TRIZ based Interface Conflict Resolving Strategies for Modular Product Architectures

In product development, the chosen product architecture often possesses characteristics of both modular and integral design. Within a modular architecture, a Function-Behavior-Structure (FBS) model has been applied to describe modules and their interfaces. To resolve emerging interface conflicts, several strategies based on both modular and integral action have been formulated. The strategies encompass TRIZ methods, as they focus strongly on product innovation. The purpose of the presented study is to combine TRIZ techniques and FBS modeling while trying to solve interface conflicts at a low level of abstraction. The interface conflict resolving strategies have been applied on an industrial case study successfull

Developing concepts for improved efficiency of robot work preparation

SInBot[1] is a large research project that focuses on maximizing the efficient use of mobile industrial robots during medium sized production runs. The system that will be described in this paper will focusses on the development and validation of concepts for efficient work preparation for cells of intelligent mobile robots that execute medium sized production runs. For a wide range of products, the machining tasks will be defined on an appropriate level, enabling control over the robots behavior and performance. When the system, system operator, and robots have more experience with a product the system can be controlled on a higher level (i.e. the subsystems or even robots can start allocating and executing tasks by themselves). Different test beds are used to test the diversity of aspects involved in the development of the SInBot system. The initial test bed used for this research is a combination of two Lynxmotion AL5D robots and a Samsung SUR40 multi-touch environment. In this paper, novel work preparation concepts will be described and an experiment setup is proposed to validate the model for definition and generation of tasks from a CAD file

New Strategies for Powder Compaction in Powder-based Rapid Prototyping Techniques

In powder-based rapid prototyping techniques, powder compaction is used to create thin layers of fine powder that are locally bonded. By stacking these layers of locally bonded material, an object is made. The compaction of thin layers of powder mater ials is of interest for a wide range of applications, but this study solely focuses on the application for powder -based three-dimensional printing (e.g. SLS, 3DP). This research is primarily interested in powder compaction for creating membranes with specific properties.\ud \ud In this paper, methods of powder deposition are discussed and experiments carried out using a specimen powder bed apparatus and a custom powder compaction device, using these methods (doctor blade, forward and backward rotating roller, double action roller) with various parameters. The model of powder compaction is verified in experiments. Insight is gathered to gain a better prediction of powder compactio

Evaluating a Data Distribution Service System for Dynamic Manufacturing Environments: A Case Study

AbstractSmall and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Europe struggle to incorporate industrial robots in their production environments, while large enterprises use these robots for large batch production only. The paradigm shift from mass production to mass personalization decreases batch sizes and changes the approach to implementation of industrial robots in manufacturing environments. It also opens doors for SMEs to further incorporate robots in their production environments. The goal of this research is to evaluate the suitability of a data-centric, distributed, decentralized manufacturing system for cooperation between robots and humans. A case is presented featuring cooperation between robots and humans. A control system is proposed based on distributed intelligence and decentralized control, to handle the rapidly expanding complexity in dynamic manufacturing environments. The communication in such a distributed environment is provided by a Data Distribution Service system; an extendible, flexible approach to communication. Key issues that are encountered in implementing the cooperation into the current industrial environments are identified. The proposed control system is projected on the case and evaluated for application suitability and expected performance

A Function Based Approach for Designing Intelligent Flexible Automated Manufacturing Environments

AbstractSInBot [8] is large research project (10+ partners), that started in November 2011 and that focuses on maximizing the efficient use of robotics support during medium sized production runs. In that project, the production of a dump truck with a fiber reinforced loading bay will be used as a case to test the developed theories and hardware (mainly sensor development is expected). In the early stages of the project it remains unclear what and how automation will be organized. This leads to the question; how to define the layout of the production plant, if the level of automation is still unknown. Before the start of the SInBot project, research was already started for the development of a method that allows for the directed development of layouts. In this paper this method will be described and three example layouts will be presented and evaluated

Evaluating a Prototype Approach to Validating a DDS-based System Architecture for Automated Manufacturing Environments

Data Distribution Services (DDS) are emerging as communication systems in manufacturing environments. One of the key features of a DDS based system is the ability to regain performance levels after the introduction or removal of a DDS participant. In implementing a DDS participant to an existing system, message transport speed and message latency is often sacrificed due to protection problems in OEM software. Validity and suitability for integration of OpenDDS specifically, a manufacturing system is evaluated by defining two implementation scenarios; a flexible approach with a dedicated DDS participant application, and a high speed approach integrating the OpenDDS API directly in the target application. The system is validated by monitoring performance, efficiency and robustness in use and implementation. This result is part of a system architecture, developed for project Smart Industrial Robotics (SInBot), that focuses on maximizing the efficient use of mobile industrial robots during medium sized production runs. This modular system architecture is based on distributed intelligence and decentralized control to enable online reconfiguration of industrial robots in manufacturing facilities

Open Source Powder based Rapid Prototyping Machine for Ceramics

3DP (Three Dimensional Printing) technology is one of the SFF (Solid Freeform Fabrication) technologies which have recently come into the spotlight due to its adaptability to various applications. However, commercial 3DP machines are limited as to the use of building material, without voiding the warranty on the machine. At the same time, a rise in domestic rapid prototyping machines is observed, but none of these machines use the 3DP process. Therefore, an open source 3DP machine is designed and built. In this study, the machine is discussed and the first experiments are carried out to create ceramic (alumina and zirconia) membranes with specific physical properties.\ud The purpose for developing this machine was opening up the opportunity to investigate printing ceramic membranes and reactors. Were, contrary to many other applications, maximal compaction of the powder during deposition is not desirable, to maintain an open structure the walls of the printed object. The machine is able to deposit the powder with adjustable bulk density, which is used to alter the properties of the membrane. The design of the printer (drawings, electronic layout, software) is publicly released under an open source license, free for others to adapt, build and use, e.g. in academic research

TRIZ as an Enabler for Intellectual Property Protection During Product Development

AbstractIn Europe and the United States a switch to a knowledge intensive production industry is actively pursued. Especially in these knowledge intensive branches of industry proper protection of IP is of utmost importance to get and maintain a profit-making advantage over competitors. These companies define patenting strategy's that go beyond the patent of just single products or processes. The decisions on these patenting strategies are made by specific IP departments after the development process. The main question to be answered is if a company's patent strategy is better served if the product designer can take this strategy into account during the concept development stage. This paper looks at the possibility of TRIZ as means of supporting the product designer in acquiring patent strategy data. It does so by linking a design model to TRIZ tools and methods and patenting strategies. Furthermore TRIZ is compared to generic strategies for developing a (design around) patent. It is concluded that all information is available to define the data for the patenting strategies during concept development, but that the available tools and methods are too slow. Furthermore, two important strategies for defining patens, combination and decomposition, are not properly supported by TRIZ