Perforated Double-Conveyor Forming for Thermosetting Resin Foam Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing thermosetting resin foam plates face challenges in achieving high production rates while maintaining sufficient curing and compression strength, as they often result in inefficient drying and require additional devices or surface materials, leading to increased costs and layout complexities.
Innovation Solution
A double conveyor-type forming device with apertures on its surface, having an aperture area ratio of 20% to 80%, allows for effective release of water vapor and foaming gas, enabling high-speed and stable drying of thermosetting resin foam plates without unnecessary surface materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional double conveyor forming devices are used, then the structure is simple and easy to operate, but the drying efficiency is low and production rate is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor surface is designed with apertures (perforations) that allow water vapor and foaming gas to escape directly from the foam plate during the forming process. This porous structure dramatically improves drying efficiency and enables high-speed production without requiring additional drying equipment or extended drying time.
2Productivity
If additional drying devices or surface materials are added, then drying efficiency improves, but device complexity and facility investment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor serves multiple functions: it transports the foam plate, provides heating during forming, and enables efficient moisture evacuation through its apertured surface. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate drying devices or special surface materials, maintaining device simplicity while achieving high drying efficiency.
3Productivity
If exposure time in heating oven is reduced for high production rate, then productivity increases, but curing becomes insufficient and compression strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The apertured conveyor surface enables simultaneous moisture evacuation and curing by allowing water vapor to escape while maintaining contact between the foam plate and the heated conveyor surface. This ensures sufficient curing even at reduced exposure times, maintaining compression strength while enabling high production rates.
4Productivity
If conventional non-permeable conveyor surface is used, then the structure is simple, but moisture dissipation is inefficient and occurs only from edges
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor surface is designed with apertures that distribute moisture evacuation pathways across the entire surface area, not just the edges. This porous structure allows water vapor and foaming gas to escape uniformly from all regions of the foam plate, dramatically improving drying efficiency while maintaining relatively simple conveyor construction.
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 enables efficient and stable manufacturing of thermosetting resin foam plates with improved drying speed and compression strength, reducing facility costs and layout complexities by eliminating the need for additional surface materials.
Implementation Method 1
water vapor and a foaming gas in a thermosetting resin composition can be effectively released from the apertures
Implementation Method 2
apertures are formed on the surface of conveyors in a specific proportion... water vapor and a foaming gas in a thermosetting resin composition can be effectively released from the apertures
Data Source
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AI summary
There are provided a forming device capable of drying at a high speed and of manufacturing a thermosetting resin foam plate more efficiently and stably without multilayering any unnecessary surface material, and a method of efficiently manufacturing a thermosetting resin foam plate therefor. A thermosetting resin foam plate is manufactured by: mixing a resin composition containing at least a thermosetting resin, a foaming agent and a curing agent in a mixer; continuously discharging the resin composition on a traveling air-permeable and flexible surface material, and at the same time covering the upper surface of the resin composition with an air-permeable and flexible surface material; and passing the covered resin composition through a forming device equipped with conveyors having apertures having an aperture area ratio of 15% or more and 80% or less to form and cure the resin composition. Carrying out the formation by using the conveyors having apertures having an aperture area ratio of 15% or more and 80% or less allows water vapor and a foaming gas in the thermosetting resin composition to be released effectively from the apertures, while the thermosetting resin composition is formed and cured on the conveyors.