Soluble Mandrel for Thin Metal Liner Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-performance composite vessels require thin metal liners with sufficient mechanical resilience to withstand winding forces, but existing technologies face challenges with mass optimization, especially when using materials with low mechanical resilience or ductility, and mandrel removal is complicated due to accessibility issues.
Innovation Solution
A toolset and method utilizing a soluble mandrel with steel annular sectors for supporting and manufacturing thin metal liners, allowing for precise shaping and welding while enabling the use of low-resilience materials, and facilitating easy mandrel removal through dissolution or deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the liner thickness is reduced to minimize vessel mass, then the vessel mass is reduced, but the liner's mechanical resilience and stiffness are insufficient to withstand winding forces
Solution Approach 1:
The mandrel is prepared in advance with the exact geometry and mechanical properties needed to support the liner during the winding process. By pre-configuring the mandrel with appropriate stiffness and shape, the thin liner can be formed and supported before the actual winding operation, allowing the liner to be thin yet still withstand the winding forces when properly supported during manufacturing
Solution Approach 2:
The mandrel acts as an intermediary between the winding forces and the thin liner. It provides the necessary mechanical support and reference surface during fiber deposition, allowing the liner to be thin while still withstanding winding forces. The mandrel transfers and distributes the winding forces, preventing direct excessive loading on the thin liner material
2Strength
If the liner thickness is increased to provide sufficient mechanical resilience, then the liner's stiffness and strength are improved, but the vessel mass increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The mandrel is pre-configured with the exact mechanical properties and geometry needed to support thin liner during winding. This preliminary preparation allows the use of minimal liner thickness while ensuring adequate mechanical resilience during the critical winding phase, eliminating the need for excessive thickness to compensate for lack of support
Solution Approach 2:
The mandrel serves as a mediator that provides the necessary mechanical support, allowing the liner to be as thin as possible while still withstanding winding forces. The mandrel absorbs and distributes the mechanical loads, enabling the liner to be optimized for minimal mass rather than excessive thickness
3Strength
If a traditional mandrel is used for support, then the liner can be manufactured with sufficient mechanical support, but mandrel removal is complicated due to accessibility issues
Solution Approach 1:
The mandrel material's properties are changed after it has served its purpose. The mandrel is designed to undergo a transformation (such as dissolution, melting, or degradation) after the liner is formed and welded, allowing easy removal through the filling port without complex extraction mechanisms. This parameter change enables the mandrel to provide structural support during manufacturing then become easily removable afterward
Solution Approach 2:
The mandrel is designed as a temporary, disposable component that is easily removed after serving its purpose. By using materials that can be dissolved, melted, or degraded, the mandrel becomes a single-use tool that simplifies removal through the filling port, eliminating the need for complex extraction mechanisms required by permanent mandrel designs
4Weight of moving object
If materials with low mechanical resilience are used to reduce mass, then the vessel mass is reduced, but the liner cannot withstand the forces induced by fiber deposition
Solution Approach 1:
The mandrel acts as an intermediary that compensates for the low mechanical resilience of the thin liner material. During fiber deposition, the mandrel provides the necessary mechanical support and distributes forces, allowing the use of low-resilience materials that would otherwise be unable to withstand deposition forces. The mandrel protects the thin liner from excessive localized stresses
Solution Approach 2:
The mandrel is pre-configured with the mechanical properties needed to support low-resilience liner materials during the critical deposition phase. By preparing the support structure in advance with appropriate stiffness and force distribution characteristics, the system can use lightweight, low-resilience materials while still ensuring they withstand the deposition forces through the mandrel's preliminary support
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
Enables the production of thin, accurate metal liners with improved mechanical resilience and reduced mass, while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs by allowing the use of materials like high-purity aluminum and ensuring precise geometry and tolerance, thus optimizing the liner's performance in high-performance vessels.
Implementation Method 1
facilitating easy mandrel removal through dissolution or deformation
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a toolset for manufacturing a metal liner for a composite vessel includes a mandrel configured in several mandrel elements forming support elements of primary parts constituting the metal liner.