Wire Weave Manufacturing with Looping Crossing Wire Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing thin wire weaves for electric sails is challenging due to fragility and the need for a reliable, cost-efficient, and space-tolerant method that minimizes strain and deformation, ensuring the weave remains intact under space conditions.
Innovation Solution
A device that uses a winder and wire spools to create a weave pattern with longitudinal wires and a crossing wire forming loops, allowing for adjustable wire spacing and tension, with an actuator to guide and secure the wires, enabling automatic and reliable joint formation and tolerance to space conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional manufacturing mechanisms are used to manufacture thin wire weaves, then the manufacturing process can be completed, but the fragile wires are deformed or damaged due to excessive contact and strain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical contact-based weaving mechanisms with a system that uses controlled tension and guidance. The crossing wire forms loops around longitudinal wires through a mechanism that minimizes direct mechanical contact and deformation, substituting aggressive mechanical manipulation with a gentler tension-controlled process that preserves wire integrity.
2Productivity
If manual or semi-automatic manufacturing methods are used, then some flexibility is maintained, but the manufacturing speed and productivity are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The device prepares the crossing wire in advance by forming loops around longitudinal wires before final securing. This preliminary action allows the weave structure to be established systematically, enabling faster automated manufacturing while maintaining quality. The wire spools and guidance system are pre-configured to facilitate continuous automated operation.
3Reliability
If the weave pattern is not designed properly, then manufacturing is simpler, but the weave becomes vulnerable to damage and unwinding in space conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The weave is designed with segmented loop structures where crossing wires form individual loops around longitudinal wires. This segmentation creates discrete connection points that prevent catastrophic failure - if one loop is damaged, other loops remain intact and continue to hold the weave structure together, preventing complete unwinding in space conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for manufacturing a weave, including a winder for reeling the manufactured weave to a rotating reel, wire spools arranged to release longitudinal wires to said winder, a wire spool carrier comprising a wheel and a slit extending through the wheel from a centre of the wire spool carrier to the circumference, an additional wire spool releasably attached to the wire spool carrier and arranged to release a crossing wire, and an actuator configured to move the wire spool carrier between the longitudinal wires such that the additional wire spool in turns moves to each longitudinal wire to a position where the respective longitudinal wire is located in said slit at which stage the wheel rotates around said respective longitudinal wire before moving towards a following longitudinal wire in such way that a predetermined path of the crossing wire from the additional wire spool forms the weave with the longitudinal wires from the wire spools.