Fin Strip Slitting and Stacking for Stable Conveyance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fin manufacturing apparatuses face challenges in producing high-quality fins due to low rigidity of elongated strips, increased probability of curvature and warping during conveyance, and variance in length, especially when forming multiple strips in a transverse direction.
Innovation Solution
A fin manufacturing apparatus that includes a slit device forming slits in a longitudinal direction with uncut portions between, a conveyance device for stable longitudinal conveyance, and a stack unit for cutting and stacking the strips, ensuring partial coupling and higher rigidity, thereby reducing the likelihood of curvature and warping during conveyance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple strips are formed in a transverse direction using an inter-row slit device, then productivity is improved, but the strips have low rigidity and are prone to curvature and warping during conveyance
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple strips are merged together by forming protrusions that extend from one strip into adjacent strips, creating an integrated structure that maintains rigidity while enabling volume manufacturing of fins
2Ease of manufacture
If openings for tube insertion are formed on one lateral side of each fin, then ease of manufacture is improved, but the comb-like structure increases the probability of strips being caught during conveyance
Solution Approach 1:
Protrusions are formed in advance during the slitting process to prevent strip catching during conveyance, addressing the reliability issue before conveyance occurs while maintaining the ease of tube insertion benefit
3Ease of operation
If strips are conveyed separately by a guide, then ease of operation is improved, but erroneous feeding occurs and variance in length occurs during cutting
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple strips are merged into an integrated structure with protrusions, allowing them to be conveyed as a single unit rather than separately, which eliminates erroneous feeding and ensures consistent length during cutting while maintaining ease of operation
Data Source
AI summary
A fin manufacturing method and apparatus includes: a first inter-row slit device that forms, by forming in a thin metal plate having a plurality of openings a plurality of slits extending in a longitudinal direction of the thin metal plate while leaving an uncut portion between the plurality of slits, metal strips partially coupled to each other in a transverse direction; a feed roller and a feeding device that convey, in the longitudinal direction, the metal strips in which the plurality of slits is formed by the first inter-row slit device; and a stacking device that (i) forms fins by cutting the uncut portion via which the metal strips are coupled to each other, to separate the metal strips and by cutting the metal strips at regular length intervals and (ii) stacks the formed fins.