CAD-Based Shredding Simulation for Liberated Particle Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack a reliable and comprehensive method to predict the output flows of shredded particles from complex multi-material structures (MMS) during recycling, failing to link product design data with shredding performance and relying on heuristic rules without clear methodologies.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a mesh-based or voxel-based product representation from a CAD model to simulate the shredding process, considering joint survival probabilities, which splits the product into liberated and non-liberated particles, enabling accurate estimation of shredded material flows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If matrix-based numerical methods are used to describe input feed and outcome in terms of material or liberation classes, then recycling rates can be calculated, but the methods lack clear methodology and formulas and rely on heuristic rules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex heuristic rules and fuzzy logic with a deterministic physics-based model that uses mechanical principles of shredding. The model substitutes subjective expert judgment with objective mathematical relationships between joint properties, shredding energy, and liberation probability, eliminating the need for complex matrix-based numerical methods while improving prediction accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the approach by changing from abstract material classes to specific joint-level parameters. It introduces measurable parameters such as joint strength, joint geometry, and shredding energy density to predict liberation outcomes. This parameter transformation enables clear mathematical formulas instead of heuristic rules, resolving the contradiction between precision and complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If commercial simulation packages like HSC Sim are used, then basic recycling modeling is available, but reliability of results is unknown and validation is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-validation by incorporating measurable joint properties and shredding parameters that can be directly measured from actual products and processes. The model uses real-world data inputs (joint strengths, geometries, shredding energies) to produce predictable outcomes that can be verified against actual recycling results, eliminating the need for external validation while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where simulation results can be compared with actual recycling outcomes. The model incorporates measurable parameters that allow for verification and adjustment based on real-world performance, creating a closed-loop system that continuously improves reliability through empirical validation rather than relying on unknown commercial package accuracy.
3Productivity
If available models abstract product design data into matrices without linking back to design data, then simulation can be performed, but designers cannot link input data and results back to the design product
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the product structure that preserves the original design information. Instead of abstracting data into lossless matrices, the model maintains a detailed representation of joints, materials, and geometries that can be directly traced back to the original CAD model. This copying approach allows bidirectional linking between design inputs and simulation results without information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the product into individual joints and components, allowing each element to be analyzed separately while maintaining its connection to the overall product structure. This segmentation enables detailed tracking of how specific design features affect shredding behavior, preserving information about individual joint properties and their contribution to overall liberation outcomes.
4Manufacturing precision
If shredding is used to liberate joined materials, then separation and recycling efficiency is improved, but energy consumption and equipment investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using simulation to predict liberation outcomes before actual shredding occurs. Designers can evaluate different product designs and joint configurations virtually to identify configurations that will liberate more easily during shredding. This preliminary assessment allows optimization of design for recyclability without incurring the full energy cost of multiple physical shredding trials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables parameter changes in the design phase by allowing designers to modify joint properties, material selections, and geometries based on simulation feedback. By changing design parameters to favor easier liberation (such as selecting weaker joint types or optimizing joint geometries), the actual shredding energy consumption can be reduced while maintaining high liberation degrees.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is therefore the objective of the present invention to provide a method for estimating the output flows of shredded particles of a product after a simulated shredding process that allows to benefit from product design data and deliver a result quality being reliable in terms of the real shredded material flows in real shredding operations. This objective is achieved according to the present invention by a method for estimating the output flows of shredded particles of a product after a simulated shredding process; said method comprising the steps of: a) using an input CAD model of the product to define a mesh-based or voxel-based product representation; said product representation comprising a set of parts and connections between the parts for parts which are jointly connected; b) determining a range of the particle size of the shredded particles thereby reflecting the grate of a shredding machine; c) determining a probability for a joint survival for a joint of two or more parts of the product after the shredding process; and d) running a simulation of the shredding process for the mesh- or voxel-based product representation thereby determining the flow of shredded particles that are fully liberated and the flow of shredded particles that are non-liberated in the dependency of the determined probability for the joint survival. This method enables the simulation of the shredding process by a transfer of the input CAD model of the product into the product representation comprising also the joints of parts of the product. With the help of the determined probability of joints survival during the shredding process, a clear determination on the flows of liberated and non-liberated particles can be made allowing to further evaluate the following recycling options.