Microtextured Clamping Plates for Composite Machining Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Machining composite material components is challenging due to the textured surface of CMCs, which leads to mis-alignment and damage from uneven stress distribution during clamping, as existing methods like phase change materials and adhesives are complex, environmentally hazardous, and result in contamination or residue issues.

Innovation Solution

A clamping mechanism with microtextured clamping plates that replicate the microstructural surface of the component using disposable inserts or deformable micropillars, allowing for increased contact area and reduced localized stresses, achieved through scanning techniques and algorithmic representations for precise adaptation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional flat clamping surfaces are used on CMC components, then the clamping system is simple to manufacture, but the contact area is reduced leading to mis-alignment and component damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclamping alignment accuracyVSAvoidclamping surface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping plate surface is created as a negative copy of the CMC component's microtextured surface. This copying process captures the exact micro-geometry of the component surface, ensuring complete conformal contact. The negative mold is produced through scanning the component surface and creating a complementary clamping plate that replicates the microstructure, thereby maximizing contact area and eliminating mis-alignment issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The clamping plate surface geometry is transformed from a flat configuration to a microtextured configuration that matches the component's surface parameters. By changing the surface topology parameters to conform to the CMC microstructure, the contact area is increased from minimal point contacts to extensive surface contact, improving alignment accuracy without significantly increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If high clamping loads are applied to secure the component, then the component is held securely, but localized stress concentrates on specific areas causing fiber damage or matrix breakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclamping securityVSAvoidlocalized stress damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping plate is designed with spatially varying surface characteristics that match the local micro-geometry of the CMC component. Each region of the clamping plate has a specific microtexture pattern that corresponds to the local component surface, ensuring uniform stress distribution across the entire contact area. This local quality matching prevents stress concentration by distributing clamping loads evenly through the microtextured interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If phase change materials are used to encapsulate and grip the component, then the component is securely held, but the process becomes complex requiring additional equipment and process control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent grippingVSAvoidclamping system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the phase change material from the clamping system entirely. Instead of using liquid phase change materials that require heating, cooling, and phase transition control, the solution uses a solid-state clamping plate with a microtextured surface that provides secure gripping through mechanical conformal contact alone, significantly simplifying the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If phase change materials are used for clamping, then the component is encapsulated securely, but environmental and safety concerns arise and additional cleaning is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent encapsulationVSAvoidenvironmental contamination and chemical damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the potential harm of using phase change materials (environmental contamination, chemical reactions, safety issues) into a benefit by using a solid-state clamping plate that provides secure encapsulation without any of these harmful effects. The microtextured surface achieves the same encapsulation and gripping function through mechanical means alone, eliminating all chemical and environmental hazards associated with phase change materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS20220097210A1Clamping system

Publication Date: 2022.03.31 ROLLS ROYCE PLC

AI summary

A clamping mechanism for machining a composite component. The clamping mechanism comprising two or more opposing clamping plates, each clamping plate comprising a clamping surface; and wherein each clamping surface is adaptable to follow the microstructural surface of the composite component being clamped. The clamping surface may comprise a plurality of deformable micropillars featuring a body that extends to a base on the clamping plates and a head that deforms to follow the microstructural surface of the composite component. The clamping surface in use may be an exact negative of the microstructural surface of the component clamping surface. Each clamping surface may comprise a disposable insert that replicates exclusively at the point of contact the microstructural surface of the component being clamped.