Airbus - Stringer Manufacture (1982 onwards) (3)


When a Stringer is installed into the Wing Assembly Jig, it is essential that minimum stress or distortion is induced to other components that constitute the assembly.

Chadderton developed an automated Stringer Forming Machine which, under CNC imparted the requisite amount of form and twist along the length of the component.

(Colour Photograph - Far Left)
This shows the free state of a component while the (blue painted) unit imparts the requisite loading in an axial manner.

(Colour Photograph - Top Right)
UCCM (Universal Contour Checking Machine.

The volume and complexity of the various stringers initially involved operators erecting suitable machine boards that formed to the correct geometry to a Jig unit.

This was eliminated by the design and manufacture of a UCCM (Universal Contour Checking Machine), a unique Chadderton design. To select each individual stringer, the operator only needed to input the required part number.

(Colour Photograph - Bottom Middle)
The operator checks local contours by utilising gauges to check for errors.