Rotating Carousel Parts Supply System for Robotic Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Human operators in manufacturing processes introduce errors and increase costs due to repetitive tasks, leading to inefficiencies and downtime, while robotics require a consistent and uninterrupted supply of parts for optimal performance.
Innovation Solution
A system featuring a carousel with adjustable part caddies and a mechanical lift arm that rotates to present parts to a robotic manufacturing arm, ensuring a continuous and consistent supply of parts, with adjustable caddies accommodating varying sizes and a mechanism for operator refilling without requiring extensive space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If human operators tend and load manufacturing machines, then flexibility in the manufacturing process is maintained, but errors increase due to repetitive tasks, costs increase, and frequent downtime occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service through the automated robotic arm that picks parts from the carousel and places them on the manufacturing machine without human intervention. The carousel automatically rotates to present the next part, and the system continuously operates without requiring operator intervention for each part placement, thereby eliminating human errors while maintaining process flexibility through programmable control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual part handling with an automated robotic system. The robotic arm with gripper mechanism substitutes human hands, the motorized carousel replaces manual rotation, and the automated lift mechanism replaces manual part elevation. This substitution eliminates human errors associated with repetitive tasks while maintaining the flexibility to program different manufacturing sequences
2Productivity
If a robotic manufacturing system operates continuously, then productivity increases, but it requires a consistent and uninterrupted supply of parts
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements preliminary action by pre-positioning multiple parts on the rotating carousel before the robotic arm begins its picking cycle. The carousel is loaded with stacks of parts in advance, and as the robotic arm continuously picks parts, the carousel automatically rotates to present the next pre-positioned part, ensuring an uninterrupted supply that maintains consistent productivity without requiring real-time human intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves continuity of useful action through the coordinated operation of the motorized carousel and robotic arm. While the robotic arm is picking and placing parts, the carousel simultaneously rotates to position the next part in the picking zone. This continuous cyclic operation ensures that the robotic arm never waits for the next part, maintaining uninterrupted productivity and consistent parts supply throughout the manufacturing process
3Productivity
If a carousel with multiple part caddies is used to supply parts continuously, then parts flow uninterrupted, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the robotic arm to perform multiple functions: it can pick different types of parts from different positions on the carousel, place them on various locations of the manufacturing machine, and adjust its gripper configuration for different part sizes. The motorized carousel serves multiple purposes by rotating to present different parts, holding multiple stacks simultaneously, and accommodating part replacement. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain uninterrupted parts flow for diverse manufacturing needs without requiring separate specialized mechanisms for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamics through the motorized carousel that can rotate to different positions based on which part is needed next, and the robotic arm that dynamically adjusts its position, orientation, and gripper force. The lift mechanism also provides dynamic adjustment by raising or lowering part stacks as they are consumed. These dynamic capabilities allow the relatively simple base structure to adapt to varying manufacturing requirements while maintaining continuous parts flow, avoiding the need for complex fixed-position mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus that provides a continuous flow of parts to a manufacturing robot during a manufacturing process has a plurality of adjustable parts caddies on rotating carousel where the parts used in manufacturing process are placed in each adjustable caddy on an operator side of the apparatus and then taken out of the caddy on a production side as the carousel turns. A lift mechanism on the production side works in conjunction with the adjustable caddies and a manufacturing robot to position parts in each caddy in a predefined position for pick up by the manufacturing robot.