Glass fiber board trimming device and method

Abstract

The invention discloses a glass fiber board trimming device and method, and belongs to the technical field of glass fiber board processing equipment. The device comprises a water tank, wherein the wall of the water tank is provided with a material opening for inserting a workpiece; a volume adjusting mechanism composed of a movable partition plate and a driving air cylinder is arranged in the water tank. The reciprocating motion of the movable partition plate can be linked with the inflator to inflate the air bag and store air pressure. During operation, the effective volume of the water tank is changed through the volume adjusting mechanism, so that the water level can be changed up and down at the material port, and the switching between safe placement and underwater trimming of a workpiece is realized. When sewage needs to be cleaned, the compressed air stored in the air bag is released to the bottom of the water tank, a large number of bubbles are generated to stir and suspend scraps sinking to the bottom, and then the sewage and the scraps are thoroughly discharged together through the electric control gate valve. Underwater trimming is achieved, the problem of dust pollution is effectively solved, meanwhile, mechanical energy in the trimming process is utilized for pressure storage, bubbles are generated through the energy in the pollution discharge process, and the pollution discharge efficiency and cleanliness are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of processing equipment technology, and in particular to an apparatus and its operating method for cutting or trimming fiberglass boards. Background Technology

[0002] Fiberglass boards (such as FR-4 and G-10 epoxy fiberglass laminates) are widely used in electronics, aerospace, and rail transportation due to their excellent mechanical strength, electrical insulation properties, and chemical resistance. Precise cutting and trimming of the fiberglass boards are essential processes in their production.

[0003] Currently, the industry primarily uses dry cutting for edge trimming of fiberglass boards, which involves direct processing using high-speed rotating saw blades or milling cutters. This method suffers from a series of serious and insurmountable drawbacks: 1. Severe Dust Pollution: Fiberglass is a brittle material, generating a large amount of fine fiberglass dust during high-speed cutting. This dust is lightweight and easily disperses and suspends in the workshop air, making it difficult to settle and collect. This not only results in an extremely harsh production environment, but more seriously, these fine dust particles with sharp edges pose a direct threat to the health of operators. Long-term inhalation can lead to serious respiratory diseases (such as silicosis), and skin contact can cause itching, allergies, and other symptoms. Furthermore, this conductive or corrosive dust can adhere to other precision equipment, increasing equipment failure rates and shortening its lifespan.

[0004] 2. Potential Product Quality Issues: During dry cutting, the high-speed friction between the cutting tool and the sheet metal generates a large amount of heat, which may cause localized softening or even scorching of the epoxy resin matrix in the sheet metal, affecting the quality of the cut edges. In severe cases, it may also cause edge delamination, burrs, and other problems, affecting the final performance and assembly accuracy of the product.

[0005] 3. Noise pollution: High-speed cutting itself generates harsh noise, which negatively affects workers' hearing health and work mood.

[0006] To address the aforementioned issues, some advanced production processes have begun to explore underwater or wet trimming methods. This involves cutting in a water tank or under continuous cooling spray. This method effectively suppresses dust splashing, reduces cutting temperature and noise, and represents an important direction for technological development. However, existing underwater trimming devices still face the following technical challenges: 1. Difficulty in workpiece placement and sealing: It is challenging to conveniently and quickly place large-sized fiberglass boards into the water tank. Vertically hoisting them from the top of the tank is cumbersome, requires significant vertical space, and has low automation. If a material inlet is opened on the side wall of the tank, water leakage must be addressed; traditional sealing methods cannot withstand water pressure and are prone to wear and failure during frequent workpiece insertion and removal.

[0007] 2. Low cleaning efficiency and difficult maintenance: This is the most challenging problem in underwater trimming. Fiberglass is denser than water, and the shredded material quickly sinks to the bottom of the tank. As processing volume increases, this material mixes with a small amount of cutting oil, forming a hard-to-flow "mud-like" sediment. Traditional drainage methods, such as simply opening the drain valve, are insufficient to remove this heavy, settled material due to the slow water flow. This necessitates periodic shutdowns and manual cleaning of the tank, significantly impacting production continuity and efficiency. While a circulating filtration system is an option, the filtration device itself is expensive, bulky, and easily clogged by sticky fiberglass debris, presenting similar maintenance challenges.

[0008] Therefore, the market urgently needs a new type of glass fiberboard trimming device that can not only achieve dust-free and environmentally friendly underwater trimming, but also fundamentally solve the technical pain points of inconvenient workpiece placement, difficult water tank cleaning, and low efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The main objective of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a novel, energy-saving and environmentally friendly glass fiber board trimming device and method that enables convenient underwater trimming and efficient automatic cleaning.

[0010] The above-mentioned technical objective of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solution: a glass fiber board trimming device, comprising: a water tank for containing liquid, wherein the wall of the water tank is provided with a material inlet for inserting the workpiece to be trimmed; a volume adjustment mechanism disposed in the water tank for changing the effective volume of the water tank to adjust the liquid level inside, so that the liquid level can change between below and above the material inlet; a pressure accumulator mechanism linked to the volume adjustment mechanism for converting the mechanical energy generated by the volume adjustment mechanism during the adjustment process into and storing it in the form of air pressure; and a cleaning and venting mechanism connected to the pressure accumulator mechanism and the water tank for selectively releasing the stored air pressure into the liquid in the water tank to generate bubbles to agitate the liquid.

[0011] Preferably, the present invention also provides a method for trimming the edge of a fiberglass board, which employs the aforementioned trimming device and includes the following steps: S1: Water injection and feeding: Activate the volume adjustment mechanism to increase the effective volume of the water tank. After the liquid level drops below the feed inlet, insert the glass fiber board to be trimmed into the water tank through the feed inlet. S2: Liquid raising and trimming: Activate the volume adjustment mechanism to reduce the effective volume of the water tank. After the liquid level rises and completely submerges the part of the fiberglass board to be trimmed, perform underwater trimming. S3: Energy storage: In steps S1 and S2, the movement of the volume adjustment mechanism is linked to the pressure storage mechanism to perform air filling and pressure storage.

[0012] S4: Agitation and Discharge: When it is necessary to clean the trimming debris in the water tank, open the electric control valve of the water tank and start the cleaning and venting mechanism at the same time. The gas stored in the accumulator is discharged into the water to form bubbles. Under the agitation of the bubbles, the debris and sewage are discharged together.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention eliminates the generation and spread of fiberglass dust at its source by conducting the entire trimming process underwater. All the shavings are immediately captured and settled by the water, completely solving the serious air pollution problem caused by traditional dry cutting. This not only creates a clean and safe working environment for workers, effectively protecting their respiratory system and skin health, but also avoids damage to other precision equipment in the workshop from dust, thus improving the overall production management level.

[0014] 2. This invention combines the functions of "volume regulation" and "energy-storage cleaning." During each routine water level adjustment operation, the mechanical energy consumed in driving the movable baffle is converted into the potential energy of high-pressure air and stored by a synchronized air pump and airbag system. This process effectively recovers some energy that would otherwise be wasted. In the cleaning process, this "zero-cost" stored high-pressure air becomes the power source for powerful cleaning, eliminating the need to operate a high-power air compressor or water pump, significantly reducing the overall energy consumption of the device and meeting the requirements of green manufacturing and sustainable development.

[0015] 3. This invention generates a powerful "airlift" or "explosion" effect by instantly releasing a large amount of high-pressure gas to the bottom of the tank, creating a strong, upward-flowing turbulent water flow. This water flow easily agitates and separates hardened, settled heavy glass fiber debris, suspending it evenly in the water. This debris is then easily and thoroughly carried away by the water flow during drainage. The entire cleaning process is fast and automated, requiring no manual intervention. It reduces the previous downtime of several hours for cleaning to a few minutes of automatic operation, greatly improving equipment utilization and production continuity.

[0016] 4. This invention, by setting a side-wall material inlet and coordinating with a liquid level lifting function, enables the horizontal insertion and removal of workpieces. Compared to traditional vertical hoisting, this method is more labor-saving, faster, and easier to integrate with automated loading and unloading robotic arms and other equipment, laying the foundation for a fully automated production line. When inserting the workpiece, the water level is below the material inlet to ensure no leakage; during processing, the water level is above the workpiece to ensure full immersion. The entire process is smooth, safe, and reliable. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the trimming device of the present invention in the state of increased water tank volume; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the trimming device of the present invention in the state of reduced water tank volume; Figure 3 This is a bottom view of the trimming device of the present invention, used to show the installation layout of the bottom airbag and air pump; Figure 4 This is a partially enlarged structural diagram of the feed inlet of the present invention; Figure 5 For along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the AA line shows the internal structure of the device with the water tank volume increased; Figure 6 For along Figure 2 The cross-sectional view of the BB line shows the internal structure of the device when the water tank volume is reduced.

[0018] The diagram includes the following components: 1. Water tank; 2. Limiting pad; 3. Water inlet valve; 4. Electrically controlled gate valve; 5. Movable partition; 6. Fixed plate; 7. Drive cylinder; 8. Air pump; 9. Air bag; 101. Feed port; 102. Elastic membrane; 103. Feed slot; 104. Elastic sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0021] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0022] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0023] This invention provides a glass fiberboard trimming device, which is mounted on a stable frame constructed from welded or bolted steel sections. The core of the device is a rectangular water tank 1, preferably made of SUS304 or SUS316 stainless steel to resist corrosion from water and potential trace chemicals during long-term use. The volume of the water tank 1 is designed based on the maximum size of the glass fiberboard to be processed. (Refer to...) Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 The external piping system of the water tank 1 includes an inlet valve 3 located on one side for water injection, and an electrically controlled gate valve 4 installed on the upper part of the opposite side wall for controlling drainage.

[0024] This device achieves precise raising and lowering of the liquid level through a volume adjustment mechanism. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, one side of the water tank 1 is a structurally reinforced fixed plate 6, which provides a rigid reference for the entire mechanism. The dimensions of the movable baffle 5 match the internal cross-section of the water tank 1. A U-shaped dynamic sealing ring made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or wear-resistant rubber is provided between its four edges and the inner wall of the water tank 1. This sealing ring ensures smooth movement of the movable baffle 5 while effectively preventing liquid leakage from the gap between the baffle 5 and the tank wall. The drive source consists of multiple parallel-arranged, preferably double-acting, drive cylinders 7. Using multiple cylinders 7 allows the driving force to be evenly distributed on the movable baffle 5, preventing it from tilting or jamming during movement. The inlet and outlet ports of each drive cylinder 7 are connected to an external air source through a solenoid valve assembly, and their synchronous extension and retraction are uniformly controlled by a central control system. To ensure precise and consistent endpoint positions for each operation, a limiting pad 2 made of wear-resistant polymer or hard rubber is provided at the inner bottom of the water tank 1, defining the maximum stroke endpoint of the movable baffle 5.

[0025] To facilitate the placement of workpieces, such as Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, a feed inlet 101 is provided on the side wall of the water tank 1 away from the movable partition 5. A composite sealing assembly is installed at the feed inlet 101. This assembly consists of an elastic membrane 102 as a basic sealing layer and an elastic sealing ring 104 as a reinforcing seal. The elastic membrane 102 is preferably made of neoprene rubber reinforced with fabric, which has high tear resistance, and has a feed slit 103. The elastic sealing ring 104 is embedded around the feed slit 103 and is preferably made of a material with low compression set, such as polyurethane. When the fiberglass board is inserted, the elastic sealing ring 104 is subjected to radial compression, generating a greater local sealing stress than the elastic membrane 102, tightly binding it to the surface of the board and forming a high-pressure line seal. This is the core guarantee to prevent liquid leakage from this point when the water level is high. This "water-feeding-water-lifting" operation mode makes it possible to insert and remove large-size boards horizontally. Compared with the traditional method of vertical hoisting from the top of the equipment, it greatly reduces the difficulty of operation and the requirements for workshop height. The operation is safer and less labor-intensive, and it is very easy to integrate with horizontally moving automated loading and unloading robotic arms, laying the foundation for realizing a fully automated production process.

[0026] The energy-saving characteristics of this device are reflected in its unique pressure accumulator mechanism. For example... Figure 3As shown, the mechanism includes multiple air pumps 8 acting as piston-type air compressors and an air bladder 9 acting as an energy storage container. The piston rod of the air pump 8 moves in complete synchronization with the movement of the movable baffle 5. This design efficiently converts the mechanical energy consumed by the driven cylinder 7 pushing the movable baffle 5, which would otherwise be wasted, into the potential energy of high-pressure air and stores it through a simple and reliable mechanical transmission. The entire energy recovery process requires no external power drive, providing a "zero-cost" power source for subsequent cleaning processes. A one-way valve is provided on the air inlet pipe connecting the air pumps 8 and the air bladder 9 to ensure one-way accumulation of air pressure. The air bladder 9 is preferably a bladder-type energy accumulator made of high-strength cord fabric and inner and outer rubber layers. To ensure safety, the pressure accumulator system is also equipped with a pressure sensor to provide real-time air pressure feedback to the control system and a mechanical safety valve as redundant protection to prevent system overpressure.

[0027] To achieve the "explosive" sewage discharge effect, the design of the cleaning and exhaust mechanism has also been optimized. The exhaust valve connecting the airbag 9 to the bottom of the water tank 1 should be a large-diameter, high-response solenoid valve or a pneumatic angle seat valve to ensure that high-pressure air is released impactfully in a very short time. The layout of the exhaust pipe at the bottom of the water tank 1 can be designed as an array of aeration pipes with multiple small holes. The direction and angle of these holes are specially designed to make the ejected airflow form a rotating and tumbling vortex, thereby maximizing the agitation of sediment throughout the bottom and avoiding cleaning dead zones.

[0028] Operating methods and procedures of the device The entire workflow of this device is fully automated, controlled by a PLC-based central control system. One work cycle is as follows: First, the system initializes, driving cylinder 7 to return the movable baffle 5 to its initial position, ensuring the water level is below the feed inlet 101. Upon receiving the "workpiece in position" signal, the system drives cylinder 7 to push the movable baffle 5 forward, causing the water level to rise smoothly to the preset processing height. At this point, the entire processing area is completely submerged in water, and the subsequent trimming process will be carried out underwater. All dust and debris generated will be immediately captured by the liquid, fundamentally eliminating the possibility of dust spreading into the workshop environment, achieving a clean and environmentally friendly operation. Trimming begins. Throughout this complete cycle of rising and falling, the air pump 8, linked to the movable baffle 5, remains operational, continuously replenishing compressed air into the air chamber 9. After processing is complete, the system reverses its operation, causing the water level to drop. Once the water level is below the feed inlet 101, the workpiece can be safely removed, and the system is ready to enter the next cycle.

[0029] Once the system has completed a preset number of operation cycles, or if manually triggered by the operator, it will automatically execute a cleaning cycle. The control system will first open the upper electrically controlled gate valve 4, and then immediately open the exhaust valve of the airbag 9. The stored high-pressure air will instantly rush into the discharged water, generating a strong "airlift explosion" effect in the water, forming a powerful, kinetic vortex rising from the bottom. This vortex is sufficient to instantly wash away, peel off, and fluidize the dense glass fiber debris "mud" layer that has hardened and adhered to the bottom of the water tank 1 after long-term operation, suspending it evenly in the sewage. This is a significant improvement over traditional cleaning methods that rely solely on the flow of water from the drain outlet, which cannot remove sediment, ensuring thorough sewage discharge. After the sewage discharge time is over, the PLC closes the electrically controlled gate valve 4 and the exhaust valve. At this point, the water tank 1 is basically emptied and cleaned, and the system automatically executes the water filling program to replenish the water level to the standby height, preparing to start a new operation cycle.

[0030] In summary, this invention provides a trimming device and method for fiberglass boards. This solution utilizes a movable baffle 5 that moves within a water tank 1 to alter the effective volume of the tank, thereby adjusting the liquid level to accommodate the feeding operation of the side-wall feed inlet 101. Simultaneously, the reciprocating motion of the movable baffle 5 is linked to an air pump 8, converting the mechanical energy driving the baffle 5 into compressed air, which is stored in an air bladder 9, achieving synchronous energy recovery. During the cleaning and drainage process, the device releases the compressed air stored in the air bladder 9 from the bottom of the water tank 1. The agitation of the air bubbles suspends the settled solid debris in the water, allowing it to be discharged along with the wastewater via the electrically controlled gate valve 4. This invention solves the dust pollution problem of dry cutting through underwater trimming, improves the ease of workpiece placement by adjusting the liquid level in conjunction with the side-wall feed inlet 101, and enhances the cleaning efficiency of settled debris by utilizing the recovered compressed air to generate agitation.

[0031] The above are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A trimming device for fiberglass boards, characterized in that, include: A water tank (1) is used to contain liquid, and the wall of the water tank is provided with a material inlet (101) for inserting the workpiece to be trimmed. A volume adjustment mechanism is provided in the water tank (1) to change the effective volume of the water tank (1) to adjust the liquid level inside it, so that the liquid level can change between below and above the feed inlet (101); The pressure storage mechanism, which is linked to the volume adjustment mechanism, is used to convert the mechanical energy generated by the volume adjustment mechanism during the adjustment process into air pressure and store it. The cleaning and venting mechanism is connected to the pressure storage mechanism and the water tank (1) and is used to selectively release the stored air pressure into the liquid in the water tank (1) to generate bubbles to agitate the liquid.

2. The trimming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The volume adjustment mechanism includes: A fixing plate (6) is fixed to one side of the water tank (1); The movable partition (5) is movably installed inside the water tank (1) and is positioned opposite to the fixed plate (6); A drive cylinder (7) has its fixed end connected to the fixed plate (6) and its movable end connected to the movable partition (5), and is used to drive the movable partition (5) to reciprocate.

3. The trimming device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pressure storage mechanism includes: An air pump (8) is connected at one end to the movable partition (5) and performs inflation operations as the movable partition (5) reciprocates. The air bag (9) is connected to the air pump (8) through an air inlet pipe equipped with a one-way valve, and is used to store the air pump (8) filled in.

4. The trimming device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cleaning and venting mechanism includes an vent pipe, one end of which is connected to the airbag (9), and the other end extends to the bottom of the interior of the water tank (1), and the vent pipe is equipped with a controllable vent valve.

5. The trimming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A sealing assembly is provided at the feed inlet (101), the sealing assembly comprising: An elastic membrane (102) is used to seal the feed inlet (101); The feed slit (103) is formed on the elastic membrane (102); An elastic sealing ring (104) is provided around the feed slot (103).

6. The trimming device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water tank (1) is also equipped with an inlet valve (3) for filling water and an electrically controlled gate valve (4) for draining water.

7. The trimming device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom of the water tank (1) is provided with a limiting pad (2) to limit the movement range of the movable partition (5).

8. A method for trimming the edge of a fiberglass board, comprising using the trimming apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Water injection and feeding: Start the volume adjustment mechanism to increase the effective volume of the water tank (1). After the liquid level drops below the feed port (101), insert the glass fiber board to be trimmed into the water tank (1) through the feed port (101). S2: Liquid raising and trimming: Activate the volume adjustment mechanism to reduce the effective volume of the water tank (1). After the liquid level rises and completely submerges the glass fiber board to be trimmed, underwater trimming operation is carried out. S3: Energy storage: In steps S1 and S2, the movement of the volume adjustment mechanism is linked to the pressure storage mechanism to perform air filling and pressure storage.

9. The trimming method according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes cleaning and sewage discharge steps: S4: Agitation and Discharge: When it is necessary to clean the trimming debris in the water tank (1), open the electric control gate valve (4) of the water tank (1) and start the cleaning and exhaust mechanism at the same time to discharge the gas stored in the accumulator into the water to form bubbles. Under the agitation of the bubbles, the debris and sewage are discharged together.

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