Cutting Position Alignment Device for Tobacco Rod Length Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the tobacco processing industry, existing methods for cutting rod-shaped articles into segments often result in inconsistent lengths due to fluctuations in the length of the articles, leading to increased rejects and defective products.
Innovation Solution
A method and conveyor drum design that includes a cutting position alignment device, which determines the length of each rod-shaped article and aligns it individually relative to a cutting position using sensors and actuators, ensuring that article segments are cut to predetermined lengths or minimized deviation from target lengths, thereby compensating for length variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional cutting methods are used without individual alignment, then the cutting process is simple and fast, but the article rod segments have inconsistent lengths and increased rejects
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting position alignment device performs preliminary alignment of each rod-shaped article before cutting by determining its length and adjusting its position accordingly. This preliminary action ensures that articles with varying lengths are properly positioned before the cutting operation, resulting in consistent article rod segment lengths while maintaining a relatively simple overall system structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If individual alignment of each rod-shaped article is performed before cutting, then consistent article rod segment lengths are achieved, but the cutting process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical alignment mechanisms with a combination of optical sensing and simple actuation. The sensor device detects article length, the evaluation device processes this information, and the cutting position alignment device makes rapid positional adjustments. This substitution of sophisticated mechanical systems with sensor-based control maintains high cutting speed while achieving precise alignment and consistent segment lengths.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures that article segments are consistently cut to the same or definable lengths, reducing rejects and defective products by precisely aligning each article before cutting, using sensors and actuators to manage length deviations.
Implementation Method 1
the length of the rod-shaped articles is determined by means of a sensor, preferably an optical sensor
Implementation Method 2
the cutting position alignment device is designed as a highly dynamic actuator, in particular a piezoceramic actuator, more particularly a piezoelectric linear actuator
Implementation Method 3
these rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry are held in receiving troughs by suction air on the conveyor drums
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for conveying rod-shaped articles (30) of the tobacco processing industry, wherein the rod-shaped articles (30) are conveyed transversely axially on a conveying device (10), in particular a conveying drum (10), and in a cutting position the rod-shaped articles (30) are cut into several article rod segments (32.1, 32.2) on the conveying device (10) by means of at least one cutting device (20). The method is characterized in that, prior to cutting the rod-shaped articles (30) into article rod segments (32.1, 32.2), the respective length of the rod-shaped articles (30) is determined, and depending on the respective determined length of the rod-shaped articles (30) and a reference length for the rod-shaped articles (30), the rod-shaped articles (30) are individually aligned with respect to the cutting position by means of a cutting position alignment device (44, 44.1, 44.2, 46, 46.1, 46.2), which is preferably activatable or activated.2) are aligned on the conveyor (10) or that, prior to cutting the rod-shaped articles (30) into article rod segments (32.1, 32.2), the respective position of the rod-shaped articles (30) on the conveyor (10) is determined and, depending on the respective determined position of the rod-shaped articles (30) and a reference position for the rod-shaped articles (30), the rod-shaped articles (30) are individually aligned with respect to the cutting position on the conveyor (10) by means of a cutting position alignment device (44, 44.1, 44.2, 46, 46.1, 46.2), preferably activatable or activated. Furthermore, the invention relates to a conveyor drum (10) for the tobacco processing industry and a machine (M) for the tobacco processing industry, in particular a filter forming machine (M) or a multi-filter manufacturing machine.