Dynamic Mold Surface Adjustment for Crack-Free Disc Molding

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Solution Overview

Problem

The production of large disc-shaped moldings with diameters over 300 mm and thicknesses over 50 mm is currently limited by mechanical constraints and results in edge cracks, making automated production challenging and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

The method involves dynamically adjusting the distance between mold surfaces based on filling pressure during the molding process, using a control device to regulate the pressure and ensure consistent filling, preventing edge cracks and enabling larger, more stable moldings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the diameter of molded parts is increased to produce larger skewers (over 300 mm), then the productivity and versatility of automated production is improved, but the molded parts develop edge cracks and dimensional stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomated production capabilityVSAvoiddimensional stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mold surfaces are made dynamically adjustable during the filling process. The distance between mold surfaces is changed depending on the filling pressure, allowing the mold to adapt to the viscous mass behavior during filling. This dynamic adjustment prevents edge cracks while enabling larger diameters up to 400 mm.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The filling pressure and mold surface distance parameters are changed during the filling process. By adjusting the distance between mold surfaces as a function of filling pressure, the process accommodates variations in material behavior, enabling production of large-diameter molded parts without cracks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If the distance between mold surfaces is kept constant during filling, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision and quality uniformity deteriorate due to edge cracks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemold control simplicityVSAvoidedge quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A feedback control system is implemented where the filling pressure is measured and used to adjust the distance between mold surfaces. This feedback mechanism ensures that the mold adapts to the actual filling conditions, preventing edge cracks and ensuring consistent quality across all molded parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The mold system automatically adjusts itself during the filling process based on the filling pressure. The control device changes the distance between mold surfaces as a function of filling pressure without requiring external intervention, enabling self-regulating precision filling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If larger portions are filled to increase disc diameter and thickness, then the productivity for large skewers is improved, but the filling pressure variations cause non-uniform shaping

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelarge skewer production rateVSAvoidhomogeneous shaping
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The mold surface distance is dynamically adjusted during filling of large portions. This dynamic adaptation ensures that even when filling large portions for diameters up to 400 mm, the viscous mass is compressed uniformly, preventing non-uniform shaping while maintaining high production rates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 allows for the production of moldings with diameters up to 400 mm and heights over 50 mm without edge cracks, increasing production rate and throughput, and enabling the creation of larger, more stable, and reproducible disc-shaped products.

Implementation Method 1

a measuring device for measuring the filling pressure or a measure of the filling pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure measurement:

Implementation Method 2

a control device which is designed to change the distance between the mold surfaces as a function of the filling pressure during a respective filling process

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure-dependent displacement:

Data Source

PatentEP3607824B1Production of disc-shaped blanks
Publication Date: 2021.09.22 HEINRICH FREY MASCHENBAU
  • EP3607824B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing disc-shaped molded parts from portions of a viscous mass, in which the mass of one portion is filled under pressure between two spaced-apart mold surfaces and the distance between the mold surfaces is changed during the filling process depending on the filling pressure.