. 4) to move the slide5and the shotpeener mechanism30back and forth between the fixed limit switch8and the adjustable limit switch10for a set number of passes. As shown inFIG. 1, as air flows from the shotpeener line80and through the shot conduit46, air pressure in the shot tube52drops due to the Venturi effect. Consequently, air pressure in the shot reservoir38drops and shot60flows from the shot reservoir38, through the shot outlet37and the shot tube52and into and through the shot conduit46through the shot inlet49. The shot60traverses the shot conduit46and is expelled from the shotpeen nozzle48against the surface (not shown) to be peened. The reduced air pressure in the shot reservoir38draws the shot60back into the shot reservoir38through the shot return port or ports41past the shot retention bladder42. From the shot reservoir38, the shot60may be drawn back through the shot tube52and shot conduit46, respectively, and may again be ejected from the shotpeen nozzle48in a continuous process.

After the number of passes required to achieve the desired intensity and saturation on the peened surface is complete, flow of shot from the shot reservoir38through the shot tube52may be stopped. For a preset number of passes of the slide5and shotpeener mechanism30between the fixed limit switch8and the adjustable limit switch10, air may continue to flow from the shotpeener line80through the shot conduit46, shotpeen nozzle48, shot return port or ports41, shot reservoir38and shot tube52, respectively, of the shot recovery system50. The resulting drop in pressure may vacuum any remaining shot back into the shot reservoir38through the shot return port or ports41. Finally, flow of air to the automated edge peener apparatus1may be shut off, the automated edge peener apparatus1moved to the next area which requires peening and the process repeated.

Referring next toFIGS. 5 and 6, embodiments of the disclosure may be used in the context of an aircraft manufacturing and service method78as shown inFIG. 5and an aircraft94as shown inFIG. 6. During pre-production, exemplary method78may include specification and design80of the aircraft94and material procurement82. During production, component and subassembly manufacturing84and system integration86of the aircraft94takes place. Thereafter, the aircraft94may go through certification and delivery88in order to be placed in service90. While in service by a customer, the aircraft94may be scheduled for routine maintenance and service92(which may also include modification, reconfiguration, refurbishment, and so on).

As shown inFIG. 6, the aircraft94produced by exemplary method78may include an airframe98with a plurality of systems96and an interior100. Examples of high-level systems96include one or more of a propulsion system102, an electrical system104, a hydraulic system106, and an environmental system108. Any number of other systems may be included. Although an aerospace example is shown, the principles of the invention may be applied to other industries, such as the automotive industry.

The apparatus embodied herein may be employed during any one or more of the stages of the production and service method78. For example, components or subassemblies corresponding to production process84may be fabricated or manufactured in a manner similar to components or subassemblies produced while the aircraft94is in service. Also one or more apparatus embodiments may be utilized during the production stages84and86, for example, by substantially expediting assembly of or reducing the cost of an aircraft94. Similarly, one or more apparatus embodiments may be utilized while the aircraft94is in service, for example and without limitation, to maintenance and service92.