Method and system for predicting biocomposite formulations and processing considerations based on product to be formed from biocomposite material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10273353-B2
Application number	US-201514429479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2015
Priority date	Jan 31, 2014
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

A system and method for predicting the formulation and processing method and processing parameters for the formation of a biocomposite material is provided. The system and method utilizes the desired properties for the biocomposite material and utilizes these properties m a prediction system to determine the particular formulation, processing method and processing parameters for the formation of a biocomposite material having the desired characteristics. This information is output from the prediction system to a biocomposite material manufacturing system in order to form the biocomposite material and an end product formed therefrom that has the desired characteristics input into the prediction system.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for predicting the composition, processing method and processing parameters for formation of a biocomposite material having desired properties, the method comprising the steps of:
providing inputs to a prediction system in the form of the desired properties for the biocomposite material;
processing the inputs in view of data stored in the prediction system;
providing outputs from the prediction system in the form of one or more of a formulation for the biocomposite material, a processing method for formation of the biocomposite material and processing parameters for the processing method for formation of the biocomposite material;
employing the outputs in a biocomposite manufacturing system to form a biocomposite material, wherein the processing parameter outputs consist of: a molding process, screw speed, motor load, barrel temperature, die and/or mold temperature, cooling rate, vacuum level, barrel pressure, line speed, back pressure, injection pressure, holding pressure, and combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein molding process output is selected from the group consisting of extrusion, injection molding, transfer molding, thermoforming, calendaring and blow molding of the biocomposite material to form the end product.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the desired properties are properties relating to the biocomposite material or an end product formed from the biocomposite material.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the desired properties are selected from the group consisting of tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength, hardness and density of the biocomposite material, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the desired properties are selected from the group consisting of deflection temperature, melting point, the coefficient of linear thermal expansion, the service/exposure temperature of an end product formed from the biocomposite material, and the deformation under load of the biocomposite material, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the desired properties are selected from the group consisting of dielectric strength, volume resistivity and dielectric constant of the biocomposite material, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the desired properties are selected from the group consisting of haze/light transmittance and refractive index of the biocomposite material, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the desired properties are selected from group consisting of the coefficient of friction, the wear factor, the measure on the abrasion resistance index and dimensional stability of the biocomposite material, and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein tie step of providing outputs from the prediction system comprises sending the outputs from the prediction system to a biocomposite manufacturing system for forming an end product from the biocomposite material.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of sending outputs from the prediction system to the manufacturing system comprises sending providing outputs on the molding method for forming the biocomposite material into the end product.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of sending outputs from the prediction system to the manufacturing system comprises sending outputs on the processing parameters for the method for forming the biocomposite material into the end product.

12. The method of claim 9 where in the step of sending outputs from the prediction system to the manufacturing system comprises sending outputs on the fiber material to be used for forming the biocomposite material.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein outputs on the fiber material are selected from the group consisting of the type(s) of fiber to be used, the type of any fiber pretreatment to be used, the fiber(s) percentage(s), the types of polymer to be utilized, the polymer(s) percentage(s), the additives to he used and their percentages, and any processing aids to be used and their percentages, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of employing the outputs in a biocomposite manufacturing system to form an end product from the biocomposite material after forming the biocomposite material.

15. A system for forming an end product of a biocomposite material, the system comprising:
a prediction system configured to
receive inputs in the form of the desired properties for the biocomposite material;
process the inputs in view of data stored in the prediction system; and
provide outputs in the form of one or more of a formulation for the biocomposite material, a processing method for formation of the biocomposite material and processing parameters for the processing method for formation of the biocomposite material, and;

a biocomposite material manufacturing system configured to receive the outputs from the prediction system and to manufacture a biocomposite material and/or biocomposite material end product using the outputs on the material formulations and the processing parameters employing the outputs in a biocomposite manufacturing system to thrill a biocomposite material,
wherein the processing parameter outputs consist of: a molding process, screw speed, motor load, barrel temperature, die and/or mold temperature, cooling rate, vacuum level, barrel pressure, line speed, back pressure, injection pressure, holding pressure, and combinations thereof.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the prediction system includes a central processing unit that employs mathematical tools selected from the group consisting of finite element analysis (FEA) and/or an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and combinations thereof.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the biocomposite material manufacturing system comprises at least one molding device that is operated in response to the output from the prediction system.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Henry James
• Panigrahi Satyanarayan
• Lal Kushwaha Radhey

Classifications

• G06N3/02

  Neural networks · CPC title

• C08L23/06 Primary

  Polyethylene · CPC title

• G06F19/70

  Physics · mapped topic

• G16C20/30 Primary

  Prediction of properties of chemical compounds, compositions or mixtures · CPC title

• G16C99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title