Formulation Mixing With Real-Time Property-Based Dosing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing production systems for formulations, such as paints, face challenges in accurately adjusting material properties due to unpredictable raw material profiles and limited dosing accuracy, leading to time-consuming and one-directional adjustments by adding ingredients, which is inefficient and impractical.

Innovation Solution

A production system comprising a process mixer, buffer tank, measuring device, and evaluation unit that allows for real-time property determination and adjustment of input material quantities to achieve the target state, enabling precise and efficient adaptation of formulations by transferring partial batches and adjusting feed quantities based on property deviations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If adjustment is achieved by adding raw materials to compensate for property deviations, then the target state can be approached, but adjustment is limited to one direction only and cannot compensate for properties that are too low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformulation property accuracyVSAvoidadjustment directionality
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurement of raw material properties before formulation production, detects deviations from target profiles, and calculates compensation quantities in advance. This allows the system to pre-determine both additions and subtractions needed, enabling bidirectional adjustment capability rather than limited post-production addition only.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the dosing parameters by allowing both positive (addition) and negative (subtraction/removal) adjustments of raw material quantities. The control unit calculates optimal dosing quantities that may involve removing excess materials or adding deficient ones, thereby achieving bidirectional property adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If adjustment is performed after batch production by adding ingredients, then property deviations can be compensated, but the entire process becomes very time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformulation property accuracyVSAvoidproduction speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurement of raw material properties before formulation production and calculates all necessary compensation quantities in advance. This upfront detection and calculation eliminates time-consuming iterative adjustments after production, as the correct dosing quantities are predetermined based on actual raw material properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements real-time feedback by measuring raw material properties before production, comparing them against target profiles, and using the deviation data to calculate adjusted dosing quantities. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures accurate formulation production without requiring time-consuming post-production adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of manufacture

If weighing and dosing of raw materials is performed with standard equipment, then the process is simple, but only limited accuracy can be achieved leading to property deviations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing process simplicityVSAvoidraw material dosing accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses measurement devices to detect actual raw material properties and feeds this information back to the control unit, which calculates precise compensation quantities. This feedback mechanism compensates for standard equipment limitations by dynamically adjusting dosing based on actual material characteristics rather than relying solely on fixed weighing accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the dosing approach from fixed quantity-based dosing to property-based dosing. Instead of simply weighing fixed amounts, the system measures actual material properties and adjusts dosing quantities based on detected deviations, thereby achieving higher accuracy without requiring ultra-precise weighing equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3625637B1Production system for preparation of formulations
Publication Date: 2021.12.29 BASF COATINGS GMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to a production system for producing formulations, comprising a unit (1) wherein the unit (1) comprises a sub-unit (1.1) which comprises a combination of a process mixer and a buffer tank, means for feeding a defined amount of a substances into the process mixer, a measuring device for determining properties of a partial charge of a formulation, an evaluation device for determining a variation of properties of partial charges produced in the process mixer from the properties of a pre-defined desired state and a device for adapting the feeding of substances taking into account the variations. The present invention relates to a method for producing formulations.