Pallet Separation Robot Cell With Submerged Saw Blade
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sawing solutions for separating nailed pallet parts from pallets often result in sparking and dust formation, particularly when encountering metallic fasteners, and are noisy, posing safety and work condition issues in environments with flammable materials.
Innovation Solution
A sawing device with a totally immersed circular saw blade in a liquid bath within a trough, which reduces sparking and dust by operating in a liquid environment, and is complemented by a cutting device with knives for added versatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a band saw is used to cut pallet parts, then cutting capability is achieved, but sparking occurs when contacting metal fasteners
Solution Approach 1:
A liquid medium (water or other suitable liquid) is introduced as an intermediary between the saw blade and the workpiece. This liquid barrier prevents direct contact between the blade and metal fasteners, thereby eliminating sparking while still allowing effective cutting of wood and other pallet materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an inert cutting environment by submerging the saw blade in liquid. This liquid environment acts as an inert medium that suppresses the generation of sparks and flames, making the cutting process safe even when encountering metal fasteners embedded in wooden pallets.
2Productivity
If a band saw is used to cut pallet parts, then separation is achieved, but saw dust is produced and noise levels are high
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid medium serves as an intermediary that captures and suppresses saw dust generation. By immersing the cutting operation in liquid, dust particles are immediately suppressed and contained, eliminating the problem of airborne dust while maintaining cutting efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition properties of liquid to control dust and noise. The liquid absorbs and dampens the mechanical energy of cutting, converting it into fluid motion and heat, thereby suppressing dust generation and reducing noise levels without compromising separation efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an abrasive wheel is used for cutting, then metal fasteners can be cut, but wood material cannot be effectively cut
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a saw blade with multi-functional cutting capability that can effectively cut both wood and metal fasteners. By combining appropriate blade geometry, tooth configuration, and liquid medium, the system achieves universal cutting performance across different materials without requiring separate cutting tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting system uses a composite approach combining a specially designed saw blade with a liquid medium. This composite solution leverages the mechanical cutting action of the blade for wood while the liquid enables effective cutting of metal fasteners, achieving material-specific optimization within a single integrated system.
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
The solution effectively prevents sparking and dust formation, reduces noise, and facilitates efficient separation of nailed pallet parts by using a submerged saw blade and knives, enhancing safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid muffles sound
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention concerns a robot cell (1) comprising a multi axis robot arm (3), which terminates in a gripper (4) arranged to handle a pallet (2), and a sawing device (10), which is arranged to separate a nailed pallet part from a pallet (2) handled by said gripper (4). The sawing device (10) comprises a saw blade immersed in a liquid bath, which is contained in a trough (11) of the sawing device (10), such that separation of said nailed pallet part is performed in a liquid environment.