Additively Manufactured Spring Band Clamp for Non-Formable Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spring band clamp manufacturing processes are limited by material formability and design restrictions, restricting the selection of materials and functionality, as they require reforming beyond the elastic limit and cannot utilize non-formable materials.
Innovation Solution
The band element of the spring clamp is produced directly in its end form using additive manufacturing, allowing for the use of materials like metals, ceramics, and plastics, enabling the creation of structures and properties not achievable through conventional methods, such as local property gradients and varying material properties along the band element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional manufacturing processes (cutting and forming) are used to produce spring band clamps, then the production process is simple and well-established, but the material selection is restricted to formable materials only and design flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental manufacturing parameter from subtractive/forming processes to additive manufacturing. This enables the use of materials that cannot be conventionally formed (such as ceramics, plastics, and composite materials) while allowing complex geometries and local property variations to be directly manufactured without traditional forming constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical forming process (cutting, bending, and shaping through mechanical means) with an additive manufacturing process where material is deposited layer by layer under computational control. This substitution eliminates the need for materials to undergo plastic deformation and enables the use of brittle or non-formable materials.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional forming processes are used to create the final clamp shape, then the manufacturing process is straightforward, but material properties must remain uniform and within elastic limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by enabling different material properties at different locations within the same clamp component. Through additive manufacturing, the system can vary composition, density, and mechanical properties locally to optimize performance in specific regions (e.g., higher density in high-stress areas, varying elasticity along the band element) while maintaining overall dimensional precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite materials by combining different materials or material states within a single additive manufacturing process. This allows the creation of clamps with heterogeneous structures, such as metal-ceramic composites or graded materials, providing tailored mechanical properties throughout the component to meet specific functional requirements.
3Shape
If materials are formed beyond their elastic limit to achieve the final shape, then the desired geometry can be achieved, but material formability becomes a restricting factor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical forming (which requires material ductility and elastic-plastic deformation) with additive manufacturing. In this process, material is deposited in its final or near-final state layer by layer, eliminating the need for subsequent forming operations that would require the material to exceed its elastic limit. This enables the use of brittle materials like ceramics and plastics that cannot undergo plastic deformation.
4Productivity
If conventional manufacturing methods are used, then production is efficient with established processes, but complex structures and novel material properties cannot be created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing paradigm from efficient but limited conventional processes to additive manufacturing, which prioritizes design freedom and material versatility over traditional production efficiency metrics. The layer-by-layer construction enables complex internal structures, variable cross-sections, and heterogeneous material properties that cannot be achieved through conventional manufacturing, even if production time increases.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a spring band clamp and a method for manufacturing a spring band clamp comprising an annular band element (1) with two free end regions (2, 3) which are arranged at least partially adjacent to one another, wherein the band element (1) is additively manufactured, preferably element-wise or layer-wise, in particular wherein the layers forming the band element (1) are arranged in planes parallel to the plane of the ring, preferably the band element (1) is additively manufactured from at least one powder, preferably metal powder, in particular by powder bed fusion, preferably by means of a laser beam or by means of an electron beam.