Light Metal Feed Beam for Drill Rig
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional feed beams used in drill rigs, particularly those made of steel, are heavy, cumbersome, and lack design flexibility, while aluminum feed beams are weaker and require thicker designs to compensate, affecting durability and reliability under extreme operational conditions.
Innovation Solution
A light metal feed beam in the form of a hollow extruded box beam with a rectangular cross-section and external prismatic guide beads, providing enhanced structural strength and adaptability without excessive material usage, allowing for improved rigidity and reduced stress on components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional steel feed beam is used, then strength and durability are improved, but weight increases and design flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from steel to aluminum alloy, fundamentally altering the weight-to-strength ratio. This material substitution enables the feed beam to achieve adequate strength with significantly reduced weight, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and weight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs aluminum alloy as a composite material solution that combines lightweight properties with sufficient structural strength. The specific aluminum alloy formulation provides an optimal balance between weight reduction and maintaining the required load-bearing capacity for the feed beam
2Weight of moving object
If an aluminum feed beam is used, then weight is reduced, but strength decreases requiring thicker design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional open-channel cross-section to a closed box beam cross-section. This dimensional change in the structural form provides significantly higher moment of inertia and torsional rigidity, enabling the aluminum beam to achieve required strength without increasing thickness or weight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the wall thickness parameter of the aluminum alloy to achieve the minimum required strength. By carefully selecting and controlling the thickness parameter, the design achieves adequate structural strength while minimizing material usage and weight
3Strength
If feed beam thickness is increased to compensate for aluminum weakness, then strength is improved, but material usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closed box beam cross-section provides superior structural efficiency compared to open channels. This dimensional change in geometry allows the beam to achieve required strength with thinner walls, directly reducing material quantity while maintaining or improving strength characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the wall thickness parameter to the minimum value required for structural integrity. By precisely controlling this parameter and using aluminum alloy's high strength-to-weight ratio, the design achieves adequate strength with minimized material consumption
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional open channel beam is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but structural strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts a closed box beam cross-section that provides significantly higher structural strength and torsional rigidity compared to open channels. While slightly more complex to manufacture, the extrusion process readily accommodates this shape, achieving the necessary strength improvement with minimal manufacturing complexity increase
Data Source
Figure 1~6
Figure 2~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an elongated feed beam (4) for use on a drill rig ( 1 ) , which feed beam comprises a profiled beam of a light metal or a light metal alloy made from a hollow extruded profile with a sub¬ stantially rectangular cross section. The profiled beam comprises an upper wall (1 1), a lower wall (12) and two side walls (13, 14) and at least one pair of external guide beads (8, 9). The individual guide beads (8, 9) of the at least one pair of guide beads are placed on either side of either the upper wall (1 1) or the lower wall (12) at the locations where said upper or lower wall (1 1 , 12) meets the opposed side walls (13, 14). The guide beads (8, 9) have a substantially prismatic cross section.