Slip Form Paver Side Form Height Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slip form paver machines face challenges in maintaining optimal downward pressure on side forms to prevent concrete leakage while avoiding digging into the ground, especially on uneven surfaces, which affects the quality and precision of the finished concrete structure.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of side form height sensors and actuators, including non-contact linear scanners and hydraulic piston-cylinder units, allows for precise control of side form height and extension, enabling automatic adjustment to maintain optimal pressure and prevent concrete leakage, while avoiding excessive force that could lift the machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If downward force on side form is increased to prevent concrete leakage, then concrete containment is improved, but the side form may dig into the ground surface and lift the paving machine
Solution Approach 1:
The side form assembly incorporates movable components including a movable bottom edge that can dynamically adjust its position. The bottom edge is connected via a link mechanism to a sensing shoe that detects ground surface variations, allowing the side form to adapt its downward force application point and magnitude in real-time based on ground conditions, preventing both concrete leakage and excessive digging.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensing shoe is positioned to detect the ground surface profile and provide feedback signals to a control system. This feedback mechanism allows the side form assembly to automatically adjust its downward force and position based on real-time ground conditions, ensuring optimal concrete containment while preventing the side form from digging into raised ground locations.
2Ease of operation
If downward force on side form is decreased to avoid digging into ground, then side form operation smoothness is improved, but concrete material flows laterally outward under the side form
Solution Approach 1:
The movable bottom edge of the side form is connected to a sensing shoe through a link mechanism, creating a dynamic system that automatically adjusts the side form's downward force based on ground surface variations. This ensures sufficient pressure to contain concrete while avoiding excessive force that would cause digging, thereby maintaining operational smoothness.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing shoe continuously monitors ground surface conditions and provides feedback to control the side form assembly's downward force. This feedback mechanism ensures the side form maintains optimal contact pressure to prevent concrete leakage while avoiding excessive force that would disrupt smooth operation on uneven ground.
3Reliability
If human operator manually adjusts side form height frequently to maintain proper pressure, then concrete containment is improved, but operation time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The side form assembly incorporates a self-adjusting mechanism where the sensing shoe automatically detects ground surface variations and triggers appropriate responses through the link mechanism and control system. This self-service capability eliminates the need for frequent manual adjustments by human operators, maintaining proper concrete containment while significantly improving paving operation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing shoe provides continuous automatic feedback on ground surface conditions to the side form assembly control system, enabling real-time self-adjustment of downward force and position. This automated feedback loop eliminates the need for manual operator intervention to maintain proper pressure, thereby improving productivity while ensuring reliable concrete containment.
4Ease of operation
If side form is cycled up and down to prevent concrete setting up, then concrete material flow is improved, but concrete leakage under side form increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable bottom edge connected to the sensing shoe creates a dynamic side form assembly that can respond continuously to ground variations. This dynamic configuration allows the side form to maintain consistent contact pressure during cycling operations, preventing concrete leakage while still enabling the necessary up-and-down movement to prevent concrete setting up against the form.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensing shoe provides continuous feedback during side form cycling operations, allowing the control system to maintain optimal downward force even as the side form moves up and down. This feedback mechanism ensures that concrete containment is maintained during cycling while still preventing concrete from setting up against the form, balancing both requirements.
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 solution ensures consistent and high-quality concrete formation by maintaining proper side form pressure, preventing concrete leakage, and maintaining machine levelness, even on uneven surfaces, thereby enhancing the precision and quality of the paving process.
Implementation Method 1
at least one side form height sensor configured to detect a height of the side form relative to the ground surface
Implementation Method 2
side form actuator configured to move the side form up and down relative to the mounting portion
Data Source
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AI summary
A slip form paver machine includes a slip form mold 24 and left and right side form assemblies 26, 28 closing the slip form mold 24 on the sides. Each side form assembly 26, 28 includes a mounting portion 44C, a side form 46, and a side form actuator 48 configured to move the side form 46 up and down relative to the mounting portion 44C to adjust a height of the side form 46 relative to the ground surface 14. At least one side form height sensor 70 is configured to detect the height of the side form 46. A controller 82 is configured to receive input signals from the side form height sensors 70 and to send control signals to the side form actuators 48 to control the height of the side forms 46 relative to the ground surface 14.