Plugged Honeycomb Structure Manufacturing with Laser Perforation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing plugged honeycomb structures used in diesel particulate filters fail to accurately recognize and plug cells at the outermost peripheral portion, leading to incomplete filtration and reduced filter performance due to untrapped particulates.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method that involves attaching a transparent sheet to the honeycomb structure, using image processing to recognize cell positions, calculating the positions of outermost peripheral cells from the average cell pitch, and performing laser perforation treatment to ensure accurate plugging of all cells, including those at the outermost peripheral portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If image processing is used to recognize cell positions, then manufacturing precision is improved, but cells at the outermost peripheral portion are not recognized due to chipped shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by calculating the average cell pitch from the image-processed cells before attempting to recognize peripheral cells. This pre-calculated pitch information is then used to determine the positions of outermost peripheral cells, ensuring they are included in the plugging process even though they cannot be directly recognized by image processing due to chipping.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the average cell pitch as an intermediary parameter to bridge the gap between the image-processed inner cells and the unrecognizable peripheral cells. By calculating the pitch from the recognized cells and applying it to determine peripheral cell positions, the system indirectly identifies the peripheral cells for plugging without requiring direct visual recognition of their chipped shapes.
2Ease of manufacture
If outermost peripheral cells are not plugged, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but filter performance deteriorates due to untrapped particulates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calculation of the average cell pitch from the image-processed cells, which then enables the determination of peripheral cell positions. This preliminary action allows the system to identify and plug peripheral cells without adding complex image processing algorithms, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while ensuring complete plugging for filtration performance.
3Reliability
If all cells are plugged, then filtration performance is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cell recognition process into two distinct approaches: image processing for inner cells and mathematical calculation based on average cell pitch for peripheral cells. This segmentation allows each method to operate in its optimal range, maintaining high plugging position accuracy for all cells while avoiding the precision requirements of attempting to process all cells uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The average cell pitch serves as an intermediary that simplifies the determination of peripheral cell positions. Instead of requiring high-precision image processing of chipped peripheral cells, the system uses the pre-calculated pitch to mathematically determine their positions, reducing the manufacturing precision requirements while ensuring accurate plugging for improved filtration performance.
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
This method securely forms plugging portions in all cells, effectively trapping particulates and enhancing the filter's performance by ensuring complete filtration of exhaust gases.
Implementation Method 1
subjecting the positions of the sheet corresponding to the cells to be plugged to a perforation treatment based on the recognized positions
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A manufacturing method of a plugged honeycomb structure includes: attaching a transparent sheet to an end face of a honeycomb structure; picking up an image of the end face; with respect to cells positioned at other than outermost peripheral portion of a honeycomb structure (usual cells), subjecting the picked-up image to image processing, recognizing positions to be plugged on said sheet, and with respect to cells positioned at outermost peripheral portion (outermost peripheral cells), positions of the cells are recognized based on an average cell pitch calculated from the positions of the cells, subjecting to a perforation treatment based on the recognized positions of the sheet, submerging an end portion into a plugging slurry in which a material of the plugging portions is slurried, filling holes made at the respective sheet with the slurry to form the plugging portions.