Vacuum Coating for Porous Tile Edge Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for coating tile elements made of porous compressed fibre materials, such as glass or stone wool, face inefficiencies in terms of speed and resource utilization, particularly in minimizing spillage and achieving sufficient mechanical strength on side edge surfaces, especially when high porosity materials are used.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a continuous vacuum coating apparatus with a water-based coating material applied at a high feeding rate to form both an outer and inner coating layer on the side edge surfaces, minimizing spillage and enhancing mechanical strength through controlled application and drying processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a roll coating apparatus or spray coating apparatus is used to coat side edge surfaces, then the coating process can be performed, but spillage occurs and production speed is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical coating systems (roll coating, spray coating) with a vacuum-based coating system. The applicator head creates a vacuum field that draws coating material onto the tile surface, eliminating spillage while enabling high-speed continuous processing. This substitution of the coating mechanism fundamentally resolves the trade-off between spillage control and production speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a vacuum environment within the applicator head during the coating process. This vacuum atmosphere prevents uncontrolled flow and spillage of coating material, while allowing precise control of material application. The inert vacuum environment enables high-speed coating without the harmful effects of spillage that plague atmospheric coating methods.
2Productivity
If the feeding rate is increased to improve production efficiency, then productivity increases, but coating quality and penetration depth may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing mechanical coating delivery with vacuum-driven coating attraction, the system can maintain precise coating application even at high feeding rates of 25-150 m/min. The vacuum field ensures continuous material supply to the tile surface without the turbulence and inconsistency that would occur at high speeds with traditional mechanical systems, thereby maintaining penetration depth precision while achieving high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum field is established in advance within the applicator head before the tile surface contacts the coating material. This preliminary creation of the vacuum environment ensures that coating material is immediately and uniformly drawn onto the tile as it passes through, maintaining consistent penetration depth even at high production speeds where there is minimal contact time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If high porosity fibre material is used to reduce weight and improve acoustic performance, then acoustic performance improves, but mechanical strength of the tile element decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure by impregnating the porous fibre material with coating material that penetrates into the pores. The coating forms both an outer layer and an inner penetrating layer that reinforces the tile structure from within. This composite approach allows the tile to maintain high porosity (0.92-0.99) for acoustic performance while the embedded coating provides the necessary mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the porous structure of the fibre material (porosity 0.92-0.99) as a feature rather than a limitation. The vacuum coating process is specifically designed to penetrate into these pores, creating an inner coating layer that reinforces the tile structure from within. This approach allows the high porosity needed for acoustic performance to coexist with enhanced mechanical strength through the penetrating coating.
4Productivity
If water-based coating material is applied at high speed, then production efficiency increases, but control over coating distribution becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical coating application with a vacuum-driven process. The vacuum field within the applicator head actively draws water-based coating material onto the tile surface at controlled rates even when the tile moves at high speeds (25-150 m/min). This substitution ensures uniform coating distribution is maintained regardless of production speed, as the vacuum field continuously adapts to the relative motion between applicator and tile.
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 method significantly reduces spillage, increases production efficiency, and provides enhanced mechanical strength and acoustic performance by forming a reinforcing coating layer that allows for better handling and installation of high porosity tile elements.
Implementation Method 1
applying a water-based coating material to a side edge surface of the tile element extending between the two opposite major surfaces by means of an applicator head of a continuous vacuum coating apparatus, the applicator head being configured to apply the water-based coating material to the side edge surface of the tile element and to remove excess of the water-based coating material through a vacuum
Implementation Method 2
The water-based coating material is applied to the side edge surface such that a coating layer is formed comprising an outer coating layer extending beyond the side edge surface and an inner coating layer penetrating the side edge surface and extending into the tile element
Data Source
AI summary
A method for coating a tile element includes providing a tile element made of a compressed fibre material having a porosity in the range of 0.92-0.99 and applying a water-based coating material to a side edge surface of the tile element extending between two opposite major surfaces of the tile element. The applying is performed by an applicator head of a continuous vacuum coating apparatus that applies the water-based coating material to the side edge surface of the tile element and removes excess through a vacuum. The water-based coating material is applied at a feeding rate of the tile element relative the applicator head in the range of 25-150 m/min. The water-based coating material forms a coating layer including an outer coating layer and an inner coating layer penetrating the side edge surface. The inner coating layer has penetration depth of at least 100 μm.