Tire Assembly Drum Transfer for Sleeve Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire manufacturing processes face challenges in increasing productivity while maintaining flexibility to handle different tire sizes and structures, with inefficiencies in the assembly of carcass and outer sleeves, leading to reduced production speed and quality.
Innovation Solution
A process and apparatus that involves forming carcass and outer sleeves in separate stations with external transfer units for precise positioning and coupling, using engagement devices, transfer units, and shaping devices to ensure accurate alignment and assembly without hindering each other's movement, allowing for high-speed production and adaptability to various tire designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If carcass sleeve and outer sleeve are assembled on the same drum using unistage process, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and repeatability of positioning deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly process is divided into two independent stages: first stage for forming the carcass sleeve on the building drum, and second stage for assembling the outer sleeve on the same drum after it has been transferred back. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, with the second stage benefiting from the building drum's inherent positioning precision while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The carcass sleeve is formed in advance on the building drum with high positioning precision, then the building drum is transferred away. The outer sleeve is subsequently assembled on the same drum in the second stage, utilizing the pre-prepared carcass sleeve as a reference. This preliminary action ensures that the positioning precision achieved during carcass sleeve formation is preserved and serves as a foundation for the outer sleeve assembly.
2Adaptability or versatility
If building drum and auxiliary drum are coupled to external transfer units with wide freedom of movement, then adaptability to different tire types is improved, but repeatability of positioning and centring deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The building drum serves as an intermediary element that is transferred between the carcass formation station and the outer sleeve assembly station. By coupling the outer sleeve assembly to the building drum rather than to a separate auxiliary drum, the system maintains positioning repeatability through the building drum's stable reference frame while still achieving flexibility through the transfer units' freedom of movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The building drum performs multiple functions: it forms the carcass sleeve in the first stage, serves as a transferable reference platform, and then becomes the mounting drum for outer sleeve assembly in the second stage. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate auxiliary drum, thereby maintaining positioning repeatability while achieving adaptability through the transfer units.
3Productivity
If outer sleeve is picked up from auxiliary drum and positioned around carcass sleeve, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The functions of the auxiliary drum and the building drum are merged into a single building drum that performs both carcass formation and outer sleeve assembly. This eliminates the need for complex coordination between multiple drums and their respective transfer units, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining high productivity through the efficient two-stage process.
4Manufacturing precision
If carcass sleeve is shaped into toroidal configuration for assembly, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carcass sleeve is shaped into the toroidal configuration in advance during the first stage when the building drum is positioned optimally for this operation. This preliminary shaping action ensures that when the building drum is transferred back for the second stage, the carcass sleeve is already in the correct configuration, eliminating the need for time-consuming reshaping operations and thereby reducing overall cycle time while maintaining assembly precision.
Data Source
AI summary
In an assembly station, a carcass sleeve and an outer sleeve manufactured along respective building lines are mutually coupled. Integrated into the assembly station are engagement devices that can be alternatively-coupled to an auxiliary drum carrying an outer sleeve and to a building drum carrying a carcass sleeve. The building drum is engaged on the assembly station before removal of the auxiliary drum. A grip unit picks up the outer sleeve from the auxiliary drum associated with the engagement devices in order to position it around the carcass sleeve carried by the building drum.