Movable Manipulator Layout for Flexible Pallet Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sorting plants face limitations in flexibility and space utilization as the number and type of products increase, requiring multiple robots and reducing plant capacity per surface unit, with inflexible management of different products necessitating additional internal movements.
Innovation Solution
A sorting plant with a movable manipulator and autonomous vehicles (AGVs) that can access a potentially indefinite number of picking and release areas, allowing flexible composition of exit pallets and reducing space occupation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of robots is increased to manage more products and increase productivity, then productivity is improved, but the space required for robot manoeuvring increases, resulting in a reduction in plant capacity per surface unit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the manipulator mobile instead of fixed. The manipulator can move along a path between multiple picking areas and release areas, allowing a single manipulator to serve multiple stations sequentially. This dynamic repositioning capability eliminates the need for multiple fixed robots, thereby maintaining high productivity while significantly reducing the space required for robot manoeuvring and increasing plant capacity per surface unit.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of robots is increased to expand the range of action, then the range of action is improved, but the space required for robot manoeuvring increases, resulting in a reduction in plant capacity per surface unit
Solution Approach 1:
The manipulator is designed to be mobile along a defined path, enabling it to dynamically extend its range of action to access multiple picking and release areas. This mobile architecture provides the versatility of multiple fixed robots while occupying the space of a single robot, thereby increasing plant capacity per surface unit while maintaining expanded range of action.
3Adaptability or versatility
If internal movements are increased to change the composition of exit pallets, then adaptability is improved, but the complexity of product management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile manipulator dynamically repositions itself to access different picking areas corresponding to different entry pallets and deposit packages onto different exit pallets. This mobility enables flexible composition of exit pallets by selecting packages from various entry pallets without requiring complex internal movement systems or multiple dedicated manipulators, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A plant for forming pallets, comprising:an entry station (2);a plurality of picking areas (4),one or more autonomous entry vehicles (3), each of which is arranged to withdraw at least one entry pallet (Pi) from the entry station (2) and to lead the withdrawn pallet (Pi) to a given picking area (4);a plurality of release areas (5),at least one manipulator (6), structured to withdraw a package (C) from an entry pallet (Pi) and to position the package (C) on an exit pallet (Pu) positioned in a release area (5);an exit station (7);one or more autonomous exit vehicles (8), each of which is arranged to withdraw at least one exit pallet (Pu) from the release area (5) and to lead the withdrawn pallet (Pu) to the exit station (7) or to a subsequent release area (5).The manipulator (6) is movable along a path (61) parallel to a main direction (X) between at least two extreme positions. The picking areas (4) are distributed on one side of the path (61), in a position reachable by the manipulator (6). The release areas are distributed on the opposite side of the path (61) with respect to the picking areas (4), in a position reachable by the manipulator (6).