Oriented Plant-Fiber Resin Boards to Reduce Equipment Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing resin boards with plant fibers are costly and complex, requiring expensive equipment and materials, and do not efficiently utilize the strength and rigidity of plant fibers.
Innovation Solution
A method involving spreading plant fibers in a planar shape, impregnating them with thermoplastic resin, cutting into pieces, arranging them in overlapping layers, and pressing to form a multilayered member, which reduces material and equipment costs while enhancing strength and rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If plant fibers are cut into short pieces and mixed with resin fibers using a mixer and former, then a resin board with desired rigidity can be obtained, but the equipment cost and production complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the plant fiber processing into discrete stages: spreading plant fiber tow in planar shape, impregnating with thermoplastic resin, cutting into pieces, arranging in overlapping layers, and pressing. This segmentation allows each step to be performed with simpler, more cost-effective equipment while maintaining the rigidity benefits of oriented fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary orientation of plant fibers by spreading them in a planar shape before resin impregnation. This preliminary action preserves fiber orientation and length, achieving rigidity without requiring complex mixing and forming equipment that would otherwise be needed to create oriented structures.
2Ease of manufacture
If plant fibers are cut into short pieces and mixed with resin fibers, then a resin board can be produced, but the raw material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the processing parameters of plant fibers from cutting into short pieces to spreading in planar shape with minimal cutting only after resin impregnation. This parameter change reduces material waste and maintains fiber length, thereby reducing raw material costs while keeping the production process manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure by impregnating plant fiber tow with thermoplastic resin before cutting and layering. This composite approach allows the use of longer, less processed plant fibers combined with resin, reducing the need for expensive short-cut fiber processing while maintaining manufacturability.
3Quantity of substance
If plant fibers are spread in planar shape with similar orientations and impregnated with thermoplastic resin, then cost is reduced, but the processing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple operations into integrated steps: plant fiber spreading and resin impregnation are combined in a single processing sequence, and cutting, arranging, and pressing are performed as continuous operations. This merging reduces the number of separate processing steps while maintaining cost efficiency through optimized material utilization.
4Strength
If resin pieces are arranged in overlapping layers and pressed, then strength and rigidity are improved, but the production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the phase transition of thermoplastic resin from solid to molten state during pressing. The resin is heated to melt and bind the overlapping fiber pieces together, then cooled to solidify the bonded structure. This phase transition approach achieves strong bonding in a single pressing cycle rather than requiring multiple bonding steps, thereby reducing production time while maintaining strength.
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 method produces resin boards with reduced costs and improved strength and rigidity using plant fibers, minimizing equipment needs and material waste.
Implementation Method 1
heating and pressing the multilayered member and binding the resin pieces including fibers together as one component
Implementation Method 2
heating and pressing the multilayered member and binding the resin pieces including fibers together as one component
Data Source
AI summary
A method of producing a resin board including plant fibers includes spreading a plant fiber tow in a planar shape such that plant fibers of the plant fiber tow have similar orientations and obtaining a fiber base member, impregnating the fiber base member with thermoplastic resin, curing the fiber base member impregnated with the thermoplastic resin and binding the plant fibers included in the fiber base member with the thermoplastic resin and obtaining a resin sheet including fibers, cutting the resin sheet including fibers into pieces and obtaining resin pieces including fibers, arranging the resin pieces including fibers in a planar shape to overlap each other and obtaining a multilayered member, and heating and pressing the multilayered member and binding the resin pieces including fibers together as one component and molding into a predefined shape.