Transfer Belt Assembly Layout for Six-Out Can End Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current conversion presses are limited in producing more than four can ends per minute due to the characteristics of legacy ram presses, which lack the necessary power and space to accommodate more complex tooling sets, and the transfer belt assembly is prone to deformation, misalignment, and wear, leading to inefficiencies and increased wear and tear.
Innovation Solution
A transfer belt assembly with a reduced number of columns and a plural die shoe configuration that allows for multiple die sets to be coupled to a single die shoe, reducing space requirements and enabling the use of three, two-lane die sets, along with a deformation-resistant design and reduced mass elements to improve efficiency and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single die shoe supports multiple die sets (plural die shoe configuration), then space requirements are reduced and productivity increases, but the complexity of the die shoe structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple die sets are coupled to a single die shoe, merging what would traditionally be separate mounting locations into one integrated structure. This allows three two-lane die sets to be accommodated in the space of traditional single-lane configurations, enabling six can ends per minute production while reducing overall tooling space requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The die shoe is designed with multi-functionality to support multiple die sets simultaneously. It incorporates multiple mounting surfaces and structural features that allow different die sets to be coupled to the same die shoe, making it a universal mounting platform that increases productivity without proportionally increasing space requirements
2Productivity
If the transfer belt assembly is designed to move more shells per cycle, then productivity increases, but the belt becomes more prone to deformation and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer belt assembly is segmented into multiple independent transfer belts, each with a limited number of columns. This segmentation prevents any single belt from becoming too wide and deforming, while the coordinated operation of multiple belts achieves the overall goal of moving six shells per cycle without compromising individual belt alignment and precision
3Manufacturing precision
If the number of columns in the transfer belt is reduced, then deformation is reduced, but the number of shells that can be moved per cycle decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a single wide transfer belt (one dimension solution) to multiple narrower transfer belts operating in parallel (adding the dimension of multiple units). This allows the system to move six shells per cycle by distributing the load across multiple belts, each with fewer columns, thereby reducing deformation while maintaining high productivity
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer belt assembly includes a plurality of transfer belts. The transfer belt assembly is structured to move any of an increased number of shells, a very increased number of shells, or an extremely increased number of shells through said conversion press.