Strand Termination Assembly Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large multi-stranded synthetic cables face challenges in evenly distributing tensile loads among their constituent strands due to manufacturing tolerances and low surface friction, leading to uneven load sharing and potential strand slippage, which compromises the cable's strength and performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method that applies tension to each strand individually through strand tensioners, allowing the relationship between strand terminations and a collector to float, and adjusts the tension to achieve a predetermined load apportionment, ensuring each strand carries an equal share of the load, thereby reducing misalignments and improving load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If individual strand terminations are attached to each strand in large multi-stranded synthetic cables, then the cable can transmit useful load, but manufacturing tolerances and low surface friction cause uneven load distribution among strands
Solution Approach 1:
The cable termination system is segmented into multiple independent strand terminations, each equipped with an individual adjustability mechanism. This allows each strand to be independently adjusted to achieve uniform load distribution, resolving the contradiction between maintaining strength and achieving manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables parameter changes in the spatial relationships between strand terminations and the collector. By adjusting these parameters individually for each strand, the load distribution uniformity can be optimized without compromising the overall cable strength.
2Device complexity
If simple end-fittings are used for cable termination, then the device complexity is reduced, but acceptable break strength cannot be achieved for large multi-stranded cables
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a single complex end-fitting, the system segments the termination into multiple simpler strand-level terminations. Each strand termination is relatively simple, but collectively they achieve the required break strength through proper load distribution across all strands.
3Ease of manufacture
If strand terminations are fixed in position relative to the collector, then the assembly process is simplified, but load misalignments occur due to manufacturing tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static fixed-position arrangement to a dynamic adjustable arrangement. Each strand termination can be individually positioned and adjusted relative to the collector, allowing the system to compensate for manufacturing tolerances while maintaining a relatively simple assembly process.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and methods for loading a cable in order to create a desired distribution of the load among the cable's constituent strands. Strand terminations are applied to many—and possibly all of—the cable's strands. The ultimate goal is to connect the strand terminations to a collector in order to create an overall cable termination. The relationship between each strand termination and the collector is allowed to “float” using the inventive process while the cable is tensioned and an appropriate spatial relationship between each strand tensioner and the collector is determined. Once the appropriate relationship is found, it is configured to be repeatable (such as by recording its position for later application to the same or similar collector).