Dual Mandrel Coil Spring Winding Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coil spring manufacturing apparatuses are limited by low productivity and inability to produce multiple coil springs simultaneously, relying on primitive equipment and manual methods, resulting in non-uniform products and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a pair of machining units, each featuring a rotatable mandrel, a first motor for rotation, a guide roller system for winding and guiding coil spring materials, and a chuck for fixing the material, allowing two coil spring materials to be wound around mandrels spaced apart at a short distance, enabling the simultaneous production of two coil springs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single mandrel and motor configuration is used for coil spring manufacturing, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity is limited to producing only one coil spring at a time
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus is divided into multiple machining units, each with its own mandrel and motor. Specifically, a first machining unit with a first mandrel and first motor, and a second machining unit with a second mandrel and second motor, allowing simultaneous independent production of multiple coil springs without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple machining units are merged into a single integrated apparatus that shares common support structures and control systems. The first and second mandrels are both supported by the same apparatus body, and the system produces multiple coil springs through one unified process, improving productivity while managing device complexity
2Productivity
If mandrels are spaced far apart, then each mandrel has sufficient space for operation, but the apparatus size increases and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mandrels are arranged in a spatial configuration that optimizes both productivity and apparatus size. The first and second mandrels are positioned at different locations within the apparatus body, utilizing three-dimensional space efficiently to maintain adequate operational space while keeping the overall apparatus compact
3Manufacturing precision
If manual methods and primitive equipment are used for coil spring manufacturing, then the ease of manufacture is maintained, but the manufacturing precision and product uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Manual operations are replaced with automated mechanical systems. Motors automatically rotate the mandrels, chucks automatically clamp the coil spring materials, and guide rollers automatically guide the materials. This substitution significantly improves manufacturing precision and product uniformity while the modular design keeps the system relatively easy to manufacture
4Productivity
If only one coil spring material is processed at a time, then the device complexity is minimized, but the productivity and loss of time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus enables continuous production by processing multiple coil spring materials simultaneously through one process. While the first mandrel winds the first coil spring material, the second mandrel winds the second coil spring material at the same time, eliminating idle time and maximizing productivity without requiring sequential operations
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for manufacturing a coil spring. In the apparatus, a body is provided. A pair of machining units are disposed on the body to oppose each other at one end thereof. In each of the machining units, a mandrel is disposed in an upper central part of the body. The mandrel is rotatably configured to wind a coil spring material around an outer circumference thereof. A first motor is disposed at the other end of the machining unit to provide a driving force for rotating the mandrel. Also, a guide roller part is disposed movable along a length direction of the mandrel to guide the coil spring material to be wound around the mandrel. Two coil spring materials produced from a furnace are wound around the mandrels, respectively to produce two coil springs through one process.