Stainless-Steel Tee-Pipe Forming With Water Swelling and Low Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional copper tee-pipes are prone to corrosion when used in water pipelines, leading to pollution and high material and production costs, with inferior forging quality and large blanking weights in existing manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A stainless-steel tee-pipe moulding process involving cutting, water swelling treatment, rolling, laser cutting, and electroplating to produce a durable tee-pipe with reduced material usage and lower costs, replacing conventional forging methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If copper is used to manufacture tee-pipes, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the tee-pipe is prone to corrosion and causes water source pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from copper to stainless steel, fundamentally altering the chemical composition and properties of the pipe material. This parameter change eliminates corrosion and water source pollution while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through the water swelling process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs stainless steel as a composite material solution that combines multiple desirable properties: corrosion resistance, mechanical strength, and suitability for water applications. The material selection resolves the contradiction by providing a superior alternative to pure copper
2Ease of manufacture
If hammer forging and die forging are used to manufacture tee-pipes, then the tee-pipe structure is formed, but the blanking weight is large and production cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the manufacturing process into distinct stages: cutting the pipe into sections, then applying water swelling treatment to each section. This segmentation allows for more efficient material utilization and reduces the need for excessive material in the initial blanking stage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs water swelling (hydraulic pressure) as the primary forming mechanism instead of traditional mechanical forging. High-pressure water causes the pipe sections to expand and form the tee-pipe structure, eliminating the need for heavy blanking weights and reducing material waste associated with conventional forging methods
3Shape
If hammer forging is used on pipe blank, then the tee-pipe shape is formed, but the forging quality and surface quality are inferior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical hammer forging with hydraulic water swelling pressure to form the tee-pipe shape. This hydraulic approach produces superior surface quality and manufacturing precision because the water pressure evenly distributes force throughout the pipe material, eliminating the surface defects and quality issues associated with impact forging
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical hammer forging system with a hydraulic water swelling system. This substitution improves manufacturing precision and surface quality by replacing impact-based mechanical deformation with controlled hydraulic pressure, resulting in better material flow and surface integrity
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 stainless-steel tee-pipe process reduces corrosion and pollution risks, withstands high water pressure, and offers a longer service life while minimizing material usage and production costs.
Implementation Method 1
carrying out a water swelling treatment on the bodies of the main and secondary pipes via a swelling apparatus
Implementation Method 2
the ends of the three arms are then threaded
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention discloses a stainless-steel tee-pipe moulding process, cutting out a main pipe and a secondary pipe from the stainless-steel pipe to replace the copper tee-pipe to resolve the problem that the copper tee-pipe is easy to corrode and causes water pollution; meanwhile, the moulding process of the stainless-steel tee-pipe of the invention is different from the traditional integral forming process, and saves more materials and reduces the production cost compared with the traditional integral forming process.