Key Assets

By order of The Boeing Company

Sealed Bid Sale of World Class Machinery & Support Equipment Formerly Used in the Manufacturing & Assembly of the Iconic C-17 Globemaster III Aircraft

 

NC 503 Broetje Robotic Flexible Assembly Cell. CNPN-04302049 (QTY:1)

  • The Broetje automated superpanel assembly was designed and installed in 1998 for manufacturing large fuselage sections or superpanels, which consist of several smaller panels assemblies spliced and riveted together in a ring riveter robot, and then internal frames are riveted to the superpanel structure by a frame riveter robot, completing the assembly.
  • It has since been through multiple upgrades and retrofits to keep pace with modern technological improvements, and is in great condition now.
  • The Broetje equipment was designed and sized for manufacturing large fuselage superpanels.
  • It consists of an elevated five position assembly line that transports panel assemblies through  two robotic riveters in a linear direction.
  • Single panel assemblies are loaded onto a shuttle that sits atop the conveyor in stations 0 or 1, and tack fastened together.
  • The superpanel assembly is then moved into the Ring Riveter in station 2, where the skin panels are riveted together into one large superpanel.
  • The shuttle car is then moved to station 3, where frames are manually installed to the superpanel assembly, and then the shuttle car moves to the Frame Riveter in position 4, where the frames are fastened to the structure, completing the process.
  • 11 different Superpanels were built by this assembly line at a rate of 16 aircraft per year. The ring riveter drills, installs, and upsets flush or button head tension or shear rivets, and flush or tension head lock bolts or hilocks with swedged collars.
  • The rate is easily 10 fasteners per minute in a linear direction, less when navigating complicated structure where more machine movement is required.
  • Hilock installation is slower than rivets, requiring more machine movements.
  • The Frame Riveter installs and upsets button head rivets and installs hillock; the collars are installed manually later.

NC505 Electro Impact Spar Drill/Riveter. CNPN-04302015 (QTY:1)

  • The Electroimpact spar riveter, Model ASAT4, is controlled by a Fanuc 15MB CNC and uses the patented Electromagnetic Riveting process to install the fasteners.
  • It was originally designed to install both slug rivets and Hi-loks, swagging aluminum collars onto the Hi-loks.
  • It has a hole probe capable of measuring the drilled hole diameter.
  • There are no hydraulics on the machine except for the spindle draw bar. It works in conjunction with a flexible tooling fixture capable of automatically reconfiguring to accept all six spars.
  • The high speed transfer heads are powered by a linear motor.

 

NC 507,508,509 and 510 Gemcor Drivematic’s. (QTY: 4) CNPN- 02025608,02025610,02025609,02025611

  • The four Gemcor Drivmatics, Model G1700, machines were originally purchased and installed around 1988.
  • They all have been rebuilt with new Fanuc 15MB CNC’s, PLC’s, Delta Tau motion controllers and hydraulics between 1999 and 2005.
  • They drill and install slug rivets with an upset force capable of 50,000 lbs. and then shave the top of the rivet flush with the wing skin.
  • They also are capable of installing hi-loks and with special tooling can swage titanium collars onto the hi-loks.
  • Depending on the size of the fastener they can install slug rivets at a rate of 6-9 rivets per minute.