Patent ID: 7137760

Claim:
An apparatus for supporting a manufacturing tool relative to a workpiece, the apparatus comprising: a track assembly adapted to be attached to the workpiece; a carriage moveably coupled to the track assembly and moveable relative to the workpiece along a translation axis, the carriage including a tool support configured to receive and support a manufacturing tool; and an opposing-force support assembly operatively coupled to the carriage and configured to be controllably secured to the workpiece to at least partially counterbalance a manufacturing force exerted on the workpiece by the manufacturing tool, wherein the track assembly includes a vacuum cup assembly configured to secure to a surface of the workpiece, and wherein the opposing-force support assembly includes: a first member moveably coupled to the carriage and moveable alone a first axis; a first actuator coupled to the first member and to the carriage and configured to move the first member along the first axis; a second member moveably coupled to the first member and moveable along a second axis orthogonally oriented with respect to the first axis; a second actuator coupled to the second member and to the first member and configured to move the second member alone the second axis; and a securing device coupled to the second member and configured to be secured to the workpiece.