Rotary Ammunition Assembly Layout for Flexible High-Rate Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated ammunition production systems face challenges such as increased susceptibility to errors, high production overhead costs, limited flexibility, and inefficiencies due to fixed conveyor systems, which restrict production capacity and adaptability to different calibers.
Innovation Solution
A rotary cycle or revolving system with a conveying device and production stations arranged along a closed circulating path, allowing individual movement profiles for each conveying device, enabling flexible and efficient assembly of ammunition parts with lateral access for production stations, and incorporating robotic systems for precise processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the speed of the conveyor chain is increased to increase production capacity, then productivity is improved, but the loadings in the individual bearings increase disproportionately leading to increased wear and susceptibility to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by allowing the conveyor chain to have variable speed profiles during different phases of the production cycle. The conveyor can move faster during transport phases and slow down during positioning and assembly phases, optimizing both productivity and reliability without requiring uniform high speed throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic action through cyclic operation patterns where the conveyor chain alternates between high-speed transport modes and low-speed positioning modes. This periodic variation in speed allows the system to achieve high overall productivity while limiting the cumulative wear and error susceptibility that would result from continuously high speeds.
2Ease of operation
If a continuous conveyor chain is used with fixed arrangement of production stations, then the system is simpler to operate, but the space requirement increases and flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a linear one-dimensional conveyor arrangement to a two-dimensional or three-dimensional rotary table configuration. This dimensional change allows production stations to be arranged around the periphery of a rotating platform, significantly reducing the linear space footprint while maintaining multiple positioning options and operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces fixed production stations with a dynamic rotary table that can rotate to bring different stations into position. This dynamic configuration allows the same physical space to serve multiple functions at different times, reducing overall space requirements while maintaining operational simplicity through automated rotation control.
3Device complexity
If a continuous conveyor chain with single positioning per cycle is used, then the conveying device is simpler, but all production stations must be approached in the same way reducing adaptability to different calibers
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary table serves multiple functions: it acts as a conveyor, a positioning mechanism, and a calibration adapter. By rotating to different angular positions, the same physical platform can present different station configurations for different caliber requirements, making the system universal without requiring multiple specialized conveyor chains.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (rotation angle, speed, and station selection) rather than changing the physical conveyor structure. This allows a single conveyor design to accommodate multiple calibers by adjusting rotational parameters, maintaining device simplicity while achieving versatility.
4Productivity
If the conveyor chain moves faster to process more ammunition parts in shorter time, then productivity is improved, but the loadings in bearings increase leading to increased wear and rejects
Solution Approach 1:
The variable speed capability of the rotary table allows it to move quickly between stations during transport phases while slowing down during critical assembly and quality check phases. This dynamic speed adjustment increases overall productivity without subjecting components to excessive speed-related stress that would increase rejects.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system for the automated production of ammunition which consists of a plurality of ammunition parts, in particular a case, an ignition element, a projectile and a propellant, comprising a plurality of production stations, in particular an ammunition part insertion station, preferably a case insertion station and/or a projectile insertion station, for inserting at least one of the plurality of ammunition parts into the production process of the system, a plurality of quality control stations, at least one ammunition part processing station, for example a case forming station, a propellant filling station, a projectile assembly station, a projectile marking station and/or a discharge station for transporting the produced ammunition out of the production process of the system, and a conveying device for holding the plurality of ammunition parts and for transporting the plurality of ammunition parts to, from and/or between the plurality of production stations, wherein the conveying device defines a closed circulating conveying path which delimits an interior space enclosed by the conveying path and an exterior space delimited therefrom, wherein at least one, in particular a plurality, of the plurality of production stations is arranged in the interior space and/or the exterior space and acts on the conveying device from the inside and/or from the outside.