Adaptive Rotary Tool Guide for Precise Drilling on Variable Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary tool guides struggle with precision in drilling holes on workpieces with varying geometries, leading to issues with hole alignment and position due to manufacturing variations and the need for multiple jigs for slightly different geometries.
Innovation Solution
A rotary tool guide with an underside that can change shape, featuring a plurality of rigid guide members and flexible portions, allowing the guide to adapt to different workpiece geometries while providing sufficient support for precise hole placement and angle guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional rigid jigs are used to guide rotary tools, then high precision in hole placement and angle can be achieved, but the jig must be designed for one specific workpiece geometry and cannot adapt to manufacturing variations
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure is divided into multiple discrete guide members (first guide member, second guide member, etc.) arranged in an array. Each guide member can independently flex or deform, allowing the overall structure to adapt to different workpiece geometries while maintaining precise guidance through the rigid guide holes in each individual member.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide members are designed with varying degrees of flexibility or deformability. Under compression forces applied during use, the guide members can change their shape or position parameters to conform to different workpiece surfaces, enabling the same jig to accommodate manufacturing variations while maintaining guidance precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate jigs are designed for each workpiece geometry, then high precision can be maintained, but manufacturing time and tooling costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure is designed as a universal fixture that can be used across multiple workpieces with different geometries. By incorporating flexible or deformable guide members, a single jig design serves multiple functions and accommodates various workpiece variations, eliminating the need to manufacture separate specialized jigs for each geometry and thereby improving productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible templates are used to adapt to workpiece geometry variations, then adaptability improves, but the guide holes provide insufficient support to the drill bit and cannot guide drilling angles
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure separates the flexibility function (provided by the deformable guide members and their arrangement) from the guidance function (provided by the rigid guide holes). Each guide member maintains rigid guide holes for precise tool support while the overall array can deform to adapt to different workpiece geometries, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adaptive rotary tool guide achieves high precision in hole placement and angle, enabling the drilling of holes with required specifications on workpieces with varying geometries without the need for multiple jigs, thus reducing manufacturing time and costs.
Implementation Method 1
the guide members are distributed in an elongate array with flexible portions therebetween, the flexible portions allowing the elongate array to bend so as to change the shape of the underside
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a rotary tool guide having a top side, an underside and a set of rigid guide members, a set of guide holes each of which extends through one of the guide members. The guide holes are arranged to guide a rotary tool such as a drill or countersink therethrough. The guide members are spaced apart by flexible portions which can deform so as to allow the underside to change shape to conform to a surface of a workpiece.