Parallel Winding Stations for Thin-Wire Coil Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in manufacturing coils for transponders in electronic cigarettes is the fragility of thin wires, which can break during winding, leading to machine standstills and reduced productivity due to the need for operator intervention.
Innovation Solution
A method and machine that utilize redundant winding stations operating in parallel at reduced speed when both are functioning, and a single station at full speed when one is non-functional, to maintain productivity and reduce wire breakage risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single winding station operates at full speed, then productivity is maximized, but wire breakage risk increases due to high stress on the thin wire
Solution Approach 1:
The single winding station is divided into multiple winding stations operating in parallel. Each station operates at reduced speed, processing a portion of the articles. This segmentation distributes the mechanical stress on the thin wire across multiple stations, reducing breakage risk while maintaining overall productivity through parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of operational winding stations based on real-time conditions. When wire breakage is detected or predicted, the system automatically reduces the number of active stations or adjusts their operating speeds, creating a dynamic balance between productivity and reliability that adapts to changing conditions.
2Reliability
If redundant winding stations operate in parallel at reduced speed, then wire breakage is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The redundant winding stations are designed with universal functionality, where each station can independently process articles and replace any other station. This multi-functionality allows the system to use identical, standardized units rather than complex specialized components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability through redundancy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (number of active stations, speed of each station) rather than changing the physical structure. This allows flexibility in managing reliability without permanently increasing device complexity, as the same hardware configuration can operate in different modes depending on production needs and wire condition.
3Reliability
If operator intervention is required for wire breakage, then wire continuity can be restored, but productivity decreases due to machine standstill
Solution Approach 1:
The winding system incorporates automatic detection and response mechanisms that monitor wire tension and breakage in real-time. When a breakage is detected, the system automatically stops the affected station, prevents further damage, and can initiate wire replacement procedures without requiring immediate operator intervention, thereby maintaining productivity while ensuring wire continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from sensors monitoring wire tension, speed, and position to detect potential breakages before they occur. This early warning system allows for preventive actions (adjusting speed, tension, or stopping the station) that maintain wire continuity while minimizing production disruption, as the system responds automatically based on real-time feedback rather than waiting for actual breakage.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and an automatic machine to manufacture one or more coils around respective articles. The following steps are provided: moving, by means of a main conveyor and along a processing path, a plurality of carriages, each provided with at least one seat designed to house an article; placing, in an input station arranged along the processing path, each article in the seat of a corresponding carriage; coupling, in at least one of two winding stations arranged one after the other along the path, a wire around an article carried by a carriage to create a corresponding coil; using, when they are both working, the two winding stations together and in parallel, having each winding station operate at a first production speed; and using, when a winding station is not working, only the other winding station, operates at a second production speed, higher than the first production speed.