Geometric error reduction in the assembly of axi-symmetric rigid components: a two-dimensional case study

In this article, the assembly of axi-symmetric rigid structures from imprecisely manufactured components is considered to produce a ‘straight-build’ assembly. The eccentricity of the assembly is improved by selecting the best relative orientation of each component and using four different strategies to control the assembly errors. The presentation is simplified by considering the assembly of two-dimensional structures, and the Monte Carlo simulation technique is used to quantify the propagation of random component variations on the resulting assembly. The axial and radial run-outs for each component are used to represent component variability and these quantities are represented as Gaussian random variables. The influence of component variations on the assembly is predicted using connective assembly models. Numerical results are presented for assemblies consisting of: (a) identical rectangular components; and (b) non-identical rectangular components. The results are compared with each other and those obtained using ‘direct-build’ assembly, which does not control the assembly errors. It is found that assembly variations can be reduced significantly using the proposed techniques.