Collar Feed Quality Control Structure for Jam-Free Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated fastening machines face issues with incorrectly sized collars and slugs jamming the delivery system, leading to downtime and technician work, due to manual filling of vibratory bowls and the presence of undersized collars and manufacturing remnants.
Innovation Solution
A quality control structure with an elongate body and configured walls that urge properly sized collars against one wall while allowing undersized collars and slugs to pass through secondary outlets, ensuring only properly sized collars reach the primary outlet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual filling of vibratory bowls is used, then operators can load collars, but incorrectly sized collars and slugs may be introduced causing jams
Solution Approach 1:
The quality control structure performs preliminary filtering of collars before they enter the vibratory bowl delivery system. The structure includes a passageway with walls that urge collars against a wall defining a secondary outlet, where properly sized collars are restricted from passing while undesirable structures are permitted to pass through, preventing jams before they occur in the main delivery system
Solution Approach 2:
The quality control structure acts as an intermediary component between the manual loading point and the automated delivery system. It includes a passageway with urging walls and secondary outlets that mediate the transition, filtering out defective collars and slugs while allowing properly sized collars to proceed to the vibratory bowl feed system
2Device complexity
If no quality control structure is installed, then the system is simpler, but undersized collars and slugs cause jams and downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The quality control structure segments the collar flow path into a main passageway for properly sized collars and secondary outlets for defective collars. The structure includes one or more walls that create distinct paths, separating the delivery stream into two channels: one for acceptable collars continuing to the primary outlet, and another for defective collars exiting through secondary outlets
Solution Approach 2:
The quality control structure extracts and removes defective collars and slugs from the main delivery stream before they can cause jams. The secondary outlets are positioned to extract undesirable structures from the flow, separating them from the main stream of properly sized collars that continue to the primary outlet
Data Source
AI summary
Quality control structures of automated fastening machines comprise an elongate body defining a passageway and comprising one or more walls configured so that properly sized collars are urged against one of the one or more walls when passing through the passageway. The one of the one or more walls define a secondary outlet that is configured to restrict passage of the properly sized collars through the secondary outlet and permit passage of undesirable structures through the secondary outlet.