Abstract: An apparatus is provided for dispensing thermoplastic inserts, or other identical pieces, in a manner in which orientation of the individual inserts is properly maintained. The apparatus includes a hollow tube having an internal cavity for housing and guiding a plurality of the inserts aligned one after another therein. The hollow tube has a central axis. A receiving assembly is positioned at an inlet end of the hollow tube and has at least one pivotable blocking member for selectively blocking the inlet end of the hollow tube. A weight assembly is positioned within the hollow tube. The weight assembly has a lower contact surface spanning substantially the entire width of the cavity and abutting against the one of the inserts nearest the inlet end.

Abstract: A method is provided for securing a thermoplastic insert between first and second skin sheets of a sandwich panel using an installation tool to rotate the insert about a central axis. One of the installation tool and insert are provided with a male connection feature and the other is provided with a female connection feature such that the installation tool and insert are axially movable toward and away from each other to engage the male and female connection features without requiring relative rotation. The male and female connection features include mating surfaces offset from the central axis to transmit torque between the installation tool and insert. The insert is magnetically attracted to the installation tool by providing one of the installation tool and insert with a magnet and the other with a magnetic material to be attracted by the magnet.

Abstract: A process for bending a thermoplastic skinned honeycomb core panel includes clamping a planar portion of the panel between upper and lower platens to hold the panel against movement parallel to the plane of the planar portion. A linear band of a face sheet on one side of the panel is heated with a heater bar to soften resin in the face sheet and disbond adhesive holding the face sheet to the honeycomb core. The heater bar is lifted away from the face sheet, forming the linear band into a bubble separated away from the honeycomb core. A distal leg of the panel, outboard of the clamped portion, is bent around a heated anvil along an axis parallel to the linear band to form a bend having an inside radius, with the bubble coinciding with the inside radius. The bubble collapses around the inside radius and forms an overlapping flap of face sheet material.

Abstract: An automated wire stripper has a forward wire-gripping assembly, a rearward insulation-pulling assembly, and a rotatable knife hub assembly positioned intermediate of the forward and rearward assemblies. The knife hub assembly includes a pair of thermal knife elements which are spring-biased to normally close upon the end of a wire. Pneumatic actuators open the knife elements against the bias of the springs. The rearward assembly is operable to clamp and pull a section of outer jacket or insulation covering from the wire after the knife hub has cut around the its circumference of the jacket.

Abstract: An automated wire stripper has a forward wire-gripping assembly, a rearward insulation-pulling assembly, and a rotatable knife hub assembly positioned intermediate of the forward and rearward assemblies. The knife hub assembly includes a pair of thermal knife elements which are spring-biased to normally close upon the end of a wire. Pneumatic actuators open the knife elements against the bias of the springs. The rearward assembly is operable to clamp and pull a section of outer jacket or insulation covering from the wire after the knife hub has cut around the its circumference of the jacket.