Abstract: During an assembly process for an aircraft, segments of the fuselage are fabricated separately prior to joining the segments together to form the complete fuselage. In order to ensure that abutting ends of the segments mate together correctly, a machining process is performed along the edges of the segments at their ends. A trim-tool assembly includes an indexing cart mounted to a track secured to a surface of the workpiece, where a setting on the indexing cart varies a distance between a centerline of the track and an edge of a workpiece. The trim-tool assembly further includes a tool cart mounted to the track and translatable along the track. The tool cart includes a process tool that performs a machining process on the workpiece at a fixed distance from the centerline of the track.

Abstract: During an assembly process for an aircraft, segments of the fuselage are fabricated separately prior to joining the segments together to form the complete fuselage. In order to ensure that abutting ends of the segments mate together correctly, a machining process is performed along the edges of the segments at their ends. One embodiment comprises a trim-tool assembly for machining proximate to an edge of a workpiece. The trim-tool assembly includes an indexing cart configured to mount to a track secured to a surface of the workpiece, where a setting on the indexing cart varies a distance between a centerline of the track and the edge of the workpiece. The trim-tool assembly further includes a tool cart configured to mount to and translate along the track, where the tool cart includes a process tool that performs a machining process on the workpiece at a fixed distance from the centerline of the track.

Abstract: A back spotfacing system having a machining apparatus with a through-hole cutter tool. The tool has an elongate member movable to coaxially extend through a hole in a workpiece from a first side of the workpiece, the workpiece coupled to the apparatus. The tool has a cutter element pivotal between a stowed position on the elongate member, a contact position with an inner surface of the hole, and an extended position extending radially from the elongate member. In the extended position, the cutter element extends to machine and back spotface a surface on a second side of the workpiece opposite the first side. The system has a power system for powering the apparatus and tool, and a measurement system coupled to the apparatus for measuring one or more hole exit positions of the cutter element and one or more surface contact positions of the cutter element on the surface.

Abstract: A back spotfacing system having a machining apparatus with a through-hole cutter tool. The tool has an elongate member movable to coaxially extend through a hole in a workpiece from a first side of the workpiece, the workpiece coupled to the apparatus. The tool has a cutter element pivotal between a stowed position on the elongate member, a contact position with an inner surface of the hole, and an extended position extending radially from the elongate member. In the extended position, the cutter element extends to machine and back spotface a surface on a second side of the workpiece opposite the first side. The system has a power system for powering the apparatus and tool, and a measurement system coupled to the apparatus for measuring one or more hole exit positions of the cutter element and one or more surface contact positions of the cutter element on the surface.