Component Reel Picking via Alignment Rod and Gripper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Retrieving top component reels from a stack is challenging due to varying sizes and misalignment, which complicates the manufacturing process and requires improved methods for efficient picking.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing a picking arm with a gripper and alignment tabs to align and engage a rod extending through the stack, allowing for precise insertion and lifting of the top component reel, featuring a controllably movable arm with gripping and alignment mechanisms to ensure accurate and efficient picking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If component reels are stacked in large quantities for manufacturing supply, then storage capacity is improved, but retrieval difficulty increases due to misalignment and varying sizes
Solution Approach 1:
A rod is introduced as an intermediary element that extends through the center holes of multiple stacked component reels. This rod serves as a mediator that aligns the reels vertically and provides a reference structure for the picking arm to locate and engage the top reel, thereby enabling easy retrieval from large stacks despite misalignment and size variations
Solution Approach 2:
The rod creates a common reference level or 'equipotential' surface for the top surfaces of stacked reels. By extending through all reels in the stack, it establishes a uniform alignment plane that allows the picking arm to reliably locate and engage the top reel regardless of variations in reel size or initial misalignment
2Adaptability or versatility
If component reels of different sizes are stacked together to accommodate variety, then versatility is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rod acts as an intermediary alignment structure that passes through the center holes of reels of different sizes. It provides a common vertical reference that compensates for size variations, ensuring that the top surfaces of differently sized reels are aligned at a consistent level for reliable picking operations
3Productivity
If quick retrieval of component reels is implemented to supply manufacturing processes, then productivity is improved, but picking reliability worsens due to misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The rod is pre-installed through the stack of component reels before picking operations begin. This preliminary action establishes the alignment reference structure in advance, so that during quick retrieval operations, the picking arm can immediately locate and engage the top reel without needing to perform alignment adjustments, thus maintaining both speed and reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A method of picking a top component reel from a stack of component reels includes lowering a picking arm over a rod extending through the stack of component reels to above a top component reel of the stack, the arm comprising a plurality of alignment tabs and a gripper positioned such that, with the picking arm lowered the rod extends through the gripper and between the alignment tabs of the picking arm. The method includes actuating the alignment tabs to engage the rod and align the rod with respect to the picking arm, inserting a portion of the gripper into a hole of the top component reel, actuating the gripper to engage opposing inner surfaces of the top component reel at the hole of the top component reel, and with the gripper engaged, raising the picking arm to lift the top component reel from the stack of component reels.