System and method for removing a workpiece from a manufacturing fixture

A flay system for separating a workpiece from a manufacturing fixture, comprising:

• a plurality of flay assemblies, each including:
• a horizontal beam assembly, including:
• a horizontal beam having a center support;
• a pair of horizontal drive mechanisms mounted to the horizontal beam and each having a horizontal drive motor and a horizontal beam track system defining a horizontal drive axis;
• a pair of vertical beam assemblies mounted to the horizontal beam assembly in spaced relation to each other, each vertical beam assembly including:
• a vertical beam having a vertical beam top portion coupled to the horizontal beam track system and operably engaged to the horizontal drive motor of one of the horizontal drive mechanisms for driving the vertical beam assembly along the horizontal drive axis;
• a vertical drive mechanism mounted to the vertical beam and having a vertical drive motor and a vertical beam track system defining a vertical drive axis;
• a workpiece attachment assembly coupled to the vertical beam track system and operably engaged to the vertical drive motor for driving the workpiece attachment assembly along the vertical drive axis;
• the workpiece attachment assembly including an attachment mechanism configured to be removably attached to one of opposing workpiece side portions of a workpiece supported on a manufacturing fixture;
• and
• the horizontal drive motors and the vertical drive motors configured to operate in a coordinated manner to move the vertical beams away from each other along the horizontal drive axis while simultaneously moving each workpiece attachment assembly along a corresponding vertical drive axis to cause the attachment mechanisms to pull the workpiece side portions away from the manufacturing fixture while the center support maintains a workpiece crown in contact with the manufacturing fixture.

A method of separating a workpiece from a manufacturing fixture, comprising:

• positioning a center support of a horizontal beam assembly of at least one flay assembly of a flay system into contact with a workpiece crown of a workpiece having an inner surface geometry supported on a manufacturing fixture;
• removably attaching a pair of attachment mechanisms of a corresponding pair of workpiece attachment assemblies respectively to opposing workpiece side portions of the workpiece, each workpiece attachment assembly being movably coupled to a vertical beam track system and operably engaged to a vertical drive motor of a vertical drive mechanism of a vertical beam assembly, each vertical beam assembly coupled to a horizontal beam track system and operably engaged to a horizontal drive motor of a horizontal drive mechanism of the horizontal beam assembly;
• and
• operating the horizontal drive motor and the vertical drive motors in a coordinated manner to move the vertical beam assemblies away from each other along a horizontal drive axis while simultaneously moving each workpiece attachment assembly along a corresponding vertical drive axis to cause the pair of attachment mechanisms to outwardly deflect the workpiece side portions away from the manufacturing fixture.