Help with designing a tool to hold a work piece (work piece jig)

[dejan95]

TL;DR

I have just started my first job (mechanical engineering design) after graduation. As my first "big" project I need to design a work station. On this station i need to create a tool which will hold my work piece (a motor) in place.

I have just started my first job (mechanical engineering design) after graduation. As my first "big" project I need to design a work station. On this station i need to create a tool which will hold my work piece (a motor) in place. I would love to hear your insight.

Because the bottom part of the motor is made of plastic, I don't want to put stress on it. That is why I thought I would hold it in place with four pins (I might replace one pin with a sensor, so the station knows when the object is in place). The problem i see with this idea (you can see it in the pictures) is that it is hard to position the part, which doesn't make it perfect for fast production.

Do you maybe have any different ideas?

Thank you very much!

 

[Baluncore]

Welcome to PF.
Keep the pins, but add some guides. As the motor is lowered into position, it is translated and rotated by the guides, so it must settle onto the supporting pins.

 

[Lnewqban]

Welcome, dejan95
Congratulations on your first engineering job.
It may seem scary at first, but you have the tools to succeed.

It seems that you are designing that base for holding the blower-motor assembly in place.
What operation is going to be performed there?
How many times?
How many bases are needed?
What materials for base?
What available fabrication capabilities do you have?

Sorry about the many questions, just trying to get the idea.

 

[dejan95]

Welcome, dejan95
Congratulations on your first engineering job.
It may seem scary at first, but you have the tools to succeed.

It seems that you are designing that base for holding the blower-motor assembly in place.
What operation is going to be performed there?
How many times?
How many bases are needed?
What materials for base?
What available fabrication capabilities do you have?

Sorry about the many questions, just trying to get the idea.

Hi, thank you for your answer and words of encouragement :)

Yes, I'm designing the base to hold the blower in place.
- At this work station a pipe (200mm long) will be mounted at the top with three screws. Screws go in the threaded holes you can see at the top of the blower.
- Many times. For every new part.
- Only one base. There will be only one work station.
- Materials are not an issue. We can choose from variety of materials.
- I have no restrictions. It is just a common sense to try and use cheaper processes (no to little EDM).

 

[Lnewqban]

- At this work station a pipe (200mm long) will be mounted at the top with three screws. Screws go in the threaded holes you can see at the top of the blower.

Sorry, I can't understand the function of that pipe, the operation to be performed at the work station. or the location of those threaded holes.
(I am old and slow).

 

[Baluncore]

- At this work station a pipe (200mm long) will be mounted at the top with three screws. Screws go in the threaded holes you can see at the top of the blower.

Is that 200mm long pipe an inlet duct, attached by three screws, in half of the six holes surrounding the inlet?

 

[jrmichler]

Track down and talk to the people who will build the fixture, plus some of the production people who will be using it. They generally have some good ideas, plus experience at what does not work well. Be prepared for a few blunt comments.

 

[dejan95]

Is that 200mm long pipe an inlet duct, attached by three screws, in half of the six holes surrounding the inlet?

Thank you all for your answers. I have attached the work piece with the pipe and also my current idea. I will remove one ore two pins and add a sensor.

 

[dejan95]

Sorry, I can't understand the function of that pipe, the operation to be performed at the work station. or the location of those threaded holes.
(I am old and slow).

Sorry, I'm bad at explaining :) At this work station a pipe will be mounted on the motor with three screws. I attached the image of finished product (after the work station).

 

[Tom.G]

I recommend Against trying to slide the outlet flange into a groove. It is a time consuming effort trying to rotate the work in three dimensions to align with the groove, all while holding the work piece in the air.

The workpiece probably needs to be held to stop rotation during assembly. How about a pin or wall that the far side of the outlet duct rests against as a stop? If needed to further block rotation, you could use one or two more pins or low walls against the motor housing surface that is visible in the drawing.

Additionally, one of the screw locations will be out of sight, and maybe out of reach, of the operator. It may be advantagous having the jig/fixture on a turntable with mild detents for rotation.

Fine positioning takes much time and is tiring and frustrating in a production environment. Both you and the operator will be ahead of the game if the operator can drop the work on the table and slide it into position. Be Creative!

Cheers,
Tom

p.s. Wisecrack: There's a free few hundred $ of suggestions. Credit physicsforums if appropriate!