Abstract: A method for manufacturing a shim involves applying a pliable material onto a surface of a first piece; pressing a surface of a second piece against the surface of the first piece; curing the pliable material, resulting in a cured material; removing the cured material from the first piece; taking a three dimensional scan of the cured material; and manufacturing a shim based on the three dimensional scan.

Abstract: An autonomous shim fabrication system includes a gap data acquisition device that acquires gap data for a gap between mating surfaces of components that are to be assembled, a gap data conversion system that converts the gap data into three dimensional computer solid model data of the gap, a solid model data correction system that corrects the solid model data to generate corrected solid model data of the gap, and a solid model data conversion system that converts the corrected solid model data into a manufacturing sequence. When the manufacturing sequence is executed by a computer communicatively coupled to a manufacturing machine, the system controls the manufacturing machine to manufacture a shim corresponding to the gap.