Ceramic Mould Internal Constraining Means for Casting Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current porous moulds used in solid casting for ceramic sanitaryware products face issues with elastic or bending deformation due to high pressure, leading to unwanted off-gauge thicknesses and potential damage to the male part, resulting in product rejection and reduced mould life.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating internal constraining means within the mould cavity to securely position and stabilize the mould parts, allowing precise casting and reducing errors, while maintaining the original mould architecture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high pressure is applied during casting to form solid cast products, then the product walls acquire sufficient thickness and solidity, but elastic or bending deformation occurs leading to off-gauge thicknesses and potential damage to the male mould part
Solution Approach 1:
The mould is divided into two independent half-parts (male and female) that can be positioned and constrained separately. Internal constraining means are distributed at multiple locations within the cavity to segment the stress distribution and prevent overall bending deformation of the male mould part during high-pressure casting
Solution Approach 2:
Internal constraining means (protrusions and recesses) are pre-positioned within the mould cavity before casting. These constraints apply preliminary counteracting forces to prevent elastic or bending deformation of the male mould part before the full casting pressure is applied, thereby maintaining wall thickness precision
2Productivity
If the male mould part surfaces completely interpenetrate the female part, then direct pressure transfer occurs for efficient casting, but high pressure on large projecting surfaces causes bending deformation and mould damage
Solution Approach 1:
The male mould part is segmented by adding internal constraining means (multiple protrusions at different locations) that divide the large projecting surface into smaller, supported sections. This segmentation allows direct pressure transfer for efficient casting while preventing bending deformation by distributing the load across multiple constraint points
Solution Approach 2:
Internal constraining means act as intermediary elements between the male and female mould parts. These protrusions and recesses provide intermediate support points that facilitate direct pressure transfer while mediating the stress distribution to prevent bending deformation and damage to the male mould part
3Manufacturing precision
If material is eroded from the male mould part to compensate for thickness errors, then more acceptable thickness values are achieved, but the mould life is reduced and thicknesses remain off-gauge
Solution Approach 1:
Internal constraining means are incorporated into the mould design before casting operations begin. These constraints preliminarily establish the correct spacing and positioning between male and female mould parts, preventing thickness errors from occurring in the first place rather than requiring corrective erosion later, thereby extending mould life
Solution Approach 2:
The internal constraining means are created by copying the desired final thickness specifications into the mould structure itself through protrusions and recesses. This copying of the target dimension into the mould geometry ensures consistent reproduction of correct wall thicknesses without requiring material erosion
Data Source
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AI summary
A mould for making ceramic products (1) comprises at least two parts (2, 3) which can be coupled to each other to form, in a closed configuration, a cavity (4) for casting the ceramic product (1) by filling a liquid mixture (5) into it under pressure; internal constraining means (6) are positioned and operative between at least two inside surfaces (2a, 3a) of the mould (S) parts (2, 3), which form portions of the walls of the cavity (4) in order to keep the two parts (2, 3) securely in place after being positioned face to face relative to each other in the closed configuration; the internal constraining means (6) are made directly on the respective inside surfaces (2a, 3a) of the mould (S) parts (2, 3); the means (6) are designed to be interconnected, that is, to interpenetrate in such a way as to create a stable relative position between the mould (S) parts (2, 3).[Figure 3]