Connecting Opening Alignment by Softening and Mandrel Forming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing connecting openings in components, especially when one is fiber-reinforced, often result in fiber damage and alignment issues due to different material properties and production tolerances, making precise boring difficult and leading to contamination and increased cleaning requirements.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a first component with a plastically deformable material and a second component, where both have pre-produced openings, are assembled with restricting bodies to soften the edge region of the first component, allowing a mandrel to displace and shape the material to create a common connecting opening, compensating for dimensional discrepancies and avoiding fiber damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If components are bored through together to create a continuous bore, then a connecting opening is produced, but fibers may be cut through partially and material removal becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting openings are produced directly during component manufacturing before assembly, rather than boring through after assembly. This preliminary action allows fibers to be diverted around the openings during molding, preventing fiber damage while ensuring precise alignment through the use of positioning elements and restricting bodies during the softening and mandrel insertion process.
Solution Approach 2:
The material in the edge region is softened by heating before mandrel insertion, changing its physical state from rigid to pliable. This parameter change allows the material to flow and adapt to the mandrel shape, creating a precise common connecting opening without requiring forceful boring that would damage fibers or generate contamination.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If connecting openings are produced directly during component production, then fiber alignment is improved, but dimensional tolerances cause misalignment when components are assembled
Solution Approach 1:
Positioning elements are integrated into the components during production to pre-establish the correct spatial relationship between connecting openings. These positioning elements ensure that even with normal dimensional tolerances, the openings align perfectly when components are assembled, eliminating the misalignment problem while preserving the benefits of pre-produced openings.
Solution Approach 2:
Restricting bodies are introduced as intermediary elements during the connecting opening production process. These restricting bodies confine the softened material and guide the mandrel, ensuring that the final common connecting opening achieves precise alignment despite variations in the original opening positions caused by manufacturing tolerances.
3Manufacturing precision
If material is softened and reshaped to create common connecting opening, then alignment precision is improved, but additional process steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The method combines multiple functions into a single integrated process: the restricting bodies both confine the softened material and guide the mandrel, while the mandrel simultaneously shapes the connecting opening and ensures precise alignment. This merging of functions reduces the need for separate operations for material confinement, shaping, and alignment, thereby reducing overall process complexity despite the addition of softening and mandrel insertion steps.
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 method ensures a harmonious deformation of materials, minimizes contamination, and allows for precise alignment without fiber damage, enabling the use of standardized connecting means and reducing cleaning needs, particularly beneficial in aerospace and automotive applications.
Implementation Method 1
softening the material at least of the edge region of the first component
Implementation Method 2
at least one of which is made from a plastically deformable material
Implementation Method 3
introducing a mandrel into the openings so that softened material moves between the two edge regions and surrounds the mandrel
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for producing a common connecting opening in two components, at least one of which is made from a plastically deformable material. In the method, at least the edge region of a first prefabricated opening of the first component is softened in order subsequently to introduce a mandrel which displaces the material softened by the heating so that a common connecting opening having a predetermined diameter is obtained.