Automated Flatness Tester for Foam Boards
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for testing the flatness and integrity of manufactured foam boards are manual, labor-intensive, prone to operator error, and limited in scope, failing to provide a complete assessment of the board's surface quality and integrity.
Innovation Solution
A computer numerical control (CNC) testing system equipped with a laser scanner and motorized carriage for comprehensive surface scanning, identifying peaks and valleys, and calculating a score representing the board's integrity, with the option to perform additional tests for compressive strength and density at identified regions, and adjusting manufacturing parameters based on the data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual methods are used to measure flatness, then the process is simple to implement, but the measurement is labor-intensive and prone to operator error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement methods with an automated optical sensing system. A sensor mounted on a motorized carriage scans the board surface, automatically capturing flatness data without human intervention. This substitution eliminates operator error while maintaining measurement accuracy, directly resolving the contradiction between precision and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system performs self-assessment through automated scanning and data processing. The motorized carriage independently traverses the board surface, the sensor autonomously captures measurements, and the system automatically generates flatness reports. This self-service capability reduces labor intensity while improving measurement consistency, addressing the contradiction between simplicity and precision.
2Productivity
If manual measurement methods are used, then the equipment is simple, but the process is slow and resource intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The motorized carriage continuously scans the board surface without interruption, maintaining constant motion to capture flatness data across the entire surface. This continuous scanning approach eliminates the stop-and-go nature of manual measurements, significantly increasing testing speed while the automated system manages the complexity of coordinating multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system employs dynamic elements including the motorized carriage that moves along rails, adjustable scanning speeds, and real-time data processing. These dynamic capabilities allow the system to adapt to different board sizes and testing requirements, improving productivity while the modular architecture manages system complexity.
3Loss of information
If manual methods are used to assess board flatness, then the setup is simple, but the assessment is limited to a small number of measurement locations
Solution Approach 1:
The board surface is divided into multiple measurement segments through the systematic scanning path of the motorized carriage. The carriage traverses the entire surface, capturing data at numerous discrete locations that collectively provide complete coverage. This segmentation approach ensures no region is missed, eliminating information loss while the automated coordination manages the complexity of multiple measurement points.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from point-based manual measurement to comprehensive surface scanning by adding spatial dimensions. The motorized carriage moves in multiple directions across the board surface, transforming the measurement approach from limited discrete points to continuous two-dimensional coverage. This dimensional expansion ensures complete assessment while the automated system handles the complexity of multi-dimensional data collection.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for determining the integrity of a manufactured board are disclosed. An example system includes a testing platform configured to secure the manufactured board, a sensor configured to measure a parameter corresponding to a flatness of a surface of the board, and a controller. The controller is configured to identify regions on the surface corresponding to one of a peak or a valley based on the parameter, and calculate a score representing the integrity of the manufactured board based on the identified peaks and valleys. The controller adjusts a flow rate, a pressure, a temperature, and position of a deposited substance in a manufacturing process based on a comparison with a height of the peak and/or a depth of the valley to stored peak heights and/or valley depths. In some examples, a mechanical tester determines a compressive strength and a density of the board at the identified regions.