Quartz Glass Rod Drawing With In-Process Bend Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manufacturing processes for quartz glass rods strain the rods at multiple locations, leading to a risk of cracking due to residual strain after shipment, and omitting the strain removal process complicates this issue.
Innovation Solution
The method involves correcting bending during multiple drawing processes, ensuring strain is only present at the ends by adjusting heating conditions to minimize strain in the middle section, thus reducing the risk of cracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the strain removal process is omitted to improve productivity, then manufacturing time is reduced, but the risk of cracking due to residual strain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing bending correction during the drawing process itself, before the rod is completed. By correcting bends in the middle section during drawing, the strain is addressed proactively rather than reactively after completion, eliminating the need for a separate post-processing strain removal step while ensuring the rod is ready for shipment without residual cracking risks
2Manufacturing precision
If bending correction is performed after the final drawing process, then the bending amount can be precisely controlled, but the strain removal process becomes necessary to prevent cracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bending correction process with the final drawing process. By performing the bending correction during the drawing operation itself rather than as a separate subsequent step, the patent combines two operations into one, thereby maintaining precision while eliminating the need for additional strain removal process steps
3Ease of manufacture
If thermal cutting is applied to both ends to remove the glass base material, then the rod can be separated from the base material, but strain is introduced at both ends
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful strain introduced by thermal cutting into a beneficial pattern by accepting and managing the strain distribution. By performing bending correction in the middle section during drawing, the patent creates a strain distribution pattern where the ends have strain from thermal cutting but the middle section has controlled strain from bending correction, which is managed through the drawing process itself
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 enhances productivity by omitting the strain removal process while significantly reducing the risk of cracking, ensuring strain-related damage is confined to non-critical areas.
Implementation Method 1
heating the portions with a burner flame to soften them
Implementation Method 2
the portions are heated with a burner flame to soften them and bring the bending amount within a specified range
Implementation Method 3
obtaining a quartz glass rod of a predetermined diameter by gradually drawing the glass base material through multiple drawing processes
Implementation Method 4
the product portion with the specified length is removed by thermally cutting off both ends with a burner flame
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to improve productivity by omitting the strain removal process in the manufacturing process of quartz glass rods and to provide a method of leaving strain that does not cause substantial damage in the event that cracks occur in quartz glass rods after shipment due to the effects of residual strain. A manufacturing method of a quartz glass rod according to the present invention involves obtaining a quartz glass rod of a predetermined diameter by gradually drawing the quartz glass rod through multiple drawing processes. In the manufacturing method of the quartz glass rod, during the multiple drawing processes, the bending of one or more portions of the quartz glass rod drawn by a glass processing lathe is corrected by heating the portions with a burner flame to soften them and bring the bending amount within a specified range.