I think this may be becoming a lost art… hope I’m wrong. 😶
One skill that I feel is gradually being lost is the ability to design a machine without the use of PLC automation. People used to make machines where everything was mechanically timed instead of programmed. There was not an absolute need for the machine to be designed so it’s controlled by a computer.
I’m not going to say that “mechanical programming” is always the best way to do things, but sometimes PLC automation is the only way that some engineers know how to design. This can be a hindrance when machines could be cheaper designed mechanically, because you don’t have to buy a different motor for every task.
It seems like this may be becoming a bit of a lost art.
An Alternative to PLC
For example, I was once working on a machine that needed to have a mechanism for disengaging a chuck. I decided to design a starwheel-style mechanism to disengage the chucks and allow the product to fall into the next module. One technique is to connect the starwheel to a servo motor to time the radial position with the linear motion of the chucks. Though this is an effective solution, it’s more expensive than it needs to be.
My solution, instead, used a cam paired with a spring-loaded cam follower. These parts correctly positioned the starwheel in preparation for the arrival of each chuck. The execution worked flawlessly! And the customer was pleased because it saved them the cost of extra automation components. (The design is proprietary, so unfortunately I can’t include a video here. The image shown is an assembly of similar form).
As engineers, we can’t forget the simple solutions. I’m oftentimes just as guilty as anyone else. I was thinking about this today and thought that I could offer a friendly reminder to all of us! 😊
Do you think mechanical designs are still prominent & relevant? Please share your experiences and projects too!
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