Cable Infeed and Outfeed Handling for Heavy Rigid Cable Ends
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable editing systems struggle with efficiently processing heavy, stiff, and unruly cable ends, often requiring manual intervention and leading to errors and increased costs due to the inflexibility of automated systems.
Innovation Solution
A cable editing system that includes a machine control for automatic processing of cable ends, a frame-based cable processing system, and a cable transport device with a gripper capable of handling and processing heavy, bending cables, allowing for automated processing without the need for continuous human presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual cable loading is used, then the system can handle heavy rigid cables with some flexibility, but labor costs increase and processing precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A cable guide device with adjustable guide elements acts as an intermediary between the manual loading area and the automated processing station. The guide elements gradually steer the rigid cable into the correct position, mediating between the operator's manual placement and the machine's automated processing requirements, thereby maintaining both operational flexibility and processing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The cable guide device features dynamically adjustable guide elements that can be repositioned based on cable type and processing requirements. This dynamic adjustability allows the system to adapt to different heavy rigid cable configurations while maintaining consistent processing precision, bridging the gap between manual loading flexibility and automated processing requirements
2Manufacturing precision
If automated robotic systems are used, then processing precision improves, but reliability decreases when handling heavy rigid cables
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guide device serves as a mechanical intermediary that pre-positiones and stabilizes heavy rigid cables before they reach the automated processing station. This intermediate guidance mechanism ensures that the robotic system receives cables in a consistent, predictable state, thereby improving reliability without sacrificing processing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The guide elements perform preliminary positioning and alignment actions on the cable before it enters the automated processing zone. This preliminary action prepares the rigid cable in advance, ensuring it is properly oriented and positioned, which enhances the reliability of subsequent automated operations while maintaining high precision
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual loading is used, then cable handling flexibility is maintained, but error rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guide device acts as a mediator that standardizes the transition from manual to automated handling. It provides a consistent mechanical interface that guides various cable types into uniform positions, thereby reducing variability and error rates while preserving the flexibility to handle different cable configurations through manual adjustment of guide elements
4Reliability
If continuous manual presence is required, then cable processing reliability improves, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cable guide device is designed to be self-adjusting and self-regulating, automatically adapting to different cable types without requiring continuous manual intervention. Once configured, it maintains reliable cable guidance autonomously, freeing operators from constant monitoring while ensuring consistent processing reliability and enabling higher throughput
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 1e~1f
AI summary
The invention relates to a cable processing system comprising a cable processing machine, specifically for the automatic processing of cable ends of heavy, relatively rigid cables, but preferably also of light, thin cables, as well as long or short cables, preferably in the same cable processing machine. This machine has an input side for receiving the cables, several cable processing stations, a cable transport device for transporting at least one cable with at least one movable gripper, and an output side for discharging a processed cable. According to the invention, the cable transport device is equipped with a cable conveyor designed as a multi-storage unit, which has several cable holders, and wherein the multi-storage unit is designed as an autonomous or guided transporter.At least one of the grippers is designed as a transfer gripper to remove one of the cables after the other from the respective cable holder and to feed it to at least one of the cable processing stations and/or to at least one further gripper as a transfer gripper, which is designed to be movable to further grippers with a frame-supported transfer mechanism in such a way as to transfer the cable to one of the cable processing stations.