Powder Supply Layout for Flexible Color Processing Order
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powder supply devices and systems face challenges in efficiently accommodating and supplying powder components when the processing order of color components is changed, leading to the need for frequent component exchanges and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A powder supply device with multiple accommodation sections arranged at wider intervals than the processing subjects, connected by transport sections that are shareable, allowing for flexible reconfiguration without significant changes in transport path lengths or angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If accommodation sections are arranged at the same interval as processing subjects, then the system structure is compact, but component exchanges are frequent when processing order changes
Solution Approach 1:
The transport sections are designed with a universal configuration that can serve multiple processing subjects regardless of their position or color sequence. By arranging accommodation sections at wider intervals and designing transport sections that can be shared, the system achieves multi-functionality where the same transport infrastructure supports various processing orders without requiring dedicated components for each configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables dynamic reconfiguration of processing orders without physical restructuring. The accommodation sections arranged at wider intervals provide flexibility to assign different powder components to different processing subjects based on required processing sequences, allowing the system to adapt dynamically to changing production requirements without component exchanges.
2Adaptability or versatility
If accommodation sections are arranged at wider intervals, then transport path reconfiguration is easier, but system area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transport sections are designed as universal components that can serve multiple accommodation sections and processing subjects. This universality allows the same transport infrastructure to accommodate wider spacing between sections while maintaining efficient powder delivery, reducing the need for additional transport paths that would increase system area.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple transport functions are merged into shared transport sections. Instead of providing dedicated transport paths for each accommodation section to each processing subject, the system combines transport routes so that a single transport section can deliver powder from multiple accommodation sections to multiple processing subjects, thereby reducing overall system footprint despite wider spacing.
Data Source
AI summary
A powder supply device includes: plural supply sections that are provided respectively for plural processing subjects arranged in a processing order of plural colors at a predetermined interval and that supply powder divided into plural color components to each processing subject; plural accommodation sections that are arranged at an interval wider than an arrangement interval between the plural processing subjects and that accommodate the powder divided into the plural color components; and plural transport sections that are respectively connected in communication between the plural accommodation sections and the plural supply sections and that transport the powder of each color component accommodated in each accommodation section to each supply section, in which the plural transport sections have a configuration that is shareable at least for the processing subjects of which the processing order is changeable.