Spooling Machine Guide Arm Alignment via Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current spooling machines face challenges in aligning and guiding longitudinal strips of web material over long distances due to complex and time-consuming manual operations, requiring experienced personnel for precise alignment.
Innovation Solution
The machine incorporates a cutting station with sensor members to detect cutting member positions and a control unit that interfaces with positioning actuators to adjust guide arms in winding stations, allowing for automated alignment and guidance of longitudinal strips, simplifying the process through a user-friendly interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual alignment of guide arms is performed by experienced personnel, then alignment precision is improved, but operation complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment operations with an automated control system that uses sensors to detect cutting member positions and actuators to automatically position guide arms, eliminating the need for experienced personnel to perform complex manual alignment while maintaining high precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-alignment through automated detection and positioning mechanisms, where the machine automatically adjusts guide arm positions based on sensor feedback without requiring human intervention or expertise
2Manufacturing precision
If manual alignment of guide arms is performed, then alignment can be achieved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system pre-positions guide arms based on detected cutting member positions before the web material arrives, performing alignment actions in advance to eliminate time-consuming manual adjustments during operation
Solution Approach 2:
Automated actuators rapidly position guide arms based on sensor data, replacing slow manual adjustment processes and significantly reducing alignment time while maintaining precision
3Ease of operation
If automated positioning system is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions by integrating sensor data processing, actuator control, and alignment calculation in a single device, reducing overall system complexity while improving ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that simplifies the interface between operators and the complex positioning mechanisms, providing easy-to-use controls while managing the underlying system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
The machine (1) comprises: an unwinding section (3) of parent reels (Ba, Bb) of web material (Na, Nb); a cutting station (13), comprising a plurality of cutting members (201, 203) to divide the web material (Na, Nb) into longitudinal strips (S); a plurality of winding stations (15); in each winding station (15), a guide arm (31) to guide the longitudinal strip (S), adjustable parallel to the rotation axis (C-C) of the winding mandrel (51). The cutting station (13) comprises sensor members (213, 214) to detect the position of the cutting members (201, 203). A control unit (216) is interfaced with the sensor members (213, 214) of the cutting station (13) and the positioning actuators (27), to position the guide arms (31) parallel to the rotation axis (C-C) of the respective winding mandrel (51) as a function of the position of the corresponding cutting member (201, 203).