US 6,539,278 B1Granted

Method and apparatus for resin formulations with improved streaking performance

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsSandra Freedman Feldman, Andrew Joseph Poslinski, Vicki Herzl Watkins, James Paul Barren, Arthur Joseph Osborn, John Frederick Graf

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Abstract

Using the molding tool (2), spatially-resolved spectrometer (1) and computerized device (101) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/303,409, streaking problems identified in production are first diagnosed (140), then duplicated on a laboratory scale (142) and compared with the streaking problems observed in production. Next, options are developed and tested for fixing (correcting) the observed problem and testing these on a laboratory scale (144). Finally, the option(s) chosen for correcting the observed problem are validated prior to reinitiating full-scale production (146).

Claims28

Dependent claims

A system to improve streaking performance in molded plastic parts (11), comprising:

a molding tool (2) for producing sample plastic parts (11);
a spatially-resolved spectrometer (1) obtaining a plurality of raw data (50) readings of reflected light (14) from sample points (17) of plastic parts (11);
a computerized device (101) for post-processing said raw data (50) readings by analyzing and quantifying said readings (50);
morphological characterization means (1406, 1424, 1460, 1466) to determine and characterize morphology of plastic parts (11);
and
morphology comparison means for obtaining comparison (1428) between morphologies of a plurality of plastic parts (11);
wherein:
a streaking problem from a defective production lot (1402) is diagnosed (140) and at least one hypothesis (1408) is formed and validated (1412) regarding a root cause of said streaking problem;
once said at least one hypothesis (1408) has been validated (1412), said streaking problem is replicated on a laboratory scale (142) until a substantial color match (1426) and a substantial morphological match (1428) are obtained between said streaking problem in said defective production lot (1402) and streaking in at least one defect reproducing sample plastic part (11) designed to replicate said streaking problem (1420);
once said substantial color and morphological matches (1426, 1428) are obtained, possible solutions for correcting said streaking problem are developed and tested on a laboratory scale (144), and at least one optimal solution is identified for correction of said streaking problem (1448);
and
once said at least one optimal solution is identified (1448), said optimal solution is validated and then implemented (146) in full-scale production (1470).

9 more elements

A method for improving streaking performance in molded plastic parts (11), comprising the steps of:

diagnosing (140) a streaking problem from a defective production lot (1402) and forming and validating (1412) at least one hypothesis (1408) regarding a root cause of said streaking problem;
once said at least one hypothesis (1408) has been validated (1412), replicating said streaking problem on a laboratory scale (142) until a substantial color match (1426) and a substantial morphological match (1428) are obtained between said streaking problem in said defective production lot (1402) and streaking in at least one defect reproducing sample plastic part (11) designed to replicate said streaking problem (1420);
once said substantial color and morphological matches (1426, 1428) are obtained, developing and testing possible solutions for correcting said streaking problem on a laboratory scale (144), and identifying at least one optimal solution for correction of said streaking problem (1448);
and
once said at least one optimal solution is identified (1448), validating and then implementing (146) said optimal solution in full-scale production (1470), wherein said method utilizes:
a molding tool (2) for producing sample plastic parts (11);
a spatially-resolved spectrometer (1) obtaining a plurality of raw data (50) readings of reflected light (14) from sample points (17) of plastic parts 22 (11);
a computerized device (101) for post-processing said raw data (50) readings by analyzing and quantifying said readings (50);
morphological characterization means (1406, 1424, 1460, 1466) to determine and characterize morphology of plastic parts (11:);
and
morphology comparison means for obtaining comparison (1428) between morphologies of a plurality of plastic parts (11).

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.