Abstract:
Team Supernova has been commissioned by Bristol Aerospace Limited to design a fixture for a jet
engine bypass duct as part of the University of Manitoba Engineering Design class. Bristol Aerospace
manufactures a bypass duct for the Airbus A380 turbofan engine. In the current manufacturing process
of the duct workers are at risk of strain injuries from manual manipulation of the part. This report
proposes a fixture for the jet engine duct that will eliminate worker strain.
After conducting research and analysis, six conceptual fixture designs were generated. Further
screening led to the conclusion that the suspended arm fixture would be the most feasible for this
application. During the design phase of the suspended arm fixture another fixture that functions similar
to the suspended arm was discovered. This fixture, available from the Anver Corporation, is the fixture
that the team chose to pursue.
The fixture will be supplied by Acculift‐Airmax, the Winnipeg distributor for Anver. The fixture is a
custom, electric powered, vacuum lifter with side grippers capable of 360 degree manual rotation. The
fixture will make use of a currently existing electric hoist in the manufacturing plant at Bristol
Aerospace. The electric hoist will provide lifting, lowering, and translational motion of the duct, and the
fixture would provide the rotational motion. The Anver fixture has a quoted cost of $15,995. A stand for
the fixture, designed by the team, has a quoted cost of $448, bringing the total cost of the fixture system
to $16,443.
The Anver fixture meets all of the customer’s needs and target specifications. Supernova
recommends that Bristol Aerospace purchase the Anver fixture and implement its use in the
manufacturing process of the jet engine duct in order to eliminate worker strain.
