Industrial Robot Manipulation of Stone Molds for Laying Unit Diversity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods require a large number of differently designed stone molds to produce laying units with varied laying properties, leading to high costs and inefficiencies due to the need for multiple molds and potential construction site handling issues.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using an industrial robot to intervene in the arrangement and handling of individual stones within laying units after production, allowing for the manipulation of stone positions, orientations, and exchanges to change the laying properties without altering the mold designs, enabling the production of diverse laying units using fewer molds and reducing downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a large number of differently designed stone molds are used to produce laying units with varied laying properties, then the diversity of laying unit appearances is improved, but the device complexity and production costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the stone mold adjustable and reconfigurable. The mold can be transformed between different configurations to produce various laying unit appearances. Specifically, the mold includes movable partitions and adjustable elements that allow changing the compartment structure without replacing the entire mold, enabling one mold to serve multiple functions that previously required many different molds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing a single stone mold that can produce multiple types of laying units with different appearances and configurations. The mold is equipped with adjustable partitions, removable elements, and reconfigurable structures that allow it to create various patterns and arrangements of individual stones within the laying unit, making one mold universal for producing diverse laying units.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple differently designed stone molds are maintained for producing varied laying units, then the variety of laying properties is improved, but the loss of time due to mold changes and the complexity of mold management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic design of the mold allows for quick reconfiguration between different laying unit types. The movable partitions and adjustable elements can be repositioned during production without requiring complete mold replacement, significantly reducing downtime and allowing seamless transition between producing different varieties of laying units.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold is designed to maintain continuous production capability through its reconfigurable nature. Rather than stopping production to replace molds, the system allows for in-situ reconfiguration of the mold structure, ensuring that the production line continues operating with minimal interruption while adapting to produce different laying unit varieties.
3Ease of manufacture
If laying units are produced with fixed stone mold designs, then the production process is simple, but the ease of operation at the construction site is reduced due to handling issues with uniform appearances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating variation in specific local features of the laying units while maintaining overall production simplicity. The mold can be configured to produce different patterns, arrangements, or surface characteristics in specific areas of the laying unit, providing visual and functional diversity that improves construction site handling without complicating the fundamental production process.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for modifying the laying properties of a laying unit (VE1), wherein the laying unit (VE1) is produced from a single stone mold in a single manufacturing step in a stone molding machine, and wherein the laying unit (VE1) comprises a plurality of individual stones (1-8). In this process, while maintaining the dimensions and the number of individual stones (1-8) of the laying unit (VE1), at least one individual stone (1-8) is grasped, handled, and placed back down by an industrial robot (R) before palletizing the laying unit (VE1), while the laying unit (VE1) is still on a production base, such that a top surface (F1) of the manipulated laying unit (VE1) has an appearance that differs from the appearance the laying unit (VE1) had before the manipulation.