Fiber Guide Surface Roughness for Low Friction

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Solution Overview

Problem

High fiber feed rates in fiber production lead to increased damage to fibers due to friction with existing fiber guides, necessitating a solution with a low contact surface coefficient of friction to minimize damage.

Innovation Solution

The fiber guide's contact surface is engineered with specific roughness parameters, such as Rmr20 ≤ 15% and Rmr50 ≥ 60%, and optionally incorporating aluminum oxide-based ceramics and aluminum titanate crystal grains, to reduce friction and prevent fiber damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the fiber feed rate is increased to improve production efficiency, then productivity is improved, but fiber damage increases due to increased friction with the contact surface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber feed rateVSAvoidfiber damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the surface roughness parameters of the contact surface, specifically controlling Rmr20 at 15% or lower and Rmr50 at 60% or higher. This parameter optimization reduces the coefficient of friction between the contact surface and fibers, allowing high feed rates (3000-10000 m/min) to be maintained without increasing fiber damage from friction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The contact surface incorporates aluminum oxide-based ceramics and aluminum titanate crystal grains to create a composite surface structure. This composite material provides both the required low friction characteristics and high durability, enabling sustained high-speed operation without fiber damage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the contact surface is made smoother to reduce friction, then fiber damage is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber damageVSAvoidsurface roughness control
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of simply making the surface smoother, the patent optimizes specific roughness parameters (Rmr20 ≤ 15% and Rmr50 ≥ 60%). This dual-parameter control achieves low friction while providing clear, measurable manufacturing targets that balance precision requirements with practical manufacturability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The incorporation of aluminum oxide-based ceramics and aluminum titanate crystal grains creates a composite surface that achieves the desired low friction characteristics through material composition rather than extreme smoothness, thereby reducing the stringency of surface finishing requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 design minimizes fiber damage by reducing the contact surface area and coefficient of friction, allowing smooth fiber sliding even at high feed rates, while maintaining durability and cost-effectiveness.

Implementation Method 1

The contact surface of the fiber guide has an Rmr20 of 15% or lower and an Rmr50 of 60% or higher... has a low coefficient of friction, thereby making it possible to minimize damage to fibers when guiding the fibers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3461771B1Fiber guide
Publication Date: 2020.09.09 KYOCERA CORP
  • EP3461771B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3461771B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3461771B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The contact surface of a fiber guide (10) according to the present disclosure contacting a fiber (1) has a 20% cut level load length ratio Rmr20, as calculated from a roughness curve, of 15% or lower, and a 50% cut level load length ratio Rmr50, as calculated from a roughness curve, of 60% or higher.