Movable Processing Station for Insulating Glazing Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturers face challenges in efficiently producing a wide variety of custom-sized and shaped insulating glazing units while maintaining thermal efficiency and visible appearance, as existing methods require additional production lines to accommodate reduced throughput and precise spacer positioning and gas filling.
Innovation Solution
A system with multiple processing stations that move relative to a conveyor line, allowing for continuous operation while one station is out of alignment for further processing, enabling efficient assembly, gas filling, and sealing of multiple-pane insulating glazing units, including custom sizes and shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional fixed production lines are used to maintain precise spacer positioning and gas filling, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to reduced throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the processing station movable relative to the conveyor line. The processing station can move between an in-line position for continuous production and an out-of-line position for precise processing operations such as spacer positioning and gas filling. This dynamic configuration allows the system to maintain high throughput while ensuring manufacturing precision when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the production system into a continuous conveyor line and a separate movable processing station. This segmentation allows the conveyor to operate continuously at high speed while the processing station can be positioned out of line to perform precise operations without disrupting the overall production flow, thereby resolving the contradiction between throughput and precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional production lines are added to accommodate custom-sized units, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable processing station is designed with universal capabilities to handle various custom-sized and shaped glazing units. By positioning the station out of line with the conveyor, it can accommodate different unit dimensions and configurations without requiring separate dedicated production lines, thus providing adaptability while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces spatial dimensionality by allowing the processing station to move perpendicular to the conveyor line direction. This out-of-line positioning capability adds a dimensional aspect to the production system, enabling it to handle diverse custom units without expanding the linear production footprint or adding multiple parallel lines.
3Ease of operation
If processing station moves out of alignment for further processing, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity decreases due to interruption of continuous operation
Solution Approach 1:
The processing station operates in periodic cycles, moving in and out of alignment with the conveyor line in a rhythmic pattern. During out-of-alignment phases, precise processing operations are performed with ease of access. The station then returns to alignment to maintain continuous production flow. This periodic action reconciles the need for operational ease with maintaining overall productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
While the processing station moves out of alignment for processing operations, the conveyor line continues to operate continuously, transporting glazing units through the system. This ensures that the useful action of material transport never stops, maintaining productivity while allowing the processing station to be positioned for optimal ease of operation when needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for producing multiple-pane insulating glazing units can include a conveyor and a plurality of laterally spaced-apart processing stations that are movable transversely relative to the longitudinally extending conveyor line. Each processing station may assemble glazing panes and a glazing spacer into a partially fabricated glazing unit, deliver insulative gas to a between-pane space between the glazing panes, and press the partially fabricated glazing unit together to seal the insulative gas in the between-pane space and form the multiple-pane insulating glazing unit. In some examples, each processing station moves to an alignment position with the conveyor to load glazing panes and a glazing spacer and then performs individual fabrication steps while offset from the conveyor. During this time, a different processing station can be aligned with the conveyor to unload a fabricated multiple-pane insulating glazing units and/or load unassembled glazing panes and a glazing spacer.