Automatic Chopped Strand Restart System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual restart of glass strands in chopped-strand manufacturing systems is inefficient and prone to errors, leading to significant production downtime and increased costs due to the fragility of the strands and the need for human intervention to manage their speed and trajectory.
Innovation Solution
An automatic restart system that uses a gripping device to move strands to a high-speed drawing device, modifying their path using a transfer device to align them with the anvil and chopper wheels, allowing for automated re-establishment of strand continuity without manual intervention, thereby reducing production interruptions and increasing productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual restart operation is used to re-establish strand continuity after bushing breaks, then the fragility of strands can be managed by human intervention, but production efficiency deteriorates due to long preparation time and frequent interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic restart operations where the installation itself performs the restart without human intervention. The control system automatically detects bushing breaks, activates the drawing device to draw new strands, and coordinates the restart sequence, transforming a manual service task into an automated self-service process that eliminates downtime and improves productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated control system that uses sensors, actuators, and programmable logic to detect breaks and execute restart sequences. The drawing device and its control system substitute for human operators, using automated mechanisms to draw strands and re-establish continuity, thereby eliminating the time-consuming manual intervention while maintaining reliability
2Productivity
If multiple bushings feed a single chopping device to increase productivity, then production capacity increases, but the number of bushing breaks increases requiring more restart operations
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic restart system allows each bushing to self-restart independently when a break occurs, without requiring operator intervention. The control system monitors all bushings and automatically initiates restart sequences for any break detected, enabling the system to handle multiple bushings simultaneously and convert what would be time-consuming manual restarts into automated self-service operations
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous production by automatically detecting and restarting bushing breaks in real-time. The control system ensures that useful action (strand production) continues uninterrupted by immediately detecting breaks and initiating restart sequences, minimizing idle time and maintaining continuous operation across multiple bushings feeding the chopping device
3Stability of the object's composition
If manual depositing of strand onto feed rolls is used for restart, then thermal stability of bushings is preserved, but automation becomes difficult due to complex kinematics of movements
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex manual mechanical operations with an automated drawing device controlled by programmable logic. Instead of manually depositing strands and managing complex kinematic movements, the control system automatically activates the drawing device to draw new strands through a simplified linear path, substituting automated mechanical control for manual dexterity while preserving thermal stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent simplifies the restart operation by changing the strand path from a complex curvilinear trajectory to a linear dimension. The drawing device draws strands along a straight-line path from the bushing to the chopping device, eliminating the need for complex kinematic movements and manual positioning, thereby enabling full automation while maintaining thermal stability
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic restart procedure for a system for manufacturing chopped strands. At least one strand coming from a bushing is grabbed by a gripping device. The gripping device is moved right to a drawing device, the drawing device configured to bring the strand to a drawing speed compatible with a chopping operation carried out as the strand passes between an anvil wheel and a chopper wheel of a chopping machine. The path of the strand between the bushing and the drawing device is modified using a transfer device, the transfer device configured to pass the strand between the anvil wheel and the chopper wheel using an engagement device, or to be moved away from the chopper wheel and the anvil wheel.