Producing Space Shuttle Tiles with a 3-D Non-Contact Measurement System

Abstract

Replacing damaged or missing tiles, or custom-fitting new tiles on space shuttle vehicles has been a labor-intensive operation. It is time consuming and can increase the interval between successive shuttle missions. Since the cost of having space shuttle vehicles in a non-productive status is enormous, the shuttle manufacturer has aggressively sought ways to speed up production of these tiles.

This article describes the Laser Cavity Digitizing System (LCDS), developed by Technical Arts Corporation, which dramatically reduces the time required to produce tiles. The LCDS is a precision non-contact 3-D measurement system used to measure a tile cavity (a space left by a missing tile). The system produces a mathematical model of a tile which is sent to an N/C postprocessor. A milling machine then produces a new tile.