A tool system for moulding an article is provided which comprising a tool (100) having a tool surface (104) for forming an article, the tool surface comprising a plurality of tool zones (106). Heating and cooling means (102a) are independently associated with at least some of said tool zones (106).
A tool system for moulding an article is provided which comprising a tool (100) having a tool surface (104) for forming an article, the tool surface comprising a plurality of tool zones (106). Heating and cooling means (102a) are independently associated with at least some of said tool zones (106). A control means is adapted to control the heating and cooling means (102a) to individually heat or cool the tool zones (106) having heating and cooling means (102a) associated therewith so as to regulate the heat transfer into and out of the article at each tool zone (106) at any particular time throughout the moulding process.
대표청구항▼
1. A tool system for moulding an article, the system comprising: a first tool having a tool surface for forming an article, the tool surface comprising a plurality of tool zones;a plurality of fluid flow paths configured to direct the flow of a heating/cooling fluid to each of the plurality of tool
1. A tool system for moulding an article, the system comprising: a first tool having a tool surface for forming an article, the tool surface comprising a plurality of tool zones;a plurality of fluid flow paths configured to direct the flow of a heating/cooling fluid to each of the plurality of tool zones;a plurality of heating and cooling apparatuses, each independently associated with at least some of the plurality of tool zones, each of the plurality of heating and cooling apparatuses comprising an independent inline fluid heater; anda control system configured to: control the plurality of heating and cooling apparatuses to individually heat the tool zones by activating the inline fluid heater; andcontrol the plurality of heating and cooling apparatuses to individually cool the plurality of tool zones;thereby regulating heat transfer into and out of the article at each tool zone at any time throughout the moulding of the article. 2. A tool system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors configured to sense a property of the article within the plurality of tool zones and to produce signals indicative of the property at each of the plurality of tool zones. 3. A tool system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control system comprises an input configured to receive the signals indicative of the property and wherein the control system is configured to, based on the signals, control the plurality of heating and cooling apparatuses dependent on programmed criteria to heat or cool the plurality of tool zones. 4. A tool system according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to sense at least one of: temperature, dielectric constant, ultrasonic absorption/transmission, strain and hardness. 5. A tool system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of heating and cooling apparatuses define an internal channel in each of the plurality of tool zone below the surface of the first tool through which the heating/cooling fluid is passed and wherein the system further comprises at least one reservoir for the heating heating/cooling fluid. 6. A tool system according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of fluid flow paths are configured to direct the flow of the heating/cooling fluid from the at least one reservoir to individual ones of the plurality of tool zones. 7. A tool system according to claim 6, further defining return fluid flow paths to return the heating/cooling fluid from tool pins to the at least one reservoir. 8. A tool system according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of the reservoirs, each of the plurality of reservoirs containing heating/cooling fluid maintained at a different temperature. 9. A tool system according to claim 6, each of the plurality of fluid flow paths comprising an inline heater therein configured to heat heating/cooling fluid passing therethrough. 10. A tool system according to claim 9, wherein a constant flow of heating/cooling fluid passes through the plurality of tool zones and wherein the inline heater is configured such that activation thereof changes the heating/cooling fluid from a cooling fluid to a heating fluid. 11. A tool system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of tool zones comprises a plurality of active tool zones having heating and cooling apparatuses associated therewith, and a plurality of passive tool zones having no heating and cooling apparatuses associated therewith. 12. A tool system according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of passive tool zones are configured to be indirectly heated/cooled by heat transfer with adjacent one or ones of the plurality of active tool zones. 13. A tooling system according to claim 1, wherein the first tool comprises a plurality of tool pins that are configured to tessellate to form the tool surface and wherein at least some of the plurality of tool pins define fluid channels therein through which the heating/cooling fluid passes. 14. A tooling system according to claim 1, wherein the first tool comprises a plurality of tool pins that are configured to tessellate to form the tool surface and wherein at least some of the plurality of tool pins define fluid channels therein through which the heating/cooling fluid passes and comprise an internal in-line fluid heater for heating the heating/cooling fluid passing through the fluid channels thereof. 15. A tooling system according to claim 14, wherein the tool pins through which heating/cooling fluid passes comprise an insert that defines at least part of the fluid flow path. 16. A tooling system according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of normally open control valves for controlling the flow of the heating/cooling fluid to the plurality of tool zones. 17. A tooling system according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of normally open valves are variable flow control valves. 18. A tooling system according to claim 1, further comprising a second tool arranged substantially opposite the first tool. 19. A tooling system according to claim 18, wherein the second tool is substantially the same as the first tool. 20. A method of manufacturing an article comprising: providing a tool system comprising: a tool having a tool surface for forming an article, the tool surface comprising a plurality of tool zones;a plurality of fluid flow paths configured to direct flow of a heating/cooling fluid to each of the plurality of tool zones;a plurality of heating and cooling apparatuses, each independently associated with at least some of the plurality of tool zones, each of the plurality of heating and cooling apparatuses comprising an inline fluid heater; anda control system;placing a material to be moulded in the tool;using the control system to: control the plurality of heating and cooling apparatuses to individually heat the plurality of tool zones by activating the inline fluid heaters; andcontrol the plurality of heating and cooling apparatuses to individually cool each of the plurality of tool zones;thereby regulating heat transfer into and out of the article at each of the plurality of tool zones at any particular time throughout a process of manufacturing the article. 21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising: sensing a property of the article at each of the plurality of tool zones, andproducing signals indicative of the sensed property at each of the plurality of tool zones. 22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising: sensing the signals indicative of the property, andcontrolling the heating and cooling apparatuses in response to the sensed signals to heat or cool the plurality of tool zones. 23. A method according to according to claim 21, wherein the sensed property is at least one of: temperature, dielectric constant and hardness. 24. A method according to claim 21, further comprising moulding a sacrificial piece of article material in a sensing section and wherein the sacrificial piece of article material in the sensing section comprises at least one sensor embedded therein. 25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising: embedding several sensors within the sacrificial piece of article material at locations having different article material cross sectional areas, andcontrolling the heating and cooling apparatuses of the plurality of tool zones at particular mould cross sectional areas in response to the signals produced by sensors at a corresponding cross sectional area. 26. A method according to claim 21, further comprising regulating the heat transfer into and out of the article to produce, within a predetermined tolerance, at least one article having a specific material property. 27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the at least one specific material property is configured to be individually controlled within specific ones of the plurality of tool zones. 28. A method according to claim 26, wherein the at least one specific material property is at least one of: density crystallinity/amorphicity, crystal size, cross-link ratio and vulcanization. 29. A method according to claim 21, further comprising: providing a sensor for sensing a material property of the article material prior to commencement of a moulding process; andsupplying a signal indicative of the property to the controller prior to the commencement of the moulding process, andmodifying control of the heating and cooling apparatuses during the moulding process in response to the material property sensed prior to commencement of the moulding process. 30. A method according to claim 21, wherein the article is manufactured by resin transfer moulding and wherein the method comprises sequentially heating the plurality of tool zones from the point of resin injection in a direction of resin flow so as to elevate a mould temperature as a leading edge of the resin flow passes thereover, thereby reducing a viscosity of the resin at a resin/perform interface as the resin flows into the tool. 31. A method according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the heating and cooling apparatuses are configured to be powered by different phases of a multiphase electricity supply and wherein the method comprises controlling a power supply to the heaters to substantially balance power usage across phases of the multiphase electricity supply such that a significantly unbalanced power draw is not placed on any one single phase of the multiphase electricity supply.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Becker Kurt (Obernkirchen DEX) Schaar Lothar (Heuerssen DEX), Cooling system for molds.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.