Sheet Metal Support Structure Layout for Stable Gaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for designing support structures for sheet metal parts during assembly and gaging are often deficient, leading to instability issues that can result in improper support and potential damage during manufacturing and quality control processes.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method for simulating and designing support structures that allows users to interactively place and orient support elements relative to sheet metal parts, with automatic determination and display of stability status, ensuring stable holding through iterative placement and analysis until a satisfactory configuration is achieved.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If support structures are designed using known computer-aided design methods with interactive placement of support elements, then the design process is flexible and user-controlled, but the resulting arrangements are often deficient and do not provide stable support

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinteractive design capabilityVSAvoidstability of support arrangement

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines and displays a stability status for each user-placed support element, providing immediate feedback on whether the current arrangement will stably support the part. This feedback loop allows users to iteratively adjust support element positions and orientations until stability is achieved, resolving the contradiction between interactive design freedom and reliable support outcomes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary stability analysis during the design phase by automatically calculating whether the arranged support elements will provide stable support before the design is implemented in reality. This preliminary verification prevents defective arrangements from being carried forward to manufacturing or assembly operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If support elements are placed without automatic stability analysis, then the design process is simple and quick, but the support arrangement may be defective and cause part movement or damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign process speedVSAvoidpart instability and potential damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The automatic determination and display of stability status provides immediate feedback to users about whether their support element arrangements are adequate. This enables quick identification and correction of unstable configurations without requiring complex manual analysis or risking part damage during implementation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs automatic stability analysis without requiring users to manually calculate or assess stability, making the safety check as easy and quick as placing the support elements themselves. This self-service approach maintains design speed while eliminating the risk of defective arrangements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If multiple support elements are arranged to provide stable support, then the support reliability is improved, but the complexity of the support structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of support arrangementVSAvoidnumber and arrangement of support elements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stability status feedback allows users to understand exactly how many and where support elements are needed to achieve stable support. Users can iteratively add or reposition elements while receiving immediate guidance on whether stability is achieved, enabling them to find the minimal adequate configuration rather than arbitrarily adding elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows users to place support elements incrementally and check stability at each step, rather than requiring complete arrangement upfront. Users can add just enough support elements to achieve stability without over-designing the structure with excessive elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3929791A1Method for simulating and designing a support structure for assembling or gaging a sheet metal part

Publication Date: 2021.12.29 NETABTAL MASCHEN

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Figure 4~5

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for simulating and designing a support structure (2) for assembling or gaging a sheet metal part (1) comprises, in a simulation of the sheet metal part (1) and support structure (2), designing a selection of support elements (3) and a position and orientation of the support elements (3) by displaying a computer based visual representation (5) of the sheet metal part (1) to a user. According to a user input, support elements (3) are placed relative to the sheet metal part (1). The method further comprises automatically determining a stability status indicating whether the sheet metal part (1) is stably held by the support elements (3), and displaying the stability status to the user.