Angled Workpiece Orientation on Conveyor Assembly Platforms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems in production lines for motor vehicle assembly often result in workers covering long distances to access elongated workpieces due to their longitudinal alignment, which increases inefficiency and reduces space utilization.
Innovation Solution
The conveyor system positions elongated workpieces at an angle of between 25° and 65°, preferably 40° to 50°, to the conveying direction, allowing assembly platforms to be shorter and enabling workers to move more freely between platforms, while maintaining sufficient space for material supply zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If workpieces are aligned parallel to the conveying direction, then the production section width is efficiently utilized, but workers have to cover long distances to access elongated workpieces
Solution Approach 1:
The workpiece orientation is changed from parallel (0°) to an angled position (25°-65°) relative to the conveying direction. This dimensional change in orientation allows workers to access workpieces at shorter distances while maintaining efficient use of production section width, resolving the contradiction between worker efficiency and travel distance.
2Loss of time
If workpieces are positioned at an angle to the conveying direction, then worker travel distance is reduced, but the assembly platform requires more width
Solution Approach 1:
The workpiece orientation angle is optimized within a specific range (25°-65°) to balance two competing requirements: reducing worker travel distance and limiting assembly platform width. This parameter optimization achieves the best compromise between worker efficiency and space utilization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conveyor vehicles have their own drives, then the vehicles can move independently between production sections, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor vehicle is equipped with its own drive system that serves multiple functions: independent movement between production sections and self-propulsion within pushed convoys. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems and external infrastructure, ultimately simplifying the overall device complexity while maintaining high adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for the simultaneous transport of motor vehicles or other elongated workpieces (18) to be assembled and workers (20) in a production line comprising a straight production section (14). Several conveying vehicles (12), each having an assembly platform (16) extending over its entire length and accessible to workers, move together along a conveying direction (22) in the straight production section (14) and form a unit in which the assembly platforms (16) of adjacent conveying vehicles (12) abut each other, at least substantially without gaps. According to the invention, the workpieces (18) are arranged on the assembly platforms (16) such that a longitudinal direction (32) of the workpieces (18) is oriented at an angle between 25° and 65°, and preferably at approximately 45°, to the conveying direction (22). This allows for better utilization of the surface area on the assembly platforms.Furthermore, the distances to be covered by the workers along the conveying direction (22) are reduced when changing between the assembly platforms (16).