Automated Component Supply Unit Storage and Retrieval System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing component supply unit storage and retrieval systems are inefficient as they require manual handling and individual setup of component supply units, leading to increased labor and complexity in managing work-in-process units.
Innovation Solution
A component supply unit storage and retrieval system that includes a unit storage, a storage holding base, a unit warehouse, and a storage and retrieval robot, which automates the retrieval and storage of multiple component supply units, improving efficiency by allowing collective utilization in subsequent setup works or installation in component mounters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual handling and individual setup of component supply units is performed, then flexibility in handling individual units is maintained, but labor requirements and management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments component supply units into standardized storage slots within storage units, which are then organized in hierarchical storage structures. This segmentation allows automated handling of standardized units while reducing management complexity through uniform organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces automated storage and retrieval mechanisms as intermediaries between the component supply units and the setup process. These intermediaries (storage units, retrieval devices) handle the complexity of management and retrieval automatically, freeing operators from manual handling tasks.
2Measurement precision
If component supply units are set up one by one, then individual unit control is precise, but setup efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple individual component supply units into grouped storage units that can be retrieved and handled collectively. This allows precise control at the individual unit level while enabling efficient batch retrieval and setup operations, improving overall productivity without sacrificing control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Component supply units are pre-organized and stored in standardized storage units before the setup process. This preliminary organization allows multiple units to be prepared in advance and retrieved efficiently as groups, rather than handling each unit individually during the setup operation.
3Reliability
If work-in-process component supply units are stored ahead of schedule, then production planning is ensured, but the number of idle component supply units increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements management mechanisms that track and monitor component supply units in storage, providing feedback on inventory levels and setup status. This enables optimized retrieval timing and quantity, ensuring production plans are met while minimizing the number of idle units by coordinating storage and retrieval operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A component supply unit storage and retrieval system includes a unit storage configured to store multiple component supply units used when multiple components are supplied to a component mounter, a storage holding base configured to hold the unit storage, a unit warehouse configured to store the component supply units more than the unit storage, and a storage and retrieval robot configured to deliver the component supply unit between the unit storage and the unit warehouse.