Cutting Unit Dynamic Stop Plate Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cutting devices struggle to achieve precise shape and weight control when cutting slices from strands with irregular cross-sections, particularly with rotating sickle-shaped blades, due to complex mechanical configurations required for maintaining axial distance and preventing material deformation during the cutting process.
Innovation Solution
The cutting device adjusts the radial distance between the stop plate and the blade during the cutting process, allowing for easy passage and dropping of the slice without distortion, using a combination of blade and stop plate movements and electronic control to optimize support and slice thickness, even for non-circular blades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the radial distance between the stop plate and blade is kept small to press strand material through, then cutting efficiency is improved, but material deformation and smearing increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stop plate is made movable relative to the blade, allowing the radial distance to be dynamically adjusted during different phases of the cutting cycle. During the cutting stroke, the distance is minimized for efficient material penetration, while during the return stroke, the distance is increased to prevent smearing and allow easy slice passage.
2Ease of operation
If the radial distance between the stop plate and blade is increased to allow easy slice passage, then slice dropping is improved, but cutting efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the radial distance between stop plate and blade based on the cutting cycle phase. During the cutting stroke, the distance is minimized for efficient material penetration. During the return stroke, the distance is increased to allow easy slice passage and dropping, thus resolving the contradiction between cutting efficiency and slice passage ease.
3Manufacturing precision
If a stop plate is used to maintain axial distance, then slice thickness control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stop plate is configured to move automatically in synchronization with the blade during the cutting cycle, eliminating the need for complex mechanical linkages or additional control mechanisms. This dynamic configuration maintains precise slice thickness control while minimizing device complexity.
4Manufacturing precision
If the blade lifts off after cutting to prevent smearing, then slice quality is improved, but cutting cycle time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable stop plate prevents smearing during the blade's return stroke by maintaining an increased radial distance, eliminating the need for the blade to lift off after cutting. This dynamic distance adjustment preserves slice quality while minimizing the cutting cycle time.
Data Source
AI summary
A cutting unit to facilitate ejecting a slice that is cut off from a product strand a radial distance between a blade edge of the rotating blade. The functional edge of the stop plate may be adjusted during the cutting movement. In one embodiment, the functional edge of the stop plate may be adjusted at an end of the cutting movement.