Automatic Sample Changing Device for Particle Beam Irradiation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing rotary tray sample changing system for particle beam irradiation has low throughput and efficiency, leading to wasted beam time and high operating costs due to the need for frequent manual sample changes, which is not sufficient for meeting the demands of industrialization in biology and material science applications.
Innovation Solution
An automatic sample changing device and method that includes sample tray units, a transporting unit, a handling unit, and a radiation stage unit, utilizing a cart mechanism, robot mechanism, and radiation stage mechanisms to automate the process of loading, positioning, and irradiating samples, allowing for efficient and high-throughput sample changing within a radiation room.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a rotary tray sample changing system is used, then sample changing can be performed, but the throughput and efficiency are low
Solution Approach 1:
The sample changing system is divided into multiple independent sample tray units (e.g., 10 trays with 24 samples each = 240 samples), allowing parallel processing and simultaneous irradiation of multiple samples, thereby dramatically increasing throughput and reducing beam time waste
Solution Approach 2:
A robot mechanism is introduced as an intermediary to automatically transfer sample trays between the transporting unit and radiation stage, eliminating manual intervention and enabling continuous automated operation, which improves efficiency and reduces beam time loss
2Ease of operation
If manual sample changing is performed frequently, then samples can be changed, but beam time is wasted and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves self-service through automation where the robot mechanism autonomously performs sample tray transfers without human intervention, and the layered rack structure automatically positions multiple sample trays for sequential irradiation, thereby improving both ease of operation and productivity simultaneously
3Reliability
If high-energy particle accelerators are used, then particle beam radiation can be achieved, but operating costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous particle beam irradiation by preparing multiple sample trays in advance and using the robot mechanism to transfer them sequentially without interrupting the beam, ensuring the expensive particle accelerator operates continuously at full capacity, thereby reducing energy waste and operating costs
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes sample tray units, a sample tray transporting unit, a sample tray handling unit, and a sample tray radiation stage unit. The sample tray units are configured to load samples. The sample tray transporting unit is configured to carry a sample tray unit to a radiation room. The sample tray handling unit is between the sample tray transporting unit and the sample tray radiation stage unit, and is configured to transfer the sample tray unit on the sample tray transporting unit to the sample tray radiation stage unit or return the sample tray unit on the sample tray radiation stage unit to the sample tray transporting unit. The sample tray radiation stage unit is configured to carry the sample tray unit and move the samples to be irradiated in the sample tray unit to a particle beam radiation area to receive radiation.