Segmented Core Extrusion Profile for Bending Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional extruded profiles, especially hollow ones, lack stability against bending and torsion, leading to component failure due to lateral torsional buckling, and existing reinforcement methods like metal strips or fiber plate reinforcements complicate production, increase costs, and worsen thermal properties and disposal issues.
Innovation Solution
A method involving mixing fibers from renewable raw materials with additives to form a pasty fiber fluid, creating a segmented core and mantle structure through a two-phase process in a compression mold, where fiber segments form stabilizing transverse walls and a circumferential gap is filled with additional fiber fluid to enhance stability and strength, allowing for continuous production of a lightweight, stable profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If hollow profiles are used to reduce material consumption and weight, then weight and material usage are improved, but stability against bending and torsion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The profile is divided into a hollow outer profile and an inner core that is segmented into multiple fiber segments by transverse walls. This segmentation provides structural reinforcement against bending and torsion while maintaining the lightweight hollow structure. The transverse walls create discrete segments that resist lateral torsional buckling.
Solution Approach 2:
The profile combines different materials: a plastic hollow profile structure with an inner core made of fiber-reinforced composite material. The composite material consists of fibers (such as glass fibers, carbon fibers, or natural fibers) embedded in a matrix material, providing high strength-to-weight ratio and resistance to bending and torsion forces.
2Strength
If reinforcing strips or fiber plate reinforcements are pushed into hollow profiles to improve stability, then stability against bending and torsion is improved, but production complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement structure is merged with the profile manufacturing process itself. The inner core with fiber segments is produced integrally in the extrusion die and inserted into the hollow profile in one continuous operation, eliminating the need for separate reinforcement components and multiple assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner core reinforcement structure is pre-formed during the extrusion process within the die cavity before insertion into the hollow profile. The fiber segments and transverse walls are created in advance as part of the continuous extrusion process, ready for immediate insertion without requiring additional manufacturing steps.
3Strength
If glass or carbon fibers are used to reinforce profiles to improve stability, then stability against bending and torsion is improved, but tool wear increases and health hazards arise from fiber dust
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses natural fibers (such as hemp, flax, coconut, bamboo, Chinese reed, or sugar cane) that are biodegradable and environmentally friendly as alternatives to durable but harmful glass or carbon fibers. These natural fibers provide sufficient reinforcement while being easier to handle, less harmful to health, and more environmentally sustainable.
4Strength
If metal strips are used to reinforce profiles to improve stability, then stability against bending and torsion is improved, but thermal properties and workability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement is achieved through fiber-reinforced composite material (glass fibers, carbon fibers, or natural fibers in a matrix) rather than metal strips. This composite structure provides the necessary mechanical strength while maintaining good thermal insulation properties and workability, as the composite material can be processed and shaped more easily than metal reinforcements.
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 method produces a cost-effective, environmentally friendly extruded profile with high stability against bending and torsion, using a high proportion of decomposable natural fibers, and allows for flexible profile shapes without the drawbacks of conventional hollow profiles.
Implementation Method 1
a piston that can be displaced in a first compression mold into a first, retracted position, forcing fiber fluid into the first compression mold as a fiber segment
Implementation Method 2
the first compression mold is closed off stably on both sides, so that the fiber segment can be produced with a higher density
Implementation Method 3
allowing the filler segment to harden
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a device for producing an extruded profile (1) from fibers of renewable raw materials, wherein the fibers are mixed with additives to form a pasty fiber fluid in a processing unit (6), comprising in a first phase for producing a segmented core (3) for the profile (1): moving a piston (12) movable in a first press die (9) into a first, retracted position, injecting fiber fluid into the first press die (9) as a fiber segment, retracting the piston (12) against the extrusion direction from the first to a second, further retracted position, filling the space remaining in the first press die (9) between the fiber segment and the piston (12) with filler as a filler segment and allowing the filler segment to harden;and in a second phase to produce a shell (2) around the core (3): advancing the piston (12) in the extrusion direction from the second to a third position while advancing the produced core (3) into a second die (10), leaving a circumferential gap (11) around the core (3), and thereby injecting further fiber fluid as a shell (2) into the circumferential gap (11).;