Flexible Assembly Line Reconfiguration With Component Reuse Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing production systems adopting the IoT concept often fail to identify and reuse components during the reconfiguration of production lines, leading to omissions and incompatibilities between new and existing installations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a line management server to retrieve and divide configuration information for process terminals, verify component availability, and transmit identification information for missing components, ensuring all necessary components are reused and properly connected during reconfiguration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If existing production systems adopt IoT concept for reconfiguration, then automation and connectivity are improved, but component identification and reuse capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a line management server as an intermediary between process terminals and the reconfiguration system. This server retrieves component information from process terminals, manages the information centrally, and enables component identification and reuse. The intermediary resolves the contradiction by adding a dedicated component for information management without compromising the existing IoT automation infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing installation is replaced with new installation, then system capability is improved, but compatibility and interworking capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The line management server provides universal functionality by serving multiple purposes: retrieving component information from various process terminals, managing reconfiguration data, identifying reusable components, and facilitating interworking between new and existing installations. This multi-functional approach allows system capability improvement while maintaining compatibility through a single universal management interface.
3Loss of substance
If component reuse is implemented during reconfiguration, then loss of substance is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by enabling automatic retrieval of component information from process terminals and automated identification of reusable components through the line management server. This automation reduces manual intervention in the reconfiguration process, thereby reducing component waste while the server manages the complexity of component tracking and matching.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible assembly system for variable reconfiguration, and a method of reconfiguring a production line. The method includes receiving line configuration information based on a reconfigured production line, retrieving process terminals required to be included in the reconfigured production line based on the line configuration information, when at least one among the process terminals required to be included in the reconfigured production line is not retrieved, transmitting information about the process terminal not retrieved to a line installer terminal, when all the process terminals required to be included in the reconfigured production line are retrieved, dividing the line configuration information based on each of the retrieved process terminals, and transmitting the divided line configuration information to each of the retrieved process terminals and verifying whether a component is provided in each of the process terminals.