Expanded Graphite Yarn Production via Segmented Filling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing yarns for gland packings using expanded graphite are inefficient and lack high productivity, leading to mechanical weaknesses and breakage during bending or braiding processes.
Innovation Solution
A process and apparatus that finely cuts expanded graphite sheets into strip-like materials, which are then filled into tubular members using a funnel, allowing for continuous production and adjustable shifting distances, enhancing mechanical strength and productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If expanded graphite sheet is used as base material for yarn production, then mechanical strength is improved, but productivity is reduced due to inefficient filling methods
Solution Approach 1:
The expanded graphite sheet is divided into multiple strip-like materials by cutting it along the width direction. This segmentation allows the strips to be efficiently filled into the tubular member, improving productivity while maintaining the mechanical strength benefits of expanded graphite
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting process is designed to continuously supply strip-like expanded graphite materials to the tubular member without interruption. This continuous action eliminates idle time and improves overall productivity of the yarn production process
2Productivity
If expanded graphite sheet is cut into small width strips, then filling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to cutting mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting blade performs reciprocating motion, moving down to cut the expanded graphite sheet and then returning to the starting position. This periodic action enables continuous cutting of strips without requiring complex continuous cutting mechanisms, thereby improving filling efficiency while limiting device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
A funnel is introduced as an intermediary device to guide and supply the cut strip-like expanded graphite materials into the tubular member. This simple intermediary component facilitates efficient filling without adding significant complexity to the overall system
3Reliability
If tubular member is filled with expanded graphite materials, then yarn quality is improved, but production time is increased due to manual or inefficient filling
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting and filling operations are designed to proceed continuously without interruption. The cutting blade continuously produces strip-like materials that are immediately fed into the tubular member, eliminating idle time between cutting and filling operations, thus reducing production time while maintaining yarn quality
Solution Approach 2:
The expanded graphite sheet is pre-cut into strip-like materials before filling into the tubular member. This preliminary action ensures that the materials are ready for immediate insertion, streamlining the filling process and reducing overall production time without compromising yarn quality
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(d)
AI summary
A yarn production process for enabling a yarn formed by filling the interior of a tubular member configured by knitting or braiding a fibrous material with expanded graphite as a base material, to be produced in a state of a high productivity in order to enable the yarn to be actually used in an economical manner is realized and provided. In order to realize this, in a process of producing a yarn formed by filling the interior of a tubular member 3 configured by knitting or braiding a fibrous material 2 with expanded graphite, the process has: a fine cutting step s of successively cutting an expanded graphite sheet 9 which is continuously supplied in a state where the sheet has a predetermined width, to a small width along the width direction of the sheet; and a supplying and filling step k of guiding and supplying a strip-like expanded graphite material 4 which is produced by the fine cutting step s, into the tubular member 3 to be filled into the tubular member.