Robotic Decanting System for Automated Item Sorting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The manual process of removing items from cases on a pallet and placing them into totes for storage is labor-intensive and inefficient, requiring significant human intervention and time.
Innovation Solution
A system of robotic decanting devices that automatically remove cases from pallets, open them using a cutting implement, and transfer items into designated totes, utilizing sensor data and a decant manager component to identify and sort items for storage, with a robotic tote transfer device moving full totes to an automated storage device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual decanting process is used, then flexibility in handling diverse items is maintained, but labor intensity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the decanting process into distinct operational modules: robotic de-palletizing device for case removal, robotic case opener device for opening, robotic picker device for item extraction, and robotic tote transfer device for placement. Each module performs a specific function, enabling automated high-speed operation while maintaining manageable system complexity through functional decomposition.
Solution Approach 2:
A conveyor device serves as an intermediary mechanism that transports cases and opened items between different operational stations. The conveyor enables seamless material flow between de-palletizing, opening, picking, and transfer operations, coordinating multiple robotic devices without requiring direct complex interconnections between them.
2Ease of operation
If automated robotic decanting is implemented, then labor requirements are reduced, but initial system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each robotic device is designed with multi-functionality to handle various item types and configurations. The robotic picker device, for example, can accommodate different item sizes and shapes through adjustable end effectors, while the conveyor system can transport various case types. This universality reduces the need for multiple specialized devices, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite high automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensor devices that automatically detect item characteristics, case configurations, and tote locations without human intervention. The decant manager component processes sensor data to autonomously coordinate robotic movements and operations. This self-service capability enables the system to operate independently with reduced complexity in terms of human oversight and manual coordination.
3Productivity
If manual item identification and sorting is performed, then adaptability to item variations is maintained, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Manual item identification is replaced with sensor devices that capture item characteristics through optical, electromagnetic, or other sensing mechanisms. The decant manager component processes this data to identify items and determine destination totes with high precision. This substitution eliminates time-consuming manual inspection while maintaining or improving identification accuracy through automated pattern recognition and data processing.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensor devices continuously monitor item characteristics and provide real-time feedback to the decant manager component, which adjusts robotic operations accordingly. This closed-loop feedback ensures accurate item identification and sorting even with variations in item appearance, size, or packaging, maintaining high throughput while improving measurement precision through iterative verification.
4Productivity
If cases are opened manually and items are manually placed, then flexibility in handling unexpected situations is maintained, but labor intensity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic case opener device uses dynamically adjustable cutting implements and opening mechanisms that can adapt to different case types and sealing methods. The robotic picker device employs dynamic end effectors that can grip various item shapes and sizes. This dynamic adaptability enables efficient automated operation across diverse scenarios without requiring complex manual workarounds, improving productivity while keeping the process straightforward through programmable flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples provide a method and system for customized item decanting. A decant manager, implemented on a processor, identifies a destination tote in a set of totes for placement of a selected item. The decant manager controls a robotic decanting device to remove the selected item from a selected case and places the selected item into the destination tote. The decant manager analyzes sensor data and item data associated with the selected item to confirm an identification of the selected item placed into the destination tote for inventory update.