Curvilinear End Effector for Fragile Composite Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional end effectors are inadequate for gripping soft, thin, and fragile curvilinear materials like uncured or partially hardened composite parts, as they tend to deform or damage these materials during handling.
Innovation Solution
An end effector with curvilinear sheet-engaging surfaces and an actuation mechanism that transitions between open and gripping orientations, allowing for precise alignment and interlocking with the material's topography to securely grip and support the material without causing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional end effectors are used to grip soft, thin, and fragile curvilinear materials, then the gripping force is sufficient to hold the material, but the material deforms or gets damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector employs sheet-engaging surfaces with varying local properties - curvilinear regions that conform to curved material surfaces and planar regions for flat surfaces. The surface topography includes complementary features (raised regions on one surface, recessed regions on the opposing surface) that distribute gripping forces locally across the material surface, preventing stress concentration and damage to soft, thin materials while maintaining adequate gripping force.
2Ease of manufacture
If standardized tools with conventional end effector technology are used, then the tool structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but they cannot handle uncured or partially hardened printed or composite parts
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector incorporates actuation mechanisms that enable dynamic transition between open and gripping orientations, and between different surface configurations. This allows the same end effector structure to adapt to various curvilinear material shapes and handling requirements, significantly increasing versatility while maintaining a relatively simple base structure that is easy to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector design provides multi-functionality by incorporating sheet-engaging surfaces that can handle both curved and flat material surfaces, and by enabling orientation transitions. A single end effector can thus perform multiple handling operations on different types of curvilinear materials (uncured parts, partially hardened parts, fully cured parts), replacing the need for multiple specialized tools.
3Manufacturing precision
If the end effector uses curvilinear sheet-engaging surfaces that correspond to the material topography, then the gripping precision and material support are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector employs sheet-engaging surfaces whose topography copies or corresponds to the curvilinear topography of the material being handled. Raised regions on one surface complement recessed regions on the opposing surface, creating a mold-like fit that precisely conforms to the material shape. This copying approach enables high gripping precision and uniform material support while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through techniques like molding or additive manufacturing.
Data Source
AI summary
End effectors and methods for gripping a curvilinear sheet of material are disclosed herein. The curvilinear sheet of material defines a first sheet side having a curvilinear first side topography and a second sheet side having a curvilinear second side topography. The end effector includes a negative mating shaped first sheet-engaging surface configured to operatively support the first sheet side and having a curvilinear first sheet-engaging surface topography that corresponds to the curvilinear first side topography. The end effector also includes a second sheet-engaging surface configured to operatively support the second sheet side and having a curvilinear appropriately mating negative shaped second sheet-engaging surface topography that corresponds to the curvilinear second side topography. The end effector further includes an actuation mechanism configured to selectively transition the end effector between an open orientation and a gripping (converging) orientation. The methods include methods of utilizing the end effectors.