Patent ID: 8620470

Claim:
A system for moving components of an airplane into assembly alignment, comprising: a jacking system including assembly jacks for supporting and moving components of the airplane into assembly alignment; a measurement system independent of the jacking system for determining locations of a plurality of features of the components of the airplane while the components are supported on the assembly jacks, wherein the measurement system includes: a plurality of transmitters arranged in a constellation on a first structure defining an assembly space in which the airplane is being assembled; a plurality of component targets disposed on the components in a plurality of predetermined locations known in a first coordinate system of the airplane; and a plurality of reference targets arranged on a second structure defining the assembly space in a plurality of predetermined positions known in a second coordinate system of the assembly space; and a computer system responsive to measurements from the measurement system for determining the relative positions of the components in the first coordinate system of the airplane and for controlling the movement of the assembly jacks to bring the components into assembly alignment.