Automated Plastic Sheet Repair Machine with Integrated Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The glass bottle industry and other sectors face significant waste due to damaged cellular polypropylene sheets used as separating elements, as existing methods are inefficient and costly for repairing these sheets.
Innovation Solution
An automatic machine is developed to repair plastic sheets by cutting defective regions, supplying donor pellets, welding, and pressing, specifically designed for cellular polypropylene sheets with integrated cutting, supply, welding, and pressing means, along with sheet and donor pellet holding mechanisms and control systems for automated operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual repair methods are used for damaged plastic sheets, then repair can be performed, but the repair process is time-consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical repair operations with an automated machine system that integrates cutting means, donor pellet supply means, welding means, and pressing means. This automated system performs all repair operations mechanically without manual intervention, dramatically increasing repair speed and reducing the time required for each repair cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple separate repair operations (cutting, positioning, welding, pressing) into a single integrated machine system. All these functions are merged into one automated device that can perform complete repair cycles continuously, eliminating the sequential manual operations that previously consumed time.
2Reliability
If damaged sheets are discarded and replaced with new ones, then production continuity is maintained, but material waste increases and costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding damaged sheets entirely, the patent recovers the usable portions of the sheets by cutting out only the defective regions and replacing them with donor pellets. This approach preserves the majority of each sheet's material and extends its service life, reducing overall plastic waste while maintaining sheet availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes only the specific defective portions of the sheets through precise cutting, rather than discarding the entire sheet. By taking out only the damaged regions and replacing them locally, the system minimizes material loss while ensuring the repaired sheet meets quality standards for continued use.
3Productivity
If automated repair machinery is implemented, then repair efficiency increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the automated machine with multi-functional components that perform multiple operations. The cutting means, donor pellet supply means, welding means, and pressing means are integrated into a single machine structure, allowing one device to handle the complete repair process. This universality reduces the need for multiple separate devices while maintaining high productivity.
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 machine enables rapid, automatic, and continuous repair cycles, reducing waste and lowering costs by extending the life of plastic sheets, while ensuring strong and uniform welds that maintain the integrity of the sheets.
Implementation Method 1
welding means for welding said donor material pellet to the sheet
Implementation Method 2
pressing means for pressing the weld
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic machine for repairing plastic sheets having incorporated in a support structure (3): —a rotary head (4), with several work stations with cutting device (5) for cutting the edge of a sheet (2), donor pellet supply device (6, 7), welding device (8) for welding the donor pellet, and pressing device (9) for pressing the weld thus made; —an outer bench (10) for situating the sheet (2) to be repaired on same; —donor pellet fastening device (11); —sheet fastening device for holding the sheet (2); and —operation control device connected to a programmable logic controller.