Automatic design for joint locators of aircraft assembly fixtures

Joint locators are most often used in assembly fixtures during the development of modern aircraft. To simplify the design procedure and enhance the quality and efficiency of the design for locators and fixtures, the techniques of automatic design for joint locators are specifically researched along with the development of the FixCAD system. The results show: firstly, with the analysis of the structures and their design of joint locators, the structural and design models are created; secondly, according to the process and practices of the design of joint locators, the computational design knowledge is listed and represented with if-then rules and mathematical equations; thirdly, based on the structural and design models and design rules, the algorithm of automated design for joint locators is proposed and applied to implement the module of the Automatic Design for Joint Locators. And lastly, the characteristics of the techniques proposed above are concluded.