Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Work holding
Patent
1993-05-10
1994-09-06
Watson, Robert C.
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Work holding
269 69, 269 88, 269303, 269900, B23Q 700
Patent
active
053436113
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention generally relates to a method and a fixture system for positioning and fixing/clamping details to be assembled, and specifically but not exclusively relates to such a method and fixture system for welding assembly.
It is a well-known fact that welding companies encounter severe problems, incur costs and lose much valuable time in connection with positioning and clamping operations during welding assembly, all caused by the fact that there are no adjustable fixture systems with surrounding equipment available on the market.
This means that such companies suffer from severe problems such as long set-up times, inferior precision, inferior repetitive accuracy, high fixture costs, long door-to-door times with the resulting binding of a great amount of capital, low flexibility, high degree of difficulty in re-setting and problems in connection with recruiting the staff due to the degree of difficulty of the work.
Said problems are due to the fact that such welding companies have up to now been reduced to using either of the following systems: but suffer from inferior qualities when it comes to precision, repetitive accuracy, set-up times, working environment and require a highly skilled staff. The fixtures are often built up directly on a floor and often consist of material accessible for the moment, such as loose beams, scrap boxes and so forth. has been carried out prior to a time consuming fixture manufacturing process, which results in heavy costs for the fixtures which are also mostly not adjustable. Positive qualities regarding precision, repetitive accuracy and simplicity as regards the set-up work do not compensate for the high manufacturing costs.
The above described problems mean that with the present state of the art there are no fixture systems available which may be justified from the view point of business economics and which at the same time provide the required quality or standard regarding precision, repetitive accuracy and other quality parameters. Moreover, said problems mean that no fixture systems are available which permit short set-up times, short door-to-door times, high flexibility and simplicity for the set-up work, in combination with the requirements for precision, repetitive accuracy and manufacturing costs.
The lack of adequate fixture systems means that the CAD/CAM technique cannot be fully employed in design, preparation for manufacturing, manufacturing and inspection, which is a necessity for the companies that are to be competitive in the future.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and a fixture system for positioning and clamping details to be assembled, specifically but not exclusively for welding assembly, which provide i.a. optimum flexibility, short set-up times, low fixture costs, high repetitive accuracy and minimum cassation due to high accuracy, and which may be employed for production in long or short series.
Said general object of the invention is achieved by means of a method and a fixture system having the characteristic features of claims 1 and 3 respectively.
Other specific objects of the invention is to provide such a method and fixture system being adapted for the CAD/CAM technique, to provide a fixture system permitting selective extension and adjustment not only along X- and Y-axis but also along a Z-axis and to provide such a fixture System specifically adapted for welding assembly. The subclaims are directed to embodiments of the invention developed for achieving said further objects.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a welding fixture system built up in accordance with the principles of the present invention, with parts of the system illustrated in a partially disassembled condition for reasons of explanation,
FIG. 2 illustrates a basic beam included in the system of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 illustrates a jointing slee
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Eriksson Nils
Lager Goran
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