Assembly-tool damage needs a location-specific assessment of the insulating support. Identify indentation, fibre lifting or cracks against the affected mechanical and electrical region to decide the part’s disposition. [1]
Calculation basis. Project-specific values and gates in the illustrative screens below are assumptions; cited catalogue values retain their source test conditions.
Locate the damage relative to the working geometry. A mark on a washer seat, hole ligament or electrically stressed interface affects a different duty from a shallow mark on a remote handling surface.
A damage map for the affected region
| Finding | Examination focus | Disposition question |
|---|---|---|
| Surface impression without visible fracture | Depth, remaining profile and contact area | Does the qualified dimensional and surface evidence still represent it? |
| Fiber lift, chip or local material loss | Transferable residue and functional envelope | Has bearing, fit or the electrical surface changed? |
| Crack or layer opening | Extent below the surface and relation to the load path | Is further examination or part replacement required by the design disposition? |
| Metal transfer or foreign residue | Composition and affected electrical region | Can the qualified cleanliness route establish acceptable condition? |
Keep photographs with scale and the part datum before cleaning or moving the damaged region. A stain, metallic smear and a resin-discoloured area can look similar under casual lighting. The identification method should suit the uncertainty rather than assume every dark mark is harmless dirt.
Extend inspection along the mechanism
For damage near a hole or notch, examine the remaining ligament and opposite face. A local crack can extend beyond the original tool imprint. Where the surface cannot establish depth, use a qualified internal method or representative examination appropriate to the material.
For a loaded contact, check seating and the resulting footprint. An indentation can change local pressure even when the total support thickness is still within tolerance. Recovered overall shape does not prove the contact region is intact.
For an electrically exposed surface, identify nearby conductors, oil spaces and potential boundaries. A visual category cannot establish discharge or withstand performance. Assess the changed profile and material condition using the applicable design evidence.
Glass-epoxy and densified wood require their own damage interpretation. For a glass-fibre bracket, map fibre breakage and layer separation at the affected load path. A transformerwood datasheet likewise does not approve a cracked support.
Do not turn the assessment into an improvised sanding instruction. Material removal can alter a critical radius, expose reinforcement or reduce a ligament. Any cleaning, machining or repair must follow an approved route with the relevant post-work checks.
Feed the tool-contact location back into assembly control. If repeated damage occurs at the same approach or fixture position, correct that contact before examining the next set of parts. The immediate decision remains specific to the affected support and its mechanical and electrical region.
Measure the damaged zone against the critical section
Match the material identity and relevant test direction before comparing densified-wood evidence [2].
Assume a tool mark removes 0.5 mm from a 5.0 mm critical ligament. Net thickness is 4.5 mm and nominal axial net-section stress at unchanged width and direct force rises by 5/4.5 − 1 = 11.1%, before stress concentration. Map the damage depth, fibre or ply direction and local electric field before accepting a cosmetic repair.
References
- Röchling Industrial, Lignostone L I/2-E3-HQ (P2R), Technical Data Sheet, version 2.0, released 20 September 2023.
- IEC, IEC 61061-2:1992, Specification for non-impregnated, densified laminated wood for electrical purposes — Part 2: Methods of test.