Machine Tool Door Speed Control via Safety Signal Feedback
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine tools with high-speed automatic doors pose safety risks for operators, as existing technologies do not effectively manage door opening and closing speeds in response to safety signals or operator presence, leading to potential accidents and equipment damage.
Innovation Solution
A machine tool system with a door that adjusts its opening and closing speeds based on a safety signal input, using a drive unit, control unit, safety signal input unit, and door speed setting unit to set high speeds when no safety signal is present and low speeds when a safety signal is detected, along with load detection and threshold settings to prevent accidents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the door opening and closing speed is increased to shorten the process cycle and improve productivity, then productivity is improved, but safety risk increases when an operator touches the door
Solution Approach 1:
The door speed is made dynamic rather than fixed. The control unit automatically adjusts the door opening and closing speed based on real-time safety signals. When a safety signal is detected (indicating operator presence), the door speed is reduced to a safe level. When no safety signal is present, the door operates at high speed for productivity. This dynamic speed adjustment resolves the contradiction between productivity and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
A safety signal input unit provides feedback about operator presence to the control unit. The control unit receives this feedback and automatically adjusts the door speed accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system enables the door to respond to safety conditions in real-time, allowing high-speed operation when safe and slow operation when an operator is present, thus resolving the productivity-safety contradiction.
2Reliability
If a mechanical separation mechanism is used to increase safety when load is applied, then safety is improved, but the mechanism operates due to inertial force during high-speed acceleration and deceleration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical separation mechanism with a control-based system. Instead of using mechanical components that physically separate the door from the driving source, the invention uses the control unit to monitor safety signals and adjust motor speed and torque electronically. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical safety mechanisms while maintaining safety through intelligent control, thereby reducing device complexity while preserving reliability.
3Reliability
If the door speed is reduced to ensure safety when an operator is present, then safety is improved, but the process cycle time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The door speed is dynamically adjusted based on real-time safety conditions rather than being fixed at a low safe speed. The control unit continuously monitors safety signals and automatically transitions between high-speed operation (when safe) and low-speed operation (when operator is present). This dynamic adjustment ensures safety when needed while maximizing productivity during safe periods, resolving the contradiction between safety and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system periodically checks for safety signals and adjusts door speed accordingly. During periods when no safety signal is detected, the door operates at high speed for productivity. When a safety signal is detected, the system transitions to periodic low-speed operation only during the brief period when the operator is present. This periodic adjustment pattern allows the system to maintain high productivity overall while ensuring safety during operator interaction periods.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides machine tool having a door of which the position is changed between the time of machining and when nothing is being machined, and where the moving speed of the door can be changed. The machine tool is provided with: a drive unit that can move the door; a control unit that can control the drive unit for moving the door; a safety signal input unit that takes in a safety signal from the outside of the machine tool; and a door opening and closing speed setting unit that can set the moving speed of the door to a first moving speed in the case where a safety signal is inputted into the signal input unit or to a second moving speed in the case where no safety signal is inputted, and is characterized in that the first moving speed is higher than the second moving speed.