Designing a Custom Assembly
Posted on 03/07/2017 | by The Orbitform Blog Team
Ever heard of an aerospace blocker door?
Any idea what a jet engine blocker door does?
We didn’t know what an airplane blocker door was, nor what it’s function was, either until we were asked to help an aerospace industry supplier develop a machine to install bearings and verify the push out force required to unseat the bearings. An airplane engine blocker door functions during the landing of an aircraft. The blocker doors rotate into position and stop the airflow helping the airplane slow down as it prepares to land. Here is a video of a blocker door in action.
The aerospace parts machining company approached Orbitform to help design and build a semi-automated assembly and inspection machine to insert two (2) small bearings into axle pockets on the blocker door panel. There was also a requirement for the machine to measure the push out force and vertical displacement of the bearings after the assembly operation was complete.
Our Orbitform engineering team designed a custom assembly and testing machine equipped with an Orbitform B-310 pneumatic bench-top orbital forming machine. The Orbitform B-310 machine was modified by replacing the standard orbital forming head with a 90 degree offset, gear driven swaging tool. The offset head was required to gain access to the difficult to reach bearing forming locations and the swaging tool was incorporated to roll the outside lip of the bearing outwards to secure the bearing in the aluminum pocket.
The machine was also outfitted with a data collection and data logging system configured to retain assembly process information and process quality data such as cycles performed, cycle time, forming time (swaging time), maximum force achieved, vertical displacement realized, and other performance critical process information.
It was a pleasure to work on this project for the high tech aerospace supplier and we look forward to our next opportunity to support them.
If you think this type of assembly process could help your manufacturing operation, please contact us by clicking here.
Orbitform products are designed, manufactured, and built in our 120,000 sq ft manufacturing facility, located in Jackson, Michigan. Orbitform is a 100% made in the USA Design and Build Manufacturer of World-Class Riveting, Forming and Fastening Solutions. Since 1984, Orbitform has been delivering assembly solutions to manufacturers worldwide. Our engineers and lab technicians have tackled over 8,000 assembly applications. Orbitform offers a wide range of solutions, to provide you the product, process, or service that’s right for your application. Put our experience and expertise to work for you. Orbitform… solutions delivered.