Workpiece Gripper Layout for Smooth Skeleton Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques face difficulties in separating skeletons from products during cutting machining, as crossbars may sag and get caught due to inadequate gripping, leading to inefficient separation.
Innovation Solution
A transport system incorporating a gripper with long-side and short-side grippers, a lifter, and a controller, which grips both shorter and longer sides of the skeleton, allowing for controlled separation and preventing sagging, and is adaptable to various workpiece dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If only long-side grippers are used to grip the skeleton, then the gripping operation is simplified, but the crossbars may sag down and get caught on the product during separation
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper is divided into multiple independent gripping elements: long-side grippers for gripping the long sides of the outer frame, short-side grippers for gripping the short sides, and crossbar grippers for supporting the crossbars. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function, preventing sagging while maintaining manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Crossbar grippers act as intermediary elements that specifically support the crossbars during separation. These intermediaries prevent the crossbars from sagging and getting caught on the product, resolving the reliability issue without requiring complete redesign of the entire gripper system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the gripper system is designed to accommodate various workpiece dimensions with movable grippers, then adaptability is improved, but the control complexity and potential for gripper interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper system incorporates movable long-side grippers and movable short-side grippers that can adjust their positions dynamically according to the workpiece dimensions. This dynamic adaptability allows the same gripper system to handle various workpiece sizes while the controller coordinates their movements to prevent interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller receives information about workpiece dimensions and coordinates the movement of multiple grippers accordingly. This feedback-based control ensures that grippers move in the correct sequence and positions, preventing interference while maintaining adaptability to different workpiece sizes.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple grippers are moved according to workpiece dimensions, then separation accuracy is improved, but system stoppages for inspection and adjustment may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper system is designed to automatically adjust and position itself according to workpiece dimensions without requiring manual intervention. The movable grippers self-adjust to the correct positions, and the controller automatically coordinates their movements, eliminating the need for manual inspection and adjustment that would cause system stoppages.
Data Source
AI summary
In a transport system, a gripper includes long-side grippers aligned in a long-side direction of a workpiece which is cut, by machining/cutting, into a product and a skeleton including an outer frame with an overall rectangular shape and a crossbar inside the outer frame, so that both ends thereof are connected to two shorter sides facing each other, and extending in the long-side direction, the long-side grippers gripping longer sides of the outer frame of the skeleton, and short-side grippers aligned in a short-side direction with respect to the workpiece and that grip shorter sides of the outer frame. At least one of the short-side grippers moves in the short-side direction and grips the shorter sides of the outer frame. A lifter lifts or lowers the gripper gripping the outer frame and the product to separate the outer frame and the crossbar from the product.