CAD-Guided Disassembly Scripts for Industrial Electrical Products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack the capability for targeted and automated disassembly of industrial electrical products, such as motors, drives, and controllers, due to variations in component placement and manufacturing tolerances, which hinders efficient recycling, reuse, and refurbishment, and there is no provision for assessing the condition of materials or components for re-use or refurbishment.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method generates a disassembly script for automated devices by identifying industrial electrical products and their components, retrieving CAD models with metadata for positional data and disassembly requirements, and creating files with instructions for the automated device to execute the disassembly, allowing for efficient and accurate disassembly across a wide range of products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automated disassembly is implemented without CAD model integration, then automation capability is improved, but accuracy in component identification and disassembly precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses CAD models as digital copies of the physical product to guide the automated disassembly process. The CAD model contains precise geometric and semantic information about each component's location, orientation, and disassembly requirements, enabling the robotic system to accurately identify and manipulate components without human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate software layer that translates CAD model data into robotic control commands. This intermediary system processes the digital twin information and generates the appropriate motion paths, tool selections, and disassembly sequences, bridging the gap between digital design data and physical robotic execution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual disassembly methods are used, then adaptability to component variations is improved, but productivity and time consumption deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic disassembly system that can adapt to component variations by querying the CAD model in real-time. The system retrieves specific component data based on actual product variations and adjusts the disassembly sequence, tool selection, and robotic motion parameters dynamically, combining the adaptability of manual methods with the speed of automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the disassembly process by retrieving specific data from the CAD model for each component, such as fastener types, component locations, and disassembly forces. These parameter adjustments enable the automated system to handle different product configurations efficiently without sacrificing productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple disassembly scripts are maintained for different products, then versatility is improved, but system complexity and maintenance burden deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal disassembly system that can handle multiple product types through a single integrated software platform. The system universally queries the CAD model for the specific product being disassembled and automatically generates the appropriate disassembly sequence, eliminating the need to maintain separate scripts for different products while maintaining full versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the CAD model as a universal digital reference that contains all necessary disassembly information for different product types. Instead of creating multiple physical scripts, the system copies the relevant disassembly data from the appropriate CAD model, centralizing the knowledge base and simplifying system maintenance.
4Reliability
If real-time inspection and condition monitoring are added, then quality assessment for reuse is improved, but processing time and system complexity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs condition monitoring and inspection during the disassembly process itself, rather than as a separate subsequent step. The system integrates sensing capabilities that continuously monitor component conditions as they are being removed, allowing quality assessment to occur in parallel with disassembly operations, thus minimizing additional time requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented method of generating an industrial electrical product disassembly routine script to be executed by an automated device is described. Firstly, an industrial electrical product and its constituent individual components are identified. Then, a computer-aided design (CAD) model of the industrial electrical product and its individual components is retrieved. The CAD model contains, for each individual component, metadata indicating positional data for the individual component and describing requirements for disassembling the individual component from the industrial electrical product. Finally, for each identified individual component generating a file readable by an automated device from the metadata, the file comprising instructions to be executed by the automated device as a disassembly script to disassemble the industrial electrical product.