Rotary Table Joint Orientation for EDM Cable Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing rotary table apparatuses in electric discharge machines face challenges with complex cable handling, potential cable damage, noise interference, and poor assembly efficiency due to the fixed orientation of joints and limited cable-insertion hole size, which complicates the handling and installation process.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an adaptable component between the rotary table casing and joints, allowing for adjustable mounting direction and size expansion of the cable-insertion hole, enabling easier cable management and improved assembly efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If joints are directly mounted on the rotary table casing with fixed orientation, then the structure is simple, but cable handling becomes complex and assembly efficiency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The joint assembly is segmented into a joint body and a separate rotating member that can rotate relative to the joint body. This segmentation allows the rotating member to be independently positioned to accommodate different cable routing requirements, improving assembly efficiency and cable handling while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating member is designed to rotate freely within the joint body, providing dynamic adaptability in cable orientation. This dynamic feature allows the cable to be routed in the most convenient direction without requiring complex fixed-orientation joints, thereby improving assembly efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If joints are made larger to accommodate bigger cable-insertion holes, then cable connector installation is easier, but free tubes become thicker and cable damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The solution transitions from increasing the diameter dimension to utilizing the rotational dimension. The rotating member can rotate to present a larger effective opening area without increasing the free tube diameter, allowing easy cable connector installation while maintaining cable protection and avoiding damage.
3Ease of manufacture
If joints are made larger to increase cable-insertion hole size, then connector installation is easier, but part costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating member provides dynamic orientation adjustment without requiring larger joint dimensions. This allows the same-sized joint to accommodate various cable routing needs through rotation, improving assembly efficiency while avoiding the increased material costs associated with larger joints.
4Strength
If free tubes are made thicker to support larger joints, then structural strength is improved, but handling and positioning during installation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing free tube diameter to achieve larger joint sizes, the solution uses the rotational dimension of the rotating member. This maintains thin free tubes for easy handling while providing the effective size needed for cable connector installation through rotational adjustment.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A rotary table apparatus includes: a rotary table casing; a face plate which is pivotally supported by the rotary table casing and which can freely rotate; and a joint and a free tube into which a power cable is inserted, the power cable supplying power to rotate the face plate, and an adaptor whose mounting direction with respect to the rotary table casing can be changed and which can be attached to and detached from the rotary table casing is placed between the rotary table casing and the joint.