Rack Server Plug-In Automation for High-Density Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual shelving and unshelving of servers in data center racks is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and poses safety risks due to increased server weight and density, leading to high operational costs and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A device assembly system comprising a mobile apparatus, lifting apparatus, and plug in/out apparatus, controlled by a control apparatus, for automated shelving and unshelving of devices in racks, utilizing automated guided vehicles, precise pose adjustment mechanisms, and visual and sensor systems to ensure accurate and secure operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual shelving or unshelving of servers is performed, then flexibility and simplicity are maintained, but labor intensity increases and safety risks arise due to increased server weight and density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical system with an automated robotic system. The robot equipped with a mechanical arm and gripper automatically performs shelving and unshelving operations, eliminating the need for manual handling of heavy servers. This substitution resolves the contradiction by maintaining operational simplicity while eliminating safety risks associated with manual labor.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service automation where the robotic apparatus independently performs shelving operations without human intervention. The robot navigates to racks, identifies target servers, grasps them, and places them in designated positions autonomously, resolving the safety concerns while maintaining operational efficiency.
2Quantity of substance
If server weight and density increase to improve capacity, then storage efficiency improves, but shelving difficulty and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated robotic system replaces manual shelving operations, enabling the handling of heavier and denser server configurations. The robot's mechanical arm and gripper are designed to accommodate varying server weights and dimensions, maintaining high shelving speeds even as server density increases. This resolves the contradiction by decoupling server density from shelving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adapts to changing server parameters (weight, density, dimensions) through programmable control and adjustable mechanical components. The robot can modify its gripping force, movement speed, and positioning accuracy based on the specific server being handled, allowing efficient shelving of high-density configurations without sacrificing productivity.
3Quantity of substance
If rack height increases to accommodate more servers, then storage capacity improves, but manual access difficulty and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system eliminates the need for manual access to high rack positions. The robot's automated navigation and positioning capabilities allow it to reach any rack position, including high-layer slots, without human intervention. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of operation through automation while enabling increased storage capacity through taller racks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from two-dimensional manual access (ground level to eye level) to three-dimensional automated access (full rack height range). The robot operates in the vertical dimension with precision control, enabling access to any height position in the rack, thus resolving the access difficulty while maximizing storage capacity.
4Productivity
If automated shelving systems are implemented to improve efficiency and safety, then labor costs reduce and safety improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is designed as a universal platform capable of performing multiple functions: navigation, server identification, gripping, shelving, and unshelving. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional apparatus, the system achieves high productivity while managing complexity through integration rather than proliferation of separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a control apparatus as an intermediary between the physical servers and the robotic execution. This control layer manages the complexity by providing centralized coordination, path planning, and operation sequencing, allowing the robotic components to function efficiently without requiring complex inter-component communication.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device assembly system is disclosed, and the system includes a control apparatus (4), a mobile apparatus (1), a lifting apparatus (2), and a plug in/out apparatus (3). The control apparatus (4) is configured to control, based on an operation and maintenance instruction, the mobile apparatus (1), the lifting apparatus (2), and the plug in/out apparatus (3) to complete an operation of the operation and maintenance instruction. The mobile apparatus (1) is configured to move the device assembly system to a first location, and the first location identifies a rack in which a device is assembled. The lifting apparatus (2) is configured to move the plug in/out apparatus (3) to a target location in a first direction, the target location is a location for storing the device to be assembled in the rack, and the first direction is perpendicular to the ground. The plug in/out apparatus (3) is configured to place the device to be assembled at the target location, or obtain the device from the target location. The device assembly system can automatically assemble a to-be-plugged device in the rack, so that efficiency and security are improved. A device assembly method is also provided.