The Boeing Company
Method and apparatus of modular punch forming plates for alignment of a stringer for a vehicle

Abstract:

Methods and devices of fabricating a stringer for a vehicle. The stringer can be constructed from two charges that are formed together into the stringer. During fabricating, the ends of the charges can be formed in a die cavity. When the ends are misaligned in the die cavity, one of the charges can be moved in the die cavity to align the ends. The device used for fabricating the charges can include a punch with separate punch plates that move the ends of the charges into the die cavity. The punch plates can be separately moved to adjust the position of the charges and align the ends.