Fiber Impregnation Using Ultrasonic Vibration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for impregnating fiber strands with thermoplastic materials subject fibers to high mechanical and thermal stress, leading to potential damage and production interruptions, and require low viscosity melts that can alter the plastic's properties due to elevated temperatures.
Innovation Solution
The method involves vibrating fiber strands and thermoplastic melts during impregnation within a narrow flow channel with spreading elements, allowing for reduced mechanical tension and the use of higher viscosity melts, while maintaining efficient impregnation at high production speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If fiber strands are deflected and spread apart using high mechanical stress to allow polymer access, then uniform distribution of polymer mass on fibers is achieved, but fiber damage or production interruption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies ultrasonic vibrations to the fiber strands during impregnation to achieve uniform polymer distribution without high mechanical stress. The vibration frequency is set to resonate with the fiber structure, creating micro-movements that facilitate polymer penetration while avoiding fiber damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of the polymer by controlling temperature and viscosity. By optimizing these parameters, the polymer achieves optimal flow characteristics that enable uniform impregnation at lower stress levels, preventing fiber damage while maintaining production continuity.
2Ease of operation
If viscosity of polymer melt is kept low by working at elevated temperatures, then easier impregnation is achieved, but polymer properties are altered or damaged
Solution Approach 1:
Ultrasonic vibration is applied to the polymer melt during impregnation to reduce its effective viscosity and enhance flow into fiber interstices. This allows easier impregnation at lower temperatures, preserving polymer properties while achieving complete fiber coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite action combining mechanical vibration with controlled polymer flow to achieve impregnation conditions that are gentler on the polymer material, maintaining its inherent properties while ensuring thorough fiber penetration.
3Productivity
If high production speeds are used for economical continuous operation, then productivity increases, but impregnation quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Ultrasonic vibration is continuously applied during high-speed impregnation to maintain optimal polymer flow and fiber penetration. The vibration ensures that even at high production speeds, the polymer uniformly distributes throughout the fiber strands, maintaining impregnation quality while achieving economical continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous vibration and continuous impregnation in an integrated process, ensuring that the useful action of polymer penetration occurs without interruption throughout the entire production cycle, maintaining quality at high speeds.
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 reduces fiber damage, increases production reliability, and allows for the use of a wide range of thermoplastics without temperature-related issues, achieving gentle handling and continuous production.
Implementation Method 1
by applying a vibration to the at least one fiber strand and the plastic melt in the flow channel during impregnation
Implementation Method 2
ultrasonic fingers protrude into the flow channel, and vibrations from these fingers influence the impregnation process
Implementation Method 3
a device for the continuous impregnation of fiber material with a housing with heating elements
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for continuously producing unidirectionally fiber-reinforced plastic material having a fiber content in the range of 10 to 70 vol%, wherein at least one fiber strand (6) is led through a flow channel (10) having an open passage height in the range of 0.1 to 5.0 mm and is spread by spreading elements (9.1, 9.2, 9.3) and impregnated with a molten thermoplastic plastic having a viscosity in the range between 103mPa s and 108mPa s. During the impregnation, a vibration is applied to the at least one fiber strand and to the plastic melt in the flow channel. The invention further relates to a device for performing the method.