Modular workholding apparatus
AssigneeHexagon Metrology, Inc.
InventorsJonathan J. O'Hare, Jonathan Dove
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A workholding apparatus for components having complex geometries or surfaces, which components are difficult constrain for the purpose of inspection, addresses the problem of adequately constraining such components in a convenient and cost-effective manner so that they do not move during inspection, while also making all or most critical features accessible to the inspection instruments being used. A method teaches how to eliminate setup changes between different components through the use of inexpensive modular attachments. These attachments are in the form of a single piece thermoplastic part which is affixed to each component having also reference features that can be interlocked into a common base fixture for more efficient inspection operations.
Claims20
A method of producing a single-piece workholding apparatus for holding a workpiece during inspection by a coordinate measuring machine, the workpiece having a target portion having a complex geometry, the method comprising:
- measuring the geometry of the target portion to obtain a measured element;
- and
- creating a digital template by digitally subtracting the measured element from a template blank;
- and
- producing, from the digital template, the single-piece workholding apparatus comprising an interface having a fixed shape, the interface adapted to couple to the target portion of the workpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.