Workpiece Marking System with Visual Alignment Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing workpiece marking systems face challenges with precise alignment, leading to high scrap and rework due to misalignment of marking tools, particularly in applications like airfoil marking for gas turbine engines, where manual tools lack mechanisms for consistent alignment over repeated operations.
Innovation Solution
A workpiece marking system incorporating a camera, display, and an adjustment table allows for controlled repositioning of the workpiece relative to the marking device, using a vision subsystem with a template to visually verify and ensure accurate marking location, reducing the need for frequent recalibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual dot peening tools are used for workpiece marking, then the marking operation can be performed, but precise alignment cannot be maintained over time and repeated operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a camera that captures images of the workpiece and displays them on a monitor, providing real-time visual feedback to the operator. This feedback mechanism allows the operator to see the actual position of the workpiece relative to the marking tool and make precise adjustments to achieve proper alignment, thereby maintaining both alignment precision and consistency across repeated operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera creates a visual copy (image) of the workpiece and displays it on the monitor. This optical copy allows the operator to view the workpiece position without physically moving or touching it, enabling precise alignment adjustments while maintaining the actual workpiece-station relationship. The visual copy serves as a reference for achieving consistent alignment across multiple marking operations.
2Manufacturing precision
If the marking tool is kept in a fixed position, then alignment can be maintained, but any inadvertent movement of the workpiece or fixture causes misalignment leading to scrap
Solution Approach 1:
The visual feedback system continuously monitors the workpiece position and allows the operator to detect and correct any inadvertent movements. This feedback mechanism maintains marking location accuracy without requiring complex active control systems, robotics, or automated positioning mechanisms, thereby avoiding increased device complexity while preserving precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If visual alignment assistance is added to the marking system, then alignment precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a camera to create a visual copy of the workpiece and displays it on a monitor. This optical copying approach provides alignment assistance without introducing complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms, automated positioning systems, or sophisticated control algorithms. The visual copy serves as a simple yet effective reference that improves alignment precision while adding minimal complexity to the overall system.
Data Source
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AI summary
An alignment system (10; 10') for permanently marking a workpiece (20) with a marking device (12) includes a camera (22), a display (24) operatively connected to the camera and configured to generate an image as a function of camera input, a template (26; 26') having a marking area designation located in relation to the display such that the image is displayed against the marking area designation, and an adjustment table (14) configured to allow controllable repositioning of the workpiece relative to the marking device.