Composite structures in airplanes are often thin-walled and lightweight, resulting in significant compliance. This presents a challenge for handling and assembly.
To overcome this challenge, aircraft assemblers typically use stiff, steel jigs to maintain the geometry of the parts with a high level of precision. These jigs have several drawbacks. They take up a lot of space. They are expensive, which limits the possibility of customizing aircraft during production. And, due to their enormous weight, they cannot be moved easily.