Laminate Strip Cutting With Feedback Compensation for Component Shrinkage

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge lies in accurately positioning electronic components within laminate strips during the cutting process, as the laminate material shrinks due to internal tension, leading to deviations from the desired position, which can result in components not being correctly positioned within the laminate components.

Innovation Solution

A method that utilizes a measuring device to detect deviations in the position of components relative to the conveying direction, allowing for real-time adjustment of the synchronous movement of the transport and gripper devices to ensure precise positioning of components during cutting, using distance values and offset calculations to correct for shrinkage and maintain accurate placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the laminate strip is cut using a standard cutting device without position detection, then the cutting process is simple and fast, but the component position deviates from the target position due to material shrinkage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent positioning accuracyVSAvoidcutting device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A measuring device detects the actual position of the component in the laminate component, and based on the detected deviation from the target position, the synchronous movement of the transport means and gripper device is controlled to compensate for the deviation. This feedback loop ensures that despite material shrinkage, the component is consistently positioned at the correct location in the cut laminate strip.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces pure mechanical positioning with a combination of optical measurement and controlled synchronous movement. Instead of relying solely on mechanical precision, the system uses a measuring device to detect position and adjusts the transport and gripper movements accordingly, substituting mechanical rigidity with active compensation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If the laminate material is handled without accounting for shrinkage, then the processing is straightforward, but the component ends up at an incorrect position after cutting

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent position accuracyVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The measuring device continuously monitors the component position and provides feedback to the control system. Based on the detected deviation, the synchronous movement parameters are adjusted in real-time, ensuring that the component is always positioned correctly in the final cut product, compensating for material shrinkage effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary measurement of the component position before cutting. Based on this preliminary detection, the synchronous movement is pre-adjusted to account for expected shrinkage, ensuring that when the cut is made, the component is already in the correct final position.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If synchronous movement control is implemented to compensate for shrinkage, then component positioning accuracy improves, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent placement precisionVSAvoidtransport and gripper device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system receives position information from the measuring device and adjusts the synchronous movement of the transport means and gripper device accordingly. This feedback-based control ensures that the component is consistently positioned at the correct location in the laminate strip, compensating for material shrinkage during the lamination and cutting process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control system serves multiple functions: it coordinates the synchronous movement of the transport means and gripper device, processes measurement data from the measuring device, calculates the deviation from the target position, and adjusts the movement parameters to compensate for shrinkage. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This approach ensures that components are consistently positioned correctly within the laminate strips, meeting product quality standards by compensating for material shrinkage and maintaining precise placement during the cutting process.

Implementation Method 1

the actual position of the component in the laminate component is detected by means of a measuring device downstream of the cutting device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical measurement:

Implementation Method 2

the synchronous movement of the transport means and the gripper device is controlled as a function of the detected deviation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSynchronous mechanical movement:

Data Source

PatentEP4342664B1Method of manufacturing separated tape-like laminate parts comprising an electronic component between two laminated layers and apparatus for manufacturing such laminates
Publication Date: 2024.12.04 FISCHER TIRETECH GERMANY GMBH
  • EP4342664B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4342664B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4342664B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Method for producing individual strip-shaped laminate components (50) comprising an electronic component (37) embedded between two laminate layers (3, 8) made of a ribbon-shaped material, wherein individual components are placed at defined intervals onto a ribbon-shaped, lower first laminate layer (3) moved by means of a transport means (4) in a conveying direction (19), after which a ribbon-shaped, upper second laminate layer (8) moved in the conveying direction (19) is applied to the first laminate layer (3) embedding the components (37) to form a laminate ribbon (22), wherein the individual strip-shaped laminate components are cut with a cutting device (9), picked up and transported away by means of a gripper device (10),wherein a measuring device (26) detects the actual position of the component (37) in the laminate component (50) with respect to the conveying direction (19) and, if a deviation of the actual position from a defined target position is detected, the synchronous movement of the transport means (4) and the gripper device (9) is controlled depending on the detected deviation.