Autonomous Robots for Parallel Garment Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large-scale digital textile printing operations are labor-intensive and limited by the time-consuming stages in serialized processes, restricting throughput and requiring significant space for machines and operators.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing autonomous robots to move garments between digital printing stages, including pretreatment, printing, and drying, allowing for parallel operation and reducing dependency on the longest processing stage, with actuators for precise alignment and separation to prevent chemical damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If serialized processing pipelines are used for digital textile printing, then process control is simplified, but throughput is limited by the most time-consuming stage
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the garment processing into independent parallel tracks, each with complete processing stages (pretreatment, printing, drying). Multiple garments can be processed simultaneously in different tracks rather than sequentially in a single pipeline, thereby increasing throughput without requiring complex coordination between stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-dimensional serialized pipeline to a multi-dimensional parallel architecture. By adding the dimension of parallel processing tracks, the system can handle multiple garments concurrently, overcoming the throughput bottleneck of sequential processing while maintaining manageable complexity through modular track design.
2Productivity
If multiple processing stages are implemented in parallel, then throughput increases, but system footprint and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines multiple processing stages into integrated modules where pretreatment, printing, and drying functions are merged within each parallel track. This consolidation reduces the overall footprint compared to having separate standalone machines for each stage, while still enabling parallel processing to increase throughput.
3Loss of time
If garments are moved through serialized pipelines, then handling is simplified, but processing time is constrained by the slowest stage
Solution Approach 1:
Autonomous mobile robots serve as intermediaries between processing stages, autonomously transporting garments between stations. This eliminates the need for complex manual handling and coordination required in serialized pipelines, while enabling parallel processing that reduces overall processing time. The robots manage the complexity of moving garments through multiple parallel tracks autonomously.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein describe a DTG printing environment that uses autonomous robots to move garments between DTG processing stages (e.g., retrieval stages, pretreatment stages, printing stages, drying stages, etc.). Doing so removes the dependency of DTG printing process on the stage that consumes the most time. In one embodiment, the DTG processing stages or the autonomous robot include an actuator for moving the garment and the DTG processing stage closer together. In one embodiment, the processing stage includes a lift (e.g., an actuator) that lifts a detachable carrier from the robot on which the garment is mounted. The lift can level and rotate the detachable carrier to provide a fine alignment between the garment and the DTG processing stage. While a lift is specifically disclosed, in other embodiments, the actuator could be disposed on the robot to lift up the garment.