Actively Controlled Gripper Carriage for Multi-Track Slicing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slicing machines struggle to efficiently slice products of varying lengths simultaneously due to limited gripper movement compensation, requiring significant design effort and compromising accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A multi-track slicing machine with actively controlled grippers that can move along a predetermined travel path relative to the gripper carriage, allowing for independent adjustment to accommodate different product lengths, ensuring simultaneous slicing while maintaining user-friendly design and accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple gripper guides and/or gripper carriages are arranged on opposite sides of the slicing machine to enable simultaneous slicing of product calibers with significant length differences, then the ability to slice product calibers of different lengths is improved, but the design complexity increases and accessibility for users deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper is made dynamically adjustable in the feed direction through an adjustment unit with a drive mechanism. This allows the gripper to actively compensate for length differences of product calibers up to 150 mm, enabling simultaneous slicing of varying lengths without requiring multiple fixed gripper carriages on opposite sides of the machine.
Solution Approach 2:
A single gripper carriage serves multiple functions by incorporating an adjustment unit that enables it to handle both short and long product calibers. The adjustment unit with predetermined travel path allows one gripper carriage to replace what would traditionally require multiple carriages, simplifying the overall design while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple gripper guides and/or gripper carriages are arranged on opposite sides of the slicing machine to enable simultaneous slicing of product calibers with significant length differences, then the ability to slice product calibers of different lengths is improved, but the accessibility for users deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment unit with drive mechanism enables dynamic positioning of the gripper along a predetermined travel path, allowing active compensation for product caliber length variations. This eliminates the need for complex multi-carriage arrangements that would obstruct user access to the machine.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the position parameter of the gripper dynamically through the adjustment unit, allowing it to adapt to different product lengths. This single-parameter adjustment approach maintains simple machine architecture and preserves user accessibility while achieving the capability to slice calibers with up to 150 mm length difference.
3Adaptability or versatility
If passive compensation mechanism with spring force is used to allow grippers to move relative to each other, then the ability to compensate for small production inaccuracies is improved, but the compensation distance is limited and insufficient for significant length differences
Solution Approach 1:
The passive spring-based mechanical compensation system is replaced with an active drive mechanism (electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic) that can actively position the gripper along a predetermined travel path. This substitution enables significantly larger compensation distances (up to 150 mm) compared to the limited spring force approach, while providing active control rather than passive response.
Solution Approach 2:
The static spring force compensation is transformed into a dynamic, actively controlled positioning system. The adjustment unit with drive mechanism can actively adjust the gripper position along the predetermined travel path, enabling compensation for much larger length variations in product calibers while maintaining precise control.
Data Source
AI summary
A slicing machine for slicing product calibers lying parallel in different tracks into slices, and for creating portions from the slices, may comprise a cutting unit for separating the slices from the product calibers, and a feeding unit for feeding the product calibers to the cutting unit. The feeding unit may comprise a gripper unit with one gripper per track, a gripper carriage which carries the grippers, and a carriage guide along which the gripper carriage can be moved in a controlled manner in a feed direction. Each gripper is assigned an adjustment unit, by means of which the particular gripper can be moved in an actively controlled manner by a predetermined travel path relative to the gripper carriage in and/or against the feed direction. A method for operating a multi-track slicing machine is also disclosed.