Modular Brush Manufacturing Kit with Standardized Interfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing brush manufacturing machines require significant effort and resources to adapt to varied customer requirements, leading to increased complexity and costs due to the need for custom designs and multiple variants of components.

Innovation Solution

A modular construction kit comprising basic and deflection modules with standardized connection interfaces and functional units, allowing for the assembly of various brush manufacturing machines with reduced design effort and shared components, enabling flexible configuration and simplified installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If brush manufacturing machines are customized according to customer requirements, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The brush manufacturing machine is divided into multiple independent modules, each with specific functions (material insertion, processing, finishing, quality monitoring). These modules can be selectively combined to create customized machine configurations for different customer requirements, avoiding the need to redesign entire systems while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs universal connection interfaces and standardized module designs that can serve multiple functions across different machine configurations. The same basic module types can be reused in various combinations to meet different customer needs, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If custom designs are created for each customer requirement, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing effort increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the machine into standardized modules, the manufacturing process becomes more efficient. Modules can be manufactured independently using standardized procedures and then assembled through simple coupling mechanisms, significantly reducing the effort required compared to building custom-designed machines from scratch for each customer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs pre-designed and pre-tested module configurations that can be directly assembled to meet customer requirements. This preliminary preparation of modular components eliminates the need for extensive custom design and manufacturing efforts for each new customer order.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple variants of components are used to meet customer requirements, then adaptability is improved, but storage costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidstorage costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs universal module designs with standardized interfaces that can serve multiple customer requirements. The same basic module types (material inserters, processing units, finishing units, quality monitoring units) can be reused across different machine configurations, significantly reducing the number of unique components that need to be stored and managed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple functions into standardized module types that can fulfill various customer needs. By merging similar functions into universal module designs, the system reduces the total quantity of different components required, thereby lowering storage costs while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3384807A1Kit for preparing brush manufacturing machines, brush manufacturing machine and series of brush making machines
Publication Date: 2018.10.10 ZAHORANSKY AG
  • EP3384807A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3384807A1 patent drawingFigure 4~8
  • EP3384807A1 patent drawing

AI summary

As an improvement in the technical field of manufacturing brush-making machines (1), a modular system for manufacturing brush-making machines (1) is proposed. This modular system comprises at least one basic module type (2a) and one deflection module type (3a), whose modules (2, 3) have standardized connection interfaces 5 via which the modules (3) can be coupled together to form a brush-making machine (1). Since each of the modules (2, 3, 4) can be coupled to each module of the different module types (2a, 3a, 4a), a large number of different brush-making machines (1) can be configured with the system without requiring any special design effort (see Fig. 5).