Lattice Girder Production with Adjustable Upper Chord Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing production methods for lattice girders are inflexible, leading to inefficiencies in responding to specific customer needs, resulting in excess storage, waste, and increased costs due to standard size limitations and fluctuating steel prices.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that allow for continuous production of lattice girders with adjustable upper chord height, featuring a height-adjustable support, cutting device, and feed mechanisms to enable 'just in time' production of girders with varying heights and quantities, minimizing material loss and optimizing welding processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If lattice girders are produced in standard sizes only, then production efficiency is improved, but adaptability to customer needs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuously adjustable upper chord height mechanism that allows the production line to dynamically adapt to different customer requirements without interrupting the continuous production process. The height adjustment is achieved through movable support structures that can be repositioned along the production line, enabling flexible customization while maintaining high productivity.
2Ease of manufacture
If minimum quantity purchases are required, then production planning is simplified, but storage requirements and handling costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables production of lattice girders in any required quantity by allowing continuous adjustment of production parameters including upper chord height, length, and diagonal belt configuration. This eliminates the need for minimum quantity production runs and allows customers to order exactly the amount needed, reducing storage requirements and handling costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If rework of standard size lattice girders is performed, then specific customer needs are met, but material waste and additional welding work increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates height adjustment capabilities directly into the production process, allowing the upper chord height to be set to the exact required dimension before welding begins. This eliminates the need for subsequent rework and modification of standard size girders, preventing material waste and additional welding operations.
4Adaptability or versatility
If upper chord height is changed during continuous production, then adaptability to customer needs is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the production device into modular sections, with the upper chord support structure as an independent adjustable module. This segmentation allows height adjustment functionality to be added without complicating the entire production system, as the adjustment mechanism is isolated to a specific module that can be operated independently.
Data Source
AI summary
Method for continuously producing a mesh-type support (1) by welding a lower member arrangement, which comprises at least one lower member (2), in particular two lower members (2), and an upper member (3), which is arranged at a specific height (H) in relation to the lower member arrangement, and has at least one diagonal member (4) running back and forth between the at least one lower member (2) and the upper member (3), in particular in a zigzagging form, wherein the welding of the at least one lower member (2) and the upper member (3) to the at least one diagonal member (4) is performed by means of a lower-member welding device (5) and an upper-member welding device (6), wherein the height (H) of the upper member (3) in relation to the lower member arrangement is changed during the continuous production of the mesh-type support (1). The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method.