Malleable Material Shaping via Perpendicular Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing method for making brick slips is inefficient, particularly when trying to create thin slips, as the dimensions of the mould cannot be adapted to the desired dimensions of the slips, leading to deformation and energy wastage due to the need to saw the slips from a brick, and the process involves reversing the mould to release the clay, which is cumbersome and wasteful.
Innovation Solution
A method where malleable material, such as clay, is compressed on a carrier surface without the need to reverse a mould, allowing creases to form naturally, which then define the surface shape, eliminating the need for forceful deposition and mould reversal, and enabling the creation of unique, irregular surfaces without the need for sawing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the mould dimensions are kept fixed for making bricks, then the brick structure is stable and strong, but the production of thin brick slips becomes inefficient and wasteful
Solution Approach 1:
The mould is divided into two separate parts: a bottom part that remains fixed and provides structural stability, and a top part that is movable and can be removed after shaping. This segmentation allows the clay to be shaped in a stable mould structure while enabling easy removal of the shaped clay without deforming it, thus improving brick slip production efficiency and reducing waste.
2Shape
If the clay is thrown with force into the mould to create irregular surface, then the grained surface structure is achieved, but the mould walls must be fixedly mounted to absorb the force
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of throwing the clay with force into a fixed mould, the invention inverts the approach by placing the clay in the mould and then moving the top mould part. The irregular surface is created not by forceful impact but by the controlled movement and compression of the clay against the mould walls during the shaping process, eliminating the need for fixed mounting to absorb impact forces.
3Ease of operation
If the mould is reversed to release the clay, then the clay can be removed from the mould, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The mould is segmented into a fixed bottom part and a movable top part. After the clay is shaped, only the top part needs to be removed, while the bottom part remains in place. This eliminates the need to reverse the entire mould, making the clay removal process simpler and faster, thus improving ease of operation and reducing time loss.
4Shape
If the clay is compressed to form creases on the surface, then the irregular surface pattern is created, but the compression force must be applied in a specific direction
Solution Approach 1:
The top mould part serves multiple functions: it compresses the clay to create the irregular surface pattern, it defines the dimensions of the shaped clay, and it can be easily removed after shaping. By integrating these functions into a single component, the complexity of applying compression in specific directions is simplified, making the operation easier while achieving the desired crease pattern.
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 allows for the efficient production of brick slips with unique, irregular surfaces by forming creases on the surface facing away from the carrier, reducing energy consumption and waste, and enabling the creation of brick slips with characteristic appearances without the need for sawing or mould reversal.
Implementation Method 1
a chunk of malleable material is compressed
Implementation Method 2
the chunk of malleable material is deformed by the compression
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for shaping malleable material, comprising of: - depositing a chunk of malleable material (1) on a carrier surface (101), wherein the carrier surface (101) extends parallel to a first direction. The method is characterized by: - compressing the chunk of malleable material (1) in a second direction (x) after it has been deposited, wherein - the second direction (x) lies perpendicularly of the first direction; - the compressing of the chunk of malleable material (1) comprises of pushing in the second direction (x) against the chunk of malleable material (1) with a first surface (107) of a mould (102); - a second surface (108) of the mould (102) lying opposite the carrier surface (101) is moved together with the first surface (107) in the second direction (x) during the compression; and - pressing creases, which are formed by the compression in a surface of the chunk of malleable material (1) facing toward the second surface (108), against the second surface (108) by means of the compression.