Multi-Hopper Weighing Apparatus Speed Accuracy Trade-off
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packer scales face a trade-off between achieving high-speed and high-accuracy weighing, where improving one aspect typically compromises the other, and there is a limitation to further enhancing performance through design changes alone.
Innovation Solution
The proposed weighing apparatus incorporates a configuration of large, medium, and loss-in weight hoppers arranged in a space-saving structure, allowing for overlapping throw-in and discharge timings and adjustable weight ratios to optimize weighing speed and accuracy, using timer charging and loss-in discharge methods to achieve precise target weights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If timer charging by controlling open time of cut gates is used, then weighing speed can be increased, but weighing accuracy degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The charging process is divided into multiple phases using different hoppers: large throw-in weighing hopper for bulk material addition, medium throw-in weighing hoppers for intermediate adjustments, and loss-in hopper for fine-tuning. This segmentation allows each stage to optimize for its specific function, achieving both high speed and high accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The large throw-in weighing hopper performs preliminary charging with timer-controlled cut gates to rapidly add bulk material. This preliminary action achieves high-speed charging while subsequent hoppers perform accuracy-critical adjustments, resolving the speed-accuracy trade-off
2Measurement precision
If volume throw-in with complementary volumes is used, then weighing accuracy can be improved, but weighing speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the weighing process into multiple hoppers with different functions: large throw-in for speed, medium throw-in for intermediate precision, and loss-in for final accuracy. This allows the system to achieve high accuracy through complementary volumes while maintaining high speed through parallel operations
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple hoppers operate in parallel with overlapping throw-in and discharge timings, ensuring continuous useful action. While one hopper is discharging, others are charging, eliminating idle time and maintaining high productivity while achieving high accuracy through the combined volume measurements
3Measurement precision
If loss-in discharge is used for fine-tuning, then weighing accuracy is improved, but cycle time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The loss-in hopper is prepared in advance with pre-measured material quantities. During the discharge phase, it performs fine-tuning adjustments while other hoppers are simultaneously charging, making the accuracy-critical loss-in operation not add to the overall cycle time
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically coordinates the operations of multiple hoppers with overlapping timings. The loss-in discharge is synchronized with other charging operations, allowing the system to achieve high cut accuracy while maintaining short cycle times through dynamic process coordination
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables higher weighing speed and accuracy than conventional systems, reducing cycle time and maintaining high cut accuracy while ensuring a space-saving design.
Implementation Method 1
a large throw-in weighing hopper 21, a plurality of medium throw-in weighing hoppers 64 to 66, and a loss-in hopper 42 which are supported by load cells LC1 to LC8
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A weighing apparatus (100) comprise a large throw-in weighing hopper (21) which is fed with objects having a weight which is less than a target weight of the objects, holds the objects which are weighed, and discharges the weighed objects; a plurality of medium throw-in weighing hoppers (64, 65, 66, 44) which are respectively fed with the objects having weights adjusted with a different ratio, hold the objects for which combination calculation is performed based on the weights of the objects, and discharge the objects based on a result of the combination calculation; and a loss-in hopper (42) which is used in loss-in weighing and performs loss-in discharge of the objects.