Adhesive Turbine Blade Workholding With UV-Cured Shuttle Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current workholding methods for turbine blades during manufacturing, such as low melt alloy encapsulation and hard point fixtures, face inefficiencies and health hazards due to the use of heavy metals and acids, and cause distortion and inconsistency in the blades.
Innovation Solution
A workholding system using a contoured surface shuttle with a transparent support body for adhesive attachment, allowing for precise positioning and UV curing of the adhesive, which reduces load on the workpiece and enables efficient machining without the need for hazardous materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If low melt alloy encapsulation is used to secure the workpiece, then the workpiece is firmly held during manufacturing, but toxic and expensive materials are used requiring acid baths for removal and causing environmental concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the harmful low melt alloy encapsulation process entirely, replacing it with a non-toxic alternative workholding method that achieves the same securing function without using hazardous materials requiring acid baths for removal
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a disposable adhesive layer instead of reusable alloy encapsulation, achieving effective workholding for the manufacturing cycle without the need for toxic removal processes, accepting single-use consumption to avoid environmental harm
2Stability of the object's composition
If hard point fixtures with clamping pressure are used to prevent part movement, then the workpiece is securely positioned, but the thin compliant turbine blades are distorted due to the clamping pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical clamping pressure system with an adhesive bonding system that distributes forces across the entire contact surface, eliminating concentrated clamping pressures that cause distortion of thin compliant turbine blades while maintaining positioning stability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of force distribution from concentrated clamping points to distributed adhesive bonding across the full contact area, reducing peak stresses and preventing blade distortion while maintaining workholding effectiveness
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fixtures are used to accommodate different part features for machining operations, then all surfaces can be machined, but the part must be repositioned multiple times adding error and increasing the risk of generating bad parts
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a universal workholding system where a single adhesive-based fixture can accommodate and machine all surfaces of the workpiece without repositioning, eliminating the need for multiple specialized fixtures and their associated positioning errors
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functionality of multiple separate fixtures into a single adhesive bonding system that provides comprehensive workholding for all machining operations, consolidating positioning and support functions to eliminate accumulated errors from repeated repositioning
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 system provides a safe, efficient, and precise method for holding turbine blades during machining, reducing distortion and inconsistency, and allowing for the complete machining of the workpiece in one setup with minimal environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
at least a portion of the complementary portion of the contoured body surface formed of a transparent material, the at least a portion that is formed of transparent material defining a bonding zone
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system temporarily holds a workpiece, most suitably an aero engine turbine blade element during manufacture. The workholding system includes a support body with a contoured body surface, complementary to a workpiece surface, formed of a transparent material to define a bonding zone. The support body is supported by a base to form a workpiece shuttle, and a bond station receives the workpiece shuttle. Complementary zero-point locating elements on the shuttle and station assure accurate positioning. The bond station further has workpiece locating elements configured to accurately position the workpiece on the shuttle in a predetermined position relative to the zero-point locating elements of the shuttle, thereby compensating for shuttle-to-shuttle variance. An adhesive, such as a UV curable adhesive, is applied to the bonding zone and cured by UV through the transparent material, thereby fixing the workpiece in the predetermined position.