Conical Acoustic Structure Manufacturing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current process of inserting planar structures into honeycomb cores for soundproofing aircraft engines is time-consuming and costly due to the complexity of handling thousands of cells, necessitating a more efficient method for manufacturing acoustic panels.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing system comprising a cutter system, a mandrel, and a joiner, which cuts and shapes acoustical material into conical pieces that can be efficiently assembled into conical acoustic structures, reducing the complexity of installation and increasing production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If planar structures are inserted into honeycomb cells for soundproofing, then sound reduction is achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic treatment is segmented into individual conical structures, each fitting into a honeycomb cell. This allows modular manufacturing where each cell can be produced independently and then assembled, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining effective sound reduction across the entire panel surface
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from planar flat structures to conical (curved) structures that fit into honeycomb cells. The conical shape provides better acoustic performance by creating effective sound reflection and absorption patterns, while the standardized conical geometry enables efficient manufacturing through molding or forming processes
2Object-affected harmful factors
If planar structures are inserted into honeycomb cells for soundproofing, then sound reduction is achieved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process merges multiple operations into integrated systems. The cutter system, actuator system, and joiner work together in an automated sequence to form conical structures from sheet material and attach them to honeycomb cells, reducing labor costs and increasing production efficiency compared to manual insertion of planar structures
Solution Approach 2:
The conical structures are pre-formed from sheet material using automated cutting and joining systems before being attached to the honeycomb cells. This preliminary fabrication allows for optimized manufacturing processes, quality control, and efficient inventory management, reducing overall production costs
3Area of stationary object
If thousands of cells are processed individually for acoustic panels, then soundproofing coverage is complete, but installation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic panel is segmented into thousands of individual honeycomb cells, each containing a conical structure. This segmentation allows parallel processing where multiple cells can be manufactured and prepared simultaneously, and enables modular assembly where completed sections can be installed as units rather than cell-by-cell, significantly reducing total installation time while maintaining complete coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The conical structures are pre-formed and pre-attached to honeycomb cells in an automated manufacturing system before the panels are shipped to the installation site. This preliminary assembly eliminates time-consuming on-site fabrication and reduces installation to a simple mounting process, dramatically reducing installation time while ensuring complete acoustic coverage
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for manufacturing a conical shaped acoustic structure. A sheet of acoustical material is cut to form individual pieces using a cutter system. Each individual piece in the individual pieces has a flat pattern for the conical shaped acoustic structure. An individual piece is positioned around a mandrel with a conical shape using an actuator system. Two edges of the individual piece are positioned for joining. The two edges of the individual piece positioned around the mandrel are joined to form the conical shaped acoustic structure.