Lamella Layer Assembly Using Buffered Offcut Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing slat layers result in shortened remaining pieces that form the first slat of the next layer, leading to accumulated frontal joints and tolerance errors, which can render the remaining pieces unusable or reduce the quality of multi-layer wood.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize at least two buffer stations to intelligently arrange and separate slats, allowing the remaining piece to be temporarily stored and integrated into a subsequent layer at any position, measured for exact length, and used to minimize joint accumulation and tolerance errors, thereby enhancing the quality and appearance of multi-layer wood.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the offcut is used as the first lamella of the next layer to be produced, then the production process is simplified, but the first butt joint is always located in a specific area and tolerance errors accumulate
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the offcut handling into separate functional segments: removal from conveying flow, temporary storage on remnant conveyor, measurement, and selective insertion into subsequent layers. This segmentation allows precise control over offcut utilization and prevents joint accumulation while maintaining production efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The remnant conveyor acts as an intermediary device between the main conveying means and the subsequent layer assembly. It temporarily stores offcuts, allows for length measurement, and enables selective insertion at optimal positions, thereby decoupling the simplicity of automatic offcut reuse from the precision requirements of joint distribution
2Productivity
If the offcut length is not precisely measured, then the process is faster, but tolerance errors accumulate and offcuts can become unusably short
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of offcut length on the remnant conveyor before insertion into subsequent layers. This advance measurement ensures that only offcuts of suitable length are selected for reuse, preventing accumulation of tolerance errors while maintaining efficient production throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement device provides feedback on offcut length, enabling selective insertion only when the offcut meets minimum length requirements. This feedback mechanism prevents unusably short offcuts from being inserted, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision without significantly impacting productivity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2c
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing slat layers (9) consisting of successively arranged slats (7), said slats (7) being placed one behind the other such that the sum of the slat lengths (11) at least corresponds to the length (17) of the slat layer (9) to be produced. At least two buffer stations (10) are provided for the slats (7) of different lengths (11), the slats (7) being removed from these stations in order to form the slat layers (9) and the slats (7) are intelligently combined on a conveyor means (14) such that the end slat (18) of the slat layer (9) is sufficiently long and separated such that the slat layer (9) is of the required length (17) and that the separated remainder piece (20) of the end slat (18) can be used in a subsequent slat layer (9). The remainder piece (20) of the end slat (18) is removed from the conveyor stream, temporarily stored on a remainder piece conveyor means (27) and used as a slat (7) in a subsequent slat layer (9).