Modular Glue Jig for Concurrent Lap Joint Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional glue jigs are limited in their ability to produce multiple joints concurrently and lack scalability and repeatability in the curing process for material response testing.
Innovation Solution
A glue jig with a platform and upright walls, featuring orifices for pins to secure specimens in place, allowing for the formation of lap joints with improved alignment and retention, enabling multiple specimens to be cured simultaneously while allowing for easy removal and scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional glue jigs are used, then the structure is simple, but the number of joints that can be produced concurrently is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The jig is divided into multiple independent station modules (first station, second station, third station, fourth station) arranged along the platform. Each station can independently hold and process specimen pairs, allowing concurrent production of multiple joints without requiring a completely new jig design. This modular segmentation enables scaling from single-joint to multi-joint production.
Solution Approach 2:
The jig platform serves multiple functions: it provides a common base for all stations, incorporates alignment features (edges, surfaces) that serve all specimen pairs, and uses standardized orifices and pins that can be positioned at multiple locations. This multi-functionality allows the same jig structure to produce multiple joints simultaneously without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Reliability
If conventional glue jigs are used, then the setup is straightforward, but repeatability and scalability in establishing joints over extended curing intervals are poor
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment pins are pre-positioned in the platform at specific locations corresponding to each station. The specimen pairs are designed with features that mate with these pre-positioned pins, ensuring repeatable alignment is established before the curing process begins. This preliminary positioning action eliminates variability in joint establishment across multiple specimens and curing intervals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical alignment mechanisms (such as adjustable clamps, movable fixtures, or manual positioning systems) with a simplified pin-and-orifice system. The pins fit into precisely drilled orifices in the platform, providing repeatable positioning through simple insertion rather than complex mechanical adjustment, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing complexity.
3Productivity
If multiple specimens are arranged for concurrent joint arranging, then productivity increases, but alignment precision and retention become more difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
Each station on the platform has its own dedicated set of orifices and alignment pins positioned at specific locations optimized for that station's specimen pair. The alignment features are locally tailored to each positioning requirement rather than using a single universal mechanism for all specimens. This local customization maintains high alignment precision for each individual joint while allowing multiple joints to be processed concurrently.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment pins serve as intermediary elements between the platform and the specimen pairs. Rather than directly constraining the specimens to the platform, the pins mediate the positioning by fitting into orifices in the platform and corresponding features in the specimens. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the alignment process while maintaining precision across multiple concurrent operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A jig is provided for setting and gluing pairs of specimens along their joining faces to cure into a lap joint. The jig includes a platform with a setting surface flanked by first and second upright walls, first and second plates and fasteners. The platform positions the pairs of specimens for lap joint arrangement.