Tire Building Plant Drum Flow and Coaxiality Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current tire manufacturing processes face challenges in achieving high-quality tire production while maintaining low costs and cycle time efficiency, particularly in ensuring coaxiality between the carcass sleeve and outer sleeve during the shaping and assembly stages.

Innovation Solution

The method involves managing the flows of drums and sleeves towards a fixed shaping station coinciding with the gripping ring of the outer sleeve, optimizing the sequence of movements to improve coaxiality and reduce cycle time, and incorporating a gripping ring for precise control and quality monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a two-stage building process is used with separate building drum and shaping drum, then the complexity of the manufacturing process increases, but the coaxiality and quality of the tire assembly improves

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoaxiality between carcass sleeve and outer sleeveVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tire building process is divided into two distinct stages: first stage on building drum for carcass assembly, and second stage on shaping drum for final assembly and vulcanization. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, with the building drum focused on carcass construction and the shaping drum focused on achieving precise coaxiality and final tire formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If the outer sleeve is transferred from auxiliary drum to building drum, then the cycle time increases, but the quality control and coaxiality alignment improve

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoaxiality alignmentVSAvoidcycle time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The outer sleeve is preliminarily prepared on the auxiliary drum before transfer to the shaping drum. This preliminary preparation includes positioning and pre-alignment operations that ensure the outer sleeve is ready for precise coaxial assembly with the carcass sleeve, reducing adjustments needed during final assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The shaping drum acts as an intermediary device between the auxiliary drum and the final tire product. It receives both the carcass sleeve from the building drum and the outer sleeve from the auxiliary drum, providing a controlled environment for their precise alignment and assembly while maintaining production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple drums and transfer operations are used, then the manufacturing flexibility increases, but the risk of misalignment and quality issues increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing flexibilityVSAvoidalignment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through the shaping drum that monitors and adjusts the alignment between carcass sleeve and outer sleeve during assembly. Sensors and control systems detect positional deviations and make real-time corrections, ensuring high alignment accuracy despite the complexity of multiple drums and transfer operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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 high and repeatable quality levels in tire production without negatively affecting cycle time or costs, ensuring precise coaxial alignment and reducing discards through improved management of tire components within the manufacturing plant.

Implementation Method 1

simultaneous introduction of pressurized fluid within the carcass sleeve, so as to determine a radial dilation of the carcass plies up to making them adhere against the inner surface of the outer sleeve

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure increase: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

a gripping ring (400) arranged in a fixed reference position... configured for holding a first outer sleeve being processed (304a)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical constraint: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP4069500B1Method and plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels
Publication Date: 2023.08.23 PIRELLI TYRE SPA
  • EP4069500B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4069500B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4069500B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels comprises a gripping ring (400) arranged in a fixed reference position. A first stage building line (200) defines a closed first-stage path (201) for the movement of a plurality of building drums (202) and an open first-stage path (203) for building and moving carcass sleeves being processed (204). A second stage building line (300) defines a closed second-stage path (301) for the movement of a plurality of auxiliary drums (302) and an open second-stage path (303) for building and moving a plurality of outer sleeves being processed (304). The open second-stage path (303) and the open first-stage path (203) terminate at the gripping ring (400) configured for carrying out radially outer contrast function during the shaping of a first carcass sleeve being processed (204a) and the assembly thereof with a first outer sleeve being processed (304a).