Optical Substrate Locating System for Large Tile Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing systems for large tiles are inflexible and prone to inefficiencies due to precise positioning requirements, leading to high rejection rates and production slowdowns, as they require mechanical rotation and alignment, which can damage tiles and halt production if a single station fails.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for locating printing substrates on a conveyor using a light beam orthogonal to the feed direction, acquiring lines of the substrate, generating a primary image, detecting edge points, and calculating location coordinates, allowing for precise positioning without mechanical rotation or alignment, enabling flexible and efficient printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical rotation and alignment systems are used to position tiles precisely, then printing precision is improved, but tile damage risk increases and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical rotation and alignment systems with an optical detection system. A camera captures images of tiles on the conveyor belt, and software algorithms determine tile positions and orientations. This substitution eliminates mechanical contact that causes tile damage while achieving precise positioning through digital image processing and coordinate calculation.
2Device complexity
If rigid sequential system architecture is used, then process control is simplified, but production efficiency deteriorates and system reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the printing system into independent functional modules: tile detection module, coordinate calculation module, image processing module, and printing module. These modules can operate independently and in parallel, allowing one module to be maintained or replaced without halting the entire production line, thereby improving both efficiency and reliability while maintaining manageable complexity.
3Measurement precision
If mechanical centring systems with guides are used, then tile orientation precision is improved, but system complexity increases and tile damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical centring systems with guides with an optical measurement system. A camera captures tile positions, and software algorithms calculate precise orientations and coordinates. This eliminates complex mechanical guide structures and their associated adjustment mechanisms while achieving high orientation precision through digital image processing.
4Measurement precision
If tiles are made to slide between guides for orientation, then orientation precision is improved, but tile damage increases due to contact and friction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical sliding and guiding process with non-contact optical detection. Tiles remain stationary on the conveyor belt while a camera captures their positions and orientations. Software then calculates the precise coordinates and orientations without any physical contact, eliminating friction, pressure, and the risk of chipping or cracking.
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 approach reduces the risk of substrate damage, allows for parallel operation of system stations, enhances maintenance efficiency, and prevents production halts due to single-station malfunctions, improving overall production efficiency and flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
providing an illumination means for illuminating the printing substrate, configured to emit a light beam incident on the conveyor surface according to a predetermined angle
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention describes a method for locating a printing substrate (1) moving on a conveyor surface (5), comprising the steps of: providing said printing substrate (1) moving on a conveyor surface (5) at a selectable speed (V_sel) and in a feed direction (Dir); providing an illumination means (4) configured to emit a light beam (b1 ) incident on the conveyor surface (5) according to a predetermined angle (β); acquiring a predetermined plurality of lines (NL) of the substrate (1 ), as a function of a line frequency (FL) defined as a function of an acquisition rate (V_det); generating a primary image (l_PR) as a function of the predetermined plurality of lines (NL); detecting, from the primary image (l_PR), points (Pi) representative of the substrate (1), wherein the coordinates of the points (Pi) are expressed in relation to a first predefined reference (Ref); and calculating location coordinates (Xi",Yi",αi") of the substrate (1) relative to the first predefined reference (Ref) as a function of the plurality of representative points (Pi). The invention further describes a device for locating a printing substrate (1) for the implementation of the corresponding method. The invention further describes a method for printing an image on a printing substrate (1) comprising the aforesaid locating method. The invention further describes a system for printing an image on a printing substrate (1), comprising the aforesaid locating device.