This Multi-Purpose Convertible System Enhances Aircraft Maintenance Productivity And Drastically Reduces Aircraft Cleaning Time

Every aircraft in use today by military and civilian operators contain large exterior surface areas that have to be painted, de-painted, washed, and polished at regular intervals.

Traditionally, maintenance of the aircraft's exterior surfaces has been a manual process that consumes an inordinate amount of man-hours of labor. Part of the reason for this is the complex shape of the typical plane… it does not render itself to easy mechanized maintenance.

Very recently, foreign airlines have developed two radically different approaches to attempt a solution to this difficult problem. One such system employs over 20 car-wash type cylindrical brushes controlled by a dozen computers within a basically fixed structure. The other device utilizes a single car-wash type brush attached at the end of a 100-foot, multi-jointed extension boom.

The aforementioned systems are limited to a single area of aircraft maintenance washing.

A Creative Departure

By contrast SAAMS, a semi-automated aircraft maintenance technology, is a practical and innovative American solution to the same challenging problem. SAAMS delivers a high technology system versatile enough to perform washing, painting, de-painting, polishing, and perhaps even inspections.

It is simple in concept and implementation-using off-the-shelf technology.

The practical SAAMS solution is to bring the Working Robotic Tool up close to the aircraft. This novel approach results in system architecture that is simpler, more versatile, and superior in performance to the existing mechanized equipment.

The basic elements of SAAMS are comprised of:
a) low profile transporter platform;

b) extendible Maintenance Cantilevered Arm

c) programmable Robotic Manipulator with 6-degree freedom of motion, and

d) a Working Tool attached to the Manipulator's wrist.

 

The principles of SAAMS are described below and can be illustrated in various configurations.

Exhibits 1 and 2 represent an artist's rendition of one such functional design that illustrates:
a) Transporter Platform - a low-profile, self propelled, maneuverable platform that can move under and around an aircraft and will respond to an operator's remote joy stick commands, or follow navigation instructions from a stored computer program, using embedded RF signals or laser triangulation as reference points, and

b) Maintenance Cantilever Arm - a "stand-alone" mechanism that is attached to the top of the Transporter. Common mechanical and electrohydraulic actuators are utilized to control the vertical position of the Cantilever Arm, the horizontal extension, and tilt angle from the ground place. The function of the Cantilever Arm is to bring the Manipulator to that point near the aircraft's surface where the Working Tool will have optimum effective coverage. Advantage...required positioning is reduced to linear motion within a single vertical plane. Refer to artist's rendition in Exhibits 1 and 2, which is ample proof of the streamlined implementation of these functions.

c) The Manipulator - Enough can't be said of the pragmatic engineering solution represented by SAAMS. One competing system took 20 years to develop a robotic Manipulator that has a 100-foot reach. SAAMS, on the other hand, will take an industrial, off the shelf, 6 degree-of-freedom manipulator with a 6-foot reach and position it close to the aircraft. What's more, the very same Manipulator can handle a variety of tools to perform other needed operations. In other words, it is not limited to aircraft washing alone.

d) Aircraft Cleaning Tool - SAAMS has departed from the expedient approach of adopting a cylindrical, car wash type brush for aircraft. A unique Cleaning Tool is being developed for SAAMS incorporating compact, counter-rotating rollers with a pneumatic core. This arrangement will allow the lightweight cleaning tool to conform to the aircraft's curved surfaces.

Compact rollers will be able to reach tight areas in the wing and vertical fin fillet areas.

SAAMS equipment is designed to be used just about anywhere...in a hangar or on the ramp...in line with the development of a modern airport facility to realize maximum labor savings benefits and efficiencies.

Consequently, a functional, yet futuristic modular hangar in conjunction with state of the art recycled water plants can be packaged for the end-user.

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