Robot Maintenance Timing Sync Using Cross-Robot Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robot maintenance systems lack an efficient method to synchronize maintenance timing across multiple robots in a production environment, leading to potential misalignment in maintenance schedules due to varying environmental factors and operational conditions.
Innovation Solution
A robot system that includes a movable portion, a controller, and a storage unit for maintenance timing information, where the controller compares elapsed time with maintenance timing information and corrects it using data received from another robot installed at the same work site, ensuring accurate notification and maintenance scheduling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each robot independently manages its own maintenance timing based on accumulated working time, then the maintenance management is simple and independent, but the maintenance timing becomes inconsistent across multiple robots due to varying environmental factors and operational conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the maintenance timing management of multiple robots into a centralized system. The management device collects elapsed time information from multiple robots and environmental factors from all work sites, then calculates and distributes corrected maintenance timing information to all robots. This ensures consistent maintenance timing across the production system while accounting for environmental variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously collecting elapsed time information and environmental factors from multiple robots, calculating corrected maintenance timing based on this feedback, and distributing the corrected timing back to the robots. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures maintenance timing adapts to actual operational conditions while maintaining consistency across the system.
2Measurement precision
If maintenance timing is calculated based on standard accumulated working time, then the calculation is simple and fast, but it does not account for environmental factors that affect actual wear and maintenance needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters used for maintenance timing calculation by introducing environmental factors (temperature, humidity, dust concentration) as additional variables. The management device calculates corrected maintenance timing by adjusting the standard elapsed time based on these environmental parameters, thereby improving accuracy while maintaining a relatively simple calculation framework.
3Productivity
If maintenance is performed based on fixed schedules, then the planning is simple and predictable, but downtime occurs when maintenance is needed earlier due to harsh environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static fixed maintenance schedules to dynamic maintenance timing that adapts to environmental conditions. The system continuously monitors environmental factors and adjusts maintenance timing accordingly, allowing maintenance to be performed earlier when conditions warrant it and later when conditions are favorable, thereby optimizing production efficiency and minimizing unplanned downtime.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot including a movable portion, a controller, and a storage unit that stores maintenance timing information regarding at least one of the movable portion and the controller. The controller performs predetermined notification processing based on a comparison between elapsed time information and the maintenance timing information. The movable portion and the control apparatus are placed in a predetermined work site on which a second robot is installed. The controller corrects the maintenance timing information or the elapsed time information using information received from the second robot.