Circular Needle-Punching Loom Transport Layer with Rotary Bed Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for manufacturing carbon/carbon brake disks using circular needle-punching looms are inefficient due to extra steps in maintenance, cleaning, and removal of preforms from brush bed plates, leading to reduced production rates and increased costs, along with insufficient anchorage causing transport interruptions and part-to-part variations.
Innovation Solution
A transport layer system with a carbonized carbon fiber layer secured on a robust substrate, such as cotton or polyester, is used to facilitate the securement and rotation of carbon fibers on both stationary and rotating bed plates, utilizing engagement members like pins, clamps, and combs to enhance fiber distribution and reduce delamination, allowing for efficient needling and easy removal of preforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a brush bed plate is used to prepare a net shape brake preform, then the transport and needling specifications are met, but maintenance and cleaning steps are added, substantially increasing manufacturing time and reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the brush component from the bed plate, separating the transport function from the needling function. The bed plate is divided into a stationary portion and a rotary portion, with the brush being removed entirely. This allows the preform to be transported on a smooth bed plate without the maintenance and cleaning requirements of a brush bed plate, while still meeting transport specifications through the rotary mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The bed plate is segmented into distinct functional zones: a stationary portion for initial positioning and a rotary portion for transport and needling. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently, with the rotary portion providing the necessary transport function without requiring a brush, thereby reducing maintenance time and improving productivity.
2Ease of operation
If a brush bed plate is used, then fiber transport is enabled, but the brush characteristics change over time, resulting in higher maintenance and part-to-part characteristic variations
Solution Approach 1:
The brush is completely removed from the system, replacing it with a smooth bed plate surface. This eliminates the problem of changing brush characteristics over time, as the smooth surface provides consistent, stable contact with the preform throughout operation, thereby reducing part-to-part characteristic variations and maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a rotary mechanism that dynamically transports the preform along the bed plate surface. This dynamic transport system maintains consistent contact pressure and friction characteristics throughout the operation, providing stable fiber transport without the degradation issues associated with stationary brush systems.
3Ease of manufacture
If a brush bed plate is used, then preform fabrication is possible, but removal of the finished preform from the bed plate creates extra steps, reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary portion of the bed plate is designed to easily release the finished preform through controlled rotation and friction management. This dynamic mechanism allows for rapid preform removal without requiring additional cleaning or maintenance steps, significantly reducing the time loss associated with preform removal while maintaining fabrication quality.
Data Source
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AI summary
A circular needle loom (200) comprises a bed plate (230) for receiving a transport layer (100). Engagement members may be disposed proximate to the bed plate (230), such that the engagement members interface with a positional structure of the transport layer (100) that is used to position and rotate the transport layer (100) around the bed plate (230). The engagement members may be configured to rotate the transport layer (100) around the bed plate (230) until a predetermined number of fibers and/or layers are deposited on the transport layer (100) and/or bed plate (230) in order to create a needled preform.