Automated Appliance Testing via Mobile Test Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for testing household appliances are inefficient in simultaneously testing multiple appliances and require significant manual intervention, making them time-consuming and costly.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a stationary docking station, mobile test units, and a control unit that allows for automated testing by coupling mobile test units to the docking station, enabling simultaneous testing of multiple appliances with minimal personnel intervention. The control unit can transmit test instructions and monitor the test, reducing the need for manual intervention and allowing for flexible adaptation of test scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual testing methods are used for household appliances, then testing can be performed with simple equipment, but the testing process is time-consuming and requires significant personnel intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The testing device is divided into separate functional modules: a stationary docking station that provides infrastructure support and mobile test units that can be independently deployed. Each mobile test unit contains its own control unit, allowing autonomous operation while maintaining connection to the docking station for resource sharing and centralized management.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking station is designed with multiple coupling points that can accommodate different types of mobile test units and various household appliance types. The standardized interface allows the same docking station infrastructure to support diverse testing scenarios, from coffee machines to washing machines, through interchangeable mobile test units.
2Productivity
If multiple household appliances are tested simultaneously using traditional methods, then testing throughput increases, but manual intervention requirements and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile test units are equipped with autonomous control units that can independently execute test sequences, monitor test parameters, and manage test data without continuous human intervention. The units automatically connect to the docking station, retrieve test instructions, perform tests, and report results, enabling unattended operation and significantly reducing personnel time requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous testing operations where multiple mobile test units can simultaneously test different household appliances without interruption. The docking station maintains persistent connections with multiple test units, allowing tests to run continuously across multiple units in parallel, maximizing productivity while minimizing idle time and personnel intervention gaps.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fixed testing infrastructure is used for all appliance types, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different appliance types and test scenarios is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static, fixed testing infrastructure to a dynamic configuration where mobile test units can be moved, added, or removed from the docking station as needed. The control units can be selectively connected or disconnected, allowing the system to adapt its configuration to match specific testing requirements for different appliance types or test scenarios without reconfiguring the entire infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking station is pre-configured with multiple coupling points and standardized interfaces that anticipate future testing needs. Mobile test units are designed with universal connection capabilities that allow them to be quickly coupled to the docking station for new appliance types or test scenarios, enabling rapid adaptation without extensive preliminary infrastructure modifications.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is proposed to provide a device (1) for testing a household appliance (2) by means of a test, wherein the device comprises at least one stationary docking station (4), at least one mobile test unit (5), and a control unit (6) configured to control or specify the test, and wherein the mobile test unit (5) can be connected via at least one coupling point (7) provided on the docking station (4), such that the test on the mobile test unit (5) can be carried out on the household appliance (2) when the mobile test unit (5) is connected to the docking station (4) via the coupling point (7).