Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing an assembly tool for assembling a first system comprising one or more components. The method comprises: for each component, determining, when the first system is attached to a second system, a position and orientation of that component relative to the second system and positions and orientations relative to the second system at which that component is to be supported; providing a frame; attaching, to the frame, a reference structure; providing a plurality of pickup devices each having a receiving element for receiving a component; and securing each pickup device to the frame such that a position and orientation relative to the reference structure of each receiving element is the same as a position and orientation at which a component is to be supported.

Abstract: An assembly process for assembling at least part of an aircraft airframe, the assembly process comprising: providing a first assembly including a first part of the airframe and a first reference structure attached thereto; providing a second assembly including a second part of the aircraft airframe and a second reference structure attached thereto; receiving, by a first receptacle, the first reference structure; receiving, by a second receptacle, the second reference structure; moving, by an actuation device, the receptacles into a predetermined configuration, thereby moving the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe into a predetermined configuration; and performing an assembly operation on the airframe parts to fixedly attach together the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe, thereby producing the part of the aircraft airframe.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing an object, the method comprising: providing a workpiece comprising a plurality of attachment features for attaching the workpiece to a machining fixture; determining a datum, the datum being dependent upon the relative positions of the attachment features; measuring the surface of the workpiece with respect to the datum; providing the machining fixture; attaching, using the attachment features, the workpiece to the machining fixture; providing a digital model specifying the object including the attachment features; and, thereafter, using the measurements of the workpiece surface and the digital model, controlling machining apparatus with respect to the datum to machine the workpiece so as to produce the object as specified by the digital model.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing a machining fixture for fixedly holding a workpiece during machining of that workpiece. The method comprises: providing an initial machining fixture comprising a plurality of receiving elements for receiving the workpiece to be machined; determining a datum, the datum being dependent upon the relative positions of the receiving elements; determining positions and orientations of one or more reference surfaces with respect to the datum; measuring the surface of the initial machining fixture with respect to the datum; and, thereafter, controlling machining apparatus with respect to the datum to machine the initial machining fixture to form the one or more reference surfaces, thereby producing the machining fixture.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing an assembly tool for assembling a first system comprising one or more components. The method comprises: for each component, determining, when the first system is attached to a second system, a position and orientation of that component relative to the second system and positions and orientations relative to the second system at which that component is to be supported; providing a frame; attaching, to the frame, a reference structure; providing a plurality of pickup devices each having a receiving element for receiving a component; and securing each pickup device to the frame such that a position and orientation relative to the reference structure of each receiving element is the same as a position and orientation at which a component is to be supported.

Abstract: An assembly process for assembling at least part of an aircraft airframe, the assembly process comprising: providing a first assembly including a first part of the airframe and a first reference structure attached thereto; providing a second assembly including a second part of the aircraft airframe and a second reference structure attached thereto; receiving, by a first receptacle, the first reference structure; receiving, by a second receptacle, the second reference structure; moving, by an actuation device, the receptacles into a predetermined configuration, thereby moving the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe into a predetermined configuration; and performing an assembly operation on the airframe parts to fixedly attach together the first part of the aircraft airframe and the second part of the aircraft airframe, thereby producing the part of the aircraft airframe.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing a machining fixture for fixedly holding a workpiece during machining of that workpiece. The method comprises: providing an initial machining fixture comprising a plurality of receiving elements for receiving the workpiece to be machined; determining a datum, the datum being dependent upon the relative positions of the receiving elements; determining positions and orientations of one or more reference surfaces with respect to the datum; measuring the surface of the initial machining fixture with respect to the datum; and, thereafter, controlling machining apparatus with respect to the datum to machine the initial machining fixture to form the one or more reference surfaces, thereby producing the machining fixture.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing an object, the method comprising: providing a workpiece comprising a plurality of attachment features for attaching the workpiece to a machining fixture; determining a datum, the datum being dependent upon the relative positions of the attachment features; measuring the surface of the workpiece with respect to the datum; providing the machining fixture; attaching, using the attachment features, the workpiece to the machining fixture; providing a digital model specifying the object including the attachment features; and, thereafter, using the measurements of the workpiece surface and the digital model, controlling machining apparatus with respect to the datum to machine the workpiece so as to produce the object as specified by the digital model.

Abstract: The processing of data and inventory, particularly with regards to packages having an issue affecting their delivery, is disclosed. Among other things, embodiments of the present disclosure help enable the quick, efficient, and accurate resolution to such issues. According to various embodiments, a method performed by a computer program operating on a computer system is disclosed, the method comprising: accessing, by the computer system, a database containing a plurality of database entries for a respective plurality of packages to be matched with an intended recipient; identifying, by the computer system, one or more entries from the plurality of entries for which the respective packages for the one or more entries are unmatched to any recipient; and generating an alert, by the computer system, including information regarding the one or more unmatched packages.

Abstract: The processing of data and inventory, particularly with regards to packages having an issue affecting their delivery, is disclosed. Among other things, embodiments of the present disclosure help enable the quick, efficient, and accurate resolution to such issues. In various embodiments, a method performed by a computer program operating on a computer system is disclosed. The method comprises: receiving, by the computer system, an identifier for a package; in response to receiving the identifier, automatically retrieving, by the computer system, a database entry associated with the package from a database in communication with the computer system; determining, by the computer system, based on the database entry, that the package was refused by an intended recipient; and automatically modifying, by the computer system, a status field of the database entry to indicate the package was refused.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method performed by a computer program operating on a computer system includes: displaying, by the computer system on a display screen in communication with the computer system, a plurality of data fields related to shipping a package; and receiving, by the computer system, an identifier for the package. The method further includes in response to the receipt of the identifier: automatically populating, by the computer system, a data field from the plurality of data fields with data for the package from a device in communication with the computer system; and displaying, by the computer system, the populated data field on the display screen. The method also includes generating, by the computer system, a shipping label for the package using a printer in communication with the computer system, the shipping label including one or more of the identifier and the data from the device.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a method performed by a computer program operating on a computer system is disclosed, the method comprising: accessing, by the computer system, a database in communication with the computer system, wherein the database contains a plurality of records, wherein each record in the plurality of records includes a status condition; accessing, by the computer system, a rule set for the status conditions for the plurality of records, the rule set stored in a memory in communication with the computer system; identifying based on the rule set, by the computer system, one or more records from the plurality of records having a disallowed status condition; and generating, by the computer system, an alert, the alert including a list of the one or more records having a disallowed status condition.