Alternating Port Grid for Noncontact Support Platform Height Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing noncontact support platforms face challenges in maintaining precise control over the distance between a workpiece and the table top, and achieving uniform convective heat transfer, particularly at the edges of the workpiece, due to non-uniform distribution of air ports and abrupt changes in port distribution.
Innovation Solution
A noncontact support platform system with a table top featuring alternating pressure and vacuum ports arranged in a grid pattern, including longitudinal columns parallel to the motion, rotated columns at an oblique angle, and transition columns, ensuring uniform port distribution and convective heat transfer by optimizing port placement and spacing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If air return openings are arranged uniformly across the table top, then precise height control and uniform heat transfer are achieved, but the complexity of port arrangement and connection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air return openings are segmented into two functional groups: vacuum-connected openings for precise height control and atmospheric openings for simplified airflow. This segmentation allows the system to achieve precise control where needed while maintaining simplicity in other areas, resolving the contradiction between precision and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the table top have different port configurations - some areas have vacuum-connected openings for precise control, while other areas have atmospheric openings. This local differentiation allows the system to optimize for precision in critical areas while maintaining overall simplicity, addressing the contradiction between manufacturing precision and device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If vacuum is applied to all air return openings, then precise height control is achieved, but uniform convective heat transfer deteriorates due to non-uniform port distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies vacuum selectively to specific air return openings rather than uniformly across all openings. This local application of vacuum allows precise height control in critical areas while maintaining atmospheric pressure in other areas to ensure uniform convective heat transfer, thus resolving the contradiction between precision and temperature uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying vacuum to all openings (excessive action), the system applies vacuum only to the necessary portion of openings. This partial action achieves the required height control precision without disrupting the uniform airflow patterns needed for consistent heat transfer across the entire workpiece.
3Device complexity
If air ports are concentrated in specific areas, then device complexity is reduced, but heat transfer uniformity and height control precision deteriorate at workpiece edges
Solution Approach 1:
The alternating pattern of pressure and vacuum openings creates a balanced airflow field that distributes air uniformly across the entire table top surface. This equipotential distribution ensures that all areas, including workpiece edges, receive equivalent airflow for consistent heat transfer and height control, while the regular alternating pattern maintains relative simplicity in the port arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from concentrating ports in specific areas to distributing them across the entire surface in an alternating pattern. This dimensional redistribution of ports across the table top surface ensures uniform coverage and consistent performance across all workpiece areas without significantly increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A noncontact support platform system is configured to support a workpiece and includes pressure ports and vacuum ports that are interspersed on a top surface of a table. The ports are arranged along columns such that a pressure port alternates with a vacuum port along each column. The columns include at least one longitudinal column that is oriented substantially parallel to a direction of motion of the workpiece. Mutually parallel rotated columns are each oriented at an oblique angle to the direction of motion. At least one transition column is located between a longitudinal column and its proximal rotated column and has an orientation that is intermediate between the two columns that are adjacent to that transition column. Each vacuum port and pressure port is located at an intersection of a column with a row that is oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion.