Gantry Robot Workpiece Feeder with Movable Guide Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gantry robot systems are limited in their ability to accommodate a wide range of workpiece sizes within a minimal footprint, restricting their flexibility and efficiency in machining operations, especially when dealing with hazardous materials like plasma cutting where human intervention is risky.
Innovation Solution
A gantry robot system with a movable slide and articulated arm, combined with a workpiece feeder and computer control, allows for coordinated movement and positioning of the end effector to perform machining operations on workpieces of varying widths and sizes, enabling flexible and precise machining without the need for extensive reconfiguration or human intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-size gantry robot system is used, then the system structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate workpieces of varying widths
Solution Approach 1:
The guide elements are made movable along the gantry rail rather than fixed, allowing the workpiece feeder to dynamically adjust its position to accommodate different workpiece widths. The first guide element can be repositioned along the rail, and the second guide element moves with it, creating a dynamic adaptation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The workpiece feeder is divided into separate guide elements (first and second guide elements) that can move independently or in coordination along the gantry rail. This segmentation allows each element to be positioned optimally for different workpiece sizes without requiring complete system reconfiguration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the gantry size is increased to accommodate larger workpieces, then workpiece capacity increases, but the footprint of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a statically large gantry, the system uses a compact gantry with dynamically repositionable guide elements that can adjust their span to match the actual workpiece width, maintaining a small footprint while handling various workpiece sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable guide elements serve multiple functions: they guide workpieces of different widths, position the workpiece for machining, and adapt to various workpiece orientations, replacing the need for multiple fixed-size gantry configurations.
3Productivity
If manual reconfiguration is used to change workpiece width accommodation, then system complexity is low, but productivity decreases due to setup time
Solution Approach 1:
The workpiece feeder system automatically reconfigures itself by moving the guide elements along the gantry rail based on the programmed workpiece dimensions, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing setup time between different workpiece sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical reconfiguration is replaced with an automated control system that actuates the guide elements to move to appropriate positions, enabling rapid adaptation to different workpiece specifications without human intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A gantry robot system may include a gantry, a slide movably mounted on the gantry, an articulated arm mounted on the slide for performing a machining operation, a workpiece feeder for moving a workpiece relative to the gantry, the workpiece feeder having a first guide element mounted on and selectively positionable on the gantry, and a second guide element movably mounted on the gantry, the second guide element connected to and selectively positionable by the first guide element to engage workpieces of varying widths, and a computer control connected to actuate the slide, the articulated arm, and the workpiece feeder in a coordinated manner to perform a preselected machining operation on the workpiece.