Abstract: An assembly system for an automated internal assembly on a curved assembly surface of an aircraft fuselage includes two assembly rails shaped in accordance with a curvature of the assembly surface such that they follow a longitudinal direction or a peripheral direction of the aircraft fuselage, so that the assembly rails are fastenable in the aircraft fuselage, along the longitudinal direction or along the peripheral direction of the aircraft fuselage, parallel to one another and parallel to the assembly surface of the aircraft fuselage; an assembly slide configured to slide along the assembly rails; and a tool supported by the assembly slide and configured to perform an assembly step; wherein the assembly slide has an assembly axis, along which the tool is movable relative to the assembly slide; and wherein the assembly axis is configured such that it follows the curvature of the assembly surface of the aircraft fuselage.

Abstract: A mobile manufacturing module comprising a platform configured to receive and support one or more interchangeable manufacturing elements and engageable with a removable positioning device that when engaged is configured to enable movement of the platform relative to a work piece, and one or more supports connected to the platform that are configured to contact a floor in order to support the platform when the removable positioning device is disengaged.

Abstract: A wearable manufacturing assistance device (1) for supporting a manufacturing tool (3), the manufacturing assistance device (1) includes a body unit (7) including a fastener (11) for fastening the body unit (7) to the back (13) of a technician (5) in a wearing position (15), and an arm member (9) which has an attachment end (19) attached to the body unit (7) and a tool end (21) opposite to the attachment end (19), wherein at the tool end (21) a mounting device (23) for mounting the manufacturing tool (3) to the arm member (9) is provided. While the wearable manufacturing assistance device (1) is fastened to the back (13) of the technician (5) and is in a wearing position (15), the arm member (9) extends from the attachment end (19) at the body unit (7) over a shoulder (17) and laterally past a head (27) of the technician (5).

Abstract: An assembly system for an automated internal assembly on a curved assembly surface of an aircraft fuselage includes two assembly rails shaped in accordance with a curvature of the assembly surface such that they follow a longitudinal direction or a peripheral direction of the aircraft fuselage, so that the assembly rails are fastenable in the aircraft fuselage, along the longitudinal direction or along the peripheral direction of the aircraft fuselage, parallel to one another and parallel to the assembly surface of the aircraft fuselage; an assembly slide configured to slide along the assembly rails; and a tool supported by the assembly slide and configured to perform an assembly step; wherein the assembly slide has an assembly axis, along which the tool is movable relative to the assembly slide; and wherein the assembly axis is configured such that it follows the curvature of the assembly surface of the aircraft fuselage.

Abstract: A magnetically levitated arrangement for contactless movement over a surface comprising a magnetizable reaction surface and a magnetically levitated unit arranged to interact with the reaction surface. The levitated unit has at least one pair of rotatable rotary magnet units, each unit rotatable about a rotation axis and having magnetic elements arranged with alternating poles and respectively substantially parallel to the rotation axis in a pole connection direction. Each rotary unit pair is formed to interact, due to rotation of the two rotary units in opposite directions relative to one another and relative to the reaction surface, in such a way with the reaction surface, that forces are generated holding the levitated unit at a distance from the reaction surface, and due to the opposite rotation directions of the rotary units of each pair, a directed drive force moving the levitated unit relative to the reaction surface is generated.

Abstract: A mobile manufacturing module comprising a platform configured to receive and support one or more interchangeable manufacturing elements and engageable with a removable positioning device that when engaged is configured to enable movement of the platform relative to a work piece, and one or more supports connected to the platform that are configured to contact a floor in order to support the platform when the removable positioning device is disengaged.

Abstract: An exoskeleton system for supporting a person during an installation process includes a first exoskeleton unit for stabilizing a first body part of the person and a second exoskeleton unit for stabilizing a second body part of the person. Furthermore, the exoskeleton system includes a detection unit which is configured to detect a condition of the first body part and a control unit which is configured to control the second exoskeleton unit based on the detected condition of the first body part such that a specified condition of the second body part is adjusted by the second exoskeleton unit.

Abstract: This relate to a method for attaching a component to a fuselage section of an aircraft or spacecraft. In a step of the method, a rail is arranged within a fuselage section of an aircraft, which rail extends in a longitudinal direction of the fuselage section. In another step, a support structure is movably mounted to the rail such that the support structure can be moved along the rail in the longitudinal direction of the fuselage section. The support structure comprises a positioning unit for positioning a tool for attaching the component to the fuselage section at a location where the component is to be attached to the fuselage section. The embodiments also relate to a device for attaching a component to a fuselage section of an aircraft.

Abstract: A robot system for carrying out a plurality of operations during assembly or maintenance of an aircraft or spacecraft includes a first robot having a base portion, a movable robot arm having a first coupling portion, and a first control means for controlling the robot arm, a plurality of second robots having movement means, a drive portion operable to drive the movement means, a tool portion having a tool for carrying out a specific one of the operations, a second coupling portion adapted to be selectively and releasably coupled with the first coupling portion in a predetermined positional relationship, and a second control means for controlling the respective second robot. The first and second control means are adapted to control the drive portion of one of the second robots and the robot arm to couple the first coupling portion and the respective second coupling portion in the predetermined positional relationship.

Abstract: A magnetically levitated arrangement for contactless movement over a surface comprising a magnetizable reaction surface and a magnetically levitated unit arranged to interact with the reaction surface. The levitated unit has at least one pair of rotatable rotary magnet units, each unit rotatable about a rotation axis and having magnetic elements arranged with alternating poles and respectively substantially parallel to the rotation axis in a pole connection direction. Each rotary unit pair is formed to interact, due to rotation of the two rotary units in opposite directions relative to one another and relative to the reaction surface, in such a way with the reaction surface, that forces are generated holding the levitated unit at a distance from the reaction surface, and due to the opposite rotation directions of the rotary units of each pair, a directed drive force moving the levitated unit relative to the reaction surface is generated.

Abstract: A wearable manufacturing assistance device (1) for supporting a manufacturing tool (3), the manufacturing assistance device (1) includes a body unit (7) including a fastener (11) for fastening the body unit (7) to the back (13) of a technician (5) in a wearing position (15), and an arm member (9) which has an attachment end (19) attached to the body unit (7) and a tool end (21) opposite to the attachment end (19), wherein at the tool end (21) a mounting device (23) for mounting the manufacturing tool (3) to the arm member (9) is provided. While the wearable manufacturing assistance device (1) is fastened to the back (13) of the technician (5) and is in a wearing position (15), the arm member (9) extends from the attachment end (19) at the body unit (7) over a shoulder (17) and laterally past a head (27) of the technician (5).

Abstract: A modularized robot includes a robot platform configured to convey mobility and connectivity to external components to the modularized robot, a robot workhead configured to convey the ability to perform an operational task to the modularized robot, and a robot adapter attached to either the robot platform or the robot workhead and configured to mechanically link the robot platform to the robot workhead. Moreover, a swarm of modularized robots and a robot system include such modularized robots.

Abstract: A robot system for carrying out a plurality of operations during assembly or maintenance of an aircraft or spacecraft includes a first robot having a base portion, a movable robot arm having a first coupling portion, and a first control means for controlling the robot arm, a plurality of second robots having movement means, a drive portion operable to drive the movement means, a tool portion having a tool for carrying out a specific one of the operations, a second coupling portion adapted to be selectively and releasably coupled with the first coupling portion in a predetermined positional relationship, and a second control means for controlling the respective second robot. The first and second control means are adapted to control the drive portion of one of the second robots and the robot arm to couple the first coupling portion and the respective second coupling portion in the predetermined positional relationship.

Abstract: This relate to a method for attaching a component to a fuselage section of an aircraft or spacecraft. In a step of the method, a rail is arranged within a fuselage section of an aircraft, which rail extends in a longitudinal direction of the fuselage section. In another step, a support structure is movably mounted to the rail such that the support structure can be moved along the rail in the longitudinal direction of the fuselage section. The support structure comprises a positioning unit for positioning a tool for attaching the component to the fuselage section at a location where the component is to be attached to the fuselage section. The embodiments also relate to a device for attaching a component to a fuselage section of an aircraft.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cable support device for supporting a cable harness at an electrical connector, including a bracket member configured to be mounted adjacent to an electrical connector, wherein the bracket member defines a path for the cable harness through a bend adjacent to the electrical connector to provide a drip loop in the cable harness.

Abstract: The invention relates to a confocal microendoscope, in which the diameter of optical fibres at the proximal end (8) of an optical fibre bundle (9) is greater than at the distal end (15). This permits the efficiency of coupling the light of a light source to be increased, without reducing the resolution of the microendoscope. In addition, the proximal ends (8) of the optical fibres (10) are arranged in a grid, for example, by means of a fibre receiving unit (11) that holds the individual optical fibres. A microlens unit (13) can also be provided, said unit allocating a microlens (14) to each optical fibre end.