Heated Panel Cutting Blade for Hard Plastic Sheet Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing machines for processing plastic material panels face issues with cutting blade breakage due to high resistance and hardness, resulting in low cutting speed and productivity.

Innovation Solution

A machine design featuring a heating device, such as a vortex tube, to heat the cutting blade and panel, allowing for increased cutting speed and productivity by reducing material hardness during processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a cutting blade is used to process hard plastic material panels, then the panel can be cut, but the cutting blade breaks due to high resistance and hardness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting blade durabilityVSAvoidplastic material hardness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies thermal energy to change the physical state of the plastic material from hard and resistant to soft and pliable. By heating the material above its glass transition temperature, the mechanical properties change dramatically, allowing the cutting blade to process the material without breaking while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces a purely mechanical cutting system with a thermomechanical system. Instead of relying solely on mechanical force from the cutting blade, thermal energy is introduced to soften the material first, reducing the mechanical stress on the blade and preventing breakage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If the cutting speed is reduced to prevent blade breakage, then blade durability improves, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting blade durabilityVSAvoidprocessing throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By changing the temperature parameter of the plastic material, the patent enables high-speed cutting without blade breakage. The heated material becomes softer and easier to cut, allowing the cutting blade to operate at higher speeds while maintaining durability, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the cutting speed is increased to improve productivity, then processing throughput improves, but the cutting blade breaks due to excessive force on hard material

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing throughputVSAvoidcutting blade durability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the temperature parameter of the plastic material to enable high-speed cutting. By heating the material above its glass transition temperature, the cutting blade can operate at higher speeds without breaking, as the softened material requires less mechanical force to cut, thus improving productivity while maintaining blade durability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary thermal treatment to the plastic material before cutting. By heating the material in advance above its glass transition temperature, the material is prepared in a softer state that allows for high-speed cutting without blade breakage, enabling both high productivity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Device complexity

If conventional cutting methods are used on hard plastic panels, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but cutting speed and productivity are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemachine structure simplicityVSAvoidprocessing throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces a simple mechanical cutting system with a thermomechanical system that includes a heating device. This substitution allows for significantly higher cutting speeds and productivity while maintaining relatively simple equipment structure, as the thermal softening process is straightforward and integrates well with existing cutting mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces temperature as an additional parameter to control the cutting process. By heating the plastic material above its glass transition temperature, the material becomes easier to cut, enabling much higher cutting speeds and productivity without requiring complex machine structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 machine achieves a higher cutting speed and productivity by facilitating the cutting process through the use of a heating device that softens the plastic material, preventing blade breakage and enhancing processing efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a heating device, such as a vortex tube, to heat the cutting blade and panel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVortex tube heating: Ranque-Hilsch Effect

Implementation Method 2

heating device that softens the plastic material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal softening: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP4039408A1Method and machine for processing panels made of wood, plastic material, glass or the like
Publication Date: 2022.08.10 BIESSE SPA
  • EP4039408A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4039408A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4039408A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method and a machine for processing panels (2) made of wood, plastic material, glass or the like, according to which at least one panel (2) is locked on a support surface and is cut by a cutting blade (12); a heating device (13) being provided in order to heat the cutting blade (12) and/or the portion (14) of the panel (2) suited to be cut by the cutting blade (12).