Doctor Blade Planing Method for Constant Thickness

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for producing lamellar doctor blades with a constantly reduced material thickness are slow and complicated, requiring multiple machining steps that increase production time and costs.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a single planing operation to create a region of reduced material thickness in a metal basic body, followed by a separating operation to produce doctor blade breadths, which can be done efficiently and accurately, potentially omitting subsequent remachining steps like grinding and polishing, and using laser cutting for separation to prevent deformation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If multiple machining steps (grinding, milling, remachining) are used to produce lamellar doctor blades with reduced material thickness, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but productivity decreases and production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstant material thickness in working edge regionVSAvoidproduction speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The planing operation is divided into multiple passes, with each pass removing a portion of the material to gradually achieve the desired reduced thickness. This segmentation allows precise control over material removal while maintaining constant thickness across the working edge region, resolving the contradiction between precision and productivity by breaking down the complex machining process into manageable steps that can be executed efficiently

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The basic body is pre-formed with an initial thickness that is slightly greater than the final desired thickness. This preliminary preparation allows the planing operation to focus only on removing the excess material layer, rather than machining the entire thickness from scratch. This preliminary action significantly reduces the total machining time while ensuring the final constant thickness is achieved with high precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple machining steps are used to produce doctor blades with reduced material thickness, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstant material thicknessVSAvoidnumber of machining operations

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The planing tool is designed to perform multiple functions: it simultaneously machines multiple surfaces of the basic body and maintains constant thickness across the working edge region. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would traditionally require multiple separate machining operations into a single versatile tool, reducing device complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple machining operations (grinding, milling, remachining) are merged into a single planing operation. The planing tool combines the functions of these different machining processes, removing material and creating the constant thickness region in one integrated operation. This merging eliminates the need for complex multi-step procedures and reduces the overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Manufacturing precision

If traditional machining methods are used to create reduced material thickness regions, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstant thickness regionVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The planing operation continues continuously across the entire working edge region, removing material in a single uninterrupted pass. This continuous action eliminates the need to stop and reposition between different machining operations, significantly reducing production time while maintaining the precision required for constant thickness. The tool moves steadily along the basic body, ensuring uniform material removal throughout the process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 approach enables rapid, accurate, and cost-effective production of doctor blades with reduced material thickness, potentially doubling efficiency by producing multiple breadths in a single planing operation and reducing the need for extensive remachining, while maintaining precision and quality.

Implementation Method 1

a region 204 with reduced material thickness is generated by means of a planing operation upon a basic body 100

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlaning (mechanical cutting): Abrasion

Implementation Method 2

using laser cutting for separation to prevent deformation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser cutting: Laser Ablation

Data Source

PatentUS8635755B2Method for producing doctor blades

Publication Date: 2014.01.28 DAETWYLER SWISSTEC

AI summary

A method for producing doctor blades from metal, in particular from steel, the doctor blades to be produced having a reduced material thickness in a region of a working edge. The material thickness is essentially constant in the region of reduced material thickness. By a planing operation being used upon a basic body with an essentially constant material thickness, the region of reduced material thickness is generated. By the region of reduced material thickness being generated by means of a planing operation, an efficient and cost-effective method for the production of doctor blades is achieved.