Programmable Pin Plate Alignment for Variable Shoe Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shoe manufacturing processes are highly variable and require significant human oversight, leading to inconsistencies and the need for custom machinery for each style and size, which limits efficiency and reproducibility.
Innovation Solution
A pin plate alignment system with a programmable actuator array that allows for the extension and retraction of alignment pins based on design patterns, enabling the alignment of shoe materials during manufacturing, reducing variation and accommodating various designs and sizes without the need for custom machinery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional manufacturing methods are used, then human oversight is required, but variability and inconsistency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pin plate alignment system enables self-alignment of materials through programmable actuator arrays that automatically position pins according to stored patterns, eliminating the need for human oversight in alignment operations and ensuring consistent reproduction across different shoe styles and sizes
Solution Approach 2:
The system stores multiple pin extension patterns as programmable parameters that can be selected based on different shoe styles and sizes, allowing the same machinery to adapt to various manufacturing requirements through parameter changes rather than physical reconfiguration
2Manufacturing precision
If custom machinery is designed for each style and size, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pin plate alignment system serves multiple functions by accommodating different shoe styles and sizes through programmable patterns, allowing a single universal device to replace multiple custom-machined apparatuses while maintaining alignment precision across all applications
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static, custom-machined alignment devices to a dynamic, programmable system where pin extension patterns can be changed through software, enabling the same physical apparatus to adapt its configuration for different manufacturing requirements
3Adaptability or versatility
If programmable actuator arrays are implemented, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses digital copies of pin extension patterns stored in memory that can be retrieved and executed for different shoe styles and sizes, allowing complex adaptability to be achieved through information copying rather than physical system reconfiguration
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for aligning materials in order to construct an article is provided. The apparatus may include an array of moveable pins and a solid plate having an array of holes, where the array of holes is aligned with the array of pins. Each pin may be extended and/or retracted by a programmable actuator array. When a pin is extended, at least a portion of the pin may extend through the hole with which it is aligned, such that at least a portion of the pin extends beyond the solid plate. A fraction of the total number of pins in the array of pins may be extended by the programmable actuator array. The particular pins that are to be extended may be based on a pattern for an article. A material that is to be used in constructing the article may be aligned using the extended pins.