Buffer Carousel for Dynamic Goods Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyor systems for picking piece goods face challenges such as high costs, complex logistics, increased risk of errors, and system disruptions due to capacity overload, machine failures, and lack of effective buffering and sorting capabilities, particularly in dynamic 'goods-to-person' systems.
Innovation Solution
A device and method that incorporates a removal device with a removal handling module and a conveyor unit, featuring a buffer unit and adjustable feed units to optimize the transfer and buffering of goods, ensuring continuous operation and minimizing delays by integrating a buffer carousel or dynamic sorting buffer system for efficient order processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a dynamic goods-to-person system is implemented, then automation and picking efficiency are improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into independent picking stations, each capable of autonomous operation. Goods are segmented into individual items that can be handled separately by robotic pickers at different stations, allowing parallel processing without requiring a fully integrated complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
A buffer unit is introduced as an intermediary between the goods feed and removal device. This buffer acts as a decoupling element that absorbs fluctuations in the system, allowing the robotic pickers to operate independently without directly coupling all system components, thereby reducing overall complexity.
2Reliability
If buffering capability is increased to prevent system standstill, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer unit serves multiple functions: it buffers goods to prevent standstills, provides sorting capability for different destinations, and acts as a temporary storage for robotic pickers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby limiting complexity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer unit utilizes vertical space with multiple levels or layers for buffering goods, rather than expanding horizontally. This dimensional approach allows adequate buffering capacity without proportionally increasing the footprint and structural complexity of the system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple removal stations are added to handle diverse orders, then adaptability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamically controllable removal stations that can be activated or deactivated based on current order requirements. The buffer unit can dynamically redirect goods to different removal stations, allowing the system to adapt to diverse orders without requiring all stations to be permanently configured and active, thereby managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Goods are pre-sorted and positioned in the buffer unit according to their destination before being transferred to removal stations. This preliminary action at the buffer reduces the complexity at removal stations, as they receive pre-prepared goods rather than needing to sort everything from scratch, simplifying their configuration and operation.
4Productivity
If conveyor speed is increased to improve throughput, then productivity is improved, but risk of conveyor jams and disruptions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer unit provides a cushioning effect by absorbing sudden variations in goods flow from the conveyor. When the conveyor operates at high speed, the buffer accumulates excess goods temporarily, preventing backpressure and jams that would otherwise occur, thereby maintaining conveyor stability despite high-speed operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer unit acts as an intermediary between the high-speed conveyor and the removal stations. It decouples the conveyor's high-speed operation from the variable-rate removal process, allowing the conveyor to maintain high speed without directly transmitting speed variations and potential jams to the rest of the system.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for picking goods (2), with a goods feed (3), comprising a picking device (10) with at least one picking point (11) for unloading goods (2), and a picking handling module (20) to which the goods (2) are transferred from the picking device (10), wherein the picking handling module (20) comprises at least one goods receiving element (21, 31, 81) and a movement element (22, 32) for transferring the goods (2) to a downstream conveying unit (30).