AM Node Adhesive Joint Design for Flexible Space Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for connecting structures in space frame and monocoque constructions, such as welded tube frame chassis and monocoque designs, face high equipment and manufacturing costs, as well as design inflexibility, especially when using planar elements or shaped panels.
Innovation Solution
The use of additively manufactured nodes with receptacles and seal interfaces to create an adhesive region between the node and the structure, allowing for efficient adhesive application and containment, which reduces manufacturing costs and increases design flexibility by accommodating various geometries and angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional welding methods are used to connect tube frame chassis, then structural strength is achieved, but manufacturing cost and equipment requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional welding (mechanical/thermal process) with adhesive bonding (chemical process). The adhesive is injected through channels into the joint interface between node and structure, eliminating the need for welding equipment and reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining joint strength through chemical bonding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces adhesive as an intermediary substance between the node and structure. The adhesive flows through channels and fills the interface gap, creating a bonding layer that joins the two components without direct mechanical contact or thermal processing, thereby reducing equipment requirements.
2Strength
If traditional welding methods are used for space frame construction, then structural integrity is achieved, but design flexibility decreases due to equipment and manufacturing constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the joining method from welding (thermal/mechanical parameters) to adhesive bonding (chemical parameters). This allows for greater design flexibility in accommodating various angles and geometries, as adhesive bonding can accommodate irregular surfaces and complex configurations that are difficult or impossible to weld.
Solution Approach 2:
By replacing welding with adhesive injection, the system gains flexibility in design configurations. The adhesive can be injected through channels into complex joint geometries, allowing for greater adaptability in space frame construction without the equipment constraints of traditional welding methods.
3Ease of operation
If adhesive is applied without containment, then assembly is simplified, but adhesive leakage occurs and environmental damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member acts as an intermediary barrier between the adhesive and the external environment. It is positioned at the adhesive injection point and along the channel to contain the adhesive within the joint interface, preventing leakage while allowing the injection process to remain simple and automated.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member functions as a flexible sealing barrier that conforms to the channel geometry and joint interface. It contains the adhesive during injection and curing, preventing environmental damage while maintaining the simplicity of the assembly process through automated injection.
4Ease of manufacture
If adhesive regions are not precisely defined, then manufacturing is simpler, but adhesive application precision decreases leading to poor joint quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the adhesive application process into defined channels that guide the adhesive flow. The channels are formed as separate features in the node, creating distinct pathways that precisely control where the adhesive is applied. This segmentation enables automated injection while ensuring precise adhesive placement at the joint interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The channels act as intermediaries that guide and contain the adhesive flow from the injection point to the joint interface. They provide a controlled pathway that ensures precise adhesive application without requiring complex manual positioning, thereby maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving high 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
This approach enables cost-effective and flexible assembly of complex structures by allowing for precise adhesive application and containment, reducing galvanic corrosion and environmental damage, while maintaining structural integrity and ease of assembly.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive region between the node and the structure, the adhesive region being bounded by the node surface, the structure, and the seal member
Data Source
AI summary
An additively manufactured node is disclosed. A node is an additively manufactured (AM) structure that includes a feature, e.g., a socket, a channel, etc., for accepting another structure, e.g., a tube, a panel, etc. The node can include a node surface of a receptacle extending into the node. The receptacle can receive a structure, and a seal interface on the node surface can seat a seal member between the node surface and the structure to create an adhesive region between the node and the structure, the adhesive region being bounded by the node surface, the structure, and the seal member. The node can also include two channels connecting an exterior surface of the node to the adhesive region. In this way, adhesive can be injected into the adhesive region between the node and the structure, and the adhesive can be contained by the seal member.