Segmented Ceramic Color Ring Manufacturing via Pressing and Sintering
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing methods for color conversion elements, such as color wheels, are inefficient and costly due to the need for accurate cutting and sintering of large ceramic sections, resulting in material wastage and high production costs.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing a color ring using granulated precursors that are pressed and sintered into ring shapes, allowing for optimized dimensions and reduced material usage, with the option to segment and couple ceramic rings for efficient production and assembly, including the use of support structures for stability and heat management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If large ceramic sections are cut out of a plate to manufacture color wheel sections, then the sections can be obtained with required shape, but a relatively large part of the plate is wasted and cutting time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the color wheel into multiple separate sections that can be manufactured independently and then assembled. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for its specific function and shape, reducing material waste compared to cutting from a large plate. The sections are created as separate entities rather than removing material from a monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of cutting sections from a large ceramic plate (subtractive manufacturing), the invention builds sections by sintering granulated precursor material (additive/constructive manufacturing). This inversion of the manufacturing approach eliminates material waste associated with cutting and shaping operations.
2Manufacturing precision
If color wheel sections are cut out with very accurate cutting tools, then manufacturing precision is improved, but production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The desired shape of the color wheel sections is prepared in advance by forming granulated precursor material into the required shapes before sintering. This preliminary shaping eliminates the need for precise cutting operations after sintering, as the sections are already formed to their final dimensions. The granulated material is compacted into the exact shape needed, reducing subsequent machining time.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces mechanical cutting operations with a sintering process that builds sections directly in their final shape. Instead of using expensive, slow cutting tools to remove material, the process uses granulated precursor material that is compacted and sintered into the desired form, eliminating the need for precision cutting machinery and operations.
3Loss of substance
If color wheel sections are directly manufactured at required shape via sintering, then material waste is reduced, but manufacturing accuracy becomes relatively difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The color wheel is divided into multiple sections that are manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows for better control of dimensional accuracy in each individual section during the sintering process, and enables precise positioning and alignment during assembly. Each section can be optimized for its specific geometric requirements rather than requiring the entire wheel to be manufactured in one piece.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary assembly step where pre-sintered sections are joined together to form the complete color wheel. This intermediary process allows for quality control and precision adjustment during assembly, ensuring that the final assembled wheel meets the required accuracy specifications even though individual sections were manufactured separately through sintering.
4Device complexity
If a color wheel with small hole in center is used, then the structure is simplified, but a significant part of the color wheel is not used when converting light color
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a solid disk-shaped color wheel to a ring-shaped color wheel with a large central opening. This curved/geometric transformation allows the light beam to pass through the center without obstruction while the luminescent sections are positioned only in the regions where light conversion is needed. The ring shape optimizes the distribution of luminescent material to match the light beam profile, improving conversion efficiency while maintaining structural simplicity.
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 reduces material waste, lowers production costs, and enhances manufacturing efficiency by optimizing ring dimensions and using less powerful presses, while enabling the creation of efficient and environmentally friendly ceramic color conversion elements for light sources.
Implementation Method 1
the first ring body is sintered to obtain a first ceramic ring
Implementation Method 2
The first luminescent material converts the color of light emitted by a light emitter into a first one of at least one other color
Data Source
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AI summary
A method 200 of manufacturing a (part of) color ring is provided. The color ring converts a color of light emitted by a light emitter into at least one other color. The method (200) comprising the steps of: i) pressing (102) a first ring body of a first granulated precursor comprising a first luminescent material for converting the color of the light of the light emitter into a first one of the at least one other color, and ii) sintering (104) the first ring body for obtaining a first ceramic ring. The color ring comprises at least a segment of the first ceramic ring. Further, the method may comprises the steps of: iii) pressing (208) a second ring body of a second granulated precursor, wherein the first luminescent material is absent, iv) sintering (210) the second ring body for obtaining a second ceramic ring, v) segmenting(206) the first ceramic rings in at least two parts and segmenting (212) the second ceramic ring in at least two parts, and vi) forming (214) at least a part of the color ring by coupling a part of the first ceramic ring and a part of the second ceramic ring.