Chain Sub-Unit Assembly Machine with Pre-Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional method of manufacturing chains, such as those for chain saws, is prone to errors in assembly that are not easily detectable until late in the process, leading to waste and inefficiency, as defects in chain connections only manifest when the chain is already partially assembled.
Innovation Solution
A machine that pre-assembles and tests chain sub-units for properties and functionalities before combining them to form a chain, ensuring only defect-free sub-units are incorporated, thereby minimizing waste and producing chains of considerable length with reduced defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If chain elements are assembled progressively to an increasingly longer chain, then the chain length increases, but assembly errors become harder to detect and waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The chain manufacturing process is divided into independent sub-assemblies or modules. Each module is assembled and tested separately before being combined with other modules to form the complete chain. This segmentation allows defects to be detected at the module level rather than in the complete chain, making error detection easier and reducing waste.
Solution Approach 2:
Sub-assemblies are pre-assembled and tested before being incorporated into the complete chain. This preliminary action allows quality control to occur at an earlier stage when defects are still detectable and correctable, preventing defective components from being integrated into the final product.
2Ease of repair
If assembly errors are detected late in the process, then less rework is needed, but material waste increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Quality testing is performed on sub-assemblies before they are permanently integrated into the complete chain. This preliminary quality control enables defects to be identified and corrected when only minimal material has been consumed, rather than after the entire chain has been assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
Defective sub-assemblies are identified and discarded at the module level rather than requiring disposal of entire chains. This approach minimizes material waste by allowing recovery and reuse of non-defective portions of the chain.
3Productivity
If complete chains are assembled before testing, then testing efficiency improves, but defect detection capability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The chain is divided into testable sub-assemblies that can be evaluated independently. Each sub-assembly contains a manageable number of elements that can be thoroughly tested for assembly errors, connection integrity, and functional performance before being combined with other sub-assemblies.
Solution Approach 2:
Testing is performed on sub-assemblies at an intermediate stage of manufacturing, before complete chain assembly. This preliminary testing maintains high defect detection capability while preserving reasonable testing efficiency by working with smaller, more manageable units.
Data Source
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AI summary
Machine (20) for the manufacture of a chain sub-units (10); said machine (20) comprises a carriage (22) movable along a translation guide (24) in an assembly direction (M), in order to compose each chain sub-unit; said machine (20) furthermore comprises first link feeders (26, 28, 30) to engage a carriage with four drive links (2), through the feeders (26), associating said drive links (2) with two connection links (4), by means of further feeder (28), and one cutting link (6), with a further feeder (30), wherein connection links (4) comprise pivot pins placed in each through hole at one end of the pin, and wherein connection links (4) and cutting links (6) are associated aligning lumina of the through holes (8') of the cutting link (6) with lumina of the through holes (8) of the driving links (2) penetrating the pivot pins protruding from the connection links into the through holes 8 of the drive links; said carriage (22) comprises a rotary support in order to reverse the arrangement of the links previously placed holding them in position with suitable means, in such a way that the drive links are accessible from a opposite surfaces; said machine (20) furthermore comprises successive stations with second link feeders (34, 36) to provide two other connection links, by means of the feeders 34, and a cutting link (6'), with the further feeder (36), so as to arrange them to bridge the drive links positioned previously, inserting them into the pivot pins already present; wherein connection links (4) coming from the link feeder (34) downstream comprise pivot pins placed in each through hole at one end of the pin; and in order that the connection links provided by means of the feeders (34) are superimposed respectively on the cutting link (6) and a previous connection link, while the cutting link (6') fed by the further feeder (36) is placed substantially aligned to one of the connecting links provided by means of the further feeder (28) of the first link feeders (26, 28, 30); said machine (20) furthermore comprises a first pin-locking station (38), wherein the pivot pins are anchored in an irreversible manner in the chain sub-unit thus produced, since the other end of the pin still free is locked or deformed, providing an axial retention along the chain-extension axis X and a rotation around the rotation axes (R); said machine (20) furthermore comprises a test station (40) where is placed a chain sub-unit taken from the carriage (22); said test station (40) establishing the suitability of the chain sub-units (10) to be incorporated in the cutting chain (1), by testing the sufficient property and/or functionality; and rejecting chain sub-units lacking or insufficiently provided with the property and/or functionality; said machine (20) furthermore comprises a further carriage (22') translatable along a further translation guide (24') to engage a suitable chain sub-unit; said machine (20) furthermore comprises third link feeders (42) to provide the connection links between the chain sub-units (10) that have passed the test, and at least one second pin-locking station (44), arranged upstream, to constrain the various sub-units (10) by means of other pivot pins to obtain the chain (1) of predefined length.