Spark Plug Insulator Compaction Speed Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of spark plugs faces challenges with insulator breakage due to stress caused by compacting powder materials, particularly when the size and diameter are reduced, leading to concerns about yield and productivity.
Innovation Solution
A method that controls the insertion speed of the terminal electrode during the second process, gradually reducing it to manage the compaction load on the insulator, ensuring the powder materials are compacted effectively without causing breakage, while maintaining productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the terminal electrode is inserted at high speed to maintain productivity, then productivity is improved, but the insulator may break due to large compaction stress
Solution Approach 1:
The insertion speed of the terminal electrode is dynamically adjusted during the second process. The speed is reduced between the start and end of the process to control the compaction load on the insulator, preventing breakage while maintaining overall productivity through optimized process timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion speed parameter is changed during the second process. By reducing the insertion speed between start and end, the compaction stress on the insulator is controlled, avoiding breakage while still achieving effective compaction of the powder materials.
2Reliability
If the insertion speed is uniformly reduced to avoid insulator breakage, then reliability is improved, but productivity is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than uniformly reducing speed, the insertion speed is dynamically adjusted - reduced specifically between the start and end of the second process when compaction stress is highest, while maintaining higher speeds during other phases to preserve productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion process uses periodic variation in speed - faster insertion during initial and final stages, with reduced speed during the critical compaction phase between start and end, optimizing both reliability and productivity through timed speed modulation.
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 prevents insulator breakage and maintains high yield and productivity by optimizing the compaction process, especially when reducing spark plug size and diameter.
Implementation Method 1
the insulator after finishing the first process is heated to a temperature equal to or greater than the softening temperatures of the first to third powder materials
Implementation Method 2
compact the first to third powder materials by the terminal electrode
Data Source
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AI summary
A decrease in yield and degradation of productivity can be avoided when a spark plug having an insulator with low mechanical strength is manufactured. In a second process, a terminal electrode 15 is inserted to a predetermined position in a state where an insulator 12 is heated to a temperature equal to or greater than the softening temperatures of first to third powder materials 16P, 17P, and 18P such that the first powder material 16P becomes a first conductive sealing material layer 16, the second powder material 17P becomes a resistor 17, and the third powder material 18P becomes a second conductive sealing material layer 18. In addition, a speed at which the terminal electrode 15 is inserted is reduced between the start and the end of the second process.