Conveyor Sub-Drive Alignment for Product Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor systems for food products, such as hamburgers, face challenges in accurately aligning and positioning items during processing, leading to irregular stacks and slowed packaging due to varying positions of products post-shaping, which affects both fit and appearance in containers.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor assembly with recording devices to monitor and correct product positions in both X and Y directions using programmable control units and sub-conveyors, allowing for precise alignment and stabilization of products before further processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If products are conveyed without position correction, then the conveyor system remains simple, but the products end up in irregular positions affecting packaging quality and speed
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is divided into multiple independent sub-conveyors (first sub-conveyors and second sub-conveyors) that can be individually controlled. Each sub-conveyor handles specific products in a transverse series, allowing independent position adjustment without affecting the entire system. This segmentation enables precise position correction while maintaining overall system manageability.
Solution Approach 2:
The upstream ends of the sub-conveyors are made movable in the Y-direction through sub-drives, allowing dynamic adjustment of conveyor paths. This dynamic capability enables the system to adapt to varying product positions in real-time, correcting alignment issues on the fly while maintaining continuous operation.
2Productivity
If individual position correction is implemented for each product, then packaging speed improves, but the device complexity increases due to multiple recording and correction devices
Solution Approach 1:
The recording devices and correction devices are designed to handle multiple functions. The recording devices record positions in both X and Y directions, while the correction devices can adjust positions in both directions. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of separate devices needed, as each device performs multiple correction tasks rather than requiring dedicated devices for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the recording devices to automatically control the correction devices through a programmable control unit. The system self-corrects product positions without manual intervention, continuously monitoring and adjusting positions to maintain alignment. This automated feedback loop eliminates the need for manual position correction while maintaining high packaging speeds.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple correction devices are added for X and Y direction alignment, then product positioning precision improves, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The correction devices are integrated into the existing conveyor structure, with sub-conveyors and sub-drives incorporated as part of the conveyor assembly rather than as separate add-on components. The recording and correction functions are merged into a coordinated system controlled by a single programmable control unit, reducing overall system complexity despite the enhanced correction capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Conveyor assembly for in a lying position, in X-direction from an inlet to an outlet, conveying products serially supplied in transverse series comprising: —an inlet conveyor situated on the inlet side; —a drive for driving the inlet conveyor for in X-direction conveying the transverse series of products lying thereon; —a first recording device for recording the position of the products within a transverse series, in a Y-direction that is horizontally transverse to the X-direction; —a first correction device for influencing the positions in Y-direction of the products within a transverse series; —a programmable control unit which is configured for receiving and processing the recording data from the first recording device and for controlling the first correction device, if the products within the recorded transverse series are not in the wanted position in Y-direction, —wherein the first correction device comprises a first conveyor and a first drive for it for conveying the products in X-direction, —wherein the first conveyor comprises a number of first sub-conveyors positioned next to each other for respective conveyance in X-direction of the products situated in a transverse series, according to paths that are situated next to each other, —wherein the first correction device further comprises first sub-drives for individually from each other setting the upstream ends of the first sub-conveyors in position in Y-direction, which first sub-drives can be controlled for that purpose by the control unit in response to the recording data received from the first recording device relating to the positions of the products in a transverse series in Y-direction, —wherein the first conveyor is situated downstream of the inlet conveyor.