Modular Catcher Tank Assembly for Waterjet Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional catcher tanks for waterjet cutting systems are burdensome to fabricate and transport, and are limited in their ability to adapt to changing conditions and new applications due to their rigid structure and size constraints.
Innovation Solution
The catcher tank assembly is designed with modular tank sections that can be detachably coupled together in a side-by-side manner to form an internal tank cavity, along with a workpiece support system that includes adjustable modules and elongated support columns, allowing for versatile configurations and easy assembly, transport, and adaptation to different sizes and capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional unitary steel weldments are used for catcher tanks, then structural strength and stability are improved, but fabrication difficulty and transportation burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The catcher tank is divided into multiple detachable tank sections that can be assembled together using coupling mechanisms. Each section can be manufactured separately with standard fabrication processes, then joined using coupling devices with sealing elements, eliminating the need for complex welding of large unitary structures while maintaining structural integrity through the coupling connections.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional unitary steel weldments are used for catcher tanks, then structural stability is improved, but transportation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is segmented into multiple detachable sections that can be transported separately to locations where assembly is needed. The coupling devices with sealing elements ensure that when sections are assembled, the structural stability and water-tight integrity are maintained, allowing flexible transportation without requiring movement of a complete large-scale unitary structure.
3Strength
If conventional rigid structures are used for catcher tanks, then structural strength is improved, but adaptability to changing conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The modular segmented structure allows sections to be added, removed, or reconfigured based on changing operational requirements while maintaining structural strength through standardized coupling mechanisms. The detachable nature of the sections enables adaptation to different applications and conditions without requiring complete redesign of the entire tank structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling devices enable dynamic reconfiguration of the tank system, allowing it to adapt from a static unitary structure to a flexible modular system that can be adjusted for different capacities, configurations, and applications while maintaining structural integrity through the coupling connections.
4Adaptability or versatility
If modular tank sections are used, then adaptability and ease of assembly are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling devices are designed with universal applicability across different tank sections, using standardized sealing elements and coupling mechanisms that can be used throughout the system. This universality reduces the need for custom-designed components for each section, thereby reducing overall device complexity despite the modular segmented structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A catcher tank assembly is provided for a waterjet cutting machine. The catcher tank assembly includes a catcher tank having a plurality of tank sections detachably coupleable together in a side-by-side manner to collectively define a catcher tank having a desired configuration. The catcher tank assembly further includes a workpiece support system detachably coupleable to an interior cavity of the catcher tank. The workpiece support system may include a plurality of workpiece support modules arrangeable in an array to support a workpiece platform of the waterjet cutting machine. The workpiece platform may be formed, for example, by a series of slats supported transversely to parallel rows of the workpiece support modules. Methods and systems which relate to or include the aforementioned catcher tank assembly are also provided.