Cargill Detroit Corporation

Mark Saberton

Michael L Trowbridge

Michael Radeke

Jim Ryan

Automated system for trimming and inspecting complex composite aircraft parts. A straight firing abrasive water jet head with integral catcher mounted on a first Z axis slide is numerically controlled on a six axis gantry/water jet manipulator (X, Y, Z, C, A, B axes). A touch probe mounted on a second Z axis slide is used to gauge three part points which establish part orientation in the X, Y, Z gantry/robot cell; also to adjust CNC and CMM part trim/inspection programs to actual part orientation and for peripheral dimensional inspection.

Robotic processing and inspection system

An anti-backlash rack and pinion drive system comprising a pair of spur gears on parallel shafts engaging a rack with countertorque preload imposed by a positive timing belt engaging a pair of pulleys respectively coupled to the shafts. Slack on one side and a resilient transverse load applied to the other side of the belt provides counterspur gear tooth pressure on the rack equal to the maximum drive load effected through reversible rotation of one of the shafts.

Growing community of inventors

New Albany, IN, United States of America

Mark Saberton