Reconfigurable Parts Feeding System Using Array of Vibrators

Yasuhiro Yamada; Nobutaka Torii; Yoshiaki Komura

doi:10.20965/jrm.2003.p0632

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JRM Vol.15 No.6 pp. 632-638

doi: 10.20965/jrm.2003.p0632

(2003)

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Reconfigurable Parts Feeding System Using Array of Vibrators

Yasuhiro Yamada, Nobutaka Torii, and Yoshiaki Komura

University of Fukui, 3-9-1, Bunkyo, Fukui, 910-8507 Japan

Received:

April 15, 2003

Accepted:

October 10, 2003

Published:

December 20, 2003

Keywords:

feeding device, parts feeder, vibratory feeder, flexible parts feeding, desktop factory

Abstract

We propose a reconfigurable parts feeding system (RPFS) consisting of a large number of vibrators, each consisting of a vertical exciter having a piezoelectric element used as a drive source and a plate installed on the vertical exciter. The plate freely chooses a specific feed direction (forward and turn) by adjusting the thickness of the plate and the position of an elastic hinge. The RPSF features: (1) a variety of feed paths freely formed by adjusting plates on vertical exciters, and (2) positional adjustment for plates on vertical exciters automated using a robot to reduce time and cost. We analyzed the vibration of plates based on vibration modes of plates based on FEM analysis. Basic RPFS performance was evaluated in 3 feeding experiments, i.e., along an I-shaped feed path, along a U-shaped feed path, and with a feeding object larger than each plate, using an experimental RPFS.

Cite this article as:

Y. Yamada, N. Torii, and Y. Komura, “Reconfigurable Parts Feeding System Using Array of Vibrators,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.15 No.6, pp. 632-638, 2003.

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