Automated Wood Floorboard Classification System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wood floor manufacturing lines rely on manual sorting, which is inefficient and prone to oversizing bundles, necessitating a need for an automatic classification method and system for random length and grade wood floorboards.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a conveyor with reading units to determine board length and grade, a central processor to calculate and select optimal combinations, and a distribution section to automatically arrange boards into rows, ensuring precise bundling and minimizing non-billable surface area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual sorting is used to arrange boards by grade, then operators can form bundles according to their judgment, but the process is inefficient and prone to oversizing bundles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical sorting system with an automated system using optical sensors and image processing. Cameras capture board images, and software algorithms automatically determine board grades and lengths, eliminating manual measurement and classification while improving both precision and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables boards to be automatically classified and bundled without human intervention. The automated image recognition and processing system performs the sorting function that previously required operators, making the system self-sufficient in terms of classification decisions.
2Productivity
If automated reading units determine board length and grade early, then optimal combinations can be calculated, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a multi-functional integrated system where a single conveyor belt performs multiple functions: transporting boards, supporting reading units for length measurement, and facilitating grade determination through image capture. This consolidation reduces overall system complexity compared to separate dedicated systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary measurement and classification of all boards before bundling decisions are made. Reading units capture board characteristics early in the process, allowing the processor to calculate optimal combinations in advance, which streamlines the subsequent bundling operation.
3Measurement precision
If processors calculate combinations from a large number of identified boards, then bundle surface area precision improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a two-stage processing approach where the system first identifies all available boards and their characteristics, then calculates combinations only when sufficient boards are available for optimal bundle formation. This avoids unnecessary calculations for incomplete sets while maintaining precision for viable bundles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the availability of boards with specific characteristics and adjusts combination calculations in real-time. The processor receives feedback from reading units about incoming boards and dynamically updates bundle compositions, optimizing calculation efficiency by focusing only on relevant board combinations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system for classifying a plurality of random length boards of random grade, using a conveyer provided with reading units to read both the length and the grade of each board at a first end of said conveyer; a processor, receiving length and grade data from the reading units; calculating combinations of board lengths and grades and selecting a preferred combination of boards from the combinations; and a distribution section, located at a second end of the conveyer, and operated by the processor according to the preferred combination; the processor being fed with a large number of identified boards, from which to calculate the combinations of board lengths and grades, before they reach the distribution section.