Patent ID: 6739228
Filing Date: 2004-05-25
Classification: B23D,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for minimizing waste during processing of a length of stock into one or more shorter usable segments in a processing system, wherein the system includes a processing path and a fixed position severing station located along the processing path, wherein the processing system has a stock gripping location at a fixed position from said severing station, wherein the processing system has a minimum handling length defined between the severing station and the stock gripping location, and wherein the length of stock is oriented along the processing path with a leading end and a trailing end, said process comprising:defining one or more shorter usable segments having an aggregate length plus any processing loss, which is less than or equal to the length of stock, wherein at least one of the shorter usable segments has a length greater than the minimum handling length and wherein the difference, if any, between the sum of the lengths of the shorter usable segments plus any processing loss and the length of the length of stock is defined as a remnant segment; mapping the shorter usable segments on said length of stock wherein one of the shorter usable segments having a length greater than the minimum handling length is mapped as a last segment located at the trailing end of the length of stock and wherein the remnant segment, if any, is mapped as the next to last segment; moving the length of stock along said processing path without reversing the orientation of the length of stock with respect to said leading end and said trailing end; and severing each of the segments seriatim from the length of stock at a severing position at said severing station according to the following steps: (1) severing each segment so that the remaining portion of the length of stock has a new leading end, (2) from the leading end of the remaining length of stock, determining the severing position of each remaining segment, except for the severing position of the next to last segment from the last segment, and (3) from the trailing end of the remaining length of stock, determining the severing position of the next to last segment from the last segment.