Dual-Stocker Loading Stage With Height Alignment for Fast Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing workpiece loading apparatuses using articulated robots face limitations in speed and productivity due to increased inertia, vibration, and rigidity issues, leading to longer switching times and reduced productivity when transitioning between fully-loaded and empty stockers.
Innovation Solution
A workpiece loading apparatus with independent horizontal and raising/lowering mechanisms, including A-side and B-side palletizing stages, lifting devices, and a workpiece transfer device that switches between stockers without stopping the press working line, using high-rigidity mechanisms to adapt to increased speed and prevent vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an articulated robot is used to load workpieces to the stocker in order, then the workpiece can be transported with accurate position control, but the inertia force and vibration increase at high speed, limiting the increase in loading speed
Solution Approach 1:
The articulated robot arm is divided into multiple independent joints (first joint, second joint, third joint, fourth joint) that can be controlled separately. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each joint's motion characteristics to reduce vibration and inertia effects while maintaining position control accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot system implements dynamic control by adjusting the motion parameters of each joint based on real-time conditions. The control unit optimizes acceleration and deceleration profiles for each joint to minimize inertia forces and vibration during high-speed operation, enabling faster loading without sacrificing precision.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the device rigidity of the articulated robot is increased to suppress vibration, then the vibration can be reduced, but the weight increases, causing increase in apparatus size, cost, and sophistication
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing physical rigidity through heavier materials, the system changes operational parameters such as acceleration rates, velocity profiles, and joint coordination parameters. These parameter adjustments suppress vibration effects without requiring increased structural weight or complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical rigidity solutions (heavier structure, stronger materials) with control-based solutions. The control unit uses computational algorithms to compensate for vibration and inertia effects, substituting mechanical mass with intelligent control to achieve vibration suppression.
3Loss of time
If the switching time period becomes longer than the production cycle time, then the line must be stopped, but this reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares for stocker switching in advance by pre-positioning empty stockers and pre-coordinating the robot's motion paths. When a stocker needs switching, the transition can occur more quickly because preliminary preparations have already been made, reducing the stopping time and maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot system maintains continuous useful action by optimizing the switching process. Instead of complete stops, the system performs rapid transitions between stockers with minimized idle time, keeping the production line flowing continuously and maintaining high productivity during stocker exchanges.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
A workpiece loading apparatus 100 includes a pick-up stage 31, an A-side palletizing stage 41 and a B-side palletizing stage 141, an A-side lifting device 42, a B-side lifting device 142, and a workpiece transfer device 60. The workpiece transfer device 60 is configured to transfer a workpiece 4 picked up from the pick-up stage 31 to one of an A-side stocker 44 or a B-side stocker 144 until the stocker becomes full, and a corresponding one of the A-side lifting device 42 or the B-side lifting device 142 is configured to operate so that a height of the corresponding one of the A-side stocker 44 or the B-side stocker 144 is aligned with a workpiece horizontal movement height of the workpiece transfer device 60. When one of the A-side stocker 44 or the B-side stocker 144 becomes full, the workpiece transfer device 60 switches an operation to transfer of the workpiece 4 to another one of the stockers 44, 144.