Mandrel Segment Assembly with Rotating Support Rings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Assembling large, cylindrical mandrel segments with high position accuracy is challenging due to their size and weight, leading to unevenness in the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel, which affects the quality of the composite material structures like aircraft fuselages.
Innovation Solution
An assembling apparatus that includes a rail body with a conveyor section and a jack section, allowing segments to be fastened to support rings with independent corner support, enabling vertical movement and rotation for precise positioning and assembly of mandrel segments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If large mandrel segments are assembled manually or with simple equipment, then the assembly process is simpler, but the position accuracy and surface smoothness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The mandrel is divided into multiple segments that are assembled separately and then joined together. Each segment has corner portions that are independently supported during assembly, allowing for precise positioning while maintaining manufacturing feasibility of individual segments
Solution Approach 2:
Support rings are introduced as intermediary components between the mandrel segments and the assembling apparatus. These support rings receive and hold the corner portions of each segment, enabling accurate positioning and alignment during the assembly process without requiring direct complex positioning mechanisms
2Manufacturing precision
If heavy mandrel segments are moved and positioned with high precision, then the outer peripheral surface smoothness is improved, but the assembly difficulty and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The corner portions of each mandrel segment are prepared in advance with specific structural features that enable direct engagement with the support rings. This preliminary preparation allows for quick and accurate positioning during assembly, reducing the time required while ensuring surface smoothness
Solution Approach 2:
The support rings act as intermediaries that simplify the handling of heavy segments. By providing dedicated support points at the corner portions, the apparatus can efficiently move and position heavy segments with high precision without requiring complex lifting and positioning mechanisms, thus reducing assembly time
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The present invention provides a technique which can assemble a mandrel (11) having a substantially cylindrical shape and being dividable into plurality of segments (20, 30), which is used for manufacturing, for example, a fuselage of an aircraft, with high position accuracy and an easy manner. In a segment fastening step, a segment which is a fastened target is fastened to a specified fastening portion which is one of a plurality of fastening portions set along a pair of support rings (40) placed to face each other. In a rotation step, before the segment fastening step, the support rings are rotated so that the specified fastening portion is located at an uppermost portion of the support rings. In the segment fastening step, the segment which is the fastened target is placed between the support rings and lifted vertically up to a height corresponding to the specified fastening portion and then fastened to the support rings.