Patent ID: 8894055

Claim:
A support assembly for holding an elongated workpiece comprising: a first tensioning assembly and a second tensioning assembly spaced apart from the first tensioning assembly along a longitudinal axis, each tensioning assembly having a fixture element adapted to hold a portion of the workpiece and a tension actuator operably coupled to the fixture element to move the fixture element; a first lateral clamp device disposed on a first side of the longitudinal axis and a second lateral clamp device disposed on a second side of the longitudinal axis, each lateral clamp device having an end portion configured to hold a portion of the workpiece and restrain the workpiece for twisting and/or lateral movement of the workpiece orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and a clamp actuator operably coupled to the end portion to move the end portion; a sensor configured to provide an output signal based on movement of the first tensioning assembly; and a system controller operably coupled to each of the tensioning assemblies to operate the tension actuators and operably coupled to each of the lateral clamp devices to operate the clamp actuators, the system controller being configured to position the workpiece between the tensioning assemblies based on the output signal by controlling the tension actuators of the first tensioning assembly and the second tensioning assembly in an alternating manner so as to cause alternating movement of each corresponding fixture element away from each other.