Injection Valve Cleaning Using Blowing Agent Recirculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Residues accumulate within injection molding systems, affecting product quality and increasing maintenance requirements and downtime.
Innovation Solution
An injection molding system with a cleaning mechanism for the fluid supply unit, including a control valve and actuating device to clean the injection valve using a blowing agent, allowing for easy and efficient removal of residues without uninstalling the valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the injection valve is cleaned by disassembling and uninstalling it, then residues can be thoroughly removed, but the maintenance time and system downtime increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The injection valve performs self-cleaning by utilizing the existing blowing agent flow path. The cleaning mechanism enables the valve to clean itself without requiring disassembly or external intervention, thereby maintaining high cleaning effectiveness while minimizing maintenance downtime
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning mechanism introduces a preliminary cleaning action using the blowing agent before the valve is disassembled or removed. This preliminary cleaning removes residues while the valve is still installed, preventing the need for time-consuming disassembly and thorough cleaning procedures
2Productivity
If the injection valve is left without cleaning, then system operation continues without interruption, but residues accumulate and affect product quality
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning mechanism enables continuous useful action by performing cleaning operations during normal system operation or between production cycles. The blowing agent flows continuously through the valve, and cleaning can be performed without stopping the production process, maintaining both productivity and product quality
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning mechanism implements periodic cleaning actions at predetermined intervals during operation. The control system activates the cleaning cycle regularly to prevent residue accumulation that would affect product quality, while minimizing interruption to continuous production
3Reliability
If a complex cleaning system is installed to clean the injection valve, then cleaning effectiveness improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning mechanism utilizes the existing blowing agent system and flow paths, making the cleaning function universal with the existing system infrastructure. The same compressor and flow paths used for foam generation are also used for cleaning, eliminating the need for separate dedicated cleaning equipment and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The blowing agent serves as an intermediary medium that performs both its primary function of foam generation and the secondary function of cleaning. This intermediary substance transfers cleaning action through the existing fluid paths without requiring direct mechanical contact or complex cleaning hardware
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 cleaning mechanism effectively removes residues from the injection valve, maintaining system performance and preventing fluid leakage, thus enhancing product quality and reducing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
The blowing agent is flowable to the injection valve through the second passage, the third passage and the control valve
Data Source
AI summary
An injection molding system is provided. A mixing unit is configured to mix a flowable polymeric material with a blowing agent to form a mixture. A fluid supply unit is configured to provide the blowing agent to the mixing unit. The fluid supply unit includes an injection outlet coupled to the mixing unit, a compressor configured to generate the blowing agent, an injection valve disposed between the injection outlet and the compressor and configured to receive the blowing agent from the compressor through a first passage, and a cleaning mechanism configured to clean the injection valve. The cleaning mechanism includes a control valve coupled to the compressor through a second passage and coupled to the injection valve through a third passage connected to the first passage, and an actuating device configured to actuate the control valve. The blowing agent is flowable to the injection valve through the control valve.