Robotic End Effector for Ceramic Composite Ply Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The placement of ceramic matrix composite plies on layup tools is currently manual or partially automated, leading to inconsistent quality, increased time, and higher life cycle costs due to the challenges of handling these materials over curved surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing a robotic manipulator with an end effector equipped with articulating grippers to precisely position and conform ceramic matrix composite plies to complex shapes, ensuring consistent placement and compaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual or partially automated Pick-and-Place tools are used for placement of ceramic matrix composite plies, then flexibility in handling materials is maintained, but placement quality becomes variable and compaction becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector incorporates an articulating arm with multiple degrees of freedom that can dynamically adjust its position and orientation. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt to complex curved surfaces while maintaining consistent placement quality, resolving the contradiction between precision and device complexity by using controlled motion rather than static complex structures
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector acts as an intermediary between the robotic manipulator and the ceramic matrix composite plies. It provides a specialized interface with grippers designed specifically for handling CMC materials, thereby achieving high placement precision without requiring the entire robotic system to be overly complex
2Productivity
If manual layup operations are performed on curved surfaces, then adaptability to complex geometries is achieved, but time consumption increases and rework is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors and control systems that provide feedback during the placement process. This feedback mechanism allows the robotic manipulator to adjust its movements in real-time, ensuring consistent placement quality on curved surfaces while maintaining high productivity, thus resolving the contradiction between speed and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical layup operations with an automated robotic system. This substitution eliminates the variability and time consumption associated with manual operations while maintaining the ability to handle complex curved geometries, thereby improving both productivity and placement consistency
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional Pick-and-Place tools are used for ceramic matrix composite placement, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but compaction quality becomes variable
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector is segmented into multiple functional components including base-grippers, arm-grippers, and an articulating arm. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together to achieve high compaction quality, resolving the contradiction by distributing complexity across modular elements rather than requiring a single complex structure
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes steps of: (1) positioning an end effector relative to a ply of the ceramic composite material, wherein the end effector includes: a base; an arm that is coupled to and movable relative to the base; a base-gripper that is coupled to the base; and an arm-gripper that is coupled to the arm; (2) adhering the base-gripper to a first ply-portion of the ply; (3) adhering the arm-gripper to a second ply-portion of the ply; (4) moving the end effector relative to a forming-surface such that the first ply-portion of the ply is placed on a first surface-portion of the forming-surface; and (5) moving the arm relative to the base and to the forming-surface such that the second ply-portion is placed on a second surface-portion of the forming-surface, wherein the first surface-portion and the second surface-portion are non-coplanar.