Accel Automation, Inc. - Tractor Tread Molding Machine

The Tractor Tread Molding Machine

With the staff of Accel Automation, comes past employment experience developing a Tractor Tread Molding Machine. Our staff member provided Mechanical Design and Engineering Analysis services to help create this machine.

Project Overview

The Tractor Tread Molding Machine is a semi-automated machine used to create large molded rubber treads which are used on tractors to prevent their wheels from sinking into soft earth.

The Tractor Tread Molding Machine consists of a four piece book mold, a lift & crane mechanism to assist with assembling & folding the mold, a mechanism to transport the mold in and out of the press and assist with de-molding the finished product, and a press. The four piece book mold is adjustable to produce a range of treads from about 18 inches wide with a 6 foot center to center distance, to about 3 feet wide with a center to center distance of about 18 feet. The overall dimensions of the book mold assembly were about 14 feet, by 6 feet, by 2 feet, and it weighed about 40,000 lbs.

Our staff member designed the book mold assembly and the mechanisms to transport the mold and to de-mold the finished product. Additionally, our staff member provided the stress analysis required to validate the design of these components.

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