Vacuum Port Base for Composite Gas Evacuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vacuum bag systems for manufacturing composite structures are costly and time-consuming due to the use of consumable parts, require multiple ports that increase the risk of bag damage and port failure, and often necessitate tooling modifications for recyclable parts, leading to inefficiencies in gas evacuation and increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile vacuum port base with a versatile design that accommodates both consumable and rigid breathers, featuring a channel configuration for fluid communication between the vacuum line, edge breather, and vacuum port, reducing the need for multiple ports and minimizing tooling modifications, while maintaining high fluid flow and resisting crushing pressures and heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple ports are used in vacuum bag systems, then gas evacuation efficiency is improved, but the risk of bag damage and port failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple port functions into a single vacuum port base that can accommodate multiple breathers simultaneously. This consolidation maintains effective gas evacuation from multiple locations while reducing the total number of separate ports needed, thereby lowering the risk of bag damage and port failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum port base is designed as a universal component that can accommodate both consumable and rigid breathers, as well as multiple breather types in a single assembly. This multi-functional design improves gas evacuation efficiency while reducing the number of different port configurations needed.
2Ease of manufacture
If recyclable parts are used instead of consumable parts, then production costs decrease, but tooling modifications are required
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum port base is designed as a universal adapter that accommodates both consumable and rigid recyclable breathers without requiring tooling modifications. This allows manufacturers to choose cost-effective recyclable parts while using the same existing tooling infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum port base acts as an intermediary component between the tooling and the breather, allowing recyclable breathers to be used without modifying the tooling itself. The port base adapts to different breather types while maintaining compatibility with existing tooling surfaces.
3Ease of operation
If consumable parts are used, then ease of operation is improved, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent acknowledges the ease of using consumable breathers but addresses the cost issue by providing an alternative universal port base design that supports rigid recyclable breathers, allowing cost reduction while maintaining operational simplicity through the same user-friendly interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum port base enables the use of rigid recyclable breathers that can be recovered and reused across multiple production cycles, reducing production costs compared to single-use consumable parts, while the universal design maintains ease of operation similar to consumable systems.
4Reliability
If a low-profile vacuum port base is used, then the risk of vacuum bag damage is reduced, but gas evacuation capability may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The low-profile vacuum port base combines multiple breather connections into a single compact unit, maintaining a low profile that reduces bag damage risk while internally providing sufficient flow capacity to evacuate gas from multiple breathers simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum port base uses internal three-dimensional channel routing to provide adequate gas evacuation pathways while maintaining a low external profile, ensuring both reduced bag damage risk and sufficient evacuation capability through optimized internal geometry.
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
The solution enhances the efficiency of gas evacuation, reduces the risk of vacuum bag damage, decreases operator touch time, and lowers production costs by allowing the use of recyclable parts without modifying existing tooling, thereby improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of composite structure manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
A vacuum port base and a vacuum line are secured to the vacuum bag through a vacuum port base. During curing, a vacuum applies pressure to contour the layers of composite material against the tool. A vacuum port and a vacuum line are secured to the vacuum bag through a vacuum port base.
Implementation Method 2
The second channel formed within the vacuum port base is configured to receive the vacuum port such that the vacuum port is in fluid communication with the first channel and the edge breather to remove gases from a composite structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum port base comprises an upper face, a lower face, a first channel, and a second channel. The upper face is configured to interface with a vacuum port. The lower face is configured to interface with a surface of a tool. The first channel formed in the lower face is configured to receive an edge breather. The second channel formed within the vacuum port base is configured to receive the vacuum port such that the vacuum port is in fluid communication with the first channel and the edge breather to remove gases from a composite structure.