Application of the geometric component of a product digital twin when studying its actual geometric parameters

The article analyzes the results of using the digital twin concept to study changes in the geometric parameters (GP) of an aircraft wing during its production. The concept of creating a product digital twin is put into practice by constructing geometric models of the wing console at each key stage of its manufacture. The main attention is focused on studying the change in the GP of the caisson part of the wing console at the following stages: assembling of consoles in an aircraft fixture, assembling of consoles out of an aircraft fixture and final assembling of an aircraft. It is concluded that the first significant changes in wing GP appear at the stage of removing the wing caisson from the aircraft fixture. It is shown that even with acceptable mold forming characteristics of the aircraft fixture, it does not ensure compliance of the actual wing GP with the design data within the permitted tolerances and cannot be a means of controlling GP. It is substantiated the necessity of implementing into a wing caisson manufacturing technological process a procedure for monitoring the geometric shape of the unit after its removal from an aircraft fixture. It is proposed for a comprehensive assessment of isolated units’ geometric parameters to use a digital model of the aircraft, which is formed at each stage of the product manufacturing based on executed models of the units’ actual surfaces.