Pallet Transfer Cell for Continuous Robotic Workpiece Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing facilities with robotic devices experience periods of non-operation during workpiece changeouts, reducing production throughput and increasing labor costs due to the need for manual loading and unloading.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing system with a manufacturing cell, pallets, robotic devices, and transport devices that allow continuous operation by supporting workpieces on pallets, enabling robotic devices to operate on one workpiece while another pallet is transferred between processing stations, coordinated by a controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual loading and unloading of workpieces is used, then labor costs increase and production throughput decreases, but the system complexity remains low
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the workpiece handling process into separate functional modules: robotic devices for machining operations, separate loading/unloading stations for workpiece changeout, and automated transport devices for moving workpieces between stations. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently and simultaneously, eliminating the bottleneck where manual systems require sequential operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Automated transport devices serve as intermediaries between the robotic machining stations and the loading/unloading areas. These transport devices automatically move workpieces and pallets between stations without requiring human intervention, enabling continuous operation while maintaining relatively simple individual components.
2Productivity
If robotic devices operate continuously, then production throughput increases, but safety risks increase due to human presence in work envelope
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the hazardous work envelope area from human operators by implementing automated loading and unloading stations positioned outside the robotic work envelope. Humans interact with workpieces only at these safe external stations, while robotic devices operate autonomously within their enclosed work spaces, eliminating direct human exposure to moving robotic components.
Solution Approach 2:
Automated transport devices act as intermediaries that transfer workpieces between the safe human-operated loading/unloading areas and the robotic work envelope. This intermediary system allows continuous material flow while maintaining physical separation between humans and hazardous robotic operations.
3Productivity
If workpiece changeout is performed manually, then system complexity remains low, but periods of non-operation increase reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements preliminary action by preparing replacement workpieces and pallets at loading stations before they are needed at machining stations. The automated transport system pre-positiones components and coordinates their delivery timing, ensuring that workpieces are ready for immediate transfer to robotic devices without interrupting ongoing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuity of useful action through parallel operation of multiple stations and automated transport. While robotic devices perform machining operations, other stations simultaneously perform loading and unloading operations. The automated transport system continuously moves workpieces between stations without idle time, ensuring that the robotic devices never wait for workpiece changeout.
Data Source
AI summary
A manufacturing system for processing workpieces includes a manufacturing cell, a plurality of pallets supporting workpieces, and at least one robotic device configured to operate on the workpieces. The manufacturing system also includes first and second processing stations configured to support any one of the pallets in fixed position relative to the robotic device. The manufacturing system additionally includes at least one transport device configured to transport any one of the pallets to and from each of the first and the second processing stations. In addition, the manufacturing system includes a controller configured to coordinate the operation of the manufacturing cell in a manner allowing the robotic device to continuously operate on a workpiece supported by a pallet at the first processing station, while another pallet is transported to or from the second processing station.