Three-Axis Aircraft Workpiece Stand for Precise Adjustable Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to provide a stand that can rapidly accommodate the diverse sizes and irregular shapes of aircraft components for inspection, maintenance, and qualification, and lack infinite adjustability for precise positioning.
Innovation Solution
A stand with a pair of uprights, spines, and spreaders that allow for translational movement of sliders and fixtures along multiple axes, enabling precise and adjustable holding of aircraft workpieces using fixtures like toggle clamps, clevises, and screw clamps, with optional precision drive systems for exact positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed stand is used to hold aircraft components, then the structure is simple and stable, but it cannot accommodate various sizes and shapes of components
Solution Approach 1:
The stand employs dynamic adjustability through sliders that move along spines and spreaders that extend from uprights, allowing the structure to adapt its configuration to different component sizes and shapes while maintaining operational stability
Solution Approach 2:
The stand is divided into modular components including uprights, spines, spreaders, and sliders that can be independently adjusted and reconfigured to accommodate various aircraft components in different positions and orientations
2Manufacturing precision
If a stand with limited adjustability is used, then the device complexity is low, but the positioning precision cannot achieve 0.001-inch accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The stand replaces manual mechanical adjustment with precision drive systems that provide controlled, accurate positioning through mechanical actuation, enabling 0.001-inch positioning accuracy while managing system complexity through automated control
Solution Approach 2:
The stand utilizes precision drive systems to continuously adjust positional parameters along multiple axes, transforming discrete mechanical positions into precisely controlled continuous positions to achieve the required 0.001-inch accuracy
3Reliability
If a stand designed for stationary use is used, then the positioning stability is high, but it cannot operate in austere environments without external power
Solution Approach 1:
The stand is designed to function universally in both stationary and portable configurations, adapting to different operational environments including austere settings without external power, while maintaining positioning stability through its mechanically self-contained adjustment mechanisms
4Adaptability or versatility
If a stand with three-axis adjustability is used, then the positioning capability is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stand merges multiple adjustment functions into integrated components where sliders on spines and spreaders work together to achieve three-axis positioning, reducing the number of separate mechanisms while maintaining full positional adjustability across longitudinal, transverse, and vertical axes
Data Source
AI summary
A stand for holding an aircraft workpiece during maintenance. The stand has a pair of longitudinally spaced apart uprights, an elongate, longitudinal, vertically placeable spine connecting the pair of uprights, an elongate, transversely oriented, longitudinally placeable spreader disposed on the first spine and at least one transversely placeable slider disposed on the first spine spreader. At least one fixture is disposed on each slider. The fixture is adapted to hold a removably workpiece in fixed relationship relative to an operator. The uprights, spines and spreaders provide three-axis vertical, longitudinal and transverse placement of the fixture, respectively.