Sliding Adjustable Toggle Clamp for Aircraft Skin Panel Drilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in aircraft manufacturing is applying consistent pressure to the inside surfaces of skin panels during drilling operations, especially in areas with limited space due to protruding features like frames and stringers, which can lead to inconsistencies and inefficiencies in the riveting process.
Innovation Solution
A tool with a pair of rails attachable to the inside surface of the skin panel, featuring a housing pivotally and slidably connected to the rails, and a pressure foot with a curved ankle and flat flange, allowing for adjustable pressure application along the skin panel's surface, enabling effective pressure distribution even in constrained spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If robots are used to press skin panels together during drilling, then drilling speed and consistency are improved, but space requirements increase making operation difficult in areas with protruding features
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure application system is segmented into multiple independent clamp positions along the rail, allowing selective placement of pressure points in constrained areas without requiring a single large robotic press, thus enabling access to difficult-to-reach locations while maintaining drilling consistency
Solution Approach 2:
A rail-mounted clamp system serves as an intermediary between the drilling operation and the skin panel, providing localized pressure application in constrained areas where robots cannot directly access, thereby maintaining drilling consistency without requiring full robotic access
2Manufacturing precision
If custom templates are used to apply pressure in limited space areas, then pressure application accuracy is improved, but device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rail and clamp system provides a universal pressure application mechanism that can be used across multiple locations and configurations without requiring custom templates for each area, reducing device complexity while maintaining pressure application accuracy through standardized components
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp mechanism incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities allowing the pressure point and force to be adapted to different locations along the rail, eliminating the need for static custom templates while maintaining precision through movable, reconfigurable components
3Productivity
If traditional riveting processes are used without consistent pressure, then process simplicity is maintained, but productivity decreases due to de-burring operations
Solution Approach 1:
Pressure is applied preliminarily and consistently during the drilling operation itself, preventing burr formation before it occurs, which eliminates the need for subsequent de-burring operations and increases productivity without requiring complex post-processing equipment
Data Source
AI summary
A tool including a pair of rails is attachable to the inside surface of the skin panel. A housing is pivotally and slidably connected between the pair of rails. The housing is pivotable about a first axis and is slidable along grooves in the pair of rails. The housing has a first end and a second end opposite each other. The tool includes a rod having a third end and a fourth end, the third end attached to and extending from the first end of the housing. The tool also includes a pressure foot attached to the fourth end of the housing. The pressure foot includes a curved ankle integrally formed with a flat flange, the curved ankle curving into the flat flange. The pressure foot is configured to apply pressure along a portion of the inside surface of the skin panel when the housing is in a vertical position.