Parcel Group Inspection Using Single-Item Results for Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inspection systems struggle to manage a group of articles as a single unit, requiring separate sorting and reassembly when only a subset of the group needs further inspection, leading to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An inspection apparatus and program that utilize a communication interface and processor to identify and distribute multiple articles as a group based on individual inspection results, using a distribution mechanism and conveyor to manage parcels as a set.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If articles are individually inspected and sorted in the conventional inspection system, then inspection accuracy for each article is improved, but the complexity of managing article groups increases and additional work for reassembly is required
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection process is segmented into two levels: individual article inspection (first stage) and group-level inspection (second stage). Each article is individually inspected and assigned a determination result, then articles are grouped into sets based on their determination results. This segmentation allows the system to maintain individual inspection accuracy while simplifying management through automated grouping.
Solution Approach 2:
A determination result database serves as an intermediary between individual inspection results and group management. The database stores determination results for each article and enables the system to automatically identify and group articles into sets based on their determination results, eliminating the need for manual reassembly work.
2Productivity
If articles in a group are separately sorted when only some require further inspection, then inspection efficiency for individual articles is improved, but time loss for reassembly work increases
Solution Approach 1:
Articles are pre-grouped into sets based on their individual determination results before the inspection process begins. This preliminary grouping action ensures that when articles need to be sorted, they are already organized into logical groups, eliminating the need for time-consuming reassembly operations later in the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from individual inspection results to automatically determine group compositions. The determination results from individual articles feed back into the grouping mechanism, allowing the system to dynamically adjust and optimize article groupings based on actual inspection outcomes, thereby reducing reassembly time.
3Ease of operation
If a conventional inspection system is used, then individual article processing is simplified, but adaptability to group-based inspection requirements decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system is designed with multi-functionality to handle both individual article processing and group-based inspection requirements. The same inspection apparatus can operate in individual mode for simple processing or switch to group mode when articles need to be managed as sets, providing adaptability to different inspection scenarios without requiring separate systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
According to an embodiment, an inspection apparatus includes a communication interface and a processor. The communication interface acquires results of single-item determination, which are inspection results for individual parcels that are successively conveyed, and number-of-items information for identifying, as one parcel group, a plurality of parcels among the individual parcels. The processor configured to identifies a plurality of parcels as one parcel group, based on the number-of-items information, determines a result of multiple-item determination, which is an inspection result for the parcel group, based on the results of the single-item determination for the individual parcels included in the parcel group, and distributes the individual parcels included in the parcel group, based on the result of the multiple-item determination.