Automated Polymer Spacer Assembly for Insulating Glazing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional polymer spacers for insulating glazing are not bendable and require manual assembly, leading to high manufacturing effort.
Innovation Solution
An automated assembly device and method that cuts and assembles polymeric spacers using a control unit, storage, sawing, pre-connection, and end-connection units to produce frame-like spacers with corner connectors, reducing manual labor and increasing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If polymer spacers are used instead of metal spacers, then thermal insulation is improved, but bendability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer spacer is divided into multiple straight sections that are assembled together to form the complete spacer. Each section maintains its straight polymer structure for thermal insulation, while the assembly of multiple sections provides the necessary flexibility and adaptability through corner connectors.
Solution Approach 2:
Corner connectors serve as intermediary elements that join the straight polymer sections. These connectors enable the assembly to be bent and adapted to different configurations while the polymer sections themselves remain straight and maintain their thermal insulation properties.
2Ease of manufacture
If manual assembly of polymer spacer sections is used, then flexibility in production is maintained, but manufacturing effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses automated cutting and assembly equipment that reduces the need for manual intervention. The corner connectors are designed to facilitate easy joining of sections, and the automated system performs repetitive tasks, allowing the production process to serve itself with minimal human labor while maintaining flexibility through programmable control.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical assembly operations are replaced with automated cutting and assembly equipment. The system uses programmable controllers to automate the cutting of polymer sections and the assembly with corner connectors, significantly reducing manufacturing effort while maintaining production flexibility through software control.
3Productivity
If automated assembly equipment is introduced, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated assembly system is divided into separate functional units: a cutting unit for cutting polymer sections to length, and an assembly unit for joining sections with corner connectors. This segmentation allows each unit to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall system architecture, reducing complexity while maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated cutting and assembly equipment is designed to handle multiple spacer configurations and sizes through programmable control. The same equipment can produce different spacer designs by changing parameters, making the system universally applicable and reducing the need for multiple specialized devices, thereby managing complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1a~2
Figure 3
Figure 4a~4b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device and a method for automatically assembling a polymeric spacer (1) for an insulation glazing. In the process, at least one spacer portion (11) is removed, in a manner controlled by at least one control unit, from a storage unit (12) by a removal unit (13). The at least one spacer portion (11) is fed to a sawing unit (15) in which two long-side portions (2) having a first length and two narrow-side portions (3) having a second length are produced. In a pre-connection unit (20), the long-side portions (2) and the narrow-side portions (3) are each provided on one side with a corner connector (4). In a final connection apparatus, the long-side portions (2) and the narrow-side portions (3) are arranged by a positioning unit (28) in such a way that they can be connected by a final connection unit (24) via the corner connectors (4) to form a frame-like spacer (1).