Section Bar Work Centre With Dual Belt Crosspiece Drive

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing work centres for processing section bars, such as those made of aluminium or light alloys, face issues due to the belt conveyor being mounted along one longitudinal guide member, which applies non-barycentric forces and fails to ensure correct advancement of crosspieces along the guide members.

Innovation Solution

The work centre design incorporates two belt conveyors parallel to each other, mounted on opposite sides of the longitudinal guide members, with an actuator device and torsion shafts to ensure barycentric thrust and precise control of crosspieces, along with clamping vises and support rollers for stable section bar handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single belt conveyor is mounted along one longitudinal guide member, then the device complexity is reduced, but the crosspieces cannot advance correctly along the guide members due to non-barycentric forces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveyor system complexityVSAvoidcrosspiece advancement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The single belt conveyor is segmented into two separate belt conveyors (13, 13') mounted on opposite sides of the longitudinal guide members. Each conveyor handles one side of the crosspiece advancement, distributing the driving force symmetrically to eliminate non-barycentric forces and ensure reliable, accurate movement of crosspieces along the guide members.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If a single belt conveyor is used, then the manufacturing cost is lower, but the processing precision deteriorates due to incorrect crosspiece advancement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveyor system manufacturing costVSAvoidsection bar processing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The conveyor system is divided into two independent belt conveyors positioned symmetrically on opposite sides of the guide members. This segmentation ensures that each conveyor applies force through its own barycenter, preventing lateral deviations in crosspiece advancement and maintaining high processing precision for section bars while remaining cost-effective through the use of standard conveyor components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If the belt conveyor is mounted on one side only, then the installation is simpler, but the crosspiece movement becomes unstable due to non-barycentric forces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveyor system installation simplicityVSAvoidcrosspiece movement stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses symmetric mounting of two belt conveyors on opposite sides of the longitudinal guide members. This symmetric configuration creates balanced, barycentric force application that stabilizes crosspiece movement, preventing lateral instability while maintaining installation simplicity through standardized mounting procedures on both sides.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP3636384B1Work centre to process section bars made of aluminium light alloys PVC or the like
Publication Date: 2021.04.21 FOM INDUSTRIE SRL
  • EP3636384B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3636384B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3636384B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A work centre to process section bars (2) has an elongated base (3); an overhead crane (6) movable along the base (3) and provided with an operating head (10) to process the section bars (2); and a plurality of crosspieces (11), each of which supports a holding unit (25) designed to retain at least one section bar (2), is moved along the base (3) by a pair of belt conveyors (13) mounted along the base (3) and is provided with two fastening devices (19) of the crosspiece (11) to the belt conveyors (13).