Molten Alloy Injection Feed With Inert Holding Furnace Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional metal injection molding machines face issues with material feeding difficulties due to thermal expansion, high impurity content leading to oxidation and slag formation, and the use of high-GWP protective gases, resulting in poor product quality and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An integrated system with a melting device and liquid injection mechanism that includes a holding furnace with improved air-tightness, inert gas protection, and differential pressure and temperature sensors, along with a vacuum pump to prevent oxidation and slag formation, and uses inert gases like argon to reduce impurities, ensuring consistent feeding and high-quality alloy injection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If rod-shaped alloy material is fed into the melting cylinder, then the alloy can be melted for injection molding, but the material easily gets stuck due to thermal expansion and feeding becomes inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the alloy material from solid rod-shaped billets to liquid state by melting in the melting cylinder. This parameter change (solid to liquid) eliminates the thermal expansion jamming issue that occurs with rod-shaped materials, enabling consistent feeding and improved productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical feeding of solid rod-shaped alloy materials with a liquid delivery system. The molten alloy is transported through a delivery pipe using pressure differential control rather than mechanical pushing, eliminating feeding inconsistency caused by thermal expansion of solid materials
2Device complexity
If the holding furnace upper cover has poor air-tightness, then the structure is simpler, but external air and moisture enter causing oxidation and slag formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an inert gas protection system in the holding furnace to create an oxygen-free environment. This prevents oxidation of the molten alloy and slag formation, improving product quality without significantly complicating the holding furnace structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an inert gas as an intermediary substance between the molten alloy and the external environment. This intermediary layer prevents direct contact between oxygen/moisture and the alloy, eliminating oxidation and slag formation while maintaining structural simplicity
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional protective gases like SF6 are used in the holding furnace, then the protection effect is strong, but the GWP value is over 20,000 times that of CO2 contributing to global warming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the type of protective gas from high-GWP SF6 to low-GWP alternatives such as nitrogen or argon. This parameter change maintains the oxidation protection function while dramatically reducing the environmental harm and global warming contribution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces a harmful protective gas (SF6 with high GWP) with a beneficial alternative (nitrogen or argon with low GWP). The alternative gases provide the same oxidation protection function while eliminating the environmental harm, converting a harmful system into a beneficial one
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 system ensures consistent feeding and reduces oxidation and slag formation, improving product quality and operational efficiency while using environmentally friendly inert gases, facilitating continuous production and multiple alloy injection processes.
Implementation Method 1
the melting device melts an alloy material into molten alloy
Implementation Method 2
a holding furnace...encasing and surrounding the outer periphery of the melting cylinder and holding furnace
Implementation Method 3
the injection device extrudes the molten alloy into the mold cavity
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated system of a melting device and a liquid injection mechanism and an injection method thereof, including: a machine platform, an injection device, a melting cylinder, a mold device and a driving device; wherein the melting cylinder is installed above the injection device, the lower part of the front end of the melting cylinder is connected to the input end of the injection device, and there is an upright holding furnace above the rear end; where an alloy melting furnace melts materials into alloy molten liquid, which flows through an input pipe into the holding furnace and into the melting cylinder. Through a heater, the alloy molten liquid is kept warm and flows into the injection device, where it is extruded from the front end of the injection device by the driving device, entering the mold device for cooling and molding to complete the alloy injection molding.