crt gun manufacturing process development
The typical fabrication of CRT Electron Guns was to hold all of the metal elements in place while "slamming" four glass rods, which were close to their molten state, over the support legs of the parts. The process required extremely expensive fixtures.
Ultimately the Electron Gun was placed inside a glass tube, (not shown).
It was proposed that the four glass rods be eliminated while using the outer tube for support. There are a number of manufacturing and engineering advantages with this new concept.
The parts were located and fastened in place by preheating the outer glass tube before four hydrogen-oxygen flames would soften the glass in 4 specific loca
It was proposed that the four glass rods be eliminated while using the outer tube for support. There are a number of manufacturing and engineering advantages with this new concept.
The parts were located and fastened in place by preheating the outer glass tube before four hydrogen-oxygen flames would soften the glass in 4 specific locations where probes would press the glass in and around the support legs.
The experimental equipment was used to develop the proof of concept process.
The gun parts were held by a series of fixtures which could be located via numerical control. The ability to position parts numerically provided two valuable advantages. First, because of numerical control, new product engineering would be able to easily fabric
The experimental equipment was used to develop the proof of concept process.
The gun parts were held by a series of fixtures which could be located via numerical control. The ability to position parts numerically provided two valuable advantages. First, because of numerical control, new product engineering would be able to easily fabricate experimental electron guns. New designs and/ or slight variations could be developed significantly faster by changing the parts and their distance along the center-line of the Gun.
Because of the repeatability of numerical control short fabrications of prototypes could easily be completed to test designs.
The second great advantage was the ability to translate the fundamental gun designs into 100% automated equipment for produce runs. All that was needed to produce desired designs were raw parts, and the "recipes".
Note: Not too long after the completion of this project, CRT's became obsolete by digital technology.