Adjustable Mold for Solar Mirror Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for shaping curved solar concentrating mirrors and metal panels are limited by shape accuracy, require expensive retooling for different shapes, and have high thermal inertia, leading to slow processing cycles and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A system with an adjustable mold shape formed by a two-dimensional array of coupling elements and position actuators, allowing for precise shaping of glass or metal sheets or panels with minimal thermal inertia, enabling rapid heating and cooling, and the ability to form various shapes without retooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional rigid dish-shaped steel molds are used for sagging glass mirrors, then high shape accuracy can be achieved, but the manufacturing process requires expensive retooling for different shapes and has high thermal inertia leading to slow processing cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The mold surface is divided into multiple independently adjustable segments or zones. Each segment can be positioned separately using actuators, allowing the mold to be reconfigured into different shapes without requiring complete retooling. This segmentation enables the same physical mold structure to produce multiple mirror shapes.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic adjustable structure. actuators enable real-time modification of the mold surface geometry, allowing rapid reconfiguration between different mirror shapes. This dynamic capability eliminates the need for expensive retooling while maintaining shape accuracy.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional steel molds with high thermal inertia are used, then structural stability is maintained, but processing cycles become slow due to rapid heating and cooling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is segmented into multiple zones that can be independently temperature-controlled. This allows selective heating and cooling of different regions, reducing the overall thermal inertia effect and enabling faster processing cycles while maintaining structural stability through the support framework.
Solution Approach 2:
Pneumatic or hydraulic actuators are used to adjust the mold segments. These systems provide rapid response times and precise positioning without requiring the entire mold structure to undergo thermal changes, thereby reducing processing cycle time while maintaining structural integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If rollers are used for shaping glass mirrors after heating, then the process is simple, but shape accuracy is limited to greater than 1.5 mrad rms slope error and mostly cylindrical shapes
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using simple cylindrical rollers, the mold surface is segmented into multiple adjustable elements that can be positioned independently. This allows creation of complex non-cylindrical shapes with high precision while maintaining a relatively simple overall process flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold transitions from fixed cylindrical roller shapes to dynamically adjustable surfaces. actuators enable the mold to adapt its geometry to match the desired mirror shape, achieving high shape accuracy (>1.5 mrad rms) while maintaining ease of manufacture through automated adjustment rather than complex manual tooling.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution achieves high shape accuracy, reduces manufacturing time and costs by allowing the formation of diverse shapes with minimal adjustments, and enables rapid thermal cycling, improving the efficiency of solar collector and antenna panel production.
Implementation Method 1
heating the glass or metal sheet or panel which may be initially flat
Implementation Method 2
causing the glass or metal sheet or panel to deform and contact the molding surface
Implementation Method 3
cooling the glass or metal sheet or panel
Data Source
AI summary
A system for shaping glass or metal sheets or panels for use in solar collectors or microwave antennae may include an oven and an adjustable mold. The adjustable mold may comprise a molding surface located within the oven. The molding surface may be coupled to position actuators located outside of the oven via coupling elements. A sheet or panel may be placed in the oven and heated until the sheet or panel softens and takes the shape of the molding surface. The molding surface may be adjusted to achieve different shapes for glass or metal sheets or panels.