Collapsible Braided Product Ring Apparatus for Composite Preform Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Braided products are prone to damage and difficult to handle during manufacturing and transportation due to their material qualities and size constraints, particularly in the context of composite preforms with large diameters and thin cross-sectional thickness.
Innovation Solution
A braided product ring apparatus with collapsible ring sections and keystone mechanisms that allow for adjustable diameters, enabling secure handling, transportation, and deployment of composite preforms by transitioning between production and removal diameters, facilitating the use of a self-contained tool for manufacturing and transportation without the need for additional components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a rigid ring apparatus is used for manufacturing large-diameter composite preforms, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but transportation and handling become difficult and prone to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The ring apparatus is designed with collapsible sections that allow it to dynamically change its diameter. During manufacturing, the ring maintains its full production diameter to ensure precision. For transportation and storage, the ring can be collapsed to a smaller diameter, making it easier to handle and reducing the risk of damage. This dynamic transformation capability resolves the contradiction between maintaining manufacturing precision and improving ease of operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the ring apparatus maintains a constant large diameter for production, then manufacturing accuracy is ensured, but transportation space requirements increase and handling difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ring apparatus incorporates collapsible sections that enable it to change its volume dynamically. During the manufacturing process, the ring maintains its full production diameter to ensure the large-diameter composite preform is manufactured with the correct dimensions. After manufacturing, the ring can be collapsed to a compact size, significantly reducing the volume required for transportation and storage. This dynamic volume adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining manufacturing precision and reducing transportation volume.
3Ease of operation
If additional components are used to facilitate transportation of composite preforms, then handling ease improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ring apparatus is designed as a multi-functional tool that serves both manufacturing and transportation purposes. The collapsible sections allow the same ring structure to function as a rigid mandrel during manufacturing and as a compact transport carrier afterward. This eliminates the need for separate transportation fixtures or additional components, as the ring itself performs both functions. The multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between improving handling ease and reducing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A braided product ring apparatus utilizes combinations of movable ring sections and/or keystone sections to modify the braided product ring apparatus during production or to remove a braided product such as a composite preform from the braided product ring apparatus. Various methods for using the braided product ring apparatus are also set forth.