Limited Access Precision Drilling

The complex structural and assembly design of the F-35 requires precision hole drilling in areas with limited human access. Current drilling methods are limited to small, handheld, right-angle power-feed drill motors and manual, non-power-feed drill motors, which may compromise operator safety and hole quality. Metis Design Corporation (MDC) has developed an initial concept for a right-angle power-feed drilling device for applications with limited access to the desired hole location. The device uses a torsionally stiff flexible shaft to convey rotary power to the drillbit paired with conventional technology for thrust and positional accuracy. Further, the device is anchored to the work piece with a clamp, which increases both operator safety and hole quality. In addition, the power-feed system features automatic peck-drilling cycles for optimal drilling of stacks of composite materials. The proposed research includes finalizing the conceptual design and simulating the system, developing plans for construction and testing of the device, and functional testing of critical components.