Composite Engine Cover Production via Integrated Mold Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
The automobile industry faces challenges in reducing vehicle emissions, particularly through optimizing engine components like the engine cover, which requires both weight reduction and improved insulation, while existing production methods are inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A multiple mold process is used to simultaneously produce a composite engine cover with a thermoplastic shell and insulating foam, utilizing polyamide or polypropylene and a mixture of polyol, isocyanate, and CO2 foam, allowing for reduced thickness and incorporating a metallic punch to manage foam expansion, with additional steps for heat shielding and adherence enhancement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional sequential production method is used (making thermoplastic shell, cooling, then injecting foam), then each step can be performed with simple equipment, but production time is long (about 3 minutes for cooling alone) and production efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the thermoplastic shell molding and foam injection processes into a single integrated mold system. The mold contains both a thermoplastic molding cavity and a foam injection cavity, allowing both materials to be processed simultaneously in one operation rather than sequentially in separate steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The production process achieves continuity by eliminating the cooling waiting period and sequential steps. Both thermoplastic and foam materials are injected and cured simultaneously in the integrated mold, maintaining continuous productive action without idle cooling time between operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional sequential production method is used, then equipment complexity is low, but production cost is high due to multiple separate operations and post-production assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate manufacturing operations into a single integrated molding process. The unified mold system combines thermoplastic injection and foam injection capabilities, eliminating the need for separate equipment and post-assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated mold serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the thermoplastic molding cavity and the foam injection mold. This multi-functional design consolidates what would traditionally require separate specialized equipment into a single versatile system.
3Weight of moving object
If traditional production method is used, then equipment design is simple, but the engine cover thickness and weight are greater than necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different materials with appropriate local properties: thermoplastic material provides structural strength for the shell, while foam material provides insulation where needed. This localized material assignment optimizes weight by using each material only where its specific properties are most beneficial.
Solution Approach 2:
The engine cover is produced as a composite structure combining thermoplastic material and foam material in a single integrated component. This composite approach allows the cover to achieve optimal weight-to-strength ratio and insulation performance that would be difficult to achieve with homogeneous materials.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional production method is used, then production process is simple, but soundproofing and thermal insulation performance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure with thermoplastic shell providing structural integrity and foam core providing soundproofing and thermal insulation. This material combination achieves superior insulation performance compared to single-material constructions while maintaining production efficiency through simultaneous processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural shell and insulation layers are merged into a single integrated component produced in one operation. This eliminates the need for separate assembly of insulation materials and achieves both structural and insulation functions simultaneously, improving both performance and productivity.
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 method significantly reduces production time and costs, results in a thinner, more durable engine cover with improved soundproofing and thermal insulation, and eliminates the need for post-production assembly operations.
Implementation Method 1
awaiting the time for cooling the material, typically about 3 minutes
Implementation Method 2
after the necessary time for cooling said thermoplastic material, said multiple mold is opened and the solidified thermoplastic material is moved
Implementation Method 3
injection of a foam that expands within a suitable mold
Implementation Method 4
a mixture of polyol, isocyanate and CO2, commonly known with the name 'pur' as foam
Implementation Method 5
said male element of said second cell is provided with at least one punch, preferably metallic, adapted to contain the insulating foam during its expansion and solidification
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
Figure 3(c)~3(d)
AI summary
Multi-step method for producing a soundproof composite cover for internal combustion engines and product thus obtained, in order to produce a cover made of thermoplastic material (200) and insulating foam (300); said method making use of a multiple mold (100) made up of a first cell and at least one second cell (101-102), provided with a male element 10 (101.a-102.a) and a female element (101.b-102.b), said cells (101-102) able to take a first closed configuration and a second open configuration; said method being constituted by the following steps: A) Injection: the multiple mold (100) is closed and, through a channel (110), the thermoplastic material (200) is injected from a hot chamber (105) to the first cell 15 (101);B) Transfer: in which the thermoplastic material (200) solidifies and the multiple mold (100) is opened in order to move said solidified thermoplastic material (201) from the first cell (101) to the second cell (102); C) Foaming: the multiple mold (100) is closed and, while a new injection (A) occurs in 20 the first cell (101), an insulating foam (300) is injected into the second cell (102); D) Extraction: the double mold (100) is opened and, while the finished product is extracted from the second cell (102), a new transfer (B) occurs from the first cell (101).