Automated Shoe Part Assembly Using Image-Guided Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing shoe parts are resource-intensive and have high variability due to reliance on manual execution.
Innovation Solution
An automated system and method for manufacturing shoe parts using image analysis to derive information on part identification, orientation, and alignment, with automated apparatuses for pickup, transfer, and attachment of shoe parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual execution methods are used for shoe manufacturing assembly steps, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but resource consumption increases and variability in manufacturing precision increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical assembly operations with an automated system comprising image capture devices, computing devices for processing images, and automated apparatuses for pickup, transfer, and attachment. This substitution eliminates manual variability while maintaining manufacturing flexibility through programmable control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service automation where the manufacturing process automatically identifies, positions, and assembles shoe parts without human intervention. The automated apparatus uses image-derived information to guide its own operations, achieving consistent precision while reducing resource consumption associated with manual labor.
2Productivity
If automated apparatuses are introduced for shoe part manufacturing, then manufacturing efficiency and consistency improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated manufacturing system is divided into distinct functional modules: image capture devices for data acquisition, computing devices for image processing and decision-making, and automated apparatuses for physical manipulation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together to achieve high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated apparatus is designed with multi-functional capabilities, integrating pickup, transfer, and attachment operations into a single system. This universality reduces the need for multiple separate devices, thereby managing complexity while maintaining high manufacturing efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If image analysis is used to determine part orientation and position, then manufacturing precision improves, but measurement and detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces image capture devices and computing devices as intermediaries between the shoe parts and the automated apparatus. These intermediaries convert physical part characteristics into digital information, which is then processed to determine precise positioning and orientation, simplifying the detection task while improving accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies of shoe parts through image capture, allowing virtual analysis and measurement without directly manipulating the physical parts. This copying approach simplifies measurement complexity by working with digital representations rather than physical objects, while achieving high positioning precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for manufacturing shoe parts in an automated manner is disclosed. The method comprises: positioning a first shoe part on a support surface and at a first manufacturing station, wherein the first shoe part is substantially flat on the support surface; placing by a first automated part pickup tool a second shoe part on top of the first shoe part, wherein a first automated attachment tool attaches the second shoe part to the first shoe part, thereby forming an assembly of the first shoe part and the second shoe part; moving the assembly of the first shoe part and the second shoe part to a second manufacturing station, wherein a second automated part pickup tool places a third shoe part on top of the assembly of the first shoe part and the second shoe part; and attaching by a second automated attachment tool the third shoe part to the assembly of the first shoe part and the second shoe part.