Floor Panel Decoration Segmentation for Just-in-Time Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing floor panels with customized decorations are costly and inefficient, especially for small orders, due to high storage costs and long production and delivery times associated with maintaining a large variety of decors and adapting to individual customer needs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a carrier material with a basic decoration applied before storage, followed by an individual decoration applied upon order receipt, allowing for just-in-time production and flexible panel sizing and shaping, reducing storage needs and enabling quick delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large number of different decors are kept in stock to meet customer demands, then the selection variety is improved, but the storage costs and capital commitment increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The production process is segmented into two phases: pre-production of plain carrier materials (which can be stored economically) and post-production application of individual decors (which occurs after customer order). This segmentation allows the company to offer diverse decor options without maintaining large inventories of finished products with different decors.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier materials are prepared in advance with basic processing (separation into panels, provision of impact sound insulation and adhesive layers) but without applying the final decor. This preliminary action allows the base materials to be readied for production while the specific decor application is deferred until after the customer order is received, reducing the need to store diverse finished inventory.
2Adaptability or versatility
If individual customer requests with small editions are produced using prior art methods, then the customization is improved, but the production time and delivery time increase due to long set-up and downtimes
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier materials are pre-prepared in panel form with all necessary base layers (impact sound insulation, adhesive layers) before intermediate storage. When an order is received, the decor can be applied immediately to the pre-prepared panels without requiring lengthy set-up operations, thus significantly reducing production and delivery times for customized small editions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate storage stage for plain carrier materials that acts as a buffer between mass production and individual customization. This intermediary stage allows the company to maintain a ready supply of blank panels without committing to specific decors, enabling rapid response to individual customer requests without the lead times associated with traditional production methods.
3Volume of stationary object
If the carrier material is separated into panels before intermediate storage, then the storage efficiency is improved, but the production complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier material is segmented into individual panels during the pre-production phase, before intermediate storage. This segmentation improves storage efficiency by allowing compact stacking and more flexible warehouse utilization. The patent manages the associated production complexity by performing the separation while the material is still in a manageable state, before the decor application and finishing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation of carrier material into panels is performed as a preliminary action before intermediate storage and before the individual decor application. This timing allows the company to benefit from improved storage efficiency while managing the complexity of the separation process under controlled conditions, rather than attempting to separate materials after they have been decorated and finished.
Data Source
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AI summary
The method involves separating a carrier material (6) in form of a panel (10), and a decoration unit (26) glued on the material. The material is intermediately supported in bearings (19), after separation of the material and before assembling of the decoration unit. The material is profiled in front or after the bearings. The decoration unit is designed as a decoration paper or foil layer. The unit is designed as a partial piece of an entire decoration unit. The material is designed as a high density fiberboard-, middle density fiberboard or cork-plate, plastic board and multi-layer board.