Dowel Pin Cutting Guide With Debris Capture for Rotor Assemblies
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for removing dowel pins in rotary machines, such as gas turbines, are challenging due to the confined and hard-to-reach locations, requiring manual control of a rotary cutting tool which risks damaging surrounding assemblies and generates foreign materials that need to be captured.
Innovation Solution
A guide system comprising a catch basin with a first and second catch basin portion and a shim, which forms a cutting tool receiver and a receptacle to accommodate and retain dowel pin portions during and after removal, while guiding the cutting tool through the dowel pin cross-section without penetrating adjacent lockwire.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rotary cutting tool is manually controlled to cut dowel pins in confined locations, then the cutting operation can be performed, but the risk of damaging surrounding assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
A guide system with a receiver edge is introduced as an intermediary between the cutting tool and the dowel pin. This guide system provides a controlled path for the cutting tool, ensuring it only contacts the dowel pin and not the surrounding assembly, thus eliminating the harmful effect while maintaining manual operation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The guide system is divided into separate components including a receiver portion and a catch basin portion that can be independently positioned and secured. This segmentation allows the guide to be precisely fitted into confined spaces while maintaining structural integrity and guiding function
2Productivity
If a rotary cutting tool is used to cut through the cross-section of dowel pins, then the dowel pins can be removed, but foreign materials are generated and scattered in all directions
Solution Approach 1:
A catch basin is introduced as an intermediary structure that intercepts foreign materials at their source. The catch basin is positioned to receive and contain all debris generated during cutting, preventing it from scattering into the surrounding assembly while allowing the cutting operation to proceed efficiently
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting operation that generates harmful foreign materials is converted into a beneficial process by using the same cutting action to create visible debris that can be easily captured. The catch basin transforms the harmful scattering effect into a contained collection process, making debris management part of the cutting operation itself
3Device complexity
If the cutting tool is operated without a guide system, then the operation is simpler, but the precision of cutting through the dowel pin cross-section without penetrating lockwire decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A guide system with a receiver edge is introduced as an intermediary structure that defines the precise cutting path. This guide ensures the cutting tool follows the correct trajectory through the dowel pin cross-section and stops before penetrating the lockwire, providing the necessary precision without requiring complex tooling
Solution Approach 2:
The guide system is pre-positioned and secured to the assembly before the cutting operation begins. This preliminary positioning establishes the precise cutting path in advance, allowing the operator to simply follow the guide's defined trajectory without needing to calculate or measure the precise cutting location during operation
Data Source
AI summary
A guide for cutting a dowel pin of a rotor assembly is provided. The guide includes a catch basin, including a first catch basin portion and a second catch basin portion, and a shim. The first catch basin portion and the second catch basin portion form a cutting tool receiver. The shim extends from a first edge having a cross-section that is complementary to a surface of the rotor assembly. The first catch basin portion and the second catch basin portion form a receptacle that accommodates and retains portions of a dowel pin during and after removal of the dowel pin from the rotor assembly. The cutting tool receiver is defined by a receiver edge configured to guide a cutting surface of a cutting tool through a cross-section of a dowel pin.