Cable Processing Apparatus Pull-Out Force Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable processing devices struggle to apply sufficient pull-out force for testing cable end connections, especially for medium and large cables, due to insufficient gripper clamping force, leading to potential slippage and inaccurate force measurements.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates a pull-out device with a holding unit and a clamping unit, where the gripper feeds the cable end connection to the holding unit for holding and applies a necessary pull-out force via the clamping unit, allowing for accurate force measurement without increasing gripper strength or mass, utilizing the gripper arm drive for linear movement to apply the force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gripper is made significantly stronger to meet the pull-out force requirements for medium and large cables, then the pull-out force measurement capability is improved, but the gripper dimensions and mass increase, requiring a larger drive
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two functional units: a holding unit that maintains cable position and a clamping unit that applies pull-out force. This segmentation allows the gripper to maintain its original light weight while the clamping unit provides the necessary force for testing medium and large cables.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping unit acts as an intermediary between the gripper and the cable during pull-out force measurement. It transmits the pull-out force from the gripper arm drive to the cable, enabling accurate measurement without requiring the gripper itself to be strengthened.
2Measurement precision
If the gripper clamping force is increased to prevent cable slippage during pull-out movement, then the measurement accuracy is improved, but the gripper dimensions and drive size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The testing function is segmented from the feeding function. The holding unit secures the cable connection while the clamping unit applies force, allowing accurate measurement without modifying the original gripper structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripper arm drive serves dual purposes: it performs the linear movement necessary for feeding cables to processing stations and simultaneously generates the pull-out force for testing. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional specialized components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a stronger gripper is used to hold large cables during pull-out testing, then the testing capability for medium and large cables is improved, but the simplicity of the device is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the cable holding function (holding unit) from the force application function (clamping unit). This allows the system to test medium and large cables without requiring a stronger gripper, maintaining device simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing gripper arm drive is used for both cable feeding operations and pull-out force generation. This universal use of the drive mechanism expands testing capability without adding complex dedicated components.
Data Source
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AI summary
A wire-processing device comprises processing stations (10) for processing a wire (3), gripper(s) (5, 9) for feeding a wire to the processing stations to produce a wire-end connector (15) and for inspecting the wire-end connector, and a pull-out device having holding unit(s) and a gripping unit. The gripper feeds the wire-end connector to the holding unit which firmly holds the wire-end connector, and feeds the wire to the gripping unit which firmly grips the wire. One of the holding unit and gripping unit exerts a pull-out force to the wire along wire longitudinal axis. An independent claim is included for a method of operating a wire-processing device.