Fiber-Reinforced Textile Composite for Reusing Aged Granular Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
In additive manufacturing processes like laser sintering, granular thermoplastic materials experience material property changes due to thermal gradients, leading to increased particle size and melt viscosity, making them unsuitable for reuse and resulting in waste, while alternative processes like rotational molding cause distortions in the manufactured objects.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a textile product with a woven composition impregnated by a granular material containing reinforcing fibers, with specific melt viscosity and particle size distribution, is introduced into a molding process to form a composite object, allowing for the reuse of aged granular material and improving the object's mechanical and thermal properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If granular thermoplastic material is reused after laser sintering, then material waste is reduced, but the material properties deteriorate due to thermal gradients causing increased particle size and melt viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the granular material by controlling particle size distribution (50-595 micrometers) and melt viscosity (5-15 grams per 10 minutes) to enable reuse of thermally degraded material while maintaining manufacturing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by impregnating textile material with granular material containing reinforcing fibers, where the granular material elements are distributed within the textile matrix to produce composite objects with enhanced mechanical properties
2Loss of substance
If alternative object forming processes like rotational molding are used for reclaimed material, then material reuse is enabled, but object distortion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite construction with textile material as the base structure and granular material elements as reinforcement, creating a hybrid material system that maintains dimensional stability and reduces distortion during molding
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies controlled parameter ranges for particle size (50-595 micrometers) and melt viscosity (5-15 grams per 10 minutes) to optimize the material's flow and consolidation behavior during molding, minimizing distortion while enabling reuse
3Loss of substance
If granular material with high melt viscosity and large particle size is used, then material reuse becomes difficult, but object porosity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent defines specific parameter thresholds (particle size 50-595 micrometers, melt viscosity 5-15 grams per 10 minutes) that balance material reusability with porosity control, allowing degraded material to be reused while maintaining acceptable object density
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 enables the reuse of aged granular material, reducing waste and producing composite objects with enhanced mechanical strength, stiffness, and thermal resistance suitable for aerospace applications, while minimizing porosity and distortion.
Implementation Method 1
the granular material comprising elements of a matrix material having a plurality of reinforcing fibers received therein
Implementation Method 2
when a granular (e.g., powdered) thermoplastic material is utilized in an additive manufacturing process, such as laser sintering
Data Source
AI summary
A textile product and a method of manufacturing a composite object therefrom includes interacting a granular material with a textile material, with the textile material impregnated with the elements of the granular material forming a textile product, and introducing the textile product into a molding process so as to form the composite object therefrom. The granular material includes elements including a matrix material having a plurality of reinforcing fibers received therein, the elements of the granular material having a melt viscosity of between about 5 and about 15 grams per 10 minutes and a particle size distribution with a range in particle size of between about 50 and about 595 micrometers.