Sausage Production Line Continuous Conveyor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sausage production lines face challenges with precise alignment requirements and discontinuous conveyor operation, leading to mechanical wear and uneven spacing of sausage products on storage rods, due to the need for precise positioning and start/stop conveyor operations.
Innovation Solution
A method and production line design that incorporates a continuous circulating conveyor system controlled by a control variable derived from the clipping machine, ensuring synchronized operation between the clipping and loading machines, with regulation to maintain constant rotational speed and precise product transfer, allowing for continuous operation and reduced mechanical stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If precise alignment is implemented between transfer element and conveying element, then product transfer reliability is improved, but device complexity and alignment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer element is designed with pivotable hooks that can dynamically adjust their position. The hooks pivot from a congruent resting position to a spread position during transfer, allowing automatic adaptation to alignment variations and eliminating the need for extremely precise static alignment between transfer and conveying elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The distance between the hooks of the transfer element changes during operation - initially congruent (distance ≈ 0), then spread apart (distance > 0) to engage the loop. This parameter change allows the system to accommodate alignment tolerances while maintaining reliable product transfer.
2Productivity
If continuous conveyor operation is implemented, then productivity is improved, but mechanical wear increases due to constant motion
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying elements run continuously without stopping to take over sausage products. The loop is continuously circulated, picking up products from the transfer element and depositing them on storage bars in an unbroken flow, thereby maximizing productivity while the control system coordinates speeds to minimize mechanical stress and wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system derives a control variable from the clipping machine and uses it to control the rotational speed of the conveying elements. This feedback mechanism ensures synchronized operation between clipping and conveying, allowing continuous operation at optimized speeds that reduce mechanical wear while maintaining high productivity.
3Manufacturing precision
If conveyor elements are stopped to load products, then precise spacing is achieved, but rocking movements occur causing additional mechanical loads
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying elements maintain continuous motion throughout the loading process. The loop continuously circulates, picking up products and depositing them on storage bars without stopping, thereby eliminating rocking movements and additional mechanical loads while the control system ensures precise spacing through speed coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotational speed of the conveying elements is dynamically controlled based on a control variable from the clipping machine. This dynamic speed adjustment allows precise product spacing to be achieved during continuous operation, eliminating the need for stop/start cycles that cause mechanical stress.
4Ease of operation
If pressure bar is used to lower hooks, then product depositing is achieved, but device complexity increases due to pressure bar extending over entire storage bar length
Solution Approach 1:
The hook lowering function is segmented and distributed to individual conveying elements rather than using a single pressure bar spanning the entire storage bar length. Each conveying element has its own mechanism to lower and release hooks, simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining depositing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying elements themselves perform the hook lowering and product release function through their own controlled motion and mechanism, rather than requiring a separate pressure bar system. This self-service approach reduces device complexity while achieving the same operational result.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 2a
AI summary
The production line (FCP) has a clip machine (C) and a feed machine (B) for supplying storage rods (SP) with products for further processing of the products (W). The method involves controlling at least the peripheral speed of transport elements of the supply machine based on control parameters derived from the clip machine. Independent claims are also included for the following: (A) a production line (B) a clip machine for a production line (C) and a supply machine for a production line.