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ComputerAided_Design_Engineering_amp_Manufactur.pdf

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FIGURE 3.3<br />

and constrain different workpieces within a family. 15 The reconfiguration or arrangement is generally<br />

performed by a robot or dedicated device built into the system. The fixture modules are retrieved from<br />

the storage magazines and placed on a fixture platform by a robot which then proceeds to perform<br />

adjustment operations on these modules. 15–17 The workpiece is placed on this configuration and the<br />

modules will be in contact with the workpiece at the desired locations (see Figure 3.3). The fixture<br />

modules are generally suitable for applications with low-to-medium force, and torque conditions such<br />

as light flexible assembly and finishing operations.<br />

Adaptable Fixtures<br />

A set of cl<strong>amp</strong>s has been designed to use shape memory alloy (SMA) wires to exert motive force. 3 The<br />

cl<strong>amp</strong>s consist of a 4 � 4 array of fingers. The fingers are normally locked by the squeezing action of<br />

heavy duty belleville springs. When current is applied to a SMA wire, the wire is heated; the temperature<br />

increase induces a martensite phase transformation in the material, which then attempts to assume its<br />

“trained” position. The resulting force releases the fingers so they conform to irregular workpiece surfaces.<br />

A second set of SMA wires is then used to apply the horizontal cl<strong>amp</strong>ing force. This class of fixtures was<br />

originally developed to be used as end-effectors on robot manipulators, but they may also be utilized in<br />

other applications.<br />

Programmable Conformable Cl<strong>amp</strong>s<br />

Programmable conformable cl<strong>amp</strong>s are workholding devices employed specifically for the machining of<br />

titanium forgings for the turbine blades of large power generating equipment. 1 The cl<strong>amp</strong>s consist of<br />

octagonal frames that are hinged so that they may be opened to accommodate a blade and then be closed.<br />

The cl<strong>amp</strong>s may be located at almost any position along the blade; generally, two or three cl<strong>amp</strong>s will<br />

hold a blade rigidly enough for machining purposes. These cl<strong>amp</strong>s are light and compact enough to<br />

travel with the blade and they can accommodate a large number of different blade configurations.<br />

However, the initial accurate positioning of the workpiece within the cl<strong>amp</strong>s requires a great deal of care,<br />

and a different reference surface for each workpiece at the cl<strong>amp</strong>ing station must be built. Other<br />

© 2001 by CRC Press LLC<br />

Reconfigurable fixture.

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