Workbench Securing Mechanisms for Parallel Custom Board Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Custom boards, such as cutting and game boards, face challenges due to high production costs and lead times, which deter customers and reduce sales, while manufacturers struggle with the time and expense of individual customization.
Innovation Solution
A workbench system equipped with a frame, spacers, and adjustable securing mechanisms, including pipe clamps and clamps with rotatable handles, allows for the parallel processing of multiple workpieces, enabling efficient assembly and pressure application to form custom boards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom boards are manufactured individually per customer requirements, then customization and aesthetics are improved, but production time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The workbench is divided into multiple independent workstations with dedicated clamps and support structures. Each workstation can process a specific workpiece independently, allowing parallel manufacturing of multiple custom boards simultaneously. This segmentation enables the system to handle customized orders without proportionally increasing total production time.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from sequential processing (one board at a time) to parallel processing by adding a spatial dimension. Multiple workpieces are positioned side-by-side on the workbench, each secured by its own clamp assembly, enabling simultaneous manipulation and processing of multiple boards in different dimensional spaces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom boards are manufactured individually per customer requirements, then customization and aesthetics are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The workbench is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate various workpiece sizes and types through adjustable clamps and support structures. This multi-functional design allows the same equipment to process different custom board configurations without requiring specialized tools or setups for each customization type, thereby reducing overall manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple manufacturing operations (securing, processing, finishing) are merged into a single integrated workbench system. By combining these functions in one location with shared resources (power supply, workspace, support structures), the system eliminates the need for separate equipment for each operation, reducing total manufacturing cost despite offering customization services.
3Manufacturing precision
If manufacturers spend significant time assembling each custom board, then quality and precision are improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamps and support structures are pre-positioned and pre-configured on the workbench before workpieces are introduced. This preliminary arrangement of securing mechanisms eliminates the need for time-consuming on-site assembly adjustments, allowing workers to focus solely on the precision tasks of securing and processing the boards themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The workbench is segmented into multiple independent zones with dedicated clamps and support structures for each workpiece. This segmentation allows different workers to simultaneously perform precision assembly operations on different boards without interfering with each other, thereby maintaining high precision while increasing overall productivity through parallel processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A work bench includes: a frame comprising a flat surface and a stand, a plurality of spacers, each mounted along one of a first or a second edge of the flat surface; a plurality of securing mechanisms arranged at an elevated position above the flat surface. Each of the securing mechanisms comprising a first and a second clamp, a rod extending between the first and the second edge of the flat surface, wherein the rod extends into holes of the first and the second clamps, and wherein the first clamp is coupled to a tightening mechanism and the second clamp is slidable along the rod. The work bench is configured to enable one or more users to work on a plurality of workpieces in parallel, based on: supporting the workpieces on the rods; and securing each of the plurality of workpieces using at least one securing mechanism.