Modular Ceramic Cutting Machine with Elastic Supports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ceramic cutters for large pieces are excessively heavy and difficult to maneuver due to their robust design and materials, making them cumbersome to transport and operate effectively.
Innovation Solution
A modular ceramic cutting machine with a configuration that includes lateral and central profiles with furrows, mortised towers, guide reinforcements, elastic supports, and a tool-bearing assembly with bushings and shock-absorbers, allowing for adjustable dimensions and reduced weight while maintaining robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If robust materials and increased size are used to manufacture machines for cutting large ceramic pieces, then the machine can resist the forces generated upon cutting, but the weight and size of the machine considerably increase, making it difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The machine is divided into separate modular components including towers, guides, tool-bearing assemblies, and floating platforms that can be disassembled and reconfigured. This segmentation allows the machine to be broken down into lighter, more manageable parts for transportation while maintaining robustness when assembled for cutting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The machine employs composite construction combining metal profiles with reinforcement elements and elastic supports. The profiles are reinforced with internal ribs and external guide reinforcements, while elastic elements provide cushioning, creating a composite structure that achieves high strength-to-weight ratio suitable for both robustness and reduced weight.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the machine is designed with extended length guides to accommodate large ceramic pieces, then the machine can handle larger ceramic pieces, but the maneuverability becomes more difficult due to the extended length
Solution Approach 1:
The guides are segmented into multiple sections that can be independently positioned and adjusted. The modular architecture allows the guide system to be configured for different ceramic piece sizes, enabling the machine to accommodate large pieces when needed while maintaining ease of maneuverability through modular reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The machine incorporates elastic supports and floating platforms that provide dynamic adjustment and cushioning during operation. The elastic elements allow the machine to adapt to different loading conditions and ceramic piece sizes, maintaining maneuverability while extending capability to handle larger pieces.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the machine uses dismountable fastening to allow modular reconfiguration, then the machine can acquire different dimensions by adding modules, but the complexity of assembly and disassembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The machine employs universal fastening mechanisms and standardized connection interfaces that allow the same components to be used across different module configurations. The towers, guides, and tool-bearing assemblies can be interchanged and reconfigured using identical fastening procedures, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining versatile dimensional reconfiguration capability.
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 machine is both robust and lightweight, enabling efficient cutting of large ceramic pieces with improved maneuverability and reduced transportation challenges, as it can be easily disassembled and reconfigured for different sizes.
Implementation Method 1
each support comprising a central body and a surrounding elastic element, such that the support of the floating platforms on the rigidity providing elements is an elastic joint
Implementation Method 2
the connection piece that joins the plate to the circular perforation in the angular piece is a shock-absorber, comprising a screw and a nut, with an elastic element located between the head of the screw and the nut
Implementation Method 3
a tool-bearing assembly comprising a number of runners sliding along these guides, said runners mainly being formed by self-lubricating bushings
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The object of the invention is a modular machine for cutting ceramic pieces, comprising two towers (7), a central profile (5) and two lateral profiles (4) fastened to the two towers (7), at least two rigidity providing elements (14) between each lateral profile (4) and the central profile (5), two guides (9) fastened to the towers (7) and a number of guide reinforcements (28) around the guides (9), providing the guide (9) and a tool-bearing assembly (3) with precision, at least two floating platforms (6) supported on the rigidity providing elements (14) which constitute a support for the ceramic piece, a tool-bearing assembly (3) that may be displaced along the guides (9), such that the lateral profiles (4), the central profile (5), the guides (9) and the guide reinforcements (28) are fastened to the towers (7) in a dismountable fashion.