Automated Winding Section with Rotatable Spindle Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing production line for rolls of bags is inefficient due to manual intervention, which slows down the production cycle and increases production costs, as operators are required to manually manage spindles and cores during the winding process.
Innovation Solution
An automated winding section with a rotatable support and two spindles that automatically switch positions to facilitate continuous winding and core loading, reducing the need for manual intervention and enhancing productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual intervention is used to manage spindles and cores during winding, then ease of operation is maintained, but productivity decreases and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service automation where the winding device automatically manages spindles and cores without operator intervention. The rotatable support with multiple spindles allows the system to autonomously switch between spindles, load cores, and complete winding operations, eliminating the need for manual management while maintaining operational ease through automated control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is designed to be rotatable, allowing dynamic repositioning of spindles during operation. This dynamic capability enables the system to automatically transition between different spindles and cores, providing flexibility and adaptability in the winding process without requiring manual intervention to reconfigure the setup.
2Device complexity
If manual spindle management is implemented, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to production cycle interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The winding device is segmented into multiple independent spindles mounted on a rotatable support. This segmentation allows each spindle to operate independently or be activated sequentially, enabling continuous production by switching between spindles rather than interrupting for manual reconfiguration. The modular spindle design maintains relative simplicity while dramatically improving productivity through automated spindle management.
3Productivity
If automated winding with multiple spindles is implemented, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable support structure serves multiple functions: it mounts multiple spindles, enables automated spindle switching, facilitates core loading, and supports the winding operation. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate mechanisms into a single integrated component, thereby increasing productivity while limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention concerns a winding section (1) for winding a continuous band (200) of bags around one or more cores (4). The section includes a feed path (200) of the band, a winding device (10) for winding the band around the core (4) and appropriate tear means (60, 60', 61, 61', 150) to cause the tear of the band (100) in correspondence of the completion of a winding and to facilitate the beginning of a subsequent winding. In accordance with the invention, the winding device (10) includes a shaft (12) to which two rotatable discs (11) are connected rigidly provided each one of them with a first (16) and a second spindle (17). The spindles are both sliding axially with respect to the disc and also rotatable axially to realize the winding of a roll in formation. A mobile core loader (3) and a movement system (50, 51, 55, 100) are also included, the last one synchronized in such a way that when a spindle (16, 17) is in rotation to complete a first winding the second spindle is retracted in such a way that the loader is set in axis with it to spear the cores after its extraction. Subsequently, the moving apart of the loader (3) is controlled and, in proximity of the completion of the first winding, the whole device (10) is made to rotate around its axis (12) that causes an inversion of position between the two spindles (16, 17). The second spindle extracted is now set in rotation in such a way that, after the tear, it initiates a new winding while the first one is retracted so as to make the roll formed fall.