A method and system temporarily holds a workpiece, most suitably an aero engine turbine blade element during manufacture. The workholding system includes a support body with a contoured body surface, complementary to a workpiece surface, formed of a transparent material to define a bonding zone. The support body is supported by a base to form a workpiece shuttle, and a bond station receives the workpiece shuttle. Complementary zero-point locating elements on the shuttle and station assure accurate positioning. The bond station further has workpiece locating elements configured to accurately position the workpiece on the shuttle in a predetermined position relative to the zero-point locating elements of the shuttle, thereby compensating for shuttle-to-shuttle variance. An adhesive, such as a UV curable adhesive, is applied to the bonding zone and cured by UV through the transparent material, thereby fixing the workpiece in the predetermined position.

A method of providing datum features on a ceramic article including the steps of providing a ceramic member having a plurality of substantially parallel holes extending into the ceramic member. Providing a plurality of tubular mounts, the cross-sectional area of each tubular mount being less than the cross-sectional area of the corresponding hole. Applying adhesive to the exterior surface of each one of the tubular mounts and inserting an adhesive covered tubular mount into each one of the holes. Providing a fixture member having a plurality of substantially parallel projections extending from predetermined positions. Positioning the ceramic member on the fixture member such that each projection locates in one of the tubular mounts and fixes the tubular mounts at the predetermined positions. The ceramic article may be removed from the fixture member or located in a machine tool using the fixture member and machining the ceramic article.

Disclosed are devices and methodologies for cleaning wafers in wafer processing operations such as solvent cleaning. In an example situation, a wafer that has been separated from a support plate can be cleaned. The wafer still needs to be handled carefully during such a cleaning operation. Various devices and methodologies that facilitate efficient handling of wafers and solvent cleaning operations are disclosed.

The present invention discloses a flexible dot matrix bonding apparatus and an adaptive clamping method for a disk-type planar component. The apparatus mainly comprises three components: a substrate, connecting rods and an auxiliary support. The threaded holes in a circumferential array are uniformly distributed in the substrate, and the connecting rods are fixed at different circumferential positions of the substrate in a threaded connection manner, which play a role in bonding and supporting the disk-type planar component. The auxiliary support is matched with the substrate, so that a workpiece after turning can be taken out without damage. According to detection results of machining deformation of the disk-type planar component, the installation positions of the connecting rods on the substrate are adjusted accordingly, thus changing bonding positions of the disk-type planar component. Finally, an adaptive clamping method aiming at reducing the machining deformation of the disk-type planar component is formed.

An apparatus, system and method for adhesive fixturing include UV light sources in alignment with gripper pins communicating through a fixture. A bus connector operably connects the UV light sources to a control box of the workcell. The control box controls the illumination of the UV light sources through the bus connector.

An apparatus, system and method for adhesive fixturing include UV light sources in alignment with gripper pins communicating through a fixture. A bus connector operably connects the UV light sources to a control box of the workcell. The control box controls the illumination of the UV light sources through the bus connector.

A method and system temporarily holds a workpiece, most suitably an aero engine turbine blade element during manufacture. The workholding system includes a support body with a contoured body surface, complementary to a workpiece surface, formed of a transparent material to define a bonding zone. The support body is supported by a base to form a workpiece shuttle, and a bond station receives the workpiece shuttle. Complementary zero-point locating elements on the shuttle and station assure accurate positioning. The bond station further has workpiece locating elements configured to accurately position the workpiece on the shuttle in a predetermined position relative to the zero-point locating elements of the shuttle, thereby compensating for shuttle-to-shuttle variance. An adhesive, such as a UV curable adhesive, is applied to the bonding zone and cured by UV through the transparent material, thereby fixing the workpiece in the predetermined position.

A machine for gluing a ring-shaped workpiece prior to machining operations. The machine includes a support assembly adapted to receive a removable support element having a top surface for receiving a workpiece; a glue dispenser system adapted to apply a predefined amount of glue on a face of at least one of the workpiece and the support element; a gripper assembly for placing a workpiece on the support element; an illuminating system adapted to illuminate the applied glue with ultraviolet light, this illuminating system including: at least one inner lighting element for radially illuminating an inner radial face of the ring-shaped workpiece with ultraviolet light, and at least one outer lighting element for radially illuminating an outer radial face of the ring-shaped workpiece with ultraviolet light.

An apparatus, system and method for adhesive fixturing include UV light sources that are connectable to a fixture when the fixture is not attached to the stage of a workcell. A support structure holds the UV light sources in alignment with gripper pins communicating through the fixture. A bus connector operably connects the UV light sources to a control box of the workcell. Attaching the UV light sources to the fixtures outside of the workcell increases the throughput of the workcell and reduces the cost of the fixtured work pieces.

A method and a support for holding a substrate, wherein the support is included in a transportation system configured to transport the substrate. The method includes attaching an adhesive to the support, wherein the material of the adhesive is a synthetic setae material and wherein the adhesive is configured to attach the substrate to the support; and attaching the adhesive to the substrate. Moreover, the thickness of the substrate is about 0.3 mm or less, and/or wherein the substrate has a size of 1.4 m.sup.2 or more. The support includes a support body and an adhesive, wherein the material of the adhesive is a synthetic setae material and wherein the adhesive is configured to attach the support body to the substrate, wherein the support is included in a transportation system configured to transport the substrate.