Cutting Formation Tool Exchange Along a Shared Guide Rail
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated systems for assembling and disassembling cutting formations in sheet metal cutting machines are limited by the time taken by manipulator robots to pick up and move tools, and are difficult to integrate into existing slitter lines, requiring significant modifications.
Innovation Solution
An automated system with a guide system that allows the manipulator robot and interim system to move along a rail parallel to the equipped wall, enabling simultaneous movement and mutual exchange of circular tools, optimizing the assembly and disassembly process while minimizing changes to the existing slitter line.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the manipulator robot travels the entire vertical wall to pick up tools from distal positions, then all tools can be accessed, but the assembly time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the manipulator's movement from vertical traversal along the equipped wall to horizontal movement along a rail system. The rail is positioned parallel to and at a distance from the equipped wall, allowing the manipulator to access tools at any vertical position without traveling the entire wall length, thus reducing assembly time while maintaining full tool accessibility.
2Productivity
If two manipulator robots are used to reduce assembly time, then productivity increases, but system complexity and integration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the manipulator robot dynamic by enabling it to move horizontally along the rail in addition to its vertical movement capabilities. This single robot can dynamically position itself to pick up tools from any location on the equipped wall and deliver them to the interim system, achieving the productivity of multiple robots while maintaining system simplicity.
3Extent of automation
If existing automated systems are integrated into pre-existing slitter lines, then automation level is maintained, but significant modifications are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary rail system that acts as a mediator between the equipped wall (tool storage) and the interim system (assembly point). The rail is positioned parallel to the equipped wall at a specific distance, creating an intermediate pathway that allows tool transfer without requiring modifications to the existing slitter line equipment, thus maintaining automation while simplifying integration.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Automated system (1, 100) to assemble or disassemble cutting formations comprising a storage (2, 102) provided with at least one equipped wall (3, 103), configured to support a plurality of circular tools (4, 104), at least one manipulator robot (5, 105), movable relative to the equipped wall (3, 103) and configured to pick up or store the circular tools (4, 104), at least one interim system (6, 106) configured to interact with at least one manipulator robot (5, 105) for sequentially receiving or handing out individual circular tools (4, 104), a guide system (8, 108) for guiding the at least one manipulator robot (5, 105) and the at least one interim system (6, 106) relative to the at least one equipped wall (3, 103), wherein the at least one manipulator robot (5, 105) and the at least one interim system (6, 106) are operably connectable to each other selectively to allow the reciprocal exchange of circular tools (4, 104) during their simultaneous movement along the guide system (8, 108).