Material Conditioning Assembly for Viscosity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing systems face challenges in efficiently dispensing materials with varying viscosities, particularly non-Newtonian materials that become more viscous over time, leading to inconsistent dispensing rates and quantities.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing system incorporating a material conditioning assembly with multiple conditioning chambers and drive members that apply shear stress, controlled by an actuator and a control module to adjust power based on viscosity measurements, ensuring consistent flow through helical grooves and nonlinear chambers, and a doser with a displacement rod actuated by a servo motor to manage material flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional dispensing system is used without viscosity control, then the system structure remains simple, but the dispensing rate becomes inconsistent when material viscosity changes over time
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies shear stress to the material using a drive member (piston) that moves within a conditioning chamber, changing the physical state of the material by reducing its viscosity. This parameter change enables consistent dispensing rates even when material viscosity changes over time, resolving the contradiction between dispensing reliability and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module receives feedback from viscosity sensors that continuously monitor material viscosity and adjusts the actuator's power output accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system maintains consistent dispensing rates by dynamically compensating for viscosity changes, improving reliability while managing complexity through automated control.
2Reliability
If multiple conditioning chambers with drive members are added to control viscosity, then material flow consistency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conditioning assembly is divided into multiple independent conditioning chambers, each with its own drive member. This segmentation allows the system to handle material viscosity variations more effectively by applying shear stress in multiple locations simultaneously, improving flow consistency while managing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The conditioning chambers serve multiple functions: they condition the material by applying shear stress, store the material temporarily, and regulate flow to the doser. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, improving reliability while limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
3Productivity
If the actuator power is increased to handle high viscosity material, then the material can be moved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conditioning chambers apply shear stress to the material before it reaches the doser, pre-conditioning the material to a lower viscosity state. This preliminary action reduces the energy required by the actuator to move the material, improving productivity while minimizing energy consumption by addressing viscosity issues early in the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the material's physical parameters (viscosity) through applied shear stress in the conditioning chambers, transforming the material from a high-viscosity state to a lower-viscosity state. This parameter change enables the actuator to move the material more efficiently, improving productivity without proportionally increasing energy consumption.
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 system effectively reduces viscosity and ensures consistent dispensing of materials, maintaining optimal flow rates and quantities even after periods of inactivity, self-correcting viscosity issues to ensure reliable material deposition.
Implementation Method 1
a drive member movable within the conditioning chamber to apply shear stress to the material within the conditioning chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A dispensing system for dispensing a material to a deposition point, the dispensing system including: a nozzle configured to dispense the material; a doser in fluid communication with the nozzle, the doser configured to control flow of the material to the nozzle; and a material conditioning assembly in fluid communication with the nozzle and configured to decrease viscosity of the material. The material conditioning assembly including: a conditioning chamber configured to receive the material therein; a drive member movable within the conditioning chamber to apply shear stress to the material within the conditioning chamber; and an actuator configured to move the drive member.