Endless Belt Grinding for Smooth Weld Thickness Transitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endless belts used in manufacturing processes, such as film production and double-belt pressing, often result in visible thickness deviations and imprints due to weld seams or defects, which compromise product quality.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves a grinding process with a grinding head having multiple stones pressed against the belt with controlled pressure, rotating speed, and contact time, ensuring parallel grinding surfaces to achieve a flat transition from areas of reduced thickness, removing material both inside and outside the belt to minimize thickness and flatness deviations, and processing the belt under tension between deflection rollers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If the free ends of the belt body are welded together to form a closed ring, then the endless belt can be continuously used in manufacturing processes, but the weld creates a thinner area that appears as an imprint or edge on products, reducing product quality
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful weld bead is removed through grinding, extracting the defective material that causes thickness variation. The grinding process removes the excess weld metal and creates a smooth transition zone, eliminating the imprint effect while preserving the continuous structure of the endless belt.
Solution Approach 2:
The grinding process applies localized material removal specifically at the weld zone to create a smooth transition. By controlling the grinding parameters (pressure, speed, contact time), a gradual thickness transition is achieved in the affected area while leaving the rest of the belt uniform, thus eliminating visible imprints.
2Ease of manufacture
If grinding is used to remove the weld bead and impurities, then the weld area is cleaned and smoothed, but this creates a thinner area that can be visible as imprints in the finished product
Solution Approach 1:
The grinding parameters (pressure, rotational speed, contact time) are optimized to achieve a balance between removing weld defects and maintaining thickness uniformity. By controlling these parameters, the grinding process creates a smooth transition zone with gradual thickness variation rather than abrupt thinning, eliminating visible imprints.
Solution Approach 2:
The grinding process removes slightly more material than the weld bead thickness itself, creating a gradual transition zone. This partial over-removal is controlled to ensure the transition is smooth and gradual, preventing abrupt thickness changes that would create visible imprints while still maintaining overall thickness uniformity.
3Reliability
If repair patches or defects are present in the endless belt, then belt integrity can be restored or maintained, but these create areas of reduced thickness that appear as imprints on products
Solution Approach 1:
Defective areas and repair patches are ground away, extracting the problematic material that causes thickness variation. The grinding process removes these localized defects and creates a smooth transition zone, eliminating the imprint effect while preserving the continuous structure of the endless belt.
Solution Approach 2:
The grinding process applies localized material removal specifically at defect and repair patch zones to create smooth transitions. By controlling the grinding parameters, a gradual thickness transition is achieved in the affected areas while leaving the rest of the belt uniform, thus eliminating visible imprints.
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 significantly improves product quality by eliminating visible undulations and achieving minimal thickness and flatness deviations, ensuring a smooth transition and enhanced product finish.
Implementation Method 1
a grinding process with a grinding head having multiple stones pressed against the belt
Implementation Method 2
the grinding head is arranged on at least one pressure bellows filled with a fluid, whereby the pressure bellows maintains the position of the grinding surfaces parallel to the support surface
Implementation Method 3
the endless belt is held under tensile tension during processing
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for processing an endless belt (1) having a belt body (2) of metal, wherein the endless belt (1) has an inner belt face (3), an outer belt face (4), and side edges (5) that connect the inner belt face (3) and the outer belt face (4), wherein material is removed in a region (6) around a point (7) at which the endless belt (1) has a smaller thickness than in another region (8) of the endless belt (1) so that a magnitude of a slope of a thickness deviation (Δd) in the longitudinal direction (x) and/or transverse direction of the endless belt (1) is less than or equal to 1:1000, more particularly less than or equal to 1:4000 or 1:5000.