ESD Tray Structure for Nesting, Stacking, and Workflow Visibility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ESD trays lack both nesting and stacking features, and often lack clear indicators of the state or condition of the devices and components, leading to inefficiencies in manufacturing workflows.
Innovation Solution
The ESD tray design incorporates features that allow both nesting and stacking, with asymmetrical protrusions on sidewalls for efficient storage and transport, and includes a progress indicator and marking regions for clear visual cues on the state of the tray and its contents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of stationary object
If ESD trays incorporate only nesting feature, then storage space is minimized, but access efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tray system incorporates nesting features where trays can be placed inside one another for compact storage. The sidewalls include engagement structures that allow trays to nest securely while maintaining ESD protection. This resolves the contradiction by providing dedicated nesting capability for storage while the stacking feature provides alternative access efficiency during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray system is designed to be dynamic in its configuration - trays can transition between nested state for storage and stacked state for active use. The sidewall structures enable easy transformation between these states, allowing the system to adapt to different operational requirements (storage vs. access) without compromising either function.
2Ease of operation
If ESD trays incorporate only stacking feature, then access efficiency is improved, but storage space utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tray system incorporates nesting features where trays can be placed inside one another for compact storage. The sidewalls include engagement structures that allow trays to nest securely while maintaining ESD protection. This resolves the contradiction by providing dedicated nesting capability for storage while the stacking feature provides alternative access efficiency during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray system is designed to be dynamic in its configuration - trays can transition between nested state for storage and stacked state for active use. The sidewall structures enable easy transformation between these states, allowing the system to adapt to different operational requirements (storage vs. access) without compromising either function.
3Loss of information
If conventional ESD trays lack progress indicators, then manufacturing workflow visibility deteriorates, but device complexity increases with ad hoc solutions
Solution Approach 1:
The tray system incorporates self-service progress indication through integrated visual markers and status indicators that automatically display the tray's position in the manufacturing workflow. These indicators are built into the tray structure itself, eliminating the need for external tracking systems or complex electronic monitoring, thus improving workflow visibility without significantly increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A work tray is disclosed that incorporates features enabling multiple trays to both nest with one another and stack upon one another. When not in use, empty trays can be stored or transported in a compact and efficient arrangement requiring minimal space. When in use in a manufacturing environment (e.g., at a workstation or in a process queue) and while containing workpieces, the trays can be vertically stacked on top of one another for easy and efficient access to a technician or operator. The work tray further includes a progress indicator and marking regions that provide indicia of the tray and its contents to support an efficient workflow for the devices and components contained in the trays.