Insect Larvae Feed Dosing with Coarse-Fine Weighing Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for rearing insect larvae rely heavily on manual labor, leading to inefficiencies in speed, accuracy, and efficiency in feed dosing.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilizes a combination of coarse and fine feed supplying means, integrated with a determining means such as weighing stations and transport means, to accurately and rapidly deliver feed to insect larvae containers, ensuring precise and automated feed quantity and distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual labor is used for feed dosing, then operational simplicity is maintained, but productivity and dosing accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The feed dosing system is divided into two independent modules: a coarse feed supplying means for bulk material transport and a fine feed supplying means for precise dosing. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized for its specific function, achieving high productivity through automated transport while maintaining dosing accuracy through controlled dispensing, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines automated transport means with weighing stations to create an integrated determination system. The transport means automatically moves containers between weighing stations and dosing stations, merging material handling, measurement, and dosing functions into a coordinated automated system. This integration resolves the contradiction by enabling high-speed automated operation without sacrificing dosing precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If only fine feed supplying means is used, then dosing accuracy is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to slow dosing speed
Solution Approach 1:
The feed supply system is segmented into coarse and fine dosing stages. The coarse feed supplying means handles the majority of material transport at high speed, while the fine feed supplying means provides the final precise adjustment. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both high productivity (through fast coarse dosing) and high accuracy (through precise fine dosing).
Solution Approach 2:
The coarse feed supplying means performs preliminary dosing to deliver the bulk of the required feed amount before the fine feed supplying means completes the precise dosing. This preliminary action approach allows the majority of material to be supplied quickly, with only a small final adjustment requiring high precision, thereby resolving the speed-accuracy contradiction.
3Productivity
If only coarse feed supplying means is used, then productivity is improved, but dosing accuracy deteriorates leading to over- or under-feeding
Solution Approach 1:
The dosing process is segmented into two sequential stages: coarse dosing for bulk material supply and fine dosing for precise adjustment. The coarse feed supplying means achieves high productivity by rapidly delivering the majority of feed, while the fine feed supplying means ensures dosing accuracy by making precise final adjustments, eliminating over- or under-feeding issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates weighing stations that provide feedback on the actual feed amount delivered. This feedback mechanism allows the control system to monitor and adjust the dosing process, ensuring that the combination of coarse and fine dosing achieves the target feed amount with high accuracy while maintaining high productivity through automated control.
4Productivity
If automated systems are implemented, then productivity and dosing accuracy are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system is segmented into functionally independent modules (coarse dosing, fine dosing, weighing, transport) that can be designed and maintained separately. This modular segmentation reduces overall system complexity by allowing each component to be optimized and managed independently, while the integrated operation of all modules achieves high productivity and dosing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The transport means serves multiple functions: it transports containers between weighing stations, positions containers for dosing, and coordinates the timing of different dosing operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated equipment for each operation, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining high automated productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables high-speed and accurate feed dosing, minimizing over- or under-feeding, and optimizing growth conditions for insect larvae, supporting efficient industrial-scale rearing processes.
Implementation Method 1
determining at a determining means the amount of feed in or added to the container, wherein the determining means comprises at least one weighing station
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
In particular, the present disclosure relates to a method for supplying feed for rearing insect larvae, the method comprising the steps of (o) supplying feed to a container using a coarse feed supplying means, (i) determining at a determining means the amount of feed in the container, (ii) calculating the amount of feed necessary to bring the total amount of feed in the container to a predetermined amount of feed, and (iii) supplying feed to the container in the amount calculated in step (ii) using a fine feed supplying means.