Infrared Wire Coating Curing Without Furnace Warm-Up Losses

Solution Overview

Problem

Current wire coating processes require high energy consumption and equipment, such as furnaces, which lead to inefficiencies in production time and maintenance, particularly in lean-manufacturing conditions, due to inhomogeneous heat distribution and long warm-up times.

Innovation Solution

A method using an infrared radiation sensitive compound with a maximum absorption in the range of 700 nm to 2000 nm, combined with a matrix of insulating wire varnish, is applied to wires and cured using irradiation from semiconductor lasers or high-power LED devices, reducing the need for furnaces and enabling more efficient energy use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional furnace-based curing is used, then the coating is cured and electrical insulation is achieved, but energy consumption is high and production time is lost due to warm-up and cooling periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical insulationVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the thermal field (furnace heating) with a photonic field (infrared radiation). The coating composition contains infrared-absorbing pigments that directly absorb infrared radiation and convert it to heat locally, eliminating the need for conventional furnace heating and achieving curing without high energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the curing mechanism from thermal conduction through furnace heating to direct infrared absorption. By incorporating infrared-absorbing pigments (such as carbon black, metal oxides, or organic dyes) into the coating composition, the material parameters are modified to enable direct energy absorption at the coating level rather than requiring bulk heating.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If conventional furnace-based curing is used, then the coating is cured, but production time is reduced due to long warm-up and cooling periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical insulationVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the thermal field (furnace heating) with a photonic field (infrared radiation). The coating composition contains infrared-absorbing pigments that directly absorb infrared radiation and convert it to heat locally, eliminating the need for conventional furnace heating and achieving curing without high energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The infrared curing process allows the coating to be cured rapidly by directly absorbing infrared energy, skipping the lengthy warm-up and cooling phases required by conventional furnaces. This enables continuous production without interruption for equipment temperature management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Manufacturing precision

If conventional furnace-based curing is used, then the coating is cured uniformly, but heat distribution is inhomogeneous causing maintenance delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating uniformityVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the thermal field (furnace heating) with a photonic field (infrared radiation). The coating composition contains infrared-absorbing pigments that directly absorb infrared radiation and convert it to heat locally, eliminating the need for conventional furnace heating and achieving curing without high energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The infrared radiation delivers energy directly to the coating layer where it is absorbed and converted to heat, creating localized curing conditions. This eliminates the need to heat the entire furnace chamber and surrounding equipment, allowing maintenance to proceed immediately without cooling delays while achieving uniform coating cure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 approach allows for cost-efficient, energy-efficient wire coating and insulation, achieving desired enamel thickness without the drawbacks of traditional methods, with comparable or improved results in breakdown voltage and residual solvent levels.

Implementation Method 1

a coating composition which comprises an infrared radiation sensitive compound having a maximum absorption in a range of 700 nm to 2,000 nm in wavelength

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInfrared radiation absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

exposing the coated wire to an irradiation source, and curing the wire coating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotothermal conversion:

Data Source

PatentUS20240052193A1Photonic lacquering of wires

Publication Date: 2024.02.15 ASTA ENERGY SOLUTIONS GMBH

AI summary

The present invention relates to a wire coating composition comprising an infrared radiation sensitive compound resulting in the conversion of absorbed light energy into heat and a matrix with a varnish that responses either chemically or physically upon treatment with heat, to a method of producing an enameled wire and to the use thereof.