Steam-Molded Fiber Articles With Two-Stage Shape Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing molding techniques for heat-expanding nonwoven material blanks result in shape changes of the molded 3D objects after removal from the mold.
Innovation Solution
A two-stage molding process involving a separable mold and an actuatable arm with a contoured end effector, allowing for high throughput and maintaining form stabilizing forces until the binder solidifies, using vacuum suction to grip and transport the intermediate molded object for final forming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the molded object is removed from the mold before full cooling, then productivity increases, but the object undergoes unwanted shape changes
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is opened and the object is removed before complete cooling to maintain high throughput, but a support structure is preliminarily applied to the removed object to maintain its shape during the remaining cooling period, preventing unwanted shape changes while enabling early removal
Solution Approach 2:
A support structure acts as an intermediary between the mold and the removed object, providing temporary form stabilization forces to the hot, pliable object after removal from the mold until it fully cools and solidifies, preventing shape changes without requiring the object to remain in the mold
2Manufacturing precision
If the object remains in the mold until full cooling, then shape stability is maintained, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is preliminarily applied immediately upon removal to catch and stabilize the object's shape at the critical moment when it is most vulnerable to deformation, allowing the object to cool with proper support rather than being constrained by the mold
3Productivity
If early removal is implemented without support structure, then productivity increases, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure serves as an intermediary that compensates for the loss of mold support after early removal, providing the necessary form stabilization forces to maintain shape accuracy while allowing the productivity benefits of early removal
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 high throughput and prevents unwanted shape changes by stabilizing the molded object until it fully cools, ensuring precise final form and dimensions.
Implementation Method 1
heat is applied, for example, by introduction of steam into the mold interior via steam passages
Implementation Method 2
gripping the intermediate NWM molded 3D object, by vacuum suction from an end effector of an actuatable arm
Implementation Method 3
cooling the intermediate NWM molded 3D object... to a solidifying temperature of the binder
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
In a method, a molding blank, including a non-woven material held in compression by a binder, is placed in a separable mold, and heated to a melting temperature of the binder. The molding blank expands, forming as an intermediate NWM object with a 3D form. The object is cooled through a temperature band with an upper boundary lower than the binder melting temperature, and a lower boundary above the solidifying temperature, and further cooled to a solidifying temperature of the binder. While in the temperature band, the mold is separated, the object is then transported to. a contoured forming surface of a base, via vacuum suction by an actuatable arm having an end effector. The actuatable arm compresses the intermediate NWM object against the contoured forming surface, and the optional end effector final forming feature and continues compressing until cooling to the solidifying temperature.