System for the control and management of fabrics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current fabric control and management systems rely heavily on user experience for quality control and lack real-time, reliable management of fabric quantities, especially in partial sales orders, leading to inefficiencies in production and storage optimization.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising stations with light sources and optical devices for automatic quality control and quantity management, along with data processing units to associate identification information with fabric images, and metric feedback devices for accurate height measurement, enabling real-time updates and automatic cataloging of fabrics based on chromatic and geometrical characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual quality control by user observation is used, then the system is simple to operate, but the reliability of defect detection depends on user experience and is not consistent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical observation system with an automated optical inspection system. The machine captures images of the fabric and uses image processing algorithms to automatically detect defects, substituting human visual inspection with an automated optical-mechanical system that provides consistent and reliable defect detection independent of user experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service quality control by automatically analyzing fabric defects without requiring human intervention for detection. The machine performs self-assessment of fabric quality through automated image capture and processing, eliminating dependence on operator expertise while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Productivity
If manual updating of fabric quantities in storage is used, then the system is simple to operate, but the productivity and real-time accuracy of inventory management is low
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the automated image capture and processing continuously monitor fabric storage status. The measured fabric quantities are fed back to the database in real-time, enabling automatic updates of inventory levels without manual intervention, thus improving productivity while maintaining system simplicity through automated closed-loop control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary automated measurement and data processing system between the physical fabric storage and the inventory database. This intermediary automatically captures images, measures fabric quantities, and updates the database, eliminating the need for manual counting and updating while keeping the overall system simple to operate.
3Loss of information
If automated image capture and data processing is implemented, then real-time fabric quantity management is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates optical copies (images) of the physical fabric in storage. By capturing images with a camera and processing these copies through image analysis algorithms, the system extracts accurate fabric quantity information without physically handling or measuring the actual fabric, thus reducing information loss while maintaining relatively simple system structure.
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
The system provides reliable, real-time management of fabric quantities and quality control, independent of user experience, optimizing storage and production processes by automatically updating database information and facilitating efficient search and selection based on fabric characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
a light source (7) positioned in an intermediate position between the first station (2) and the second station (3) configured to illuminate from the bottom upwards a predetermined portion TX of the fabric T
Implementation Method 2
an optical device (10) for acquiring an image or a video of the predetermined portion TX of the fabric T
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Described is a system (1) for managing and controlling fabrics comprising: a first station (2) for moving a fabric (T), a second station (3) for moving said fabric (T) operatively connected to said first station (1), a light source (7) positioned in an intermediate position between said first station (2) and said second station (3) configured for illuminating from the bottom upwards a predetermined portion (TX) of said fabric (T), an optical device (10) for acquiring an image or a video of said predetermined portion (TX) of said fabric (T), a data processing and storage unit (8) connected to said optical device (10) and configured to associate with said image or video of said predetermined portion (TX) of said fabric (T) identification information of said fabric (T).