Adjustable Deposit Location for Detergent Pod Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition from continuous detergent pod production to discrete batch packaging is inefficient due to a lack of synergy between production and packaging processes, leading to frequent process interruptions, increased costs, and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a transport conveyor with a fast-retracting nose bar and adjustable deposit locations to create a buffer between production and packaging, allowing for a smooth transition from continuous to batch processing, including multiple parallel conveyors and guides to optimize the placement of detergent pods into receiving reservoirs, ensuring efficient and precise delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the packaging process is optimized, then packaging efficiency is improved, but the continuous production process must stop frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a buffer of piece goods before the packaging machine by controlling the deposit location along the receiving length. This preliminary accumulation allows the packaging process to operate in batches without requiring frequent stoppages of the continuous production line, thus maintaining production continuity while enabling efficient batch packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport conveyor with adjustable deposit location acts as an intermediary buffer between the continuous production process and the batch packaging process. By varying the deposit location along the receiving length, it mediates between the two processes, allowing them to operate at different speeds and modes without direct interference.
2Productivity
If the continuous production process is optimized, then production efficiency is improved, but the outgoing flow of products must be stored until batch processing is ready
Solution Approach 1:
The deposit location on the transport conveyor is made dynamic and adjustable along the receiving length. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to create variable buffer zones without fixed storage structures. The buffer size and position can be changed in real-time based on packaging readiness, eliminating the need for complex fixed storage facilities while maintaining continuous production flow.
3Reliability
If a buffer is created between production and packaging, then process continuity is improved, but space and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating a buffer in the traditional spatial sense (additional storage area), the system utilizes the temporal dimension by adjusting the deposit location along the receiving length of the transport conveyor. This transforms a spatial buffer requirement into a temporal buffer mechanism, where the same physical space serves both production and packaging functions at different times, eliminating the need for additional buffer space.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for transporting and depositing of piece goods, in particular detergent pods, comprising at least one transport conveyor with a transporting surface, for transporting of piece goods in a transport direction with a transport speed from a receiving location to a downstream located deposit station, said deposit station, for the receiving of the piece goods, provided with at least one area for receiving the piece goods, which area at least partly locates under the transport surface of the transport conveyor and extends under a receiving length in the transport direction of the transport conveyor, wherein a deposit location, where the transport conveyor deposits the piece goods in the area in the deposit station, is adjustable over the receiving length, a detector, for outputting a signal that indicates if at a certain moment piece goods can be deposited in the deposit station, wherein a controller for determining the deposit location depending on the detection signal, wherein the controller moves the deposit location upstream or remains at the same position when the detection signal indicates that piece goods can be received and wherein the controller moves the deposit location downstream when the detection signal indicates that piece goods cannot be received and wherein the at least one transport conveyor is provided with a fast-retracting nose bar, for setting the deposit location over the receiving length; and wherein the deposit station comprises a guide, in the shape of a funnel, which forms a through channel that has a receiving opening on one side which opening extends over at least the receiving length.