Automated Fastener Installing Vehicle with Zero-Turn Maneuverability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for installing fasteners in roofing or decking are labor-intensive, lack uniformity, and pose safety risks due to manual handling and exposure to outdoor elements.
Innovation Solution
A fastener installing vehicle with an articulating frame and a linearly spaced-apart array of fastener installing assemblies, equipped with a rotary impact driver, fastener magazine, and zero-turn radius maneuverability, to automate the installation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual fastener installation methods are used, then labor flexibility is maintained, but labor intensity and installation time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The fastener installation system is designed to be self-sufficient by automatically feeding fasteners from a magazine through alignment mechanisms to the driving position, eliminating the need for continuous manual intervention and enabling high-speed automated operation
Solution Approach 2:
The installation system is divided into distinct functional modules including fastener storage magazine, alignment mechanism, driving mechanism, and control system, allowing each component to be optimized independently while working together in coordinated fashion
2Manufacturing precision
If manual fastener installation is performed, then equipment cost is reduced, but uniformity and precision of fastener installation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Manual mechanical positioning and alignment operations are replaced with an automated alignment mechanism that uses guided channels and positioning features to precisely orient and position each fastener before installation, ensuring uniformity without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment mechanism creates a standardized template or pattern for fastener positioning that is replicated across all installation locations, ensuring consistent spacing, depth, and orientation throughout the entire installation process
3Reliability
If workers manually install fasteners exposed to outdoor elements, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but worker safety and comfort deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The installation vehicle integrates multiple functions including fastener storage, automated feeding, precise alignment, powerful driving capability, and operator protection features into a single multi-functional platform, reducing the need for separate equipment and manual operations
Solution Approach 2:
The automated fastener handling system acts as an intermediary between the operator and the hazardous installation environment, performing repetitive manual tasks such as fastener handling and positioning while the operator controls the system from a protected position
Data Source
AI summary
A fastener installing vehicle includes an articulating frame having at least one mounting rail. A plurality of fastener installing assemblies are installed along the mounting rail with each including a mounting rail grip, a rotary impact driver, a fastener magazine, and a fastener-orienting tip. A power transmission system is capable of rotating wheels or tracks counter to each other to provide zero turning radius maneuverability. The fastener installing assembly has a feed tube communicating between the fastener magazine and the fastener-orienting tip, while the rotary impact driver is extendable along an axis transverse to the mounting rail. The rotary impact driver is electrically powered with means for monitoring electric current applied to it and process controller programmed to stop it when a predetermined applied current level has been met. The frame preferably includes lighting for illuminating a work area where fasteners are installed.