EXTERIOR INDEXING PROCESS AND TOOLING

摘要

Method and apparatus for aligning fastener holes of two components. An alignment fixture includes two mating fixtures. Each mating fixture includes a reference plate that is aligned to the fastener holes of one of the components. Each mating fixture also includes an alignment device. The alignment devices can be aligned with the respective reference plates such that the alignment between the reference plates and the fastener holes are transferred to the alignment devices. Once aligned, the alignment devices can be temporarily attached to the respective components at locations away from the fastener holes. The reference plates can then be removed. Thereafter, the components can be brought together such that mating features on the alignment devices engage. Engagement of the mating features aligns the two components such that the fastener holes on the components are aligned.

主权项

1. A method for aligning a first component and a second component, wherein the first component includes a first plurality of fastener holes, wherein the second component includes a second plurality of fastener holes, and wherein the first plurality of fastener holes and the second plurality of fastener holes are alignable to receive fasteners that join the first component and the second component, the method comprising:
attaching a first reference plate to at least two of the fastener holes of the first plurality of fastener holes in the first component; aligning mating features of a first alignment device with cooperating mating features of the first reference plate, thereby placing the at least two fastener holes and the first alignment device in a predefined relative arrangement; having placed the at least two fastener holes and the first alignment device in the predefined relative arrangement, attaching the first alignment device to the first component; attaching a second reference plate to at least two of the fastener holes of the second plurality of fastener holes in the second component; aligning mating features of a second alignment device with cooperating mating features of the second reference plate, thereby placing the at least two fastener holes and the second alignment device in a predefined relative arrangement; having placed the at least two fastener holes and the second alignment device in the predefined relative arrangement, attaching the second alignment device to the second component; and mating a first alignment feature of the first alignment device and a cooperating second alignment feature of the second alignment device to urge the first plurality of holes in the first component and the second plurality of holes in the second component into alignment.