Flexible Carrier Maintains Part Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing processes often require multiple steps, leading to labor-intensive or costly manual reorientation of parts, and existing conveyor systems can be expensive and inefficient in maintaining part orientation during these processes.
Innovation Solution
A flexible carrier system that uncoils from a reel, allows parts to be formed onto prongs or directly onto it, and recoils onto another reel, maintaining orientation throughout the manufacturing process, including injection molding, cast metal, and other processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If parts are formed and dropped into a bin after manufacturing, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the parts lose orientation and require labor-intensive or expensive reorientation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a carrier as an intermediary object that holds the manufactured part. The carrier maintains the part's orientation throughout the manufacturing process and subsequent handling, eliminating the need for labor-intensive or expensive reorientation equipment. The carrier acts as a mediator between the manufacturing process and the part, ensuring orientation is preserved without requiring complex reorientation mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If conveyor belts or assembly lines are used to maintain part orientation, then parts can be moved without losing orientation, but the equipment becomes expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the orientation maintenance function from complex conveyor systems and assembly lines, embedding it instead into a simple carrier structure. By taking out the orientation maintenance requirement from the transportation system and integrating it into the carrier that holds the part, the patent eliminates the need for expensive conveyor belts and assembly lines while still achieving the goal of maintaining part orientation throughout the manufacturing process.
3Ease of operation
If manual reorientation of manufactured parts is performed, then parts can be positioned correctly for subsequent processes, but the process becomes labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing the correct part orientation on the carrier during the initial manufacturing process. The part is formed on the carrier in the correct orientation, and this orientation is maintained throughout subsequent handling and processing. This preliminary establishment of orientation eliminates the need for later manual repositioning, thereby maintaining high manufacturing throughput while ensuring correct part positioning for subsequent processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for maintaining orientation of a part during manufacturing includes feeding a carrier a supply apparatus. The carrier includes a flexible material and supports a plurality of manufactured parts and includes indexing parts and the supply apparatus stores the carrier. The method includes feeding the carrier into a part forming module to form a manufactured part, forming a plurality of manufactured parts onto the carrier and determining a position of the carrier by sensing the indexing marks. The carrier includes a plurality of parts formed onto the carrier and each manufactured part is connected to the carrier with connectors that hold the part from the carrier. The width of the connector less than or equal to the connector at a connection point to the carrier. Each part maintains orientation with respect to the carrier where the part is formed and maintains orientation during a subsequent operation.