Manufacturing frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for securing and positioning flexible materials during manufacturing operations are cumbersome, prone to errors, and can lead to defects due to the materials shifting or being improperly aligned, especially when moving between multiple manufacturing stations.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing frame with alignment tabs and tensioning elements that securely position flexible materials, allowing for precise alignment and tensioning without visual inspection, enabling seamless movement between stations and maintaining material orientation throughout the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If station-specific equipment (clips, pincers, pins) is used to secure materials at each manufacturing station, then materials can be secured and positioned, but the system becomes cumbersome, complicated, and requires extensive equipment at each station
Solution Approach 1:
The frame serves as a universal securing mechanism that can be used across multiple manufacturing stations. Instead of each station having its own clips, pincers, and pins, the frame provides a standardized structure with alignment elements that can be engaged with any station equipped with corresponding alignment features, eliminating the need for station-specific securing equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The frame pre-establishes a rigid structure with integrated alignment elements before materials are placed on the station. The alignment tabs and alignment elements are built into the frame design, so when materials are loaded onto the frame, their positions are predetermined and maintained, eliminating the need for station-specific positioning adjustments
2Measurement precision
If human operators or vision systems are used to place and confirm landmarks on work materials, then material positioning can be achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and prone to variation and error
Solution Approach 1:
The frame's alignment elements automatically establish the reference framework when engaged with the station's alignment features. The alignment tabs on the frame self-align with the station's corresponding features, creating a predetermined coordinate system without requiring human measurement or vision system intervention to establish landmarks
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment framework is pre-built into the frame structure itself. The alignment tabs and alignment elements are manufactured as integral parts of the frame, so the reference system is already established before the material is placed on the station, eliminating the need for time-consuming landmark placement operations
3Productivity
If materials are moved between manufacturing stations, then sequential operations can be performed, but materials may shift position or change tension, requiring repositioning and reassessment at each station
Solution Approach 1:
The frame provides a universal platform that maintains material positions across multiple stations. The same frame structure with its integrated alignment elements can be engaged with any station in the sequence, ensuring that materials maintain their relative positions and tensions throughout the manufacturing process without requiring repositioning at each station
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adjusting materials to fit each station's requirements, the station's alignment features are designed to accommodate the frame's predetermined alignment elements. This reverses the traditional approach where materials are repositioned at each station; now the station adapts to the frame's established position, maintaining consistency across all stations
Data Source
AI summary
A manufacturing frame comprises one or more alignment tabs. Each alignment tab comprises an alignment element. The alignment element interacts with a corresponding alignment element at a manufacturing station to identify to the manufacturing station the position and orientation of the frame. The frame supports a flexible material in a known position and orientation relative to the frame, allowing the manufacturing station to infer the position and orientation of the flexible material on the frame from the interaction of the alignment elements on the frame and the manufacturing station.