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US 12,214,460 B2Granted
Adaptive workpiece support system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJustin Lee Peters, Stephen Lynn Farabee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adaptive workpiece support system comprising a wear plate comprising a precision datum face and a plurality of tool holes, and accessories interactive with the plurality of tool holes of the wear plate to support, locate, and hold a workpiece against the wear plate for machining the workpiece. The plurality of tool holes is laid out in a grid and extending through the precision datum face, a thickness of the wear plate, and a backside face of the wear plate. The wear plate is configured to locate a workpiece relative to three axes of a machine.
Claims24
An adaptive workpiece support system comprising:
- a wear plate comprising a precision datum face and a plurality of tool holes laid out in a grid and extending through the precision datum face, a thickness of the wear plate, and a backside face of the wear plate, wherein the wear plate is configured to locate a workpiece relative to three axes of a machine;
- and
- a plurality of threaded inserts secured within the plurality of tool holes between the precision datum face and the backside face of the wear plate;
- a plurality of locks secured within the plurality of tool holes proximate the backside face of the wear plate;
- a threaded support configured to be adjustably extended through any one of the plurality of tool holes and be connected to the wear plate by a corresponding one of the threaded inserts;
- and
- a non-threaded support configured to adjustably extended through any one of the plurality of tool holes and be connected to the wear plate by a corresponding one of the locks,
- wherein at least one of the threaded support and the non-threaded support is length adjusted to contact a backside of the workpiece
- to support, locate, and hold the workpiece against the wear plate for machining the workpiece.
6 more elements
A wear plate comprising:
- a base comprising a precision datum face configured to locate a workpiece flat relative to a primary machine axis, a backside face opposite the precision datum face, and a thickness between the precision datum face and the backside face;
- a plurality of tool holes laid out in a grid and extending through the precision datum face, the thickness of the base, and the backside face of the base, wherein the plurality of tool holes is configured to locate the workpiece relative to a secondary machine axis and a tertiary machine axis;
- a plurality of threaded inserts secured within at least a portion of the plurality of tool holes between the precision datum face and the backside face of the base;
- and
- a plurality of locks secured within at least a portion of the plurality of tool holes proximate the backside face of the base,
- wherein:
- each of the threaded inserts is configured for connection of a threaded support to the base at an adjustably extended length through the precision datum face for contact with a backside of the workpiece;
- and
- each of the locks is configured for connection of a non-threaded support to the base at an adjustably extended length through the precision datum face for contact with the backside of the workpiece.
6 more elements
A method of machining a workpiece comprising:
- positioning the workpiece over a wear plate such that locating pins are positioned in the workpiece and in a first subset of a plurality of tool holes of the wear plate to locate the workpiece in a secondary machine axis and a tertiary machine axis of a machine, the wear plate comprising the plurality of tool holes laid out in a grid and extending through a precision datum face of the wear plate;
- coupling a plurality of threaded supports to the wear plate by a plurality of threaded inserts secured within a second subset of the plurality of tool holes between the precision datum face and a backside face of the wear plate such that the threaded supports area adjustably extended through the precision datum face;
- coupling a plurality of non-threaded supports to the wear plate by a plurality of locks secured within a third subset of the plurality of tool holes proximate the backside face of the wear plate such that the non-threaded supports are adjustably extended through the precision datum face;
- lowering the workpiece into contact with at least a portion of the plurality of threaded supports and the plurality of non-threaded supports contact a backside surface of the workpiece to hold the workpiece relative to a primary machine axis of the machine;
- and
- machining the workpiece to form a part in the workpiece.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.