Fiber-Reinforced Tube Molding with Inflatable Mandrel Clearance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing tube bodies made of fiber-reinforced resin face challenges in preventing fiber members from biting into molds, which leads to increased resin usage and weight of the finished product.
Innovation Solution
A method involving filament winding to arrange fiber members on a mandrel, followed by inflating the mandrel within a mold to ensure clearance and then impregnating the fibers with resin, effectively preventing fiber biting and optimizing resin usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clearance is kept in the mold to prevent the fiber member from biting into the mold, then the fiber member can be protected from damage, but the amount of resin supplied to the fiber member is increased, causing the weight of the tube body to increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mandrel is inflated to a predetermined diameter before the fiber member is wound around it. This preliminary expansion creates the necessary clearance between the fiber member and the mold cavity wall, preventing the fiber member from biting into the mold during the molding process while avoiding the need to add excessive clearance that would increase resin consumption and product weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The mandrel is designed to be dynamically adjustable in size through inflation. By controlling the inflation pressure, the mandrel diameter can be precisely adjusted to match the mold cavity dimensions, ensuring optimal clearance is maintained throughout the molding process. This dynamic adjustment allows for precise control of the gap between the fiber member and mold wall, preventing fiber biting while minimizing resin usage.
2Reliability
If the mandrel is made larger to ensure clearance in the mold, then the fiber member can be prevented from biting into the mold, but the amount of resin required increases, leading to weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mandrel is pre-inflated to the target diameter before fiber winding begins. This preliminary action ensures that the correct clearance is established from the start, preventing the need to add extra resin later to compensate for insufficient initial clearance, thereby controlling resin consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state and dimensions of the mandrel are changed through inflation. By adjusting the inflation pressure and duration, the mandrel diameter can be precisely controlled to match the mold cavity, optimizing the clearance gap and thereby controlling the amount of resin needed to fill the space without causing fiber member contact with the mold walls.
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 ensures clearance in the mold, prevents fiber biting, and allows for a suitable adjustment of the mandrel's shape, thereby suppressing weight increase in the tube body while maintaining efficient resin usage.
Implementation Method 1
inflating the mandrel by pressurizing an interior of the mandrel with the fiber member arranged on it
Implementation Method 2
curing the impregnated resin to mold a tube body
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a tube body made of fiber-reinforced resin includes: an arranging step of arranging a fiber member on an outer peripheral surface of a mandrel made of resin by filament winding method; an inflating step of placing the mandrel with the fiber member arranged on it in a mold after the arranging step and inflating the mandrel by pressurizing an interior of the mandrel with the fiber member arranged on it; and a molding step of supplying resin in the mold after the inflating step to impregnate the fiber member with the resin and curing the impregnated resin to mold a tube body.