Cantilevered Tool Mounting for Complex Surface Machining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine tools for large, complex structures like aircraft fuselages face challenges in accessing curved surfaces due to the need for parallel rails, which limits their versatility and accessibility, especially in areas with significant double curvature.
Innovation Solution
A machine tool design featuring a transverse arm that can be cantilevered relative to a longitudinal rail, allowing the tool to be positioned on either side of the rail, with adjustable orientation and movement systems, including a holding unit that can crawl on the part and a control device to synchronize movements, enabling operation on surfaces with strong curvatures and difficult access areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two parallel rails are used to support the machining tool, then the tool can move along the rails with stable support, but the device complexity increases and the ability to access curved surfaces is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts one of the two parallel rails from the system, retaining only a single longitudinal rail. The transverse arm is cantilevered from this single rail, eliminating the need for the second rail while maintaining structural support through the cantilevered design with intermediate support means.
Solution Approach 2:
The transverse arm is designed to be movable relative to the longitudinal rail, allowing dynamic adjustment of the arm's position and orientation. This enables the tool to adapt to curved surfaces while maintaining stable support through the movable connection and intermediate support means.
2Reliability
If two parallel rails are used to support the machining tool, then the tool has stable support, but the versatility to operate on surfaces with significant double curvature is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse arm incorporates movable connections that allow it to adapt its position and orientation dynamically. This enables the tool to follow curved surfaces while maintaining stable support through the movable connection to the longitudinal rail and intermediate support means.
Solution Approach 2:
The support system is segmented into the longitudinal rail, the movable transverse arm, and intermediate support means. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, with the transverse arm providing adaptability to curved surfaces while the rail provides stable support.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the transverse arm is cantilevered from the longitudinal rail, then the tool can reach difficult access areas with strong curvatures, but the transverse arm length and cantilevered portion must be carefully controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse arm is designed as a movable component that can adjust its position and orientation dynamically. This allows the arm to reach difficult access areas while maintaining controlled dimensions, as the movability compensates for the reduced arm length compared to fixed rail systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cantilevered transverse arm extends the tool's reach in a new dimension by projecting perpendicular to the longitudinal rail. This allows access to areas that would be unreachable with traditional parallel rail configurations, effectively utilizing three-dimensional space to overcome accessibility limitations.
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 design enhances the machine tool's versatility, allowing precise and efficient machining on complex surfaces, including those with double curvature, by providing greater flexibility in tool positioning and movement synchronization, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional machine tools.
Implementation Method 1
The longitudinal rail (1) comprises, in the embodiment shown, fixing suction cups (11), making it possible to ensure its fixing on a part (P)
Implementation Method 2
The holding unit (5) may comprise a movement system adapted to crawl on the part, parallel to the longitudinal rail (1)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6c
AI summary
The invention relates to a machine tool for performing operations on a workpiece (P). The machine tool comprises a longitudinal rail (1), a transverse arm (3), a connecting module (2) between the transverse arm and the longitudinal rail (1) mounted in translation on the longitudinal rail (1), a tool (4) carried by the transverse arm (3), and a holding unit (5) disposed at one end (32) of the transverse arm (3) and comprising at least one suction cup (51). The machine tool has a mounting configuration in which the holding unit (5) and the tool (4) are respectively positioned on either side of the longitudinal rail (1), such that the tool (4) is mounted cantilevered from the longitudinal rail (1). This offers great versatility to the machine tool, in that it allows operations to be carried out in areas in particular with strong curvatures, difficult access, or unsuitable for fixing the suction cup(s) (51) of the holding unit (5).