ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Tasked by RBC Lubron Bearings in Fountain Valley California with the assignment of automating the manual operation of inserting a low friction PTFE liner into a journal bushing.
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Compartmentalization
There are a total of four sub assemblies required to automate the installation process. They are the perforated vacuum cylinder's  (P.V.C.'s) air cylinder (blue), the P.V.C. (gold), liner magazine and roller rig (suspended), and the pneumatic systems controller (black)
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Problem Refinement
After extensive design generation and considerations the team chose to utilize an pneumatic system which incorporates a unique nozzle dubbed as a perforated vacuum cylinder (P.V.C.). It is designed to utilize a vacuum and air compressor to install the liner.
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Perforated Vacuum Cylinder
The perforated vacuum cylinder is designed to extract liners from their magazine and wrap the liner around itself. When installing the liner the vacuum is switched to air compressor mode and presses the liner against the interior wall of the bearing as it retracts.
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Perforated Vacuum Cylinder Sub System
The perforated vacuum cylinder works by utilizing two interconnected 3 way solenoid valves as well as a vacuum generator attached to an air compressor. The pneumatic system is assembled in a manner to allow for automated control of the vacuum and air compressor modes depending on the position of pvc in the installation process.
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
P.V.C. Air Cylinder Subsystem
The P.V.C. is mounted to an air cylinder connected to a 3 position solenoid. This allows for the PVC to stop at different stages and wait for the proper signals to proceed accordingly. Air flow regulator valves allow for differing extension an retraction speeds.
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Liner Magazine and Roller Rig Subsystem
The liner magazine and roller rig are situated on a pate that actuated vertically. This is where the liner is acquired by the PVC.
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Installation Process Step 1
The PVC is activated in vacuum mode. The liner magazine is tangent to the PVC so as to allow the PVC to attain a liner via vacuum suction.
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Installation Process Step 2
The liner magazine platform lowers out of the way of the PVC. The roller rig is now at the proper height to begin wrapping the liner around the PVC.
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Installation Process Step 3
The PVC air cylinder actuates and stops once the pvc is over the roller rig.
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Installation Process Step 4
The liner magazine and roller rig actuates vertically allowing the roller to wrap the liner around the P.V.C. as the vacuum pressure differential keeps the liner firmly around it.
ME 175C Mechanical Engineering Design Project
Installation Process Step
The liner magazine and roller rig lowers and the P.V.C. extends and inserts the liner into the journal bushing. As the P.V.C. retracts the vacuum switches to compressor mode. This presses the liner against the inner wall of the bushing allowing for P.V.C. retraction.
