Modern manufacturing methods employ the use of automated CNC machine tools that increase production output while also requiring more frequent tooling maintenance. The purpose of this project, as chartered by our sponsor, General Electric Aviation, is to develop an automated system for replacing cutting tools as they wear. The system is designed such that an operator will be able to load a cart of used cutting tools into a work cell and retrieve a cart of newly prepared tooling upon process completion. The team implemented the use of an industrial robot for material handling and designed custom fixtures to process each tool. This system eliminates the human error related with tool height setting, and can be universally adapted with alternate tooling in the future.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Poon, Michael Raymond
• Forman, Matthew Cole
• Corriveau, Eric Tylor

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-043015-101055

Advisor

• Fischer, Gregory S.
• Putnam, Craig B.

Year

• 2015

Sponsor

• GE Aviation

Date created

• 2015-04-30

Ubicación

• Lynn

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mechanical Engineering
• Robotics Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright