Strip-Assembled Mold Insert for Low-Waste Vacuum Soldering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for manufacturing mold inserts from solid metallic blocks are energy-intensive and material-intensive, limiting their efficiency and versatility.

Innovation Solution

The method involves fitting together multiple strips using connecting elements and soldering them to form a mold insert, allowing for the use of materials that are difficult to process by flame cutting or milling, and employing a vacuum soldering process to achieve high angular and dimensional accuracy with a wear-protection layer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If mold impressions are cut out of solid metallic blocks by flame cutting or milling, then mold inserts can be manufactured, but the process is very energy-intensive and material-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturability of mold insertVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The mold insert is divided into multiple strips that are fitted together to form the complete structure. These strips can be manufactured separately using less energy-intensive processes and then assembled, avoiding the need to cut the entire mold insert from a solid block. The strips are joined using connecting elements and soldering, creating a functional equivalent to the traditional monolithic structure while significantly reducing energy and material consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If mold impressions are cut out of solid metallic blocks by flame cutting or milling, then mold inserts can be manufactured, but the process is very material-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturability of mold insertVSAvoidmaterial waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the mold insert into multiple strips, the invention enables a transition from subtractive manufacturing (cutting) to additive manufacturing (assembling). The strips are fitted together using connecting elements, and only the necessary material for each strip is used, dramatically reducing material waste compared to cutting mold impressions from solid blocks where large portions are removed as waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple separately manufactured strips are merged together using connecting elements and soldering to form the complete mold insert. This combining approach allows each strip to be optimized and manufactured efficiently, then assembled into the final structure, reducing overall material consumption compared to the traditional method of creating the entire insert from a single solid block.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Use of energy by stationary object

If multiple strips are fitted together using connecting elements and soldered, then energy and material efficiency improve, but the structural integrity and stiffness must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidstiffness and load-bearing capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by stationary objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The strips are fitted together using connecting elements before soldering, establishing preliminary mechanical connections that position and align the strips correctly. This preliminary action ensures proper structural arrangement before the soldering process reinforces the joints, maintaining structural integrity while using less energy than traditional methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the joining parameter from mechanical cutting and welding to soldering, which creates strong metallurgical bonds between strips without the high energy input and mechanical stresses of welding. The soldering process parameters (temperature, time, solder material) are optimized to achieve sufficient joint strength while consuming less energy and avoiding adverse effects on the mold insert's service life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach reduces energy and material consumption while maintaining high accuracy and durability, enabling the use of diverse materials and avoiding mechanical stress at joining points, thus extending the mold insert's service life.

Implementation Method 1

multiple strips, which form wall elements of the mold insert to be manufactured, are fitted together using connecting elements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Fastening: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 2

the fitted-together strips are soldered to one another

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSoldering: Soldering

Implementation Method 3

employing a vacuum soldering process to achieve high angular and dimensional accuracy with a wear-protection layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Data Source

PatentUS12552069B2Method of manufacturing a mold insert for the production of moldings, and mold insert and its use

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 FORMWERK GMBH

AI summary

A method of manufacturing a mold insert for the production of moldings, in particular blocks or slabs, in which a plurality of strips that form wall elements of the mold insert to be manufactured are interlocked by connecting elements and the interlocked strips are soldered to each other. There is also described a mold insert for producing moldings and to its use.