Plastic Mat Surface Shaping for Multi-Size Mold Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing rubber mats in various sizes and shapes is costly due to the need for multiple molds, and existing methods fail to integrate surfaces with varying mean surface roughnesses effectively.
Innovation Solution
A mat is manufactured with a main body integrally formed by plastic material, featuring surfaces with different surface characteristics that are shaped and processed to have similar surface roughness, with an angle between them within specific limits, allowing for flexible sizing and shaping without requiring multiple molds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple molds are prepared to manufacture mats in various sizes and shapes, then the mats can have diverse dimensions and configurations, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A single mold is designed with multiple cavities that can produce mats of different sizes and shapes simultaneously. The mold includes a first cavity for producing a first mat and a second cavity for producing a second mat, allowing one mold to serve multiple production purposes and eliminate the need for separate molds for each mat type
Solution Approach 2:
The mold is divided into multiple independent cavities, each capable of forming different mat configurations. This segmentation allows flexible production of various mat types in one molding cycle while maintaining cost-effectiveness through single-mold usage
2Manufacturing precision
If different molds are prepared for mats with slight angle differences, then the angular precision is maintained, but the stock cost cannot be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mold cavities are designed with specific local geometric features including inclined surfaces and chamfered edges that precisely control angular relationships. The first and second cavities incorporate angled surfaces that form mats with specific angle relationships (135-225 degrees) while maintaining high angular precision without requiring separate molds for different angle requirements
3Ease of manufacture
If the lateral surface is cut at a right angle, then the cutting process is simple, but the mean surface roughness difference between top end surface and lateral surface becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The mold cavities are designed with preliminary chamfered edges and inclined surfaces that pre-form the lateral surfaces at specific angles (135-225 degrees) during the molding process. This preliminary shaping action ensures consistent surface roughness characteristics on lateral surfaces before any subsequent cutting, eliminating the need for right-angle cutting that would create roughness discrepancies
Data Source
AI summary
The mat of the present invention includes a main body integrally formed by a plastic material. The main body at least has a first surface and a second surface adjacent to the first face. The first face and the second face have different surface physical characteristics. The first surface and the second surface are shaped into a third surface and a fourth surface respectively. The third surface and the fourth surface have a substantially same surface physical characteristic. An angle between the third surface and the fourth surface outside the main body is a specific value.