Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-1995

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Mechanical Engineering

Major Professor

Clement C. Wilson

Committee Members

Becker, Frank Speckhart

Abstract

The investigation involved the development of an approach for removing the parting line from the fenders of Saturn Corporation's SL-2, SL-3, and 1996 models. A parting line is a surface defect caused by the leakage of polymer into the voids between two sections of a mold. The existing method of removal was a completely manual operation and, as a result, was inconsistent and costly. Saturn had examined methods for removing the parting line that could be partially or fully automated in order to improve the consistency of its injection-molded body panels, yet it was unable to find an applicable technology. Consequently, this study explores a new method that incorporates a belt (stroke) sender and a cutting tool. This investigation was composed of five steps. First, the abrasive-belt concept, an idea not already explored by Saturn, was formulated. Second, a prototype, which would permit a test plan to be carried out, was designed and built. Third, after assessing the effectiveness of the belt sender, improvements were made to the prototype. Fourth, a cutting tool was developed to compensate for the inadequacies of the sender. Finally, the two-phase process of cutting and sanding was evaluated based on the requirements (fender geometry, surface finish, and time to complete) outlined by Saturn. The two-phase process was found to meet the surface finish and geometry requirements; however, the investigation failed to show how fast the process could be completed due to the sender's lack of sufficient power. The prototype force-loaded cutting tool, developed for use on SL-3 and 1996 model fenders, removes enough material from the fender in three passes to reduce the amount of abrasive required for the sanding process by approximately 90%. The belt sender completes the process by removing discontinuities in the slope of the fender and improving the surface finish. Encouraged by the results of this study, Saturn has expressed the desire to further the development of the cutting process with the goal of completing a fender in one pass with an automated procedure.

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