When it comes to flexible feeder, the first impression is their ability to handle various types of materials, such as complex geometric shapes, surface-coated parts prone to scratches, thin sheet parts, and irregularly shaped parts. Flexible vibratory feeders can easily solve issues like material jamming and difficult feeding.
To further improve feeding efficiency, TEAM continuously optimizes its products. Based on the properties of different materials, TEAM has updated and adjusted many details of the flexible feeder, further enhancing its functionality and improving production efficiency.
1. Flexible Feeder Surface
Flexible feeders can handle a variety of materials, but some materials, due to their shape or texture, may not achieve the desired orientation or are difficult to pick up. Using a standard flat surface can result in slow feeding and low efficiency.
To address this, TEAM has developed new flexible feeder surfaces tailored to specific material characteristics.
1.1 Perforated Surface
As the name suggests, the perforated surface consists of circular holes, primarily used for feeding cylindrical or conical materials. This design is intended to achieve a vertical orientation for material pickup. The perforated surface acts like a sieve, controlling the amplitude and vibration direction of the flexible vibratory feeder to allow materials to fall into the holes during vibration, making it easier for robotic arms to pick them up. The size and distribution of the holes can be adjusted based on material properties. For example, smaller holes ensure even distribution of granular materials, preventing pile-ups, while larger holes allow precise dropping of larger particles, enhancing production efficiency.
1.2 Grooved Surface
The grooved surface features uneven channels, designed specifically for materials like screws that are wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. During vibration, materials fall into the grooves, and due to the larger head of the material, they are precisely held in place, achieving the desired pickup orientation. The grooves can also be customized based on the size and characteristics of the materials for better compatibility.
1.3 Nested Surface
Unlike the previous two surfaces that require specific pickup orientations, the nested surface is primarily used for flexible feeding of switch socket panels.
For example, switch panels with LN terminals are square-shaped, but the LN terminal relay part is raised. Using a standard flat surface would require vibrating the panel until the switch opening faces down and the LN terminal relay faces up for pickup.
By replacing the standard flat surface with a nested surface, the specially designed grooves can support the panel, ignoring the raised LN terminal relay, thus saving time and improving error tolerance.
1.4 Other Surfaces
In addition to the above-mentioned surfaces, TEAM also designs custom vibratory feeder surfaces for specific materials.
For instance, rubber or plastic materials like O-rings can easily stick to the surface due to static electricity when using a standard flat surface.
Our R&D department proposed using a surface with small holes and uneven texture. The increased friction and better airflow through the small holes reduce sticking, making it easier for robotic arms to pick up the materials.
2. Integrated LED Backlight
The LED backlight serves as a visual aid, assisting the vision system in detecting materials.
The LED backlight is placed inside the flexible vibratory feeder. When the feeder operates, the LED light shines upward from inside, illuminating the surface. Areas with materials cast shadows, while empty areas remain blank, allowing the vision system to better identify materials. This design is particularly useful for irregular or hard-to-distinguish materials.
3. Detachable Platform
The detachable design is another innovative feature from TEAM's R&D team. Currently, all TEAM flexible vibratory feeders feature a detachable design, allowing for easy replacement of parts as needed, enhancing equipment reusability.
Here, we briefly introduce two types of detachable surfaces for TEAM's flexible vibratory feeders: one with four screws and another with a quick-release mechanism.
Four-Screw Detachment: The surface is fixed with four screws at each corner. When a surface change is needed, simply remove the screws to quickly replace the surface.
Quick-Release Detachment: The quick-release mechanism is simpler than the four-screw method. A button on the flexible vibratory feeder allows for instant surface detachment with a single press, facilitating quick changes.
However, the quick-release mechanism is more costly compared to the four-screw method. The choice can be made based on budget and the required speed of surface changes.
4. Automatic Material Clearing
With the rapid pace of market updates, production methods have shifted towards "small batches, multiple varieties." This approach, while diverse, often leads to significant waste and impacts production efficiency due to frequent changeovers.
Traditional material clearing in flexible vibratory feeders typically involves manual removal of materials from the surface, which is inefficient.
The automatic material clearing feature is designed to address this issue. When a changeover is needed after production, a single button activates the automatic clearing system. The system controls the opening and closing angles electronically, intelligently detects the closure state of the discharge port, and clears materials from the surface, ensuring safety and convenience.
From its initial conception to its ongoing refinement, the flexible vibratory feeder has evolved through continuous updates tailored to different material properties. Each improvement enhances the feeder's compatibility with material characteristics, thereby boosting feeding speed and efficiency.
R&D is not static; it requires understanding customer needs and addressing their challenges through continuous product upgrades, ensuring that the solutions match customer requirements and solve their problems effectively.
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