Rotatable Cleaning Housing for Composite Tool Residue Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in cleaning large-area fiber composite material tools is the risk of residual contamination leading to production errors and economic losses, especially for safety-relevant components, where residual cleaning media can cause blistering during curing, necessitating a reliable and residue-free cleaning method.
Innovation Solution
A high-pressure cleaning device with a nozzle carrier surrounded by a housing connected to a suction device and a flexible, liquid-tight seal, featuring adjustable pressure settings and a rotatable design to ensure effective removal of residues and release agents without damaging the tool surface, and a control unit to manage nozzle position and feed rate for precise cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high pressure cleaning liquid is used to remove fiber composite material residues, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the risk of damaging the release agent layer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit adjusts the pressure of the cleaning liquid dynamically based on the cleaning stage. In the first pressure range setting, a lower pressure is applied to remove fiber composite material residues while preserving the release agent layer. In the second pressure range setting, a higher pressure is applied to remove the release agent layer itself. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by adapting the pressure level to the specific cleaning objective.
2Reliability
If the nozzle carrier is surrounded by a housing connected to a suction device, then residue removal is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing and suction device are integrated into a single functional unit that surrounds the nozzle carrier. The housing contains the cleaning liquid application system while the suction device simultaneously removes residues and cleaning liquid from the tool surface. This merging of functions improves residue removal effectiveness while minimizing the increase in device complexity through integrated design.
3Reliability
If a flexible liquid-tight seal is used to seal the space between nozzle carrier and tool surface, then cleaning liquid containment is improved, but the difficulty of adapting to surface discontinuities increases
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible liquid-tight seal is used to seal the space between the nozzle carrier and the tool surface. The flexibility of the seal allows it to adapt to surface discontinuities such as edges and depressions while maintaining liquid-tight sealing. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the seal to conform to surface variations without compromising containment reliability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the housing walls are designed to be rotatable, then adaptability to surface contours is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral surfaces of the housing are designed to be rotatable about the axis of rotation of the nozzle carrier. This dynamic capability allows the housing to adapt to surface contours and maintain optimal positioning during the cleaning process. The rotatable design provides adaptability while keeping the mechanism relatively simple through a single degree of freedom rotation.
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 solution ensures reliable and residue-free cleaning of large-area fiber composite material tools, preventing contamination and ensuring safe reuse by effectively removing fiber composite material residues and release agents, thereby reducing production errors and economic losses.
Implementation Method 1
The housing is also connected to a suction device, with which an interior space of the housing, in which the nozzle holder is arranged, can be suctioned off
Implementation Method 2
cleaning the surface of a tool for shaping a large-area fiber composite material body with a cleaning liquid under high pressure
Implementation Method 3
A flexible, liquid-tight seal is arranged at the open end of the housing, with which the space between the nozzle carrier and the surface of the body to be cleaned can be sealed off
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for cleaning the surface (33) of a tool (32) for shaping the surface of a large-area fiber composite material body using a highly pressurized cleaning liquid, having a nozzle support (3) which is held on a central bearing (2) in a rotatable manner, at least one jet nozzle (7) which is held in an arm (5, 6) of the nozzle support (3) and out of which the highly pressurized cleaning liquid exits during operation, and a control unit for controlling the cleaning liquid pressure to be applied, wherein the nozzle support (3) is surrounded by a housing (4) which is provided with an opening (25) towards the tool (32) surface (33) to be cleaned. The housing (4) is connected to a suction device by means of which a housing (4) interior (24) equipped with the nozzle support (3) can be suctioned. The housing (4) interior (24) is connected to an outer surrounding area via a pressure valve (14), and a liquid-tight seal (20, 21) with a flexible shape is arranged on a housing (4) end which forms the opening (25), wherein the seal can be used to seal the space between the nozzle support (3) and the body (32) surface (33) to be cleaned from the outer surrounding area, and the control unit has at least two pressure range settings. The invention additionally relates to a method for cleaning a surface (33) of a tool (32).