Fan Case Impact Liner Assembly with Push-Activated Adhesive Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for installing impact liners in gas turbine engine fan cases are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to misalignment, damaging the liners and compromising the structural integrity and efficiency of the fan case, leading to increased manufacturing costs and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for assembling fan cases using an annular structure with removable liners and adhesive layers, applying a push force to detach and bond the liners to the fan case barrel, ensuring alignment and adherence to design requirements, and utilizing a pressure strip for uniform adhesive distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual installation of impact liners is used, then flexibility and simplicity are maintained, but misalignment and damage to liners occur, compromising manufacturing precision and reliability
Solution Approach 1:
A fixture is introduced as an intermediary tool between the manual installer and the fan case. The fixture includes a support structure that holds multiple impact liners in predetermined positions and orientations, ensuring precise alignment during installation while maintaining ease of operation through simple fixture manipulation
Solution Approach 2:
The impact liners are pre-positioned and held in the correct orientation within the fixture before installation. The fixture preliminarily establishes the precise spatial arrangement of multiple liners, eliminating alignment errors that would occur during manual installation while preserving operational simplicity
2Device complexity
If conventional manual installation methods are used, then equipment complexity is minimized, but installation time and labor intensity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple impact liners that would traditionally be installed separately are merged into a single fixture assembly. The fixture holds multiple liners in predetermined positions, allowing simultaneous installation of all liners in one operation, dramatically increasing productivity while adding only minimal equipment complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The installation system is segmented into a modular fixture that can be easily assembled and disassembled. The fixture itself is a simple, lightweight structure that can be manually positioned, maintaining low equipment complexity while enabling rapid multi-liner installation through its segmented, organized holder design
3Device complexity
If impact liners are installed manually one at a time, then equipment cost is reduced, but positional and dimensional tolerances become inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture serves as an intermediary device that enforces consistent positional and dimensional tolerances for all impact liners. It includes guide features and positioning elements that ensure each liner is installed at the correct location and orientation, eliminating variability inherent in manual installation while keeping the device simple and cost-effective
Solution Approach 2:
The fixture applies uniform positioning constraints to all impact liners it holds. Each liner receives the same level of positional control and orientation guidance through identical fixture features, ensuring homogeneous quality and consistent tolerances across all installed liners without requiring complex individual adjustment mechanisms
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
The system ensures high-quality, durable liner installation that meets design tolerances, reduces manufacturing costs, and enhances safety by absorbing impact energy, maintaining operational efficiency and structural integrity of the fan case.
Implementation Method 1
at least one adhesive layer adapted to contact an inner surface of a fan case barrel... to adhesively bond the at least one liner with the fan case barrel via the at least one adhesive layer
Implementation Method 2
Based on a push force applied on the at least one liner, the at least one liner is adapted to detach from the annular structure and is pushed towards the inner surface of the fan case barrel
Implementation Method 3
The fan assembly includes a number of impact liners that are coupled to the inner surface of the fan case to prevent damage to the fan case... The liner is adapted to be pushed towards the inner surface of the fan case barrel to adhesively bond the at least one liner with the fan case barrel
Data Source
AI summary
A system for assembling a fan case of a gas turbine engine includes at least one adhesive layer adapted to contact an inner surface of a fan case barrel of the fan case, an annular structure adapted to be disposed within the fan case barrel proximal to the inner surface of the fan case barrel, and at least one liner adapted to be removably coupled to the annular structure at a first annular surface of the annular structure. Based on a push force applied on the at least one liner, the at least one liner is adapted to detach from the annular structure and is pushed towards the inner surface of the fan case barrel to adhesively bond the at least one liner with the fan case barrel via the at least one adhesive layer.