Rotational Wire Transport for Aircraft Harness Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated wire assembly systems are impractical for fabricating high-reliability aircraft wiring harnesses due to the need for high standards of wire quality, connections, and connectors, which traditional methods struggle to maintain consistently.
Innovation Solution
A rotational wire transport system incorporating a winding spool, linear actuators, a cam, and gripping tabs that move between positions to manage and process wires through multiple stations for tasks like winding, cutting, stripping, and attaching components, ensuring consistent and repeatable processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional wire assembly methods are used, then flexibility in processing is maintained, but manufacturing precision and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The wire assembly system is divided into multiple independent processing stations (e.g., stripping station, crimping station, testing station), each performing a specific function. This segmentation allows each station to be optimized for its specific task, improving manufacturing precision while keeping individual station complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated wire assembly system is designed as a multi-functional platform that can perform various wire processing operations (stripping, crimping, testing, routing) through different stations. This universal design improves precision across all operations while consolidating complexity into a single integrated system rather than multiple separate systems.
2Productivity
If automated wire assembly systems are implemented, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to high standards requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system incorporates feedback mechanisms at each processing station to monitor and verify wire processing quality in real-time. Sensors detect wire properties, processing parameters are monitored, and the system adjusts or rejects defective work automatically, ensuring high reliability while maintaining high productivity through automated inspection and control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions such as pre-positioning wires, pre-configuring processing parameters, and pre-validating wire specifications before actual processing. This preliminary preparation ensures that when high-speed automated processing occurs, the reliability standards are already satisfied, allowing both high productivity and high reliability to coexist.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual wire processing is used, then system complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic adjustment capabilities where processing parameters (such as crimping force, stripping length, testing voltage) are automatically adjusted based on wire specifications and processing requirements. This dynamic adaptability maintains high manufacturing precision across different wire types while managing automation complexity through programmable control rather than fixed mechanical systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for a rotational wire transport. In certain examples, the rotational wire transport may be a part of a wire processing system. The rotational wire transport may include a winding spool, a linear actuator, a cam, and a gripping tab. The rotational wire transport may be configured to wind wire into a coil and move between a plurality of different stations within the wire processing system.