Carpet Dyeing with Multi-Color Roll Transitions and Low Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carpet manufacturers face challenges in producing a wide variety of colors and styles without carrying large inventories of less popular varieties, as existing dyeing processes result in significant waste and inefficiencies, particularly when switching between colors on a roll, leading to high inventory costs and waste.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for dyeing carpet rolls that allows for efficient production of multiple colors on a single roll by sequencing orders based on color popularity, inventory levels, and visual effect, using a multi-port valve system to minimize waste and optimize dye usage, and a computer apparatus to map orders to greige rolls for optimal usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a vacuum purge system is used to evacuate a first dye color and simultaneously switch to a second dye color, then the transition time is reduced, but an unusable section of carpet of 18 inches or more in length is created
Solution Approach 1:
A purge section of undyed carpet acts as an intermediary between two differently dyed sections. This undyed buffer zone prevents direct contact between residual dye from the first color and the second dye color, eliminating visual blending effects while allowing faster transition without creating unusable carpet sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The carpet roll is segmented into distinct sections: a first dyed section, a purge section (undyed buffer zone), and a second dyed section. This segmentation allows each section to serve its specific function - the first section satisfies customer orders, the purge section prevents dye blending, and the second section enables quick color change without waste.
2Reliability
If a roll of carpet is dyed in one color and then warehoused, then inventory costs are incurred for less popular colors, but the ability to fulfill future orders is maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of carpet production from static (dyed in advance and stored) to dynamic (dyed to order with quick color change capability). By enabling multiple colors on a single roll and reducing transition time, the system can respond to varying customer demands without maintaining large inventories of less popular colors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for future orders by creating a flexible production capability rather than pre-dyeing specific colors. The quick-change dyeing system allows the manufacturer to rapidly produce different colors on demand, eliminating the need to warehouse less popular colors while maintaining the ability to fulfill future orders.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple colors are produced on a single roll with frequent color changes, then inventory flexibility is improved, but dyeing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dyeing system is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple colors on a single roll. The vacuum purge system and quick-change mechanism enable the same equipment to efficiently produce different colors without requiring separate dyeing lines, managing complexity through versatile equipment design.
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 approach reduces inventory costs and waste by enabling efficient production of multiple colors on a single roll with minimal unusable sections, optimizing the use of greige rolls, and allowing for 'dye-to-order' processing that aligns with customer demands, thereby reducing the need for large inventories of less popular colors.
Implementation Method 1
actuating at least one multi-port valve in the dye application system such that the first dye solution is applied to a first portion of the greige roll of carpet
Implementation Method 2
mixing a first dye solution for a first color in a first mixing system; mixing a second dye solution for a second color in a second mixing system
Implementation Method 3
actuating the at least one multi-port valve in the dye application system such that the first dye solution is applied to a first portion of the greige roll of carpet
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for “dye-to-order” carpet manufacturing that address deficiencies in the carpet manufacturing industry, some of which are discussed above. In one embodiment, an improved manufacturing system is provided that allows manufacturers to change colors “on the fly” (e.g., within a single roll) with minimal waste. In another embodiment, a dye-to-order processing system is provided that maps multiple orders to undyed carpet rolls such that usage of the undyed carpet rolls is optimized.