Flexible Demolding Mold for Concrete Corner Stones
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of manufactured stones, particularly corner stones, faces challenges in efficient molding and demolding processes, which are often manual and time-consuming, leading to high labor costs and suboptimal accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A filling apparatus and a demolding apparatus are designed to improve the efficiency of molding and demolding processes. The filling apparatus features a shovel with a reservoir that can be opened to fill the mold and closed to scrape excess material, while the demolding apparatus uses jaws and a bed to deform the mold, allowing for easier release of the molded product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual labor is used to separate molded products from the mold, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but productivity is low and labor costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is designed with self-demolding capability through its flexible material properties. When the molded product is removed, the mold automatically returns to its initial state without requiring complex external demolding apparatus, thus achieving high productivity while maintaining low device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical demolding systems with a simple flexible mold design that uses material elasticity. The flexible mold naturally deforms and releases the product without needing complex mechanical arms, actuators, or automated systems
2Productivity
If mechanical processes are used to separate molded products from the mold, then productivity increases, but accuracy and performance are not optimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the mold from rigid to flexible. This flexibility allows the mold to adapt its shape during demolding, ensuring accurate product release without deformation, thereby maintaining high manufacturing precision while achieving improved productivity
3Adaptability or versatility
If rigid molds are used for molding, then structural stability is maintained, but adaptability to various product shapes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible mold material that can be shaped into various configurations for different products. The flexibility allows the mold to adapt to complex geometries while maintaining sufficient structural stability during the molding process through proper material selection and design
4Productivity
If manual molding processes are used, then adaptability to different mold sizes is maintained, but productivity is low and time consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is pre-designed with specific geometric features and flexibility characteristics that enable automatic product release. This preliminary design preparation allows rapid demolding without requiring complex operational steps or manual intervention, thus improving productivity while maintaining ease of operation
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
The proposed apparatuses significantly reduce the time and labor required for molding and demolding, enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the process, and allow for the use of molds of various sizes and configurations.
Implementation Method 1
a mold made of a flexible material
Data Source
AI summary
A demolding kit for concrete products to be molded and demolded. The demolding kit comprises a deformable mold having two rigid spines, a longitudinal mold volume extending transversally to the spines for molding a product, and a resting face opposed to the mold volume; and a bed having a non-matching shape relative to the resting face of the deformable mold. Clearance between the resting face and the bed about at least one of the spines is present when the resting face rests on the bed without exterior force applied thereon. The deformable mold is configured to have the resting face at least partially adopting the shape of the bed when exterior face is applied on the spines, thereby at least partially releasing the product from the mold volume.