Inner Robot Arm for Milking Parlor Throughput and Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing milking parlor automation technologies face challenges with low throughput, complexity, and high maintenance costs, particularly in large installations, leading to discontinuous operation, safety concerns, and increased contamination risks due to the complexity of equipment and multiple robots required for high throughput.
Innovation Solution
A milking parlor arrangement featuring a rotary design with an inner robot device having a robot arm that is adjustable from a park position to an operating position, allowing for synchronized movement with the milking parlor, reducing the need for multiple robots and minimizing contamination risks by keeping the arm outside the animal's reach and vision, with adaptable positioning and removal capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple milking parlors are used to achieve high throughput, then productivity increases, but device complexity and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single robot arm is designed to perform multiple functions by serving different milking parlors in sequence. The robot arm can position milking clusters for multiple parlors, eliminating the need for separate robot arms for each parlor. This multi-functionality approach maintains high throughput while reducing the number of robots required, thereby decreasing device complexity and maintenance costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the functions of multiple robot arms into a single robot arm system. By merging the positioning capabilities for multiple parlors into one robot arm, the system achieves high throughput without proportionally increasing the number of robots. This consolidation reduces complexity while maintaining productivity.
2Extent of automation
If teat cups are supplied from the rear through the legs of animals, then automation is achieved, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm acts as an intermediary that delivers milking clusters to the animal's udder from the side rather than from behind the animal. This intermediary approach allows automation to be achieved while avoiding the contamination risk associated with passing equipment through the animal's legs, as the robot arm approaches from a cleaner lateral direction.
3Productivity
If multiple robots are deployed for high throughput, then productivity increases, but safety concerns and access limitations for staff increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single robot arm serves multiple milking parlors sequentially, reducing the total number of robots in the system. This reduces safety concerns associated with multiple robots operating simultaneously and maintains better staff access to the milking area, as there are fewer robotic systems to navigate around and monitor.
4Productivity
If complex equipment is used for automation, then productivity increases, but operating and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm is designed as a universal system that can service multiple milking parlors, reducing the total number of robots required. This reduction in the number of robotic systems directly decreases maintenance costs and operating expenses, while still achieving high throughput through efficient multi-parlor servicing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a milking parlor arrangement (1), in particular a milking carousel, comprising at least one milking parlor (3) for milking milk-producing animals (T) and comprising an inner robot device with at least one robot arm (9). The at least one milking parlor (3) comprises two longitudinal sides and two narrow sides, namely a head narrow side and a hindquarters narrow side, one narrow side being paired with the head side of a milk-producing animal (T) to be milked as the head narrow side. The milking parlor also comprises an arm device (6) with a milking machine (5), said arm device being adjustable between a parked position and a working position and back. The at least one robot arm (9) is arranged on the head narrow side paired with the head side of the animal (T) to be milked of the at least one milking parlor (3) of the milking parlor arrangement (1) in order to adjust the arm device (6).