Transport Controller for Moving Installation Portions to Workpiece Position

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Solution Overview

Problem

Unmanned aircrafts face challenges in precisely positioning themselves at predetermined locations, leading to inefficiencies in installing transported objects on industrial machines, requiring repeated alignment operations.

Innovation Solution

A transport system controller that acquires position information of transported objects, determines if installation conditions are met within a defined movement range, and calculates the necessary movement amount for the installation portion to satisfy these conditions, thereby improving the efficiency of loading and unloading processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If an unmanned aircraft is used to transport and install workpieces, then automation and productivity are improved, but positioning precision and alignment accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation work efficiencyVSAvoidpositioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of requiring the unmanned aircraft to precisely position itself at predetermined locations, the invention inverts the approach by making the installation portion (machine tool table) move to meet the transported object. The controller calculates the movement amount needed for the installation portion to reach the object's current position, thereby achieving precise alignment without demanding high positioning precision from the unmanned aircraft.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The controller acts as an intermediary that mediates between the transported object's position and the installation portion's position. It acquires position information from the unmanned aircraft, determines whether installation conditions are satisfied, and calculates the required movement amount for the installation portion, thereby resolving the positioning precision issue without compromising productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the unmanned aircraft is used for transporting objects, then operational flexibility is improved, but alignment accuracy and installation precision deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidalignment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention maintains operational flexibility by allowing the unmanned aircraft to transport objects to various positions while solving the alignment accuracy problem by making the installation portion move adaptively to match the transported object's position, rather than requiring the aircraft to achieve precise predetermined positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs dynamic adaptation where the installation portion's movement amount is calculated based on the actual position of the transported object. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain high alignment accuracy regardless of the flexibility and range of motion of the unmanned aircraft.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If repeated installation operations are performed to achieve alignment, then positioning accuracy is improved, but productivity and work efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidinstallation work efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs preliminary calculation of the movement amount for the installation portion based on the acquired position information of the transported object. By pre-calculating the required movement before the actual installation operation, the system achieves accurate alignment in a single operation without requiring repeated trial installations, thereby maintaining both high precision and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the position information acquired from the unmanned aircraft to determine whether installation conditions are satisfied and to calculate the appropriate movement amount for the installation portion. This feedback mechanism enables the system to achieve accurate alignment without repeated operations by continuously monitoring and adjusting based on the actual positions of the transported object and installation portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20230399100A1Transport system controller and computer-readable storage medium

Publication Date: 2023.12.14 FANUC LTD

AI summary

A transport system controller includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire position information of a transported object transported by an unmanned aircraft, a storage unit configured to store movement range information indicating a movement range of an installation portion, the transported object being installed on the installation portion, a determination unit configured to determine whether or not there is a position within the movement range, an installation condition for installing the transported object on the installation portion being satisfied at the position, and a calculation unit configured to calculate a movement amount of the installation portion when the installation portion is moved to the position when the it is determined by the determination unit that the position is present, the installation condition being satisfied at the position.