United Technologies Corporation

Richard F Dondero

David J McFarlin

Alan F Haught

Stephen M Gardner

Peter R Fitzpatrick

Peter M Walsh

John J Barto, Jr

Kenneth P Demers

Machine operations are performed by a robot at a plurality of locations on a workpiece based on off-line data. The off-line data is corrected based on two levels of workpiece/robot alignment. First the robot determines the orientation of a fixture to which the workpiece is mounted by 'touching-off' on known reference points (touchblocks) on the fixture. Coordinate data for the location of local features on the workpiece is corrected based on the first level of alignment and the positions of the local features are then sensed to provide a coordinate transformation for subsequent application to nominal machine operation location coordinates. The local features may be preassembly rivets and provide for individualized robot response on a workpiece-by-workpiece basis.

Off-line programmable robot

An improved process for fabricating a sealing flange assembly useful for oval and other noncircular access ports in high vacuum equipment is disclosed. The process is applicable to sealing flange assemblies of the type which include relatively hard metallic flange members having opposed, mating surfaces at least a portion of which are chamfered to define a V-shaped notch therebetween and a relatively soft metallic sealing member disposed in the notch under compression against the chamfered surfaces. The process relates specifically to the machining of the chamfered sealing surfaces by a milling process which utilizes a specially ground end mill and selected depths of cut to provide a more or less grooved sealing surface profile essentially devoid of tool chatter marks and metal folds which represent nonsealable surface defects. The as-milled chamfered sealing surfaces are much coarser (32.mu. inch finish) than those produced by grinding (8.mu. inch finish) but nevertheless are effective in maintaining a vacuum tight condition in the assembly at a pressure level of 8.times.10.sup.-8 torr whereas the ground, finer finish sealing surfaces are not.

Fabrication process for noncircular vacuum seal

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South Meriden, CT, United States of America

Richard F Dondero