Robotic End-of-Arm Tooling for Safe Drum Dispense Head Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for dispensing high purity and highly corrosive liquids from drums are inefficient, lack automation, and pose safety risks due to manual handling and potential misconnection of dispense heads with incorrect liquids.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a robotic arm with an end-of-arm attachment that automates the removal and installation of caps and dispense heads on drums, utilizing exchangeable tooling for different operations, and includes vision and torque control systems for precise alignment and sealing, ensuring compatibility and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual handling and installation of dispense heads is used, then ease of operation is maintained, but productivity is reduced and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm with end-of-arm attachment performs cap removal, dispense head installation, and cap reinstallation automatically without human intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously completing the entire dispensing setup sequence, thereby increasing productivity while maintaining high automation level.
2Reliability
If coded indexing sections are used to prevent misconnection, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dispense head and drum insert incorporate coded indexing sections with asymmetric geometric features that only allow correct alignment. This asymmetric coding ensures that the dispense head can only be installed in the correct orientation on the matching drum insert, preventing misconnection and enhancing reliability through geometric constraint rather than complex control systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If exchangeable tooling is used for different operations, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end-of-arm attachment is segmented into exchangeable tooling components that can be independently attached and detached from the robotic arm. This segmentation allows different specialized tools to be quickly swapped depending on the specific operation required, providing operational flexibility while keeping each individual tool component relatively simple in design.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprises: a robotic arm and an end-of-arm attachment fixedly attached to the robotic arm, where the end-of-arm attachment comprises: a fixed portion of the end-of-arm attachment fixedly attached to the robotic arm which is adapted to receive exchangeable portions of the end-of-arm attachment; a first exchangeable portion of the end-of-arm attachment adapted to remove a cap from a container, retain the cap, and reinstall the cap on the container; and a second exchangeable portion of the end-of-arm attachment adapted to install a dispense head on the container and remove the dispense head from the container, where the dispense head is capable of dispensing a liquid-based material from the container. Methods of using the apparatus are provided.