Manufacturers around the world are increasingly challenged to make components that are becoming smaller, more precise, more complex, and comprised of many more features. When manufactured components require precision, when they are very complex, or when they have multiple features, especially three dimensional features, manufacturers must often resort to machining. Machining smaller parts, however, can be particularly challenging. In this thesis, the issues associated with machining small parts are examined and a brief overview of the equipment available to machine small parts is considered. A machine tool design is developed which addresses many of the limitations associated with the Swiss-type screw machine. The proposed design is then "virtually prototyped" as a solid model in SolidWorksTM, machining forces are calculated, and the effects of the machining forces on the machine tool design are analyzed utilizing COSMOSWORKSTM FEA software and standard industrial formulas for calculating machine tool component service lives and safety factors. Values for all of the design metrics as well as all of the component service lives were found to meet or exceed their target values, thus the machine tool, if manufactured, is expected to perform robustly and to function as desired.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:vcu.edu/oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd_retro-1156 |
| Date | 01 January 2005 |
| Creators | Miller, Lee Norris |
| Publisher | VCU Scholars Compass |
| Source Sets | Virginia Commonwealth University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Retrospective ETD Collection |
| Rights | © The Author |
Page generated in 0.0016 seconds