32results about How to "Reduce inventory levels" patented technology

An anchoring device (10) comprises a resilient sleeve (16) for receiving an elongate member, such as a bolt (18), and first and second stoppers (20,21) for location on the bolt at respective ends of the sleeve. Movement of the stoppers (20,21) towards one another causes the sleeve (16) to expand radially. The inner first stopper (20) may engage one of the bolt head (22) and nut (24) to resist relative rotation thereof. Alternatively, the inner first stopper may be threaded.

The present invention relates to a system and method for automated or “robotic” application of hardfacing to the surface of a steel-toothed cutter of a rock bit. In particular, the system incorporates a grounded adapter plate and chuck mounted to a robotic arm for grasping and manipulating a rock bit cutter beneath an electrical or photonic energy welding source, such as a plasma arc welding torch manipulated by a positioner. In this configuration, the torch is positioned substantially vertically and oscillated along a horizontal axis as the cutter is manipulated relative along a target path for the distribution of hardfacing. Moving the cutter beneath the torch allows more areas of more teeth to be overlayed, and allows superior placement for operational feedback, such as automatic positioning and parameter correction. In the preferred embodiment, sensors provide data to the control system for identification, positioning, welding program selection, and welding program correction. The control system, aided by data from the sensors, manipulates the robotically held cutter while controlling the operation and oscillation of the torch.

The invention relates to a leg for a roof rack, the leg being adapted to be attachable to a plurality of different mounting systems by which to attach the leg to a vehicle. The invention also relates to different mounting systems for attaching to the leg for attaching the roof rack leg to a mount on the vehicle. In addition, the invention relates to a permanent pad mount for attaching to a vehicle and for use with the leg of the invention and, preferably, with one of the mounting systems of the invention to attach a roof rack to the vehicle.

Disclosed are a structure of an advertising box having modular lighting devices and a structure of the modular lighting device. The structure of the advertising box includes a box and plural modular lighting devices fixedly installed inside a frame of the box. The modular lighting device has a housing, a light guide plate, a lighting unit and plural electrical connectors. The light guide plate is coupled with the housing while the lighting unit is optically coupled with a light incident surface of the light guide plate. At least one lateral side of the housing is provided with the electrical connectors, so that the lighting units in the modular lighting devices are electrically coupled with each other through the electrical connectors. The modular lighting devices enable replacement of lighting devices of uniform sizes and can form light sources of various sizes for use with different kinds of advertising boxes.

A conveyor for transporting and elevating articles and a method and system for conveying articles up inclines is provided. The conveyor has a conveyor belt and a plurality of support elements extending outward from the article-conveying surface of the conveyor belt advancing upward along the incline. The conveyor may be positioned at an inclined angle relative to the horizontal ground, i.e., between about 5° and 85° or the conveyor can be substantially vertical, i.e., about 90° relative to the horizontal ground. The support elements prevent conveyed articles from sliding down the conveyor belt on the inclined conveyor and carry and hold articles on substantially vertical conveyors. The article-conveying surface of the conveyor belt may provide a low-friction retention surface to articles leaning away from the conveyor belt on the incline.

An interlocking component assembly is made of a plurality of frame components and a plurality of panels. One panel is formed integrally with a respective frame to form a frame and panel component. A channel formed along the entire periphery of each of the frame components enables each of the frame and panel components to be interconnected. During assembly the channel of one frame component is inserted within a channel of another frame component to lock the components together along the length thereof. A plurality of locking tabs are disposed within the channel of each of the plurality of frame components. A plurality of apertures are also disposed within the channel of each of the plurality of frame components, wherein when the channel of a frame component is inserted within the channel of another frame component at least one locking tab is received within a corresponding aperture. This process is repeated until a three-dimensional unit is formed.

The invention discloses an automatic feeding and blanking production line and a control method thereof. The automatic feeding and blanking production line contains two structure modes, namely, a U-shaped line layout and a line type line layout. A production line body is formed by basic units and meets the requirement of a modular assembly technology; each basic unit is divided into an upper layerand a lower layer, so that modular splicing can be realized, and multiple layout forms are realized; and in addition, a tray backflow function can be realized. The production line is further providedwith a tray and tool conveying mechanism for supporting quick changeover, a tray conveying control system, a single-station manual/automatic real-time switching control system, a production line conveyor line body transfer real-time control mechanism, a production line work-in-process temporary storage station design, and flexible and changeable production line arrangement forms. On the basis of the idea of lean production, the problems of high stock level, circulation difficulty, high manufacturing cost, low product quality, waste in space, time, manpower and tool, and the like existing actually are solved.

The invention relates to a fire resistant flame barrier lightweight fabric substrate consisting of a high temperature resistant continuous filament fiberglass core and a low temperature resistant staple fiber sheath treated with a durable or non-durable fire retardant agent prior to yarn formation. The invention also discloses a process for making a fire resistant corespun yarn by treating fibers with fire retardant agent to make the sheath of the corespun yarn.

A system (100) for campaign planning includes a memory (106) operable to store at least two slab values (132) for each of a plurality of slabs (108). The slab values (132) for a slab are associated with at least two properties of the slab (108). The memory (106) is also operable to store at least one preference value (142) identifying a relative importance between the properties of the slabs (108). The system (100) also includes one or more processors (128) collectively operable to generate a sort value (400) for each of the slabs (108). The sort value (400) depends at least partially on the slab value (132) associated with the slab (108) and the preference value (142). The processor (128) is also operable to allocate the slabs (108) to a plurality of rounds (200) in a campaign (250). The slabs (108) are allocated in an order depending at least partially on the sort values (400) associated with the slabs (108).

A method of assembling a part to a workpiece with a combination tool supported on a robot, where a mounting surface of the part is assembled on a target surface of the workpiece including the following steps. (a) Indexing to the assembly position. (b) Picking a part with the part gripper on the part delivery arm from a part supply station. (c) Indexing part delivery and workpiece preparation arms to the preparation position. (d) Simultaneously: engaging the part mounting surface with the part surface preparation module; and engaging the workpiece target surface preparation module with the target surface. (e) Indexing to the assembly position. (f) Using the previously set tool operating axis and calculated tool offsets, engaging the prepared part mounting surface with the prepared workpiece target surface. (g) Releasing the part gripper and withdrawing the tool from the part/workpiece assembly.

A logical inventory mechanism takes components in assemblies into account when determining purchase requirements. The inventory control system determines assemblies that are available, determines their components and whether or not each component may be reused, then adjusts physical inventory to generate therefrom logical inventory based on physical inventory plus parts in the assemblies that may be reused if the assemblies are disassembled. By computing logical inventory that would be available by disassembling assemblies, inventory levels may be reduced, thereby enhancing the efficiency of an inventory control system that includes the logical inventory mechanism. Assemblies in inventory thus may be used in two very different matters, as the starting point for a higher-level assembly, or to be disassembled to use one or more reusable components in the assembly in a different assembly.

The present invention is a constraint-based planning tool that specifically addresses the needs of complex discrete and process industries by providing a computationally efficient method and system for fulfillment of customer orders in a supply chain. By comprehensively synchronizing and optimizing the flow of materials through the enterprise, the present invention creates a feasible plan for manufacturing operations that simultaneously optimizes both material and capacity constraints by planning and scheduling multiple customer orders, planning for use the various resources located in remote locations needed to fulfill such orders, and scheduling the used resources for replenishment at appropriate times so that the resources meet the needs of the orders.

The invention discloses a scenic spot consumption monitoring method and device. The scenic spot consumption monitoring method comprises the following steps of determining a scenic spot, where a tourist is, through a mobile terminal held by the tourist; obtaining consumption data of the scenic spot in an appointed time interval and the residence time information of the tourist; and, periodically counting the tourist consumption data and the residence time data of the scenic spot, and calculating the consumption data of the scenic spot. By means of the method and the device disclosed by the invention, adaptive adjustment of the scenic spot can be carried out with the help of the state information; therefore, the technical support is provided for adjustment of the scenic spot; the adjustment rationality is ensured; furthermore, matching between planning requirements and practical requirements can be realized easily; the best state of the scenic spot can be kept; and thus, the tourist experience is improved.

The invention belongs to the technical field of medical equipment management and assistance, and particularly relates to a control method of a medical equipment interlayer supply and demand structure.According to the control method of the medical equipment middle layer supply and demand structure, on one hand, the middle layer management structure is provided; Based on the mechanism, integrationfrom the short to the sales end to the storage management system can be realized; the market demand and the production capacity are uncertain; reducing inventory levels as much as possible, Control ofloss of stock absence, the probability that a client cannot service is reduced; the guarantee capability of the whole purchase and sale structure is improved; meanwhile, corresponding requirements and capacities of a production end and a sales end are converged through an interlayer structure; the information transmission efficiency and processing capability are improved, the profit distributionstep in the purchase and sale structure is scientifically controlled, the balance of profits of the production end and the sale end is ensured to be balanced when the purchase and sale structure is hooked, extreme or abnormal distribution is prevented, and the long-term effectiveness of the whole purchase and sale structure is effectively ensured.