Material Handling Node Creation via Physical Modeling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current material handling system design and installation processes rely heavily on manual processes, leading to errors in equipment placement and type, resulting in inefficient material flow and costly in-field modifications.

Innovation Solution

The system identifies valid links or nodes between material handling equipment based on a physical model, using CAD files and equipment data to determine infeed and discharge edges, and applies rules to validate connections, thereby generating a model of how material will move through the system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual processes are used for designing and modeling material handling systems, then flexibility in design is maintained, but errors in equipment placement and type occur frequently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of equipment placementVSAvoidcomplexity of design process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical design processes with an automated computer-based system that uses physical models and rule-based validation to identify equipment locations and connections, eliminating human error in equipment placement while maintaining design flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-validation by automatically checking equipment placements against physical constraints and connection rules, identifying errors without requiring external review, thereby improving accuracy while keeping the process relatively simple

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If design models are created without physical modeling validation, then design speed is maintained, but material flow prediction accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of material flow predictionVSAvoidtime for design validation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs physical modeling validation during the design phase before installation, automatically checking equipment placements and predicting material flow paths, thereby ensuring accuracy while minimizing the need for time-consuming field modifications later

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If in-field modifications are made to correct design errors, then system functionality is achieved, but costs and installation time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrectness of material handling systemVSAvoidinstallation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary validation rules during design to prevent incorrect equipment placements and connections before installation begins, thereby ensuring system correctness while maintaining high installation efficiency by avoiding field modifications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS9576080B2Node creation with physical modeling

Publication Date: 2017.02.21 INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS LLC

AI summary

Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments enable valid links or nodes between pieces of material handling equipment to be identified based on a physical model of a material handling system in a facility. A model of a material handling system in a facility may indicate data associated with pieces of material handling equipment. Rules for each piece of material handling equipment may be applied to the data and used to identify infeed and/or discharge edges of the pieces of material handling equipment. Valid links between the pieces of material handling equipment may be identified based at least in part on the infeed and/or discharge edges.