Quick-Connect Manifold Assembly for Rotating Fixture Material Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of connecting and disconnecting individual hoses to part-forming fixtures, such as mandrels used in composite fuselage fabrication, is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and can lead to hose disorganization, tripping hazards, and damage, especially when the fixture rotates.
Innovation Solution
A quick connect manifold system comprising a tool manifold and a fixture manifold with alignable and rotatable fittings, a hose management tool, and a control system for managing and controlling the flow of flowable materials, allowing simultaneous connection and disconnection of multiple hoses and enabling fixture rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual hoses are manually connected and disconnected to each port, then connection quality can be tested and ensured, but the process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual hose connections are merged into a single manifold assembly. The manifold integrates multiple ports and connections into one unit that can be connected to the fixture as a single assembly, eliminating the need to individually connect and test each hose while maintaining connection quality through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose management system is segmented into modular components: the manifold assembly with multiple ports, the fixture interface, and the hose routing system. This segmentation allows the complex multi-hose connection to be broken down into manageable modules that can be connected and tested as integrated units rather than individual components.
2Productivity
If multiple hoses are used to deliver material to fixture ports, then complete material delivery is achieved, but hoses become disorganized, create tripping hazards, and can be unintentionally damaged
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate hoses are merged into a single bundled assembly that routes through the manifold. This consolidation organizes the hoses into one managed unit, eliminating the disorganization and tripping hazards associated with multiple loose hoses while maintaining complete material delivery capability through the manifold's multiple ports.
Solution Approach 2:
The manifold acts as an intermediary device between the material source and the fixture ports. It consolidates multiple hose connections into a single interface point, organizing the hose routing and reducing the risk of damage while ensuring complete material delivery to all necessary ports through its distributed port structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hoses are disconnected and reconnected during fixture rotation, then fixture positioning is achieved, but the process is interrupted and additional time is required
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold assembly is designed with dynamic capabilities to accommodate fixture rotation. The integrated manifold with its multiple ports and routing capabilities allows the system to maintain connections during rotation, adapting to different fixture positions without requiring disconnection and reconnection of hoses.
Solution Approach 2:
The manifold is pre-configured with multiple ports and routing paths that anticipate the need for fixture rotation. This preliminary design allows the system to maintain continuous material delivery during rotation operations, eliminating the need for interruptive disconnection and reconnection actions.
4Reliability
If individual hose connections are tested manually, then connection quality is ensured, but the process is labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The testing process is merged from individual hose-level testing to manifold-level testing. The integrated manifold allows vacuum connection quality to be tested as a single assembly unit rather than requiring manual testing of each individual hose connection, maintaining reliability while reducing labor intensity and process complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, system, and methods for providing flowable material to a part-forming fixture. The apparatus comprising a tool manifold and a fixture manifold. The tool manifold comprises a tool-manifold base and a plurality of tool fittings extending through the tool-manifold base. The fixture manifold comprises a fixture-manifold base and a plurality of fixture fittings extending through the fixture-manifold base. An interface end of each one of the plurality of tool fittings is removably attachable to an interface end of a corresponding one of the plurality of fixture fittings such that, when attached, a seal is created between the tool fittings and the corresponding fixture fitting and flowable material is flowable from each one of the tool fittings into the corresponding one of the fixture fittings.