Steam generator and corresponding manufacturing method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current steam generators for industrial ironing and washing machines require lengthy and costly manual welding processes for assembling sleeves, leading to increased production time and costs due to the need for post-welding seal checks and potential leaks.
Innovation Solution
A steam generator design where the steam-delivery elements are integrally made with the steam-delivery plate using a flow-drilling process, eliminating the need for separate welding and allowing for precise, clean hole formation without subsequent testing, and incorporating tubular couplings with flanges and safety temperature probe supports.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate sleeves are welded to the steam-delivery plate, then the steam generator can be assembled with standardized components, but the welding process increases production time and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sleeve and steam-delivery plate into a single integrally formed component. The sleeves are directly formed as protrusions from the plate during the same manufacturing process, eliminating separate assembly steps and welding operations while maintaining standardized interface dimensions for connection to ducts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical welding process with a flow-forming process. A flow drill bit is used to create cavities in the plate while simultaneously forming the sleeves through plastic deformation of the material, substituting thermal-mechanical welding with a cold-forming mechanical process that integrates multiple features in one operation.
2Ease of operation
If manual welding is used to attach sleeves, then flexible assembly is possible, but post-welding seal checks and repairs are required
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is self-correcting through integral formation. The flow-forming process creates sleeves that are inherently sealed to the plate through continuous material flow and plastic deformation, eliminating the need for separate sealing operations and post-welding quality checks. The process itself ensures seal integrity through the physics of material flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the quality assurance step from the assembly process. By forming sleeves integrally, the potential source of defects (welding seams) is eliminated, removing the need for post-assembly seal checks and repairs while maintaining assembly flexibility through the standardized external dimensions of the formed sleeves.
3Manufacturing precision
If turned sleeves are used for steam delivery, then precise internal dimensions can be achieved, but the complexity of production increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the multi-step turned sleeve manufacturing process with a flow-forming process. Instead of machining hollow sleeves separately and then attaching them, the flow drill bit directly forms the hollow sleeves through controlled plastic deformation and material flow during cavity creation, achieving precise dimensions through process control rather than post-processing machining.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple manufacturing operations into one integrated process. The cavity formation and sleeve formation occur simultaneously during the flow-drilling operation, merging what would traditionally be separate steps (cavity creation, sleeve manufacturing, attachment) into a single unified process that reduces overall complexity.
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 reduces welding points by 50%-80%, simplifies production, and ensures reliable sealing without the need for pressure tests, while enabling the use of various materials and standardizing pipe components.
Implementation Method 1
making at least one delivery element in said steam-delivery plate by means of a process of flow-drilling the delivery plate, wherein the process is suitable for drilling and extruding a material of said delivery plate and for integrally forming a sleeve with the thereby formed hole
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
A steam generator (10) comprising at least one steam-generation chamber (11) is described, the chamber having a substantially cylindrical side wall (11L) and being equipped at a first end with a bottom (12) and at a second end with a steam-delivery plate (20), which in turn comprises at least one delivery element (22) of steam. Conveniently, said delivery element (22) is a sleeve which is integrally made with the steam-delivery plate (20).