Digital Overlay Patterning for Targeted Wear Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wear-resistant surface technologies for building panels, such as laminate floors, apply particles randomly, leading to uneven distribution, increased material usage, and higher wear on tools during cutting and milling, as well as reduced transparency due to excessive wear-resistant layers.
Innovation Solution
A two-step process where wear-resistant particles are applied and bonded in a digitally formed pattern, with non-bonded particles removed, allowing for precise distribution in pre-determined patterns, reducing material usage and optimizing wear resistance based on surface exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wear-resistant particles are applied randomly on the entire surface, then wear resistance is provided, but material usage increases and tool wear increases due to unnecessary application on non-surface areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies wear-resistant particles only in specific local areas where the surface profile requires protection, rather than uniformly across the entire surface. The liquid binder is applied in patterns corresponding to high points of the surface profile, and particles are selectively bonded only in these localized regions, reducing overall material consumption while maintaining wear resistance where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid binder is applied to the surface in a predetermined pattern before the wear-resistant particles are applied. This preliminary action creates pre-defined bonding zones that guide subsequent particle application, ensuring particles are only attached where the surface profile requires protection, thus avoiding unnecessary material application on low points or non-surface areas.
2Reliability
If wear-resistant particles are applied randomly on the entire surface, then wear resistance is provided, but tool wear increases due to unnecessary application on non-surface areas
Solution Approach 1:
By concentrating wear-resistant particles only on high points and areas requiring protection rather than applying them uniformly across the entire surface, the patent reduces the amount of particles that would otherwise be removed during cutting and tooling operations, thereby reducing tool wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The preliminary application of liquid binder in patterns corresponding to the surface profile creates a template that guides particle placement. This ensures particles are only present where needed, minimizing unnecessary particle-material interactions during subsequent cutting and tooling operations that would cause tool wear.
3Reliability
If thick overlay papers with considerable amount of aluminium oxide particles are used, then high wear resistance is achieved, but transparency decreases and a grey layer covers the decorative pattern
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying a uniform thick layer of particles across the entire surface, the patent applies particles only in localized areas corresponding to high points of the surface profile. This selective localization provides wear resistance where mechanically needed while maintaining transparency in areas where particle coverage is minimal or absent, allowing the decorative pattern to remain visible.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies wear-resistant particles in a partial manner rather than completely across the entire surface. By applying particles only where the surface profile indicates high points requiring protection, the patent achieves sufficient wear resistance without the excessive particle coverage that would cause greying and reduce transparency.
4Loss of substance
If wear-resistant particles are applied in predetermined patterns, then material usage is reduced and transparency is maintained, but application process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid binder serves as an intermediary that simplifies the patterning process. Instead of requiring complex masking or direct particle placement equipment, the binder is applied in liquid form in predetermined patterns corresponding to the surface profile, and particles are then automatically attracted and bonded to these binder regions, reducing application process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical particle placement systems with a chemical bonding approach using liquid binder. The binder's adhesive properties automatically guide particle placement to the correct locations based on the surface profile, eliminating the need for precise mechanical positioning equipment and reducing overall application process complexity.
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 enables controlled and precise application of wear-resistant particles, reducing tool wear and maintaining transparency, while adapting particle density to wear intensity, resulting in enhanced wear and scratch resistance with lower material costs.
Implementation Method 1
applying a liquid binder in a pattern on the surface; applying wear resistant particles on the surface; bonding a part of the wear resistant particles to the surface with the liquid binder
Data Source
AI summary
A method to form a protective overlay with wear resistant particles applied in well-defined patterns by applying wear resistant particles on a surface, bonding a part of the wear resistant particles with a binder preferably applied with a digital drop application head and removing the non-bonded wear resistant particles from the surface.