Cutting Drapery Elements with Rounded Edges

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The draping process for composite material manufacturing often introduces foreign bodies, particularly from separator films, which can lead to delamination due to tears during separation, resulting in suboptimal mechanical strength and increased contamination risks.

Innovation Solution

A cutting method where each angle or sudden change in the contour of draping elements is cut using a rounded path to prevent over-cutting and minimize film tears, allowing continuous cutting without lifting the blade, reducing the risk of film tears and saving time by eliminating the need for repeated blade repositioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If sharp corner cuts are used in the contour of draping elements, then the cutting precision is improved, but film tears occur during separation leading to foreign matter contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting precisionVSAvoidfilm tears and foreign matter contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by replacing sharp corner cuts with rounded edges in the contour of draping elements. The rounded corners have a radius of curvature between 0.5mm and 2mm, which eliminates stress concentration points that cause film tears during separation. This curvature modification maintains cutting precision while preventing film damage and foreign matter contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Manufacturing precision

If the cutting blade is lifted and repositioned at each angle change, then the cutting precision is maintained, but the production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting precisionVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous cutting action by eliminating the need to lift and reposition the blade at each angle change. The rounded corner contours allow the blade to cut continuously through the material, maintaining precision while significantly reducing production time. The continuous cutting path eliminates idle repositioning movements and maintains constant blade engagement with the material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If rounded edges with large radius are used, then the film tear risk is reduced, but the contour accuracy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilm integrityVSAvoidcontour accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the radius of curvature parameter to a specific range (0.5mm to 2mm) that balances film integrity and contour accuracy. This parameter selection is based on the thickness and properties of the separator film and fabric layers. The optimized radius is large enough to eliminate stress concentration and prevent tears, but small enough to maintain the required contour accuracy for the draping application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4025399B1Method and machine for cutting drapery elements

Publication Date: 2025.01.01 SAFRAN NACELLES

Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4

AI summary

The invention relates in particular to a method for cutting one or more drapery elements (220) from a strip of material (100) comprising a layer of fabric (103) which includes a film (101, 102) on at least one side. Each drapery element (220) is defined along a determined outline (221) comprising at least one corner, each drapery element being cut using a cutting blade. At each corner of the outline, the fabric layer (103) and each film (101, 102) are cut on a rounded arc (AR5-AR10) so as to obtain one or more drapery elements (220) without over-cutting.