Cellular Deformable Shim for Precise Aircraft Component Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shimming methods for aircraft components are inefficient in addressing manufacturing-related geometrical variations and assembly gaps, particularly in complex structures, as they often require separate steps and may not effectively maintain a predefined distance between components.
Innovation Solution
A deformable shim with a cellular structure that undergoes plastic deformation to create a predefined distance between aircraft components, utilizing a compressible cellular solid material that maintains its deformed shape without additional compression force, and can be combined with a filler material and interface layer for enhanced stiffness and bonding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional shimming methods are used to correct manufacturing variations and assembly gaps, then the precision of component positioning can be improved, but the assembly process requires multiple separate steps and increased complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The shim integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides dimensional adjustment, compensates for manufacturing variations, and maintains assembly gaps simultaneously. This merging of functions reduces the number of separate shimming steps and simplifies the overall assembly process while maintaining high positioning precision
Solution Approach 2:
The shim is pre-configured with specific thickness variations and geometrical features during manufacturing to anticipate and compensate for expected manufacturing tolerances and assembly gaps. This preliminary action eliminates the need for multiple adjustment steps during final assembly, reducing process complexity while ensuring precise component positioning
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid shim is used to maintain a predefined distance between components, then the distance stability is improved, but the shim cannot compensate for geometrical variations and manufacturing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The shim transitions from a completely rigid structure to a semi-rigid structure with controlled flexibility through cellular regions. This dynamic characteristic allows the shim to adapt to geometrical variations and manufacturing defects while maintaining stable component spacing under operational loads, combining both adaptability and distance stability
Solution Approach 2:
The shim employs varying cellular densities and material properties across different regions to create zones with different stiffness characteristics. This parameter variation allows specific areas to deform and compensate for manufacturing variations while other areas maintain rigid distance control, achieving both compensation capability and distance stability
3Adaptability or versatility
If a cellular structure is used to provide deformability and compensation capability, then the adaptability to manufacturing variations is improved, but the structural stiffness may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The shim features non-uniform cellular structure with varying cell sizes, densities, and wall thicknesses across different regions. This local quality variation provides enhanced compensation capability in areas requiring adaptability while maintaining sufficient structural stiffness in load-bearing regions, resolving the contradiction between deformability and strength
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple shimming steps are performed during assembly, then the precision of distance adjustment can be improved, but the assembly time and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The shim is pre-manufactured with optimized thickness profiles and geometrical features that anticipate required distance adjustments and compensation needs. This preliminary action eliminates the need for multiple iterative shimming steps during assembly, maintaining high precision while significantly reducing assembly time and improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The shim combines multiple adjustment functions into a single component that addresses dimensional variations, gap compensation, and distance positioning simultaneously. This merging reduces the number of separate shimming operations required, thereby increasing assembly speed without sacrificing positioning 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
The deformable shim effectively compensates for manufacturing defects and variations, allowing for precise adjustment of distances between aircraft components, improving assembly quality and reducing the need for multiple assembly steps, while maintaining the gap without continuous compression.
Implementation Method 1
The main structure is compressible by plastic deformation from an initial volume to a deformed volume, wherein the deformed volume is smaller than the initial volume. In a deformed state, the main structure maintains the deformed volume without a further or continuing compression force
Data Source
AI summary
In order to improve and facilitate shimming between two parts, a deformable shim is provided that comprises a main structure of an at least partly cellular region. The main structure is compressible by plastic deformation from an initial volume to a deformed volume, wherein the deformed volume is smaller than the initial volume. In a deformed state, the main structure maintains the deformed volume without further or continuing compression force. Further, the main structure is arrangeable between a first aircraft component and a second aircraft component to create a predefined distance between the first and the second aircraft component.