Composite Wire Sheath Forming for Mold-Free Helical Springs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing complex composite structures, such as molded or extruded bodies for aerospace and automotive applications, are costly and limit large-scale production due to high tooling costs and non-removable components.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a yarn blank of fibers and unpolymerized resin, coated with a molten eutectic sheath, is translated and rotated to achieve the desired shape, with controlled cooling and polymerization, allowing for the production of complex shapes like helical springs without the need for expensive molds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional molding processes with drawers and complex elements are used, then demolding capability is improved, but production cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the demolding function from complex mold drawers and mechanisms, replacing it with a simple core that is melted away. The core serves only as a temporary support during manufacturing, then is removed by melting, eliminating the need for complex demolding mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of the core material from solid to liquid through controlled heating. The core is initially solid to provide structural support during manufacturing, then transformed to liquid state through melting to enable easy removal, thus simplifying the demolding process.
2Strength
If traditional molding processes are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but large-scale production capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a disposable core made from inexpensive eutectic material that is melted and discarded after serving its temporary purpose. This allows for rapid production cycles and large-scale manufacturing without the need for expensive, complex molds, thereby improving productivity and scalability.
3Device complexity
If lost core casting with eutectic material is used, then production cost is reduced, but tooling cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating a complex mold and removing the part, the invention inverts the approach by creating a simple core and removing it through melting. This reversal of the traditional manufacturing logic eliminates the need for expensive mold tooling while maintaining process simplicity.
4Ease of operation
If complex molds are used for demolding, then part removal is enabled, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the phase transition of the core material from solid to liquid through melting. This phase change enables rapid and complete removal of the core from the composite structure, significantly reducing the time required for part removal compared to mechanical demolding operations.
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 reduces production costs and enables the creation of complex shapes like helical springs efficiently, overcoming the limitations of traditional methods by allowing for removability and scalability.
Implementation Method 1
a eutectic sheath 20 of a material whose melting temperature is lower than the glass transition temperature of the resin 14 and the softening temperature of the fibers 12
Implementation Method 2
after the body molded onto the core has stiffened
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The present invention relates to the methods for obtaining a body (Cp), which is required to have a given shape, from a wire or the like. The method consists of: producing (Ph1) a blank (10) of the wire in the form of a mixture of fibres (12) and polymerisable resin (14); translating (Ph2) the blank (10) in a given direction and, during the translation (Tr) of the blank (10), producing a sheath (20) around the blank (10) using a molten sheathing material (22), the melting point of which is lower than the glass-transition temperature of the resin (14) and the melting point of the fibres (12); simultaneously cooling (Ph3) the unit in order to achieve the relative solidification of the sheath (20) and shaping the unit into the given shape; maintaining (Ph4) the temperature of the unit for a predetermined amount of time in order to achieve the nearly complete polymerisation of the resin (14); heating (Ph5) the unit to a temperature that is lower than the glass-transition temperature of the resin (14) but higher than the melting point of the sheathing material, until the latter has melted; and recovering (Ph6) the formed body (Cp). The invention can be advantageously used to manufacture helical or pseudo-helical springs.