Wire clamp and method of forming wire clamp

Abstract

A method of forming a wire clamp for holding a wire on a surface of a product is provided. The method includes forming a wire clamp by deposition on a surface of a product such that the wire clamp defines a channel for holding a wire. The channel includes a channel opening and a channel wall defining a channel width that varies with a channel depth from the channel opening to a channel bottom of the channel, the channel opening having an opening width that is less than a maximum channel width such that when a wire having a diameter greater than the opening width is received in the wire clamp, the channel width is less than the maximum channel width. The wire can be retained in the channel by an interference fit. A product including the wire clamp is also provided.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of forming a wire trap on a product, to a product including a wire trap, and to a method of positioning a wire on a product.

[0002] Wiring harnesses are part of almost all modern products, giving them functionality and carrying information and power. Currently, wiring harnesses are mainly made by hand. Although there are now sophisticated robots that cut wires to length and add crimp terminals, the laying of wiring harnesses is almost entirely done by skilled workers on nail boards, and the same is true for the installation of wiring harnesses in products.

[0003] The typical method involves a series of steps. First, the wires are cut, stripped, and crimped. Next, the wires are organized into bundles using a 1:1 ratio nail board, which are held together with cable ties or sleeves. Then, terminal connectors (or plugs) are added. The wires or harness are labeled and quality control inspected. The harness is then packaged and shipped to the OEM. At the OEM, the harness is installed into the product. Further mounts and brackets, as well as cable ties, are often required to hold the wires in place. This is a complex, labor-intensive, and expensive process that can lead to manufacturing errors that require expensive product recalls.

[0004] The majority of the weight of a harness is made up of ties, sleeves, mounts and brackets. Even the choice of wire gauge is often dictated by the need for the wire to be strong enough to survive the rigors of the manual manufacturing process, which has weight implications for aerospace and automotive products.

[0005] Traditional wiring harnesses are also associated with multiple failure modes. For example, in high-vibration environments, wires or cables can abrade against other wires in the harness or other parts of the product structure. This damages the insulation and can cause failure or even fire. In addition, the polymers used for wire insulation break down over time and become brittle. This can be greatly accelerated by exposure to UV, humidity, or other fluids such as cleaning fluids or even fuel. Once brittle, the insulation can break down due to strain, vibration, or even maintenance. Another critical failure mode is caused by repeated vibrations or strains on the terminals. These can open the bond between the wire and the terminal, leading to corrosion, increased temperature, and eventual failure.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to alleviate one or more of these challenges.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for forming a wire clamp for holding a wire on the surface of a product is provided, the method comprising: forming the wire clamp by deposition on the surface of the product so that the wire clamp defines a channel for holding the wire, wherein the channel comprises a channel opening and a channel wall, the channel wall defines a channel width, the channel width varies with the channel depth from the channel opening to the channel bottom of the channel, the channel opening has an opening width less than the maximum channel width, so that when a wire having a diameter greater than the opening width is accommodated in the wire clamp, the wire can be held in the channel by an interference fit.

[0008] Depositing the wire clamp directly onto the surface avoids the need for connection devices such as supports. Further, the wire is embedded in a dedicated channel where it is protected from friction with other wires or components. Therefore, smaller gauge wires can be used without the risk of failure. This can save a lot of weight. In addition, because the wire in the wire clamp shares the stress and strain of its mounting surface, modern finite element analysis can be used in the design to ensure that the terminal is not over-strained. In addition, the present method provides a simple and easy automated process for forming the wire clamp. This allows the product to be automatically functionalized by providing it with a customized wire clamp without the time and expense associated with conventional manual methods. Not only can the wire clamp itself be deposited quickly and automatically, but the wire can also be easily positioned automatically in the wire clamp. The form of the wire clamp means that the wire can be simply pressed into the wire clamp through the channel opening, where it is retained by an interference fit without any further manipulation of the wire clamp. This process can be easily performed by a robotic tool. Therefore, the method enables a fully automated process to functionalize a product with one or more wires.

[0009] In some embodiments, forming the clip on the surface includes forming the clip using an additive manufacturing technique, such as fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology. Additive manufacturing technology is well suited to the present method, providing a fast and efficient process for depositing material onto a surface to form the channel wall.

[0010] In a specific embodiment, forming the wire clip includes depositing multiple layers of filaments on a surface of the product using a fused filament fabrication technique to form the wire clip.

[0011] The inventors have realized that the natural shape of the FFF filaments is very suitable for forming a wire clamp according to the present method. The filaments have a diamond shape, and their width varies with the height of the filaments. Therefore, the filaments themselves can provide a variable channel width of the wire clamp without the need for additional components or processing. In particular, the channel opening can be formed by one or more upper layers of the filaments. In other words, the channel opening can be formed by the minimum spacing between the relative filaments of the upper layer (i.e., between the upper layer filaments in the first channel wall and the corresponding relative filaments in the second channel wall). Such an embodiment minimizes the material required to form the wire clamp, thereby minimizing the weight of the wire clamp and simplifying the manufacturing process.

[0012] In some embodiments, multiple layers of filaments are deposited such that corresponding filaments of contacting layers are horizontally aligned. Such embodiments provide a simple method for depositing channel walls, taking advantage of the shape of the filaments to provide narrower portions of the channel.

[0013] Alternatively, the filaments in one or more layers of filaments may be horizontally offset relative to the corresponding filaments of other layers. Specifically, one or more intermediate layers may be offset to form a wider portion of the channel for accommodating the widest portion of the wire.

[0014] In some embodiments, the method further comprises depositing a polymer or adhesive into the channel to secure the conductor when the conductor is received in the channel. This provides an additional means for retaining the conductor in the wire clamp in addition to the interference fit, improving the reliability of the wire clamp. Alternatively or additionally, the method may comprise, after positioning the conductor in the wire clamp, closing the channel opening to secure the conductor in the wire clamp. Closing the channel may provide additional environmental protection, thereby reducing degradation of the conductor.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automated method for positioning a wire on a surface of a product, the method comprising: forming a wire clamp on the surface of the product using the method of any embodiment of the first aspect; and placing the wire into the wire clamp using a robotic tool.

[0016] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a computer to perform the method of any embodiment of the first aspect or the second aspect. For example, the computer program may be executable to control a robot tool to perform the method.

[0017] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable medium storing the computer program of the third aspect.

[0018] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a robotic device for functionalizing a product is provided, the robotic device comprising: a deposition module configured to progressively deposit filaments onto the surface of a product to be functionalized; and a spatial manipulation system configured to allow relative movement between the product and at least a portion of the deposition module; wherein the robotic device is configured to perform the method of any embodiment of the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0019] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a product is provided, which includes a wire clamp for holding a wire, wherein the wire clamp is formed by deposition on the surface of the product, and the wire clamp defines a channel for holding the wire, wherein the channel includes a channel opening and a channel wall, the channel wall defines a channel width, the channel width varies with the channel depth from the channel opening to the channel bottom of the channel, and the channel opening has an opening width less than the maximum channel width, so that when a wire having a diameter greater than the opening width is accommodated in the wire clamp, the wire can be held in the channel by an interference fit.

[0020] In some embodiments, the product further comprises a conductor held in the wire clamp.The product may further comprise any of the features of the wire clamp discussed with respect to the first aspect.

[0021] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts, and in which:

[0022] Figure 1 An example of a wire clamp is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 A diagram showing a method of forming a wire clamp;

[0024] Figure 3 Shows Figure 2 An exemplary implementation of the method;

[0025] Figure 4 An illustration of a method of forming a wire clamp is shown, including placing a conductor in the wire clamp;

[0026] Figure 5 Shows Figure 4 An exemplary implementation of the method;

[0027] Figure 6 An example of an alternative wire clamp is shown;

[0028] Figure 7 Additional features of the wire clamp are shown;

[0029] Figure 8 An example of forming a plurality of clips is shown; and

[0030] Fig. 9A robotic tool for performing a method of forming a wire clamp is shown.

[0031] Figure 1 (a) shows a product 101 having a wire clamp 200 formed on a surface 102 of the product 101. The wire clamp 200 is used to hold a wire 300, which may be an insulated or uninsulated wire. The wire 300 may be a power line and / or a data line or cable. The wire clamp 200 includes a channel 201 defined by a pair of channel walls 202, 203. The walls 202, 203 extend longitudinally along the length of the wire clamp 200, i.e., when the wire is received in the wire clamp 200, they extend longitudinally along the length of the wire.

[0032] The channel width w of the channel between the channel walls 202, 203 varies with the channel depth. The channel depth is the depth of the channel from the channel opening 204 to the surface 102. The channel opening 204 is defined by the upper portion of the walls 202, 203 and is the opening through which the wire enters the clamp 200.

[0033] The channel opening has an opening width w opening . Opening width w opening Less than the maximum width w of the channel max In other words, the upper portion of the channel 201 is narrower than the lower portion of the channel 201 .

[0034] Figure 1 (b) shows a wire clamp 200, wherein a wire 300 is accommodated in the wire clamp 200. As can be seen, the wire clamp 200 is such that when the wire 300 is accommodated in the channel, the channel width w above the widest portion 301 of the wire 300 is less than the width of the widest portion 301 of the wire 300. Here, the widest portion 301 is the widest portion of the wire 300 relative to the width of the channel 103 (i.e., in a plane substantially parallel to the surface 102). For a wire 300 having a circular cross-section, the width of the widest portion 301 of the wire 300 is the diameter of the wire 300. As a result, the wire 300 is partially surrounded by the upper portion of the channel walls 202, 203. This forms an interference fit, thereby holding the wire 300 in the wire clamp 200. Generally, the walls 202, 203 can conform to the size and shape of the wire 300 for which the wire clamp 200 is designed so as to form an interference fit around multiple portions of the wire 300. Specifically, the channel walls 202, 203 can be formed such that when the wire 300 is received in the channel 201, each channel wall 202, 203 maintains continuous contact with the wire 300 at one or more points of the wire 300. The channel walls 202, 203 can be formed such that the wire 300 cannot substantially move within the channel 201 unless sufficient force is applied to pull the wire out through the channel opening 204.

[0035] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing a method of forming a wire clamp for holding a wire 300 on a surface 102 of a product 101 is shown. Figure 3 The method for an exemplary wire clamp 200 is further shown. The method may be, in particular, an automated method performed by a robotic tool. The method may be implemented, for example, as a computer program including instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the method. For example, the computer program may be executable by a robotic tool to perform the method. In other examples, the method is implemented as a computer-readable medium storing such a computer program.

[0036] The method starts with a non-functional product, which is the product 101 before forming the wire clip 200. This initial state is Figure 3 1, wherein a product 101 having a surface 102 is provided. In the example shown, the surface 102 is shown as a flat surface, but in other examples, the method 100 can be used to form a wire clip on a corrugated surface. The surface 101 can be, for example, the surface of an existing product or component that has been manufactured using a polymer forming technique (such as injection molding or vacuum forming), or the surface of a fiber composite part or even a pressed metal sheet part.

[0037] The method comprises forming a wire clip 200 by deposition onto a surface 102 of a product 101 at S1. Figure 3 In the example of the method shown, forming the wire clip 200 on the surface 102 includes using an additive manufacturing technique to form the wire clip 200. In particular, the example shown uses a fused filament fabrication (FFF) technique. The FFF technique deposits a plurality of material filaments that are melted to form a solid structure. However, it should be understood that any suitable form of deposition, and in particular any suitable additive manufacturing technique, may be used to deposit the wire clip.

[0038] As shown, in some examples of the method, channel walls 202, 203 are formed by depositing multiple layers of material onto the surface of the product to build up the height of the channel walls 202, 203. In particular, in the case of FFF deposition, multiple layers of material filaments may be deposited. Figure 3 (b) and Figure 3 is shown in (c).

[0039] exist Figure 3In (b), a first layer of filaments 202-1, 203-1 is deposited on the surface 102. Filaments 202-1 form the initial layer of channel walls 202. Filaments 203-1 form the initial layer of channel walls 203. Filaments 202-1 are separated from filaments 203-1 by a gap that will form a channel 201 in which the wire 300 is accommodated. In the example shown, only two filaments 202-1, 203-1 are shown, one for each channel wall 202, 203. As will be appreciated, additional filaments 202-1, 202-2 may be deposited in line with the filaments shown to form the length of the channel walls 202, 203 (i.e., extending into the plane of the page).

[0040] exist Figure 3 In (c), a second layer of filaments 202-2, 203-2 is deposited on top of the first layer of filaments 202-1, 203-1. Filaments 202-2 form a second layer of channel walls 202. Filaments 203-2 form a second layer of channel walls 203. Each group of filaments 202-1, 202-2 and 203-1, 203-2 melts upon cooling, forming two separate walls 202, 203 defining channel 201.

[0041] In the illustrated example, the second layer of filaments 202-2, 203-2 defines a channel opening 204. The channel opening 204 is the narrowest width between the corresponding filaments 202-2, 203-2. As described above, the channel opening 204 is smaller than the maximum width of the channel. This means that the wire 300 is partially surrounded by the upper portion of the channel wall 202, 203 when contained in the channel, thereby forming an interference fit that holds the wire 300 in the clamp. The inventor has recognized that the FFF technology is ideal for providing this arrangement. The filaments deposited by FFF generally have a rhombus shape, that is, wider toward the middle than at its top or bottom. This means that the wider portion of the filament can be used to form a narrower channel opening 204, and the narrower top / bottom of the filament can be used to provide a wider portion of the channel 201. Therefore, the channel opening 204 can be formed by one upper layer or multiple upper layers of the filament layer. For example, the channel opening 204 may be defined by a minimum spacing between upper filaments of the channel wall 202 and corresponding (ie, opposing) upper filaments of the channel wall 203 .

[0042] In the example shown, walls 202, 203 are formed by two layers of filaments. In this case, the deposition of the filaments can be controlled so that the height of each filament is about half the diameter / height of the wire 300 to which the clamp 200 is directed. The height is the dimension of the filament / wire in the same direction as the channel depth. About half means within 10%, or within 5%, or within 2% of half the diameter / height of the wire 300.

[0043] In addition, in the example shown, the filament layer is deposited so that the corresponding filaments of the contact layer are roughly aligned horizontally. Therefore, the filament 202-1 is horizontally aligned with the filament 202-2 above it, and is similar for filaments 203-1, 203-2. This makes the deposition process faster and easier, because a simple repeating pattern can be used for the deposition process, while the shape of the filament is utilized to provide the form of the above-mentioned channel 201. Here, horizontal alignment refers to alignment in a direction orthogonal to the channel depth and orthogonal to the longitudinal length of the channel 201. Approximately horizontal alignment refers to alignment with a tolerance of 10%, 5% or 2% of the width of a single filament.

[0044] In some instances, Figure 2 The method may end after depositing the wire clip 200 in S1. The resulting product 101 with the wire clip 200 may be referred to as a functionalized product.

[0045] In other instances, Figure 2 The method may further include placing the conductor 300 into the wire clip 200. In such a case, the product may be considered functional only after the conductor 300 has been placed into the wire clip 200.

[0046] Figure 4 A method for positioning a wire on a surface of a product is schematically shown. The method comprises: at S1, using any instance of step S1 as described above or below, using a method as described in any of the above claims, forming a wire clamp on the surface of the product. The method then comprises, at step S2, placing the wire into the wire clamp. In a specific example, Figure 4 The method is an automated method, and any one or both of S1 and S2 are performed by a robotic tool. Preferably, both S1 and S2 are performed by the same robotic tool, for example using different robotic heads of the tool. Figure 5 (a) shows the accommodation in Figure 3 A conductor 300 is shown in the clamp 200 .

[0047] Placing the conductor 300 in the wire clamp 200 specifically includes applying a downward force to press the conductor 300 into the wire clamp 200. The material forming the wire clamp 200, or at least the material forming the walls 202, 203 surrounding the passage opening 204, is resilient, so that the wire clamp 200 can expand to accommodate the conductor through the passage opening 204. After the conductor 300 has been inserted, the walls 202, 203 retract to partially surround the conductor 300. This resilient property can be provided by appropriately selecting the material used to form the walls 202, 203. For example, the walls 202, 203 may be formed from nearly any thermoplastic that can be used for additive FFF additive manufacturing, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamide plastics such as nylon, polylactic acid (PLA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or even high performance polymers such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether ether ketone ketone (PEKK), or polyetherimide (PEI).

[0048] Although the form of the wire clamp 200 itself secures the wire 300 by an interference fit, some embodiments use additional securing means to ensure that the wire 300 remains in the wire clamp 200. Such embodiments may be used in applications where it is particularly important that the wire clamp 200 does not fail, such as aerospace applications. Therefore, in some embodiments, Figure 2 or Figure 4 The method further includes depositing a polymer or adhesive into the channel 201 to secure the wire 300 when the wire 300 is received in the channel 201. Alternatively or additionally, some examples further include closing the channel opening 204 after positioning the wire 300 in the wire clip 200.

[0049] Figure 5 (b) shows such an example. In this case, after the wire 300 is placed in the channel 201, another filament 210 is deposited to cover the clamp 200. The other filament contacts the upper layer of the two channel walls 202, 203, thereby completely closing the channel 201 and the wire 300. In general, any means for closing or partially closing the channel 201 can be used to provide an additional fixing means.

[0050] So far, we have seen Figure 3 and 5 The method of the present disclosure is described with reference to the double layer wire clamp 200. However, there are many different forms of wire clamp 200 that can be used to provide an interference fit. Figure 6 A specific example of an alternative form of the wire clip 200 is shown.

[0051] Figure 6 (a) shows an example of a clamp 200 including three layers of filaments. For clarity, Figure 6 In the embodiment, only the individual filament layers of the channel wall 202 are marked. In this example, the third layer of filaments 202-3, 203-3 are deposited on the top of the second layer of filaments 202-2, 202-3. The filaments are deposited to form a channel 201, which is suitable for accommodating a wire 300 and is suitable for partially enclosing the wire 300 in the channel 201 by means of a narrower channel opening 204. In the illustrated example, the gap between the third layer of filaments 202-3 and 203-2 forms a channel opening 204. The second layer of filaments 202-2, 203-2 is horizontally offset relative to the first layer of filaments 202-1, 203-1 and the third layer of filaments 202-3, 203-3. This offset makes the width between the filaments 202-2 and 203-2 greater than the width of the channel opening 204, thereby allowing the maximum width of the wire to be accommodated in the channel 201.

[0052] In a general example, the channel walls 202, 203 may be formed from any number of layers, including one layer. The walls are formed to conform (at least partially) to the shape and size of the conductor for which the clamp 200 is intended, and partially surround the channel 201 when the conductor 300 is in place so as to retain the conductor 300 in the clamp 200. For example, one or more layers of filaments (or generally a portion of the walls 202, 203) may be horizontally offset relative to other layers / portions to provide the aforementioned narrower channel opening 204. Generally, any or all layers of filaments located above the widest portion 301 of the conductor 300 (when it is contained in the clamp 200) may be formed to define a narrower channel width than the layers at or below the widest portion 301.

[0053] In some examples, the filaments of one layer may have a different size and / or shape than the filaments of another layer. Figure 6 (b) shows an alternative example of a double layer clamp 200. In this example, the first layer of filaments 202-1, 203-1 is narrower than the second layer of filaments 202-2, 203-2. The layers are generally aligned horizontally with each other. For example, filament 202-1 is generally aligned horizontally with filament 202-2. The narrower first layer of filaments 202-1, 203-1 defines a maximum channel width w max , while the wider second layer filaments 202 - 2 , 203 - 2 define a narrower channel opening 204 .

[0054] Thus far, the outer surface of wire 300 has been shown as being circular. However, wire 300 may generally have any cross-sectional shape. Figure 6(c) shows that Figure 3 and 5 200 is similar to the example of the wire clamp 200 of FIG. However, in this case, a non-round wire 300 is placed in the wire clamp. The widest portion of the channel 201 accommodates the widest portion of the wire 300 (relative to the horizontal direction). As with the round wire example, the narrower channel opening 204 partially surrounds the wire 300 so that the wire 300 is retained in the wire clamp 200 by an interference fit.

[0055] Figure 7 (a)-(c) illustrate examples of other features that may be incorporated into any of the clamps 200 described above. Figure 7 (a)-(c) each show a bird's eye view looking down on the sight clip 200 from above.

[0056] Figure 7 (a) shows an exemplary wire clamp 200 in which the channel 201 includes a flared opening at the longitudinal end of the channel 201. Other examples may have a flared opening at only one end of the channel 201. Such an opening may facilitate the introduction of the wire 300 into the wire clamp 200.

[0057] Figure 7 (b) shows an example of a bending portion formed in the wire clamp 200. Generally, the wire clamp 200 can be formed to have any number of bending portions depending on the needs of a specific application in which the wire 300 is used.

[0058] Figure 7 (c) shows Figure 7 (b) is an alternative example of a wire clamp 200 including a bend. In this case, only one channel wall 203 extends the entire length of the wire clamp 200 including the bend. The channel wall that extends the entire length is the channel wall on the inside of the bend in the wire clamp 200. The other channel wall 202 is formed by two parts 202a and 202b located at the beginning and end of the bend, respectively. The wire 300 is pulled toward the remaining wall 203 in the bend and can therefore be retained without the outer wall 202. This reduces the material required to form the wire clamp 200 and reduces the weight of the wire clamp 200.

[0059] Some examples of the above method may include forming multiple clips. Multiple clips 200 may be used to hold a single wire 300. For example, multiple small clips 200 may be placed along the intended path of the wire 300, rather than forming a single continuous clip 200. Alternatively or additionally, multiple clips 200 may be used to hold multiple wires 300.

[0060] Figure 8 (a) to (c) show an example including a plurality of wire clips 200. Figure 8In (a), multiple clips 200 are provided for holding a single conductor 300. Although three clips 200 are shown, any number of clips 200 may be used. Further, although the clips 200 shown are formed only on the straight portion of the example path of the conductor 300, in other examples, the clips 200 may be positioned to hold the conductor 300 during a bend, as described above.

[0061] Figure 8 (b) shows a plurality of wire clips 200-1, 200-2, 200-3 for holding respective wires 300-1, 300-2, 300-3. Other examples may be formed for different numbers of wires. In this example, the wire clips 200-1, 200-2, 200-3 are adjacent to each other and follow the same wire path (i.e., a racetrack pattern). A single channel wall may be shared between adjacent wire clips 200, thereby reducing the material used and the weight of the combined wire clips 200.

[0062] Figure 8 (c) shows an alternative example for holding multiple wires 300. In this example, a subsequent wire clip 200-2 is formed on top of an existing wire clip 200-1. Any number of wire clips can be stacked in this manner. For example, in the example shown, wire clip 200-3 is formed on top of wire clip 200-2. Wire clip 200-4 is formed on top of wire clip 200-3. As illustrated, such examples can close the corresponding channel 201 of each wire clip 200 as discussed above, for example, using an additional filament layer to close the channel 201.

[0063] In the example where multiple clips 200 are formed for holding multiple wires 300, one or more clips 200 may be colored to aid identification. For example, a color may be added to the material forming one of the clips 200, and a different color may be added to the material forming another different clip 200.

[0064] Any of the above-described example methods can be performed by a robotic tool / device for functionalizing a product. In particular, the robotic tool can include a deposition module configured to progressively deposit filaments onto a surface of a product to be functionalized and a spatial manipulation system configured to allow relative movement between the product and at least a portion of the deposition module.

[0065] Fig. 9An example of a robotic device 400 for performing the methods discussed herein is shown. The device 400 includes a deposition module 402. The deposition module 402 progressively deposits filaments to form a structure including at least one layer. The progressive deposition of material may include an additive manufacturing process. The device 400 includes a spatial manipulation system configured to allow relative movement between a holder 408 for holding a product 101, on which the wire clip 200 will be formed. The relative movement includes translation relative to three mutually non-parallel (e.g., orthogonal) translation axes and rotation around two mutually non-parallel (e.g., orthogonal) rotation axes during either or both of the progressive deposition of material and the deposition of one or more functional elements. The spatial manipulation system may include a first subsystem and a second subsystem, the first subsystem being configured to provide translation relative to three mutually non-parallel translation axes and rotation around two mutually non-parallel rotation axes, the second subsystem being configured to provide relative translational movement between the first subsystem and the structure being formed.

[0066] In the example shown, the deposition module 402 is mounted on an arm 404, which is connected to an xy translation stage 406. The xy translation stage 406 allows the arm 404, and the deposition module 402 attached thereto, to move in the x-direction and the y-direction, providing two orthogonal axes of translation.

[0067] The holder 408 that supports the product 101 when forming the clamp 200 is arranged on a first rotation stage 410, which is operably connected to a z-height (ie, vertical height) translation stage 412. The z-height translation stage 412 allows the holder 408 to move vertically up and down in the z-direction, thereby providing a third orthogonal translation axis.

[0068] The first rotation stage 410 is configured to allow the holder 408 to rotate relative to the deposition module 402. In the depicted embodiment, the first rotation stage 410 allows rotation in a plane orthogonal to the z-axis and parallel to the x-axis and the y-axis.

[0069] The second rotating stage 424 is arranged between the deposition module 402 and the arm 404. The second rotating stage 424 allows the deposition module 402 to rotate in a plane parallel to the z-axis and perpendicular to the x-axis and the y-axis. Therefore, the second rotating stage 424 allows the deposition module 402 to rotate relative to the holder 408.

[0070] In some examples, the apparatus 400 may also include a wire placement module configured to position the wire 300 into the formed wire clip 200. Thus, the apparatus 400 is capable of automatically functionalizing the product 110 by forming one or more wire clips 200 and positioning the wire 300 into the wire clips.

Claims

1. A method for forming a wire clamp for holding a wire on a surface of a product, the method comprising: A wire clamp is formed by deposition on the surface of the product, so that the wire clamp defines a channel for holding the wire, wherein the channel includes a channel opening and a channel wall, the channel wall defines a channel width, and the channel width varies with the channel depth from the channel opening to the channel bottom of the channel, and the channel opening has an opening width less than the maximum channel width, so that when a wire having a diameter greater than the opening width is accommodated in the wire clamp, the wire can be held in the channel by an interference fit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The wire clamp is such that when the wire is received in the channel, the width of the channel above the widest portion of the wire is less than the width of the widest portion of the wire.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The channel walls are formed by depositing multiple layers of material onto the surface of the product.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: Forming the clip on the surface includes forming the clip using additive manufacturing techniques.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: Forming the wire clip includes depositing multiple layers of filaments on a surface of the product using a fused filament fabrication technique to form the wire clip.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: The passage opening is formed by the smallest spacing between the opposing filaments of the upper layer of filaments.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: The multi-layer consists of two layers of filaments.

8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein: The multiple layers of filaments are deposited such that corresponding filaments of the contacting layers are aligned.

9. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: The multiple layers include at least three layers of filaments, wherein filaments in one or more middle layers of filaments are offset relative to corresponding filaments in lower and upper layers of filaments to form the maximum channel width.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The channel includes a flared opening at one or both longitudinal ends of the channel.

11. A method according to any one of claims 2 to 8, comprising forming a plurality of clips for holding the same conductor.

12. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein: Forming the wire clip includes forming the wire clip on an existing wire clip on a surface of the product.

13. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising depositing a polymer or adhesive into the channel to secure the wire when received in the channel.

14. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising closing the passage opening after positioning the conductor in the clamp.

15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The method is an automated method performed by a robotic tool.

16. An automated method for positioning a wire on a surface of a product, the method comprising: forming a wire clip on a surface of the product using the method of any one of the preceding claims; A robotic tool is used to place the wire into the clamp.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: Forming the clamp and placing the wire into the clamp are performed by the same robotic tool.

18. The method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein: Placing the conductor into the clamp includes applying a downward force to press the conductor into the clamp.

19. A computer program comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 18.

20. A computer-readable medium storing the computer program according to claim 19.

21. A robotic device for functionalizing a product, the robotic device comprising: a deposition module configured to progressively deposit the filaments onto a surface of a product to be functionalized; as well as a spatial manipulation system configured to allow relative movement between the product and at least a portion of the deposition module; Wherein, the robotic device is configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

22. A product comprising a wire clamp for holding a conductor, wherein: The wire clamp is formed by deposition on the surface of the product, and the wire clamp defines a channel for holding the wire, wherein the channel includes a channel opening and a channel wall, the channel wall defines a channel width, the channel width varies with the channel depth from the channel opening to the channel bottom of the channel, and the channel opening has an opening width less than the maximum channel width, so that when a wire having a diameter greater than the opening width is accommodated in the wire clamp, the wire can be held in the channel by an interference fit.

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