Mold Design Surface Cells for Composite Resin Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fiber reinforced composite member molding apparatuses face challenges in achieving sufficient rigidity and uniform temperature distribution, particularly in cooling, due to the design limitations that prevent adequate thickness near the mold surface and inefficient air-based cooling methods.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus features a pair of molds with heat sources and cooling passages integrated into the design surface, allowing direct heating and seamless cooling, with induction heating coils arranged in cells and cooling fluid flow through passages, enabling uniform temperature control and increased mold rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the molds are heated by blowing heated air to the back of the design surface, then the molds can be heated, but the molds cannot have sufficient thickness near the design surface, resulting in insufficient rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat-resistant fluid (heating gas) as an intermediary medium to transfer heat from heaters to the mold back surface. This allows heat to reach the mold through a fluid medium rather than requiring direct contact, enabling the mold to have sufficient thickness for rigidity while still achieving effective heating through the back surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pneumatic flow of heating gas through channels formed in the mold to achieve heating. The heating gas is supplied to the back surface of the mold and flows through the mold structure, providing uniform heat distribution while allowing the mold to maintain its structural integrity and rigidity.
2Temperature
If the molds are cooled by blowing air to the back of the design surface, then cooling can be achieved, but uniform temperature distribution cannot be achieved between adjacent cells and centers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooling function into multiple segments by providing separate cooling channels for different regions of the mold (cell regions and intermediate regions). This segmentation allows independent temperature control of different areas, enabling uniform cooling across the entire mold surface including between adjacent cells and at centers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality control by providing different cooling channel configurations in different regions of the mold. The cooling channels are strategically positioned to address specific thermal characteristics of each region, ensuring that each area receives appropriate cooling to achieve overall uniform temperature distribution.
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 design ensures molds have sufficient rigidity and achieve uniform temperature distribution in both heating and cooling, enhancing the quality of fiber reinforced composite members by preventing deformation and damage during the molding process.
Implementation Method 1
heaters heat air supplied from an air source with their heating portions and blow the heated air to the back of the design surface of each mold, thereby heating the design surface
Implementation Method 2
cooling passages to allow a cooling fluid to flow, thereby cooling the resin via the molds after heating of the resin contained in the prepreg
Implementation Method 3
heaters heat air supplied from an air source with their heating portions and blow the heated air to the back of the design surface of each mold
Data Source
AI summary
A fiber reinforced composite member molding apparatus includes a pair of molds for clamping prepreg formed of long carbon fibers impregnated with resin, induction heating coils for heating thermoplastic resin contained in the prepreg via the molds, and cooling passages for cooling the resin via the molds after the resin is melted, wherein the molds each have a design surface brought into contact with the layered prereg, the design surface being divided into a plurality of regions, and a plurality of cells provided along the design surface to be open at the back of the design surface and individually correspond to the regions of the design surface, the induction heating coils are arranged in the cells, and the cooling passages are formed in each of the molds to run along the design surface.