AM Joint Design for Continuous Adhesive Fixturing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current adhesive fixturing methods for additively manufactured structures, such as those used in transport structures, face inefficiencies due to the need for pausing and restarting adhesive dispensing around UV features, leading to increased assembly time and contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
Designing additively manufactured structures with a first continuous section and a second discontinuous section, where the internal surface of the continuous section surrounds the discontinuous section, allowing for continuous adhesive dispensing without interruption, thereby minimizing contamination and assembly time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesive dispensing is paused and restarted around UV features, then UV features are protected from contamination, but assembly time increases and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The structure is divided into a first continuous section and a second discontinuous section with distinct adhesive paths. The discontinuous section is segmented to allow UV radiation penetration while the continuous section provides uninterrupted adhesive flow. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by spatially separating the UV feature protection function from the continuous adhesive dispensing function.
Solution Approach 2:
The second discontinuous section is nested within or alongside the first continuous section, with the internal surface of the continuous section surrounding the discontinuous section. This nesting allows the adhesive path to continuously flow around the UV features without pausing, while still providing protection through the structured design of the nested sections.
2Reliability
If adhesive dispensing is paused and restarted, then UV features are protected, but adhesive contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive dispensing process maintains continuity by designing a first continuous section with an uninterrupted adhesive path. The adhesive flows continuously through this section without pausing or restarting, eliminating the harmful effects of intermittent dispensing such as contamination and air entrapment, while the nested discontinuous section protects UV features.
3Productivity
If continuous adhesive path is used, then assembly efficiency improves, but UV features may be contaminated
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive system is segmented into two functional sections: a continuous section for efficient uninterrupted adhesive flow and a discontinuous section for UV feature protection. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve high productivity through continuous dispensing while maintaining reliability by protecting UV features through the discontinuous section design.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the structure are given different qualities: the first continuous section has an uninterrupted adhesive path optimized for efficiency, while the second discontinuous section has a segmented structure optimized for UV radiation penetration and feature protection. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing each region for its specific function.
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
This approach enables uninterrupted adhesive dispensing, reduces contamination risks, and enhances the bonding strength by increasing the surface area of structural adhesives, thus improving the efficiency and reliability of the assembly process.
Implementation Method 1
Actinic radiation may then be used for triggering curing of these adhesives
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for applying adhesives in grooves in additively manufactured (AM) structures are disclosed. An apparatus in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure comprises an AM structure having a first continuous section with a first groove for receiving a first adhesive and a second discontinuous section with a second groove passing through a portion of the second discontinuous section for receiving a second adhesive, wherein an internal surface of the first continuous section surrounds at least three internal surfaces of the second discontinuous section.