Colloquia

Samenvatting

This research presents a redesign of a high-precision docking mechanism that enables an accurate transfer of goods between a handling robot and a positioning stage. The goal is to achieve a cost reduction of at least 30% while maintaining all functional and durability requirements.

The research begins with an investigation of cost reduction methodologies to form an effective approach for this thesis. It follows with a functional analysis of the current design, the critical load cases and a cost breakdown. Based on this foundation, the requirements were determined and new concepts were formulated and evaluated.

The proposed design introduces the biggest changes to the main component, the base, by changing its material and manufacturing method. These manufacturing changes also required a redesign of the leaf springs and an extra assembly step for the kinematic couplings to retain the same durability standards. Different cost-saving measures are applied to other components, resulting in a total cost reduction of 39% compared to the original design. The validation of the new design is performed with engineering calculations, FEM simulations and a 3D printed model to analyse the assembly process.

This thesis demonstrates that large cost savings can be achieved by first establishing the required functionality, load cases and cost drivers and then minimizing the process lead time by changing manufacturing methods. The geometry of the design is then adapted to accommodate the chosen manufacturing method, while still meeting the mechanical requirements to ensure the durability and functionality of the final product.