Plastic Part-Location Link for Machining Jigs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional part-location links made of metallic materials are costly and time-consuming to manufacture, limiting productivity and precision in machining operations due to manual mounting and reclamping requirements.
Innovation Solution
A part-location link made of injection-molded plastic materials, such as polyetherimide or composite polycarbonate with glass fiber, providing high precision and structural strength while reducing manufacturing costs through a one-step molding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional metallic part-location links are used, then structural strength is sufficient, but manufacturing cost is high and manufacturing time is long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metallic materials to plastic materials, enabling the part-location link to be manufactured by injection molding instead of traditional metalworking processes. This parameter change reduces manufacturing cost and time while maintaining sufficient structural strength for the application
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite plastic materials (such as glass fiber reinforced polymers) to achieve the necessary structural strength and rigidity. The composite material structure provides sufficient mechanical properties while enabling cost-effective injection molding manufacturing
2Productivity
If manual mounting and clamping operations are used, then flexibility is maintained, but productivity is reduced due to time-consuming operations
Solution Approach 1:
The part-location link is pre-manufactured with precise location features and dimensions through injection molding. This preliminary action ensures that when the link is installed, the part is automatically and accurately positioned, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual adjustment and reclamping operations during machining
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical adjustment system with a precision-molded mechanical system. The injection-molded part-location link provides fixed, precise geometric features that automatically locate the part, substituting manual positioning operations with pre-engineered mechanical precision
3Manufacturing precision
If manual position adjustment is performed, then positioning flexibility is achieved, but location precision is limited by operator skill
Solution Approach 1:
The part-location link is designed with self-location features where precise positioning is achieved automatically through the molded geometry of the link itself. The precision is built into the component during manufacturing, eliminating the need for operator skill in positioning and adjustment while maintaining ease of installation
4Reliability
If multiple reclamping steps are required, then machining flexibility is maintained, but machine precision deteriorates due to location benchmark changes
Solution Approach 1:
The part-location link is designed as a universal component that maintains consistent location benchmarks across multiple machining operations. The standardized, precision-molded features allow the same link to be used throughout the machining process, eliminating the need for repeated reclamping and preventing location benchmark changes, thus maintaining machine precision across multiple steps
Data Source
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AI summary
A part-location link (1), used to locate and connect a jig (50) holding a part to be machined onto a machine's worktable (20), includes a first terminal (21), a second terminal (22), a clamp section (23) between the first terminal and the second terminal that are integrated as a one body, and an axially central opening (24) through the link. The first terminal operates with the machine's worktable; the second terminal operates with the jig; and the clamp section has at least two planes (26) axially extending along the link for clamping the link. The part-location link is made of plastic materials by injection molding. The part-location link in this invention is made of plastics by precision injection molding, so the manufacturing cost is reduced greatly.