Dry Type Insulation Manufacturing Using Double-Belt Press
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dry type electrical insulators manufactured using traditional methods lose strength and stability after processing due to relaxation when cooled, requiring additional costly post-processing to maintain mechanical properties.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a double-belt press is used to combine base fibers with a binder material, where the base fiber and binder have different melting points, allowing for heating above the binder's melting point but below the base fiber's, followed by compression and cooling under tension to form a stable matrix without the need for varnish impregnation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single press is used to manufacture dry type insulation, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the insulation loses strength and stability after cooling due to relaxation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the cooling process under sustained pressure. The insulation is cooled from processing temperature to ambient temperature while maintaining pressure, preventing relaxation and spring-back. This parameter control (pressure during cooling) resolves the contradiction between simple manufacturing and maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses preliminary action by applying pressure during the cooling phase before the material fully sets. By maintaining pressure throughout the cooling process, the fibers are held in their compressed configuration, preventing subsequent relaxation. This preliminary constraint action ensures strength is retained without requiring complex post-processing.
2Ease of manufacture
If varnish is used to form a matrix of fibers, then the fibers can be blended and formed into the insulator, but additional processing steps are created and mechanical properties are not ideal because varnish does not add strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the varnish binding function and replaces it with a mechanical compression process. Instead of using varnish to bind fibers, the invention uses sustained pressure during cooling to maintain fiber configuration and provide structural integrity. This eliminates the varnish application step and reduces processing complexity while improving mechanical properties through direct compression bonding.
3Strength
If additional post-processing is performed to remediate relaxation, then mechanical stability can be improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the stabilization action preliminarily by maintaining pressure throughout the cooling process. This prevents relaxation from occurring in the first place, eliminating the need for costly post-processing remediation. The preliminary pressure application during cooling locks in the mechanical stability, avoiding subsequent stabilization costs.
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
The method results in dry type insulation that retains strength and stability, enabling higher temperature applications and reducing manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for additional post-processing steps.
Implementation Method 1
heating the base fiber and binder material to a temperature above the second melting point, but below the first melting point
Implementation Method 2
compressing the base fiber and binder material using the double-belt press to form the resultant dry type insulation
Implementation Method 3
heating the base fiber and binder material to a temperature above the second melting point, but below the first melting point using a double-belt press
Implementation Method 4
cooling the resultant dry type insulation using the double-belt press
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a dry type insulation is provided. The method includes combining a base fiber having a first outer surface with a binder material wherein the base fiber has a first melting point and the binder material has a second melting point which is different from the first melting point, heating the base fiber and binder material to a temperature above the second melting point, but below the first melting point using a double-belt press to form a resultant dry type insulation, compressing the base fiber and binder material using the double-belt press to form the resultant dry type insulation and cooling the resultant dry type insulation using the double-belt press.