Development of a model for part reorientation in vibratory bowl feeders with active air jet tooling
Vibratory bowl feeders (VBFs) are widely used in industry for feeding and reorienting small parts in high volume production. Standard VBF tooling consists of various mechanical barriers inserted in the bowl path which are prone to jamming and limit the feeder to only one type of part. Programmable feeders have been developed to improve the flexibility of these devices, however feed rates are often low. This research describes the development of a model of part behavior required for reorienting a part with an air-jet-based computer controlled orienting system. This system can be used to eliminate jamming and improve feed rates in VBFs. The control algorithm accepts the part's weight, geometry, and its orientation. Sensors then compare the present with the desired orientation and the algorithm determines the appropriate pulse of air to produce the desired orientation.
vibratory bowl feeder air jet sensors automation