Flat Ceramic Loading/Unloading Assembly With Parallel Support Staging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing loading/unloading systems for flat ceramic products require significant downtime and increased costs due to the time-consuming replacement of support structures, which disrupts production and causes bottlenecks, especially when space is limited and resources are insufficient.
Innovation Solution
A loading/unloading assembly and system that includes a pick-up vehicle with localization devices and a loading/unloading device capable of moving support structures between two positions, allowing simultaneous placement and removal of new and used support structures, reducing the need for additional trips and minimizing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional manually-driven transport vehicles or automatically-driven transport vehicles are used to replace support structures, then the support structures can be transferred between storage areas and loading/unloading devices, but the replacement operations require excessive time which interrupts production and causes bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The loading/unloading device is equipped with multiple bearing devices that can simultaneously support multiple support structures. This allows the system to prepare the next support structure in advance while the current one is being used, enabling seamless replacement without interrupting the loading/unloading operations and eliminating production downtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple bearing devices into a single loading/unloading device, allowing simultaneous support of multiple support structures. This merging enables the system to perform multiple operations in parallel, reducing the total time required for support structure replacement and maintaining continuous production flow.
2Loss of time
If the number of automatically-driven or manually-driven transport vehicles is increased to reduce replacement time, then support structure transfer speed improves, but system costs and complexity increase considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The loading/unloading device is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating multiple bearing devices that can simultaneously handle multiple support structures. This universal design eliminates the need for multiple separate transport vehicles, as the single device can perform all replacement operations internally, reducing system complexity and cost while maintaining fast replacement speeds.
3Productivity
If multiple bearing devices are integrated into a single loading/unloading device, then support structure replacement time is reduced and production continuity is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The loading/unloading device is segmented into multiple independent bearing devices, each capable of supporting a support structure. This segmentation allows each bearing device to operate independently and simultaneously, enabling parallel processing of multiple support structures. The modular segmented design reduces overall system complexity compared to a monolithic design while maintaining high productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A loading/unloading assembly (11) of flat ceramic products (2) comprising: a conveying unit (12) for conveying a plurality of flat ceramic products (2); at least one loading/unloading device (13) for flat ceramic products (2) for receiving a support structure (3a; 3b) so that it rests on it and at least one pick-up device (15) for picking up and transferring at least one flat ceramic product (2) from the conveying unit (12) to the support structure (3a; 3b), and/or vice versa; the loading/unloading device (13) comprises at least one bearing device (16) for bearing at least said support structure (3a; 3b) and a plurality of flat ceramic products (2) stacked on top of one another, and a moving device (17) for moving said support structure (3a; 3b), between a first position at a first height (h0) from said bottom (14), and at least a second position at a second height (h1) from said bottom (14), the second height (h1) is greater than the first height (h0).