Increase in productivity of the micro slide conveyance by part-specific and adaptive process models

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Fleischer
• Subject Area: Production Systems, Operations Management, Quality Management and Factory Planning ; Automation, Mechatronics, Control Systems, Intelligent Technical Systems, Robotics
• Term: from 2013 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 246291898

As part of the DFG project, Basics for coupling piezoelectric vibratory conveyors to a flexible feeding system for micro parts, an alternative approach for the automated flexible feeding of small and fragile parts on the basis of the micro slide conveyance was worked out and examined at the wbk Institute of Production Science in Karlsruhe. However, for a productive and efficient operation of the system there is still a clear lack of research. That is primarily the result of a missing suitable process model for the conveying process. A modeling was so far only possible for some selected special cases [Trö-11] or [Hab-84] and in a generalized form [Moz-72] respectively. Due to many influencing factors, their partially unknown effects and interactions, and changing environmental influences during operation, a development of a generally applicable process model by looking at mechanics and physics seems very complex and not very promising though. So, the objective of the project involves increasing the efficiency and productivity of automated modular flexible feeding systems on the basis of piezoelectric vibratory conveyors with the help of suitable process models. Within the project a method for the automated modeling of a part-specific process model of the micro slide conveyance on piezoelectric vibratory conveyors will be developed first. With the help of appropriate algorithms there shall be then created the possibility to determine the ideal conveyance parameters for the distinct feeding process, like conveying at maximum speed or fast and direct positioning. Special methods for monitoring the model quality shall furthermore allow an automated correction or adjustment of the process model during operation in case of changed environmental conditions, for instance. The project result is an intelligent control of a flexible piezoelectrically driven feeding system equipped with image processing. This control includes a modeling function which is always executed whenever a new and so far unknown part needs to be fed. Conveyance parameters that are adapted on the basis of this model to the part, the process and the environmental state, enable a clear increase in efficiency and productivity of automated modular and flexible feeding systems that are working according to the principle of the micro slide conveyance.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants