Connector Housing Pallet Repositioning to Prevent Cable Meshing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Assembling connector housings with cables is a laborious process, often resulting in cable meshing due to overlapping cables, which complicates automation and reduces efficiency, as experienced operators are required to manage the positioning of connector housings on assembly pallets.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising interchangeable carrier plate parts with uniform outer contours and centering/connecting devices, allowing for precise positioning and repositioning within an assembly pallet, enabling automatic cable equipping and minimizing cable entanglement, with a modular assembly pallet and automated repositioning capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If connector housings are arranged vertically on the assembly pallet, then the pick-and-place machine can load cables into connector housings, but cables overlap and cover unused slots making them unreachable
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic repositioning of carrier plate parts during the assembly process. The positioning unit moves carrier plate parts between different positions on the assembly pallet, allowing the system to adapt its configuration dynamically. This enables the pick-and-place machine to access previously covered slots by relocating carrier plate parts, thus maintaining automation while improving accessibility.
2Productivity
If cables are plugged into connector housing slots, then the connector housing is equipped, but cables become intertwined with adjacent cables causing mesh-and-place
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by repositioning carrier plate parts before cables become intertwined. The positioning unit proactively moves carrier plate parts to optimal positions during the assembly process, preventing cable entanglement before it occurs. This maintains high assembly speed while ensuring cable harnesses remain separable.
3Reliability
If experienced operators manually position connector housings, then cable meshing is reduced, but operator dependency increases and labor is intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements self-service by enabling the assembly system to automatically optimize its own configuration. The positioning unit autonomously repositions carrier plate parts based on the assembly state, eliminating the need for operator intervention while maintaining the reliability benefits of optimized positioning. This transitions the process from manual operator-dependent positioning to automated self-managing positioning.
4Device complexity
If carrier plate parts have fixed positions, then the assembly structure is simple, but flexibility to reposition connector housings is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies segmentation by dividing the assembly pallet into multiple interchangeable carrier plate parts. Each carrier plate part can be independently positioned and repositioned by the positioning unit. This modular approach maintains structural simplicity while providing the flexibility to optimize connector housing positions during assembly, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device for mounting connector housings 15 with several carrier plate parts 11, each of which has receiving devices for connector housings 15, a placement machine 17 for mounting the connector housings 15 with at least one cable 16, and a positioning unit for moving the carrier plate parts 11, wherein the carrier plate parts 11 can be assembled into a mounting pallet 10, and wherein the carrier plate parts 11 have uniform outer contours so that their positions within the mounting pallet 10 are freely interchangeable. The invention further relates to a method for operating such a device.