Wearable IoT Device for Hands-Free Assembly Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current production line management systems in manufacturing environments, such as those for large-scale apparatuses like aircraft, are inefficient and prone to human error due to time-consuming processes and the need for technicians to manually navigate between workstations and assembly points, leading to increased time consumption and potential errors.
Innovation Solution
A wearable IoT device system that provides hands-free displays with instructional images and sensors to authenticate user location and verify assembly, connected via a network to backend systems for real-time guidance and quality assurance, allowing technicians to focus on assembly while receiving necessary instructions and feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If technicians manually navigate between workstations and assembly points to access instructions, then they can complete assembly tasks, but time consumption increases and human error risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses wearable displays to present digital copies of assembly instructions directly to the technician at the point of use, replacing the need to physically access physical workstations or documentation. This copying of information to the wearable device eliminates travel time and reduces errors associated with manual navigation and document handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable device acts as an intermediary between the technician and the assembly instructions, delivering information directly to the technician's field of view. This intermediary eliminates the need for the technician to physically move between locations and reduces cognitive load by presenting information in an easily accessible format.
2Ease of operation
If technicians use traditional workstation-based instruction systems, then instructions can be accessed, but the system complexity and time required for information retrieval increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device serves multiple functions: displaying assembly instructions, providing real-time feedback, and potentially tracking assembly progress. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems (instruction delivery, feedback mechanisms, tracking) into a single wearable unit, improving ease of operation while managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of physical workstations, papers, and manual navigation with an electronic wearable display system. This substitution eliminates the need for physical movement to access instructions and reduces the complexity of managing physical documentation and workstation infrastructure.
3Productivity
If technicians walk back and forth between assembly points and instruction locations, then they can reference instructions, but productivity decreases due to movement time
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device prepares and presents assembly information in advance, allowing technicians to review instructions before beginning assembly tasks. This preliminary presentation of information eliminates the need for back-and-forth movement during assembly, as all necessary information is already available at the point of use.
Solution Approach 2:
By copying instructions to the wearable device, the system eliminates the need for technicians to physically access original instruction sources during assembly. This copying enables technicians to reference information instantly without movement, directly improving productivity by eliminating movement time.
Data Source
AI summary
An Internet of things (IoT) network for managing assembly of a multi-part product in a production environment. A user wears a device that provides a hands-free display of assembly instructions while the user is assembling the product. The user also wears sensors for transmitting data about the user's location within the production environment. Point of assembly sensors are disposed at locations within the production environment for transmitting data regarding where the product is and should be assembled. The product's parts also include sensors that transmit data regarding location of the parts and how they are assembled. A backend computer system stores product assembly information including the assembly instructions, where the user should be to assemble the product, how the product should be assembled, and verification of assembly accuracy. Alerts are generated if information from the sensors does not corresponding with the preprogrammed information in the computer system.