Tyre Building Plant Forming Drum Storage Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tyre manufacturing plants lack flexibility in producing tyres of different dimensions due to rigid sequences of forming drums and support rings, leading to increased production cycle times and management complexities.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a temporary storage system for forming drums detached from support rings, allowing for axial dimension setting and selection of appropriate drums for different tyre dimensions without affecting cycle time, enabling flexible production and centralizing management within a forming drums temporary storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a rigid sequence of forming drums and support rings is used in tyre manufacturing, then the production process is simplified, but the flexibility in producing tyres of different dimensions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The production line is divided into multiple forming drum positions, with each drum capable of being independently equipped with support rings. This segmentation allows different drums to handle different tyre dimensions simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between process simplicity and production flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static, fixed configuration to a dynamic one where support rings can be selectively added or removed from specific forming drums based on the tyre dimensions being produced. This dynamic reconfiguration enables the same production line to adapt to various tyre sizes without complete retooling.
2Adaptability or versatility
If forming drums are frequently moved and reconfigured for different tyre dimensions, then production flexibility is improved, but production cycle time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple forming drums are pre-positioned throughout the production line, each capable of being quickly equipped with the appropriate support rings. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need to stop and reconfigure equipment during production, maintaining cycle time while enabling dimension changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The forming drums are designed as universal units that can handle multiple tyre dimensions by simply changing the support ring configuration. This multi-functionality allows a single drum to produce various tyre sizes, reducing the need for frequent drum relocation and reconfiguration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple forming drums with different axial dimensions are maintained for different tyre sizes, then production versatility is improved, but device complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the forming drum fleet into standardized units with consistent basic dimensions, differing only in the removable support ring configurations. This standardization simplifies management by reducing the variety of unique drum types while maintaining versatility through modular support ring attachments.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of maintaining physically different drums for various tyre sizes, the system changes the effective axial dimension parameter by selectively installing support rings of different lengths on standardized drums. This parameter change approach maintains drum inventory simplicity while achieving dimension versatility.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A plant for building tyres comprises a plurality of forming drums (14) and at least one pair of removably associated support rings (15), a station (16) for coupling pairs of support rings (15) to the respective forming drum (14), a first sequence of building stations (18a-18g) for tyres being processed, each operating on a forming drum (14) associated with one of the pairs of support rings (15), a removing station (19) for removing pairs of support rings (15) from the forming drum (14), a second sequence of building stations (21 a-21 c) of tyres being processed, each operating on a forming drum (14) detached from the pair of support rings (15), a shaping station (22) in which a shaped tyre being processed is separated from the forming drum (14) detached from the pair of support rings (15), a forming drums temporary storage (24) for placing in standby the forming drums (14) separated from the tyre being processed coming from the shaping station (22).