Spring-Loaded Clamping Tongs for Consistent Mould Securing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual adjustment of clamping tongs during the manufacturing of wind turbine blades is time-consuming and poses a risk of insufficient tightening, leading to potential hazards and increased manufacturing time due to the risk of blade shell parts falling out of the mould.
Innovation Solution
A clamping tong system with a primary and secondary tong segment that can change between clamping and release states, featuring a spring mechanism for maintaining the clamping force, magnetic coupling for easy storage, and a safety wire to restrict displacement, ensuring consistent and secure clamping without manual adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual adjustment of clamping tongs is used, then the clamping force can be applied to secure the blade shell part, but the manufacturing time increases and the risk of insufficient tightening occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping tong is designed to automatically maintain clamping force through a spring mechanism that compensates for wear and dimensional variations. The tong self-adjusts to maintain optimal clamping pressure without requiring manual intervention, thereby reducing manufacturing time while ensuring reliable clamping security throughout the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping tong is pre-adjusted during manufacturing to account for expected wear and dimensional variations. This preliminary adjustment ensures that the tong maintains optimal clamping force throughout its service life without requiring intermediate manual adjustments, thus reducing overall manufacturing time while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of clamping tongs is used, then the clamping force can be applied, but the risk of clamping tongs coming loose increases leading to hazardous situations
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism automatically compensates for wear and dimensional variations, maintaining consistent clamping force without manual intervention. This eliminates the risk of clamping tongs coming loose due to insufficient tightening or wear, thereby improving reliability while keeping the operation simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism provides continuous feedback on clamping force, automatically adjusting to maintain optimal pressure. This feedback mechanism ensures that the clamping force remains within safe parameters throughout the manufacturing process, preventing hazardous situations while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If different clamping tongs are used in different positions, then the mould can be secured, but manual adjustment of each tong is required increasing time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping tong is designed as a universal tool that can be used in multiple positions on the mould without requiring re-adjustment. The standardized design with pre-set spring tension allows the same tong to be reliably used across different positions, improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining mould security.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping tongs are pre-adjusted during manufacturing to account for expected wear and dimensional variations across different positions. This preliminary calibration ensures that when tongs are deployed in various positions, they maintain consistent clamping force without requiring on-site manual adjustment, thereby improving productivity while ensuring reliable mould security.
4Device complexity
If clamping tongs are stored on a shared rack, then storage is simplified, but the risk of using incorrectly adjusted tongs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping tongs are pre-adjusted and calibrated during manufacturing to ensure consistent performance. This preliminary adjustment ensures that even when stored on a shared rack and used in different positions, the tongs maintain reliable and consistent clamping force, eliminating the risk of incorrect adjustment while keeping the storage system simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism provides automatic compensation for wear and variations, ensuring that the tong maintains optimal clamping force regardless of which tong is selected from the shared rack or where it is positioned. This self-adjusting capability ensures clamping consistency without requiring complex storage systems or manual re-adjustment.
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 system reduces the risk of clamping tongs coming loose, enhances safety, decreases manufacturing variations, and improves the mechanical properties of the assembled blade by ensuring consistent clamping pressure, thereby reducing manufacturing time and improving working conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The clamping tong may comprise a spring mechanism to maintain the clamping tong in the clamping state and the release state
Implementation Method 2
magnetic coupling for easy storage
Implementation Method 3
a safety wire to restrict displacement
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a mould system and a clamping tong for securing a mould item part in a mould of a mould system. The clamping tong comprises: a primary tong segment comprising a primary clamping surface for applying clamping pressure on a clamping portion of a mould item part; a secondary tong segment coupled to the primary tong segment and comprising a secondary clamping surface for applying clamping pressure on a clamping portion of the mould. The clamping tong being configured to change between a clamping state and a release state, wherein the distance between the primary clamping surface and the secondary clamping surface in the clamping state is shorter than the distance between the primary clamping surface and the secondary clamping surface in the release state.