Gas Cylinder Cap Removal and Code Alignment Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas supply automation systems face challenges in automatically removing protective caps from gas cylinders, determining cylinder size within error ranges, and aligning recognition codes for accurate identification and loading by mobile robots, especially when cylinders are not accurately positioned.
Innovation Solution
A gas supply automation system utilizing a multi-joint robot with cap and cylinder gripper units, size detection, center detection, and inclination detection units to automatically remove protective caps, assess cylinder size, and align recognition codes, enabling efficient transfer and loading of gas cylinders by a mobile robot.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a conventional gas supply automation system is used to remove protective caps, then the system can operate automatically, but it cannot accurately remove caps when cylinder size is out of error range or when positioning is imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting cylinder size, center position, and inclination angle before the cap removal operation. The multi-joint robot adjusts its positioning and gripper orientation based on pre-detected cylinder parameters, ensuring accurate cap removal even when cylinder dimensions vary outside standard error ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters dynamically based on detected cylinder characteristics. The robot modifies its approach angle, gripper position, and removal force according to the detected cylinder size, center location, and inclination, allowing reliable automated cap removal across varying cylinder specifications.
2Ease of operation
If gas cylinders are transferred individually from cradle unit to mobile robot, then each cylinder can be handled separately, but the recognition code alignment becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical alignment operations with automated optical detection and robotic positioning. A recognition code detector automatically identifies and reads codes on cylinders, while the multi-joint robot uses this information to automatically align and position cylinders for the mobile robot, eliminating time-consuming manual alignment processes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the recognition code position on gas cylinders is not aligned, then cylinders can be loaded randomly, but the code reader cannot accurately identify the process gas information
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the recognition code detector reads the code on each cylinder, provides position information to the control system, which then directs the multi-joint robot to align the cylinder appropriately. This closed-loop feedback ensures accurate code recognition while maintaining the ability to handle cylinders in various initial positions.
4Ease of operation
If gas cylinders are not accurately positioned before mobile robot loading, then loading flexibility is maintained, but the mobile robot cannot successfully load the cylinders
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary positioning actions using the multi-joint robot to place cylinders in the correct location and orientation before the mobile robot attempts loading. The multi-joint robot uses detected cylinder parameters to pre-position cylinders, ensuring they are within the mobile robot's loading range while maintaining operational flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the inventive concept provide a gas supply automation system for automatically removing a protective cap which is mounted on a valve side of a gas cylinder.The inventive concept provides gas supply automation system for automatically transferring and supplying a gas cylinder. The gas supply automation system includes a multi-joint robot for gripping and transferring the gas cylinder positioned at a first position to a second position, and taking off a protective cap of the gas cylinder at the second position.