Adjustable Fixture for Multi-Spindle Machine Thermal Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of aircraft parts is time-consuming and costly due to the need for precise tolerances and adjustments in multi-spindle machines, which often result in parts requiring rework or discard, especially when dealing with materials like aluminum that experience thermal expansion differences.
Innovation Solution
A multi-spindle machining system with individually movable platforms and an adjustment system that allows each workpiece to be adjusted independently along multiple axes, enabling precise machining without altering the spindle movements, thus accommodating material growth and distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple workpieces are machined simultaneously on a multi-spindle machine, then productivity increases, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to thermal expansion differences and material growth variations
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture is divided into multiple independently adjustable platforms, each capable of holding and positioning a workpiece separately. This segmentation allows each workpiece to be individually positioned to compensate for thermal expansion and material growth variations, maintaining manufacturing precision while processing multiple parts simultaneously on the multi-spindle machine.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixture incorporates an adjustment system with actuators that enable dynamic repositioning of platforms and workpieces during the machining process. This dynamic capability allows real-time compensation for thermal expansion and material growth, ensuring dimensional tolerances are met even as conditions change during high-speed multi-spindle operations.
2Manufacturing precision
If adjustments are made to tools and spindle speeds to achieve desired tolerances, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable platform fixture acts as an intermediary between the workpiece and the multi-spindle machine. Instead of complicating the spindle or tool adjustments, the system provides precision positioning at the workpiece level through mechanically actuated platforms with multiple degrees of freedom, simplifying the overall control architecture while achieving desired tolerances.
3Device complexity
If traditional fixed fixtures are used on multi-spindle machines, then device complexity remains low, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inability to accommodate material variations
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture transforms from a static, fixed structure to a dynamic system with multiple adjustable platforms capable of independent movement along X, Y, and Z axes. This dynamic capability is achieved through actuator systems that enable real-time repositioning, allowing the fixture to adapt to thermal expansion and material growth variations while maintaining relatively simple mechanical components.
4Manufacturing precision
If workpieces are reworked or discarded to meet tolerances, then manufacturing precision improves, but productivity and material utilization deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment system performs preliminary positioning and compensation actions on each workpiece before machining begins. By pre-adjusting platform positions to account for measured thermal expansion and material growth variations, the system ensures that all workpieces start in the correct position, eliminating the need for rework or discard and maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates measurement and feedback mechanisms that monitor workpiece dimensions and platform positions. This feedback is used to automatically adjust platform positions and compensate for variations, ensuring that all workpieces meet dimensional tolerances without requiring rework or discard, thereby maintaining high production efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for processing workpieces to form parts. Tools associated with a multi-spindle machine may be positioned with respect to a plurality of workpieces on a fixture comprising a plurality of platforms and an adjustment system. Each platform may be individually moveable with respect to others in the plurality of platforms about a number of axes. The plurality of platforms may be configured to hold the plurality of workpieces in which each platform may be configured to hold a workpiece in the plurality of workpieces during operations performed by the multi-spindle machine. The adjustment system may be configured to move each of the plurality of platforms about the number of axes independently from the others in the plurality of platforms. The operations may be performed on the plurality of workpieces using the multi-spindle machine and the fixture to form a plurality of parts.