Light Projection for At-a-Glance Fault Identification in Weighing Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combination weighing apparatuses face difficulties in allowing workers to recognize at a glance which part of the system is in a specific state, especially in large setups, due to the complexity and size of the apparatus, making it hard to visually identify sections or apparatuses in a specific state from a distance.
Innovation Solution
A light projection system that acquires state information from processing apparatuses and controls light emission units to change the mode of light projected based on this information, enabling workers to visually distinguish and identify specific states or abnormalities in processing apparatuses or sections at a glance by altering light presence, hue, or blinking intervals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional display screens are used to show system state, then information can be displayed, but workers cannot recognize at a glance which part corresponds to the specific state in large apparatuses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by projecting light of different colors onto processing apparatuses or sections to indicate their operational states. Normal sections are projected with one color (e.g., green), while sections in abnormal states are projected with different colors (e.g., red), enabling workers to instantly recognize the state and location of specific sections without needing to read display screens.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional display screens to three-dimensional spatial projection by directly projecting light onto the physical apparatuses themselves. This allows workers to see the operational status superimposed on the actual equipment in space, eliminating the need to translate information from a screen to the physical apparatus.
2Productivity
If the processing apparatus size increases, then more sections can be processed, but the area to be checked increases making visual recognition difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color-coded light projection to mark different operational states of various sections within large processing apparatuses. Each section or apparatus is projected with a specific color corresponding to its state, enabling workers to quickly identify and locate specific sections regardless of the overall system size or complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing targeted light projection to specific sections or apparatuses based on their individual operational states. Rather than uniformly treating the entire system, each section receives appropriate visual indication localized to its position and state, making it easy to identify specific areas of interest within large complex systems.
3Area of stationary object
If workers move away from the apparatus to view the whole system, then they can see the overall state, but they can no longer visually recognize the display screen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the information display from a separate two-dimensional screen to a three-dimensional spatial projection directly onto the apparatuses. Workers can view the overall system state by observing the collectively projected apparatuses from a distance, with each apparatus displaying its state through projected light, eliminating the need to return close to view detailed information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses projected light as an intermediary to convey operational state information directly onto the physical apparatuses. This intermediary allows workers to perceive system state information from a distance without needing to be close to read screens or labels, as the projected light carries the information across the spatial gap.
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
The light projection system effectively allows workers to recognize at a glance which processing apparatus or section is in a specific state, reducing the time and effort required to identify issues within large or complex systems, enhancing operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a light emission unit configured to project the light on each of the processing apparatuses; and a projection controller configured to control a mode of the light projected from the light emission unit such that the mode of the light reflected from the processing apparatus is changed
Data Source
AI summary
A light projection system is a light projection system projecting light on a plurality of processing apparatuses installed in a factory, and includes an acquisition unit acquiring, from each of the processing apparatuses, state information indicating abnormality in the processing apparatus, a light emission unit capable of projecting the light on each of the processing apparatuses, and a projection controller controlling a mode of the light projected from the light emission unit such that the mode of the light reflected from each of the processing apparatuses is changed, on the basis of the state information indicating abnormality.