Drill Positioning Cage With Laser Dot for Normal Hole Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In aircraft maintenance, accurately positioning a drilling tool relative to a workpiece is challenging, often resulting in damaged substructures and increased costs due to misaligned drilling, which can lead to oversized or misshapen holes and frequent drill bit breakages.
Innovation Solution
A positioning device with a cage that surrounds the drilling tool and includes an alignment surface oriented normal to the workpiece surface, combined with a laser projector to indicate the drilling tool's centerline axis on the workpiece, allowing for precise alignment and adjustment of the drilling tool.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a punch and hammer are used to create an indentation for centering the drill bit, then the drill bit can be centered with the fastener, but the drill bit may still be out of normal with the component surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a positioning device with a cage and alignment surface as an intermediary tool between the punch/hammer method and the drilling operation. The alignment surface provides a reference plane that ensures the drill bit is both centered and properly angled relative to the component surface, eliminating the need to separately achieve angular alignment after centering
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning device combines multiple functions into a single tool: it provides both centering (through the cage structure that surrounds the drill bit) and angular alignment (through the alignment surface that contacts the component). This merged approach eliminates the sequential steps of first centering with a punch and then separately ensuring proper angle
2Manufacturing precision
If hand drills with guide attachments are used to orient the drill bit normal to the component surface, then angular alignment is improved, but centering with the fastener is not aided
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning device merges the centering function (cage surrounding the drill bit) with the angular alignment function (alignment surface contacting the component) into a single integrated tool, allowing both functions to be achieved simultaneously rather than sequentially with separate devices
3Measurement precision
If magnetic targets are placed inside the component structure to enable positioning, then drilling accuracy can be achieved, but access to the inside of the aircraft is required, increasing cost, time, and labor
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning device extracts the positioning function from the component interior and places it on the exterior surface through the alignment surface. This eliminates the need to access the inside of the aircraft to place magnetic targets, while still achieving accurate drilling positioning through the external alignment reference
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment surface acts as an external intermediary reference that provides positioning accuracy without requiring internal components or access to the aircraft interior, replacing the need for magnetic targets placed inside the structure
4Manufacturing precision
If automated robotic drilling machines are used, then drilling precision can be maintained, but expensive equipment and considerable software programming investment are required
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning device serves as a simple mechanical intermediary that provides precision guidance for manual or semi-automated drilling operations, eliminating the need for expensive robotic systems and complex software programming while maintaining drilling accuracy through the physical alignment constraints of the cage and alignment surface
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 solution reduces damage to the workpiece and substructures, decreases the number of broken drill bits, and lowers the costs, time, and labor required for drilling operations by ensuring accurate and efficient hole creation.
Implementation Method 1
a laser projector mounted to the cage such that the laser projector is configured to project an illuminated dot onto the workpiece surface
Data Source
AI summary
A positioning device for positioning a drilling tool of a drilling apparatus relative to a workpiece includes a cage mounted to the drilling apparatus such that the cage at least partially surrounds the drilling tool. The cage includes an end portion that includes an alignment surface that is configured to be engaged in physical contact with a workpiece surface of the workpiece. The alignment surface of the cage is oriented relative to a centerline axis of the drilling tool such that the centerline axis extends approximately normal to the workpiece surface when the alignment surface of the cage is in contact with the workpiece surface. The positioning device also includes a laser projector mounted to the cage such that the laser projector is configured to project an illuminated dot onto the workpiece surface that indicates where the centerline axis of the drilling tool intersects the workpiece surface.