Self-Reinforced Thermoplastic Luggage Shell Deep-Drawing Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods face challenges in producing lightweight, high-strength plastic components like luggage shells with smooth corner areas and high depth-to-width ratios using self-reinforced thermoplastic materials, as they often result in weight reduction but struggle with maintaining structural integrity and ease of production.
Innovation Solution
A process combining thermo-forming and deep-drawing techniques, with self-reinforced polypropylene materials, where the material is partially tensioned during forming to maintain fiber tension and prevent wrinkles, and using a sheet clamping device to control tension, allowing for the creation of lightweight components with high form change capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If self-reinforced thermoplastic material is used to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but manufacturing difficulty increases due to high tensile strength and form change resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by heating the self-reinforced thermoplastic material to its melting point range (160-180°C for polypropylene) to temporarily reduce its tensile strength and form change resistance during forming, then allowing it to cool and regain strength in the desired shape. This thermal parameter change enables the material to be formed into complex shapes with deep draws and sharp corners while maintaining its lightweight and high-strength properties in the final product.
2Shape
If deep drawing process is applied to achieve high depth-to-width ratio, then form change capability is improved, but corner area quality deteriorates with wrinkles and compression forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-heating the entire luggage shell blank to its melting point range before deep drawing. This ensures the material is in a softened, formable state throughout the entire forming process, allowing deep draws to achieve high depth-to-width ratios while preventing wrinkles and compression forces in corner areas by maintaining material plasticity during the entire forming operation.
3Manufacturing precision
If material tensioning is applied during forming, then corner formation quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by designing the deep drawing tooling to automatically apply and maintain appropriate tensioning forces on the heated material during forming. The tooling itself provides the necessary tensioning control through its geometry and force application points, eliminating the need for separate, complex tensioning control systems while ensuring high-quality corner formation throughout the deep drawing process.
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 enables the production of ultra-lightweight, durable luggage shells with improved corner formation and high depth-to-width ratios, enhancing mechanical properties and manufacturing efficiency while minimizing weight and distortion.
Implementation Method 1
heating the self-reinforced thermoplastic material, in particular polypropylene, to its melting point
Implementation Method 2
heating the self-reinforced thermoplastic material, in particular polypropylene, to its melting point and subsequently deep-drawing the heated material
Data Source
AI summary
Process of making a plastic component (1), in particular luggage shell, from self-reinforced thermoplastic material, to a plastic component (1) made of self-reinforced thermoplastic material and an apparatus for making such a plastic component, in particular luggage shell (7). The invention provides a new product and process for manufacturing same on the basis of self-reinforced thermoplastic material by means of the step of tensioning said material (lamina), at least partially tensioning said lamina during all follow-up component shaping and/or molding steps up to a release of a component pre-form shape from the remainder lamina, to form the component. The present invention allow the manufacturing of an ultra-light weight luggage shell (7) on the basis of using self-reinforced thermoplastic material, the manufacturing of same can be further enhanced by permanently tensioning said material during all manufacturing steps up to the final finishing of the product.