Workpiece Processing System Dual Power Supply Emergency Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing workpiece processing systems face safety and productivity issues during power outages, leading to uncontrolled shutdowns and loss of productivity due to the inability to continue operations without a guaranteed energy supply.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a dual power supply system with a primary and secondary power source, along with an intelligent emergency procedure that adjusts operations based on the expected duration of the power outage, ensuring controlled shutdowns and continued operation of critical components like safety devices and workpiece feeders.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a second electrical power supply unit provides electrical energy during a failure of the first power supply unit, then the system maintains operational continuity, but the processing speed must be reduced to a lower predefined speed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational continuityVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the processing speed based on the operational state of the power supply units. When both units are operational, the system operates at a first predefined speed. When one unit fails and the other provides emergency power, the system automatically reduces to a second predefined speed. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the speed flexible rather than fixed, allowing the system to maintain reliability during failures while optimizing performance during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Use of energy by moving object

If the workpiece processing system operates at a reduced processing speed during emergency power provision, then energy consumption is reduced, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidproductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial action by operating at reduced speed only when necessary (during emergency power provision), rather than always operating at full speed or always at reduced speed. This allows the system to consume less energy during critical failure scenarios while maintaining high productivity during normal dual-power operation, thus resolving the contradiction between energy conservation and productivity maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Ease of operation

If a predefined emergency procedure is executed during power supply failure, then the system maintains controlled operation, but the procedure must be selected and configured in advance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrolled operationVSAvoidprocedure configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The emergency procedures are predefined and configured in advance during system setup, rather than being determined in real-time during failures. Multiple emergency procedures can be pre-configured with different parameters, and the system automatically selects the appropriate one based on the failure scenario. This preliminary configuration resolves the contradiction by preparing all necessary procedures beforehand, making the actual emergency response simple and automatic while allowing comprehensive pre-planning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4339723B1Method for operating a workpiece processing system, and workpiece processing system
Publication Date: 2026.04.08 HOMAG PLATTENAUFTEILTECHNIK GMBH
  • EP4339723B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4339723B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

In a workpiece processing system (10), if a first electrical power supply unit (24) fails, electrical energy is provided at least temporarily by a second electrical power supply unit (26). During such a provision of electrical energy, a predefined emergency procedure is executed by the second power supply unit (26). It is proposed that at least one parameter characterizing the predefined emergency procedure depends on the expected duration of the failure of the first electrical power supply unit (24).