The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 12, 2006
Filed:
Jul. 15, 2005
Robert Allan Ahti, Hillsborough, NH (US);
Christian Dupuis, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Larisa Alexandra Elman, Swampscott, MA (US);
Robert Allan Ahti, Hillsborough, NH (US);
Christian Dupuis, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Larisa Alexandra Elman, Swampscott, MA (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
A manufacturing cell having a plurality of work stations, where at least one of the work station comprises a metalworking machine, and where at least one metalworking machine is provided with a modular tooling apparatus. The modular tooling apparatus consists of a base having one or more attachment surfaces, and one or more inserts that can be inserted semi-permanently to the attachment surfaces. The attachment surface is typically a pocket in the surface of the base. The insert has a workpiece support feature that can support and/or secure the workpiece into the proper position and orientation for machining. The base, pockets and inserts are configured to provide a characteristic location and orientation for the workpiece relative to the base, and to the metalworking machine. The modular tooling apparatus permits machining a family of workpiece members that are related but different in detail, by inserting an insert member from the family of inserts to properly position and orient the corresponding workpiece member, without needing to change, disconnect, or move the base tooling. The invention also provides a process for performing a plurality of metalworking operations on workpieces, employing the manufacturing cell described hereinabove.