WO2022066152A1

WO2022066152A1 - Pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2022066152A1
Application number: PCT/US2020/052060
Authority: WO
Inventors: John J. Briden; Lluis PARE; Oriol BORRELL CARBONELL
Original assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority date: 2020-09-22
Filing date: 2020-09-22
Publication date: 2022-03-31

Abstract

In some examples, a pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly may include a form tool mounting plate to removably connect with a selected form body through a form body attachment mechanism, and a transfer tool mounting plate to removably connect with a selected transfer body through a transfer body attachment mechanism. Each of the form body and the transfer body attachment mechanisms may include at least one recess and a body interface engageable with each other to connect a mounting plate with a body without the use of additional tools. The form tool mounting plate may be of a specified category, and the form tool mounting plate may be usable with a plurality of form bodies including the form body of the specified category.

Description

PULPING MACHINE QUICK-CHANGE FORMING AND TRANSFER ASSEMBLY

BACKGROUND

[0001] A pulping machine may include a pulp molding die that may utilize a pulp of material to fabricate various products. The pulp molding die may include a main body, and a wire mesh (or a three-dimensional (3D) printed screen) which may be immersed in the pulp of material. The material in the pulp may form into the shape of the main body and the wire mesh. The main body and the wire mesh may have a desired shape of the product to be formed. The main body and the wire mesh may include numerous pores for liquid passage. The pores in the wire mesh may be significantly smaller than the pores in the main body. During formation of the product, a vacuum force may be applied through the pulp molding die to cause the material in the pulp to be sucked onto the wire mesh and form into a shape that matches the shape of the pulp molding die. The material may be removed from the wire mesh and may be solidified to form the shape of the desired product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0002] Features of the present disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not limited in the following figure(s), in which like numerals indicate like elements, in which:

[0003] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic cutout view of a form tool mounting plate and a form body of a pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure;

[0004] Figure 2A illustrates a schematic layout of the pulping machine quick- change forming and transfer assembly of Figure 1 , in accordance with an example of the present disclosure;

[0005] Figure 2B illustrates a schematic layout of an apparatus for generating molded fiber articles, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure;

[0006] Figure 3 illustrates an enlarged schematic cutout view of the form tool mounting plate and the form body of Figure 1 , illustrating a form tool mounting plate quick-change connector including a recess engageable with a form body hook on the form body, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure;

[0007] Figure 4 illustrates an enlarged schematic cutout view of the form tool mounting plate and the form body of Figure 1 , illustrating a form tool mounting plate quick-change connector including a clip that is engageable with a form body protrusion on the form body, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure;

[0008] Figures 5A and 5B respectively illustrates top and front schematic views of the form tool mounting plate and the form body of Figure 1 , illustrating connection components including a support datum connection component, an active clamping component, and a passive clamping component, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure;

[0009] Figure 6 illustrates a layout of a pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination apparatus in accordance with an example of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 7 illustrates an example block diagram for pulping machine quick- change forming and transfer assembly connection determination in accordance with an example of the present disclosure;

[0011] Figure 8 illustrates a flowchart of an example method for pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination in accordance with an example of the present disclosure; and

[0012] Figure 9 illustrates a further example block diagram for pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination in accordance with another example of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the present disclosure is described by referring mainly to examples. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. It will be readily apparent however, that the present disclosure may be practiced without limitation to these specific details. In other instances, some methods and structures have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present disclosure.

[0014] Throughout the present disclosure, the terms "a" and "an" are intended to denote at least one of a particular element. As used herein, the term "includes" means includes but not limited to, the term "including" means including but not limited to. The term "based on" means based at least in part on.

[0015] With respect to pulping machines, such machines may include form and transfer tool mounting platens that are part of the machine itself, and are infrequently changed and/or modified due to factors such as weight of the platens, time needed to remove the platens, etc. The form and transfer tool mounting platens may respectively include form and transfer tool mounting plates that are bolted thereon. The form and transfer tool mounting plates may respectively host a form body and a transfer body bolted thereon, where the form body and the transfer body form a toolset. The form body may be utilized with a screen, which may also be referred to as a wire mesh as disclosed herein. In some examples, the screen may be manufactured through a 3D printer.

[0016] When a new toolset is to be utilized for a different product, the form body and the transfer body may need to be respectively unbolted from the form and transfer tool mounting plates. Similarly, since the form and transfer tool mounting plates are designed for a specific toolset for manufacturing a specific product having a certain configuration, when the new toolset is to be utilized for a different product having a different configuration, the form and transfer tool mounting plates may be respectively unbolted from the form tool mounting platen and the transfer tool mounting platen. This operation to unbolt and remove the form and transfer tool mounting plates from the form and transfer tool mounting platens, and to further unbolt and remove the form body and transfer body from the form and transfer tool mounting plates may result in significant downtime and hence a loss in production throughput.

[0017] Furthermore, in some examples, the form body and transfer body may weigh on the order of 20-90 or more Kgs, and may include typical dimensions on the order of 30-40cm X 50-180cm for a rotary machine, whereas reciprocating machines may have platens that have a more even aspect ratio (e.g., 800mm X 600mm). Thus, it is technically challenging to efficiently swap the toolset to manufacture a different product. It is also technically challenging to efficiently swap the form and transfer tool mounting plates, which may be larger in weight and size, when a toolset change is needed.

[0018] In order to address the aforementioned technical challenges, pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assemblies as disclosed herein may include a portfolio of standard plates, such as form tool mounting plates, and transfer tool mounting plates, of specified categories and specified sizes. Further, the standardized plates may include connection interfaces that may provide for efficient swapping of two different production toolsets that are of the same category and/or size. Yet further, apparatuses, methods, and non-transitory computer readable media for pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination as disclosed herein may provide for identification, based on a form body attribute of a form body that is to be removably connected to a form tool mounting plate, an engagement technique to removably connect the form body to the form tool mounting plate.

[0019] In some examples, the pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assemblies may include a portfolio of standard plates, such as form tool mounting plates, and transfer tool mounting plates, of specified categories and specified sizes. For example, the categories may include plates to mount on a particular type and/or configuration of pulping machine (e.g., category-A (or a first type of category) to mount to a rotary machine, or category-B (or a second type of category) to mount to a reciprocating machine of a different operational configuration, etc.). The sizes may include, for example, extra-large (XL) (e.g., 40 X 180cm) large (L) (e.g., 35 X 100cm), medium (M) (e.g., 30 X 50cm), etc. The standardized plates may include connection interfaces (disclosed herein as “form tool mounting plate quick-change connector or “transfer tool mounting plate quick- change connector”). The connection interfaces may provide for efficient (e.g., without the use of additional tools) exchange of two different production toolsets (disclosed herein as form body, and transfer body) that are of the same category and/or size.

[0020] In some examples, the connection interfaces may provide for quick- change of the toolset with another toolset of a same category and/or size as disclosed herein without the usage of additional tools (e.g., tools needed to bolt or unbolt the toolset to the corresponding form tool mounting plate or transfer tool mounting plate). In other examples, the connection interfaces may provide for efficient access to the toolset with minimal movements, without the need to remove the form tool mounting plate or the transfer tool mounting plate. In further examples, the connection interfaces may be utilized for quick-change of the form tool mounting plate with another form tool mounting plate of a same category and/or size as disclosed herein by removably connecting the form tool mounting plate and the transfer tool mounting plate to corresponding form and transfer tool mounting platen. For example, 3D printing of the tools enables the tools to be generated with all of the required connections, such that the printed tools may be directly used, without requiring any additional user manipulation.

[0021] With respect to the pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination apparatuses, methods for pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination, and non- transitory computer readable media having stored thereon machine readable instructions to provide pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination as disclosed herein, the apparatuses, methods, and non- transitory computer readable media disclosed herein provide for identification, based on a form body attribute of a form body that is to be removably connected to a form tool mounting plate, an engagement technique to removably connect the form body to the form tool mounting plate. An example of a form body attribute may include a category of a form body, and/or a dimension of a form body. Based on the identified engagement technique, a connection component may be selected to removably connect the form body to the form tool mounting plate.

[0022] In other examples, an apparatus for generating molded fiber articles is disclosed herein. The apparatus may include at least one form tool mounting plate removably connectable to a form tool mounting platen. The at least one form tool mounting plate may include at least one form tool mounting plate quick-change connector to removably connect at least one form body to the at least one form tool mounting plate. The at least one form tool mounting plate quick-change connector may include at least one connection component engageable with the at least one form body to removably connect the at least one form body to the at least one form tool mounting plate. The at least one form tool mounting plate may include a specified category to provide for usability of the at least one form tool mounting plate with a plurality of form bodies including the at least one form body of the specified category, and interchangeability of the plurality of form bodies with form bodies of a specified form body size without the use of additional tools. Further, the apparatus may include a screen disposed adjacent the at least one form body. A vacuum source may generate a vacuum force on a pulp of material to cause the pulp of material to be sucked through the screen, and to cause the pulp of material to be formed into a shape of the at least one form body.

[0023] In examples described herein, module(s) may be any combination of hardware and programming to implement the functionalities of the respective module(s). In some examples described herein, the combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in a number of different ways. For example, the programming for the modules may be processor executable instructions stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and the hardware for the modules may include at least one processing resource (e.g., at least one processor, CPU, circuitry, etc.) to execute those instructions. In these examples, a computing device implementing such modules may include the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separately stored and accessible by the computing device and the processing resource. In some examples, some modules may be implemented in circuitry.

[0024] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic cutout view of a form tool mounting plate and a form body of a pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly 100, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure. Figure 2A illustrates a schematic layout of the pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly 100, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure. Figure 3 illustrates an enlarged schematic cutout view of the form tool mounting plate and the form body of Figure 1 , illustrating a form tool mounting plate quick-change connector including a recess engageable with a form body hook on the form body, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure.

[0025] Referring to Figures 1 -3, the pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly 100 may include a form tool mounting plate 102 to removably connect with a selected form body 108 through a form body attachment mechanism (also referred to as “form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106”), and a transfer tool mounting plate 120 to removably connect with a selected transfer body 124 through a transfer body attachment mechanism (similar to the “form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106”). As shown in Figures 1 and 3, each of the form body and the transfer body attachment mechanisms may include at least one recess 110 and a body interface (e.g., a form body hook 112 as shown in Figures 1 and 3) engageable with each other to connect a mounting plate with a body without the use of additional tools. The form tool mounting plate may be of a specified category, and the form tool mounting plate may be usable with a plurality of form bodies including the form body of the specified category.

[0026] In some examples, the form body 108 may be interchangeable with form bodies of a specified form body size and of different configurations without the use of additional tools. The pulping machine assembly 100 may include a form tool mounting platen 104 to releasably host the form tool mounting plate 102, and a transfer tool mounting platen 122 to releasably host the transfer tool mounting plate 120. The form tool mounting plate 102 may be sealably attached with the selected form body such that a vacuum force is usable on a pulp of material to cause the pulp of material to be sucked through a screen, and to cause the pulp of material to be formed into a shape of the form body. The selected form body and the selected transfer body include a complementary shape. Each of the form body and the transfer body attachment mechanisms may include the at least one recess 110 and the body interface that includes a hook 112 (e.g., see Figures 1 and 4), or a clip 116 that is engageable with a protrusion 118.

[0027] According to examples disclosed herein, the pulping machine quick- change forming and transfer assembly 100 may include at least one form tool mounting plate 102 removably connectable to a form tool mounting platen 104. The form tool mounting plate 102 may include at least one form tool mounting plate quick- change connector 106 (e.g., see Figures 1 -4) to removably connect at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102. In the example of Figures 1 -4, the form bodies may be designated as form body 1.1 , ..., form body 1.M, etc. The form bodies may be changed as needed to allow generation of a new molded fiber product, and in the example of Figures 1 -4, the changed form bodies may be designated as form body 2.1 , ..., form body 2.M, etc. Similarly, in the example of Figures 1 -4, the form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106 may be designated as form tool mounting plate quick-change connectors 106(1 ), 106(2), ..., (106(n)). The at least one form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106 may include at least one recess 110 (e.g., see Figures 1 and 3) engageable with at least one form body interface (e.g., a form body hook 112 as shown in Figures 1 and 3) on the at least one form body 108 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0028] According to examples disclosed herein, as shown in Figure 3, the at least one form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106 may include the at least one recess 110 that is slidably engageable (e.g., in the direction of arrow 114) with the at least one form body hook 112 on the at least one form body 108 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0029] According to examples disclosed herein, the at least one form tool mounting plate 102 may be of a specified category (e.g., category-A (or a first category) to mount to a rotary machine, category-B (or a second category) to mount to a reciprocating machine of a different operational configuration, etc.) to provide for usability of the at least one form tool mounting plate 102 with a plurality of form bodies including the at least one form body 108 of the specified category (e.g., of the same specified category-A, category-B, etc.). Further, the at least one form tool mounting plate 102 may be of the specified category (or another specified category) to provide for interchangeability of the plurality of form bodies with form bodies of a specified form body size (e.g., a form body of a large “L” size may be interchangeable with other form bodies of the same size, and same specified category). Further, the at least one form body (and transfer body) may be interchangeable with form bodies (and transfer bodies) of a specified form body size (and specified transfer body size) and of different configurations without the use of additional tools (e.g., needed to bolt/unbolt, etc.). In this manner, a plurality of standard plates (e.g., category/sizes: XL, L, M, S, XS etc.,) may be provided with a unique connection interface to enable fast swapping (e.g., quick-change) of the molded fiber toolsets that belong to the same category or size.

[0030] According to examples disclosed herein, the at least one form tool mounting plate and the at least one form body may respectively include a three- dimensional (3D) printed form tool mounting plate and a 3D printed form body, when disposed in a use configuration. Similarly, the at least one transfer tool mounting plate and the at least one transfer body may respectively include a three-dimensional (3D) printed transfer tool mounting plate and a 3D printed transfer body, when disposed in a use configuration.

[0031] Referring to Figure 2B, an apparatus 200 for generating molded fiber articles is disclosed herein. The apparatus 200 may include the pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly 100. Further, the apparatus 200 may include a screen 202 disposed adjacent the at least one form body. A vacuum source 204 may generate a vacuum force on a pulp of material to cause the pulp of material to be sucked through the screen, and to cause the pulp of material to be formed into a shape of the at least one form body.

[0032] Figure 4 illustrates an enlarged schematic cutout view of the form tool mounting plate 102 and the form body 108 of Figure 1 , illustrating a form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106 including a specific example of a clip that is engageable with a form body protrusion on the form body 108, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure.

[0033] The at least one form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106 may include at least one clip 116 that is engageable with at least one form body protrusion 118 on the at least one form body 108 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102. As shown in Figure 4, in the orientation of Figure 4, the clip 116 may be movable in an upwards direction for detachment from the at least one form body protrusion 118 to disconnect the at least one form body 108 from the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0034] Referring again to Figure 2A, the pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly 100 may include at least one transfer tool mounting plate 120 removably connectable to a transfer tool mounting platen 122. The transfer tool mounting plate 120 may include at least one transfer tool mounting plate quick- change connector (similar to form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106) to removably connect at least one transfer body 124 to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate 120. In the example of Figures 1 -4, the transfer bodies may be designated as transfer body 1.1 , ..., transfer body 1 .M, etc. The transfer bodies may be changed as needed for a new product, and in the example of Figures 1 -4, the changed transfer bodies may be designated as transfer body 2.1 , ..., transfer body

2,M, etc. The at least one transfer tool mounting plate quick-change connector may include at least one recess (similar to recess 110) engageable with at least one transfer body hook (similar to form body hook 112) on the at least one transfer body 124 to removably connect the at least one transfer body 124 to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate 120.

[0035] According to examples disclosed herein, similar to the example of Figure

3, the at least one transfer tool mounting plate quick-change connector may include the at least one recess (similar to recess 110) that is slidably engageable with the at least one transfer body hook (similar to form body hook 112) on the at least one transfer body 124 to removably connect the at least one transfer body 124 to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate 120.

[0036] According to examples disclosed herein, similar to the example of Figure

4, the at least one transfer tool mounting plate quick-change connector may include at least one clip (similar to clip 116) that is engageable with at least one transfer body protrusion (similar to protrusion 118) on the at least one transfer body 124 to removably connect the at least one transfer body 124 to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate 120.

[0037] Figures 5A and 5B illustrates top and front schematic views of the form tool mounting plate and the form body of Figure 1 , illustrating connection components including a support datum connection component 126, an active clamping component 130, and a passive clamping component 138, in accordance with an example of the present disclosure.

[0038] Referring to Figures 2A, 5A, and 5B, the at least one form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106 may include at least one connection component engageable with the at least one form body 108 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0039] According to examples disclosed herein, the at least one connection component may include a support datum connection component 126 including a guide 128 to align the at least one form body 108 relative to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0040] According to examples disclosed herein, the at least one connection component may include an active clamping component 130 including a specific example of at least one rotatable clamp 132 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102. For example, in the orientation of Figure 5B, the rotatable clamp 132 may rotate relative to axis 134 to engage a flange 136 of the at least one form body 108.

[0041] According to examples disclosed herein, the at least one connection component may include a passive clamping component 138 including at least one fixed clamp 140 to retain the at least one form body 108 relative to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0042] According to examples disclosed herein, the at least one transfer tool mounting plate quick-change connector (similar to the form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106) may include at least one further connection component engageable with the at least one transfer body 124 to removably connect the at least one transfer body 124 to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate 120.

[0043] According to examples disclosed herein, the at least one further connection component may include a support datum connection component (similar to support datum connection component 126) including a guide to align the at least one transfer body 124 relative to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate 120.

[0044] According to examples disclosed herein, the at least one further connection component may include an active clamping component (similar to active clamping component 130) including at least one rotatable clamp to removably connect the at least one transfer body 124 to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate 120.

[0045] According to examples disclosed herein, the at least one further connection component may include a passive clamping component (similar to passive clamping component 138) including at least one fixed clamp to retain the at least one transfer body 124 relative to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate 120.

[0046] Figure 6 illustrates a layout of an example pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination apparatus (hereinafter also referred to as “apparatus 600”).

[0047] Referring to Figure 6, the apparatus 600 may include an attribute analysis module 602 to identify, for a pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly 100 and based on a form body attribute 604 of at least one form body 108 that is to be removably connected to at least one form tool mounting plate 102, an engagement technique 606 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102. An example of a form body attribute may include a category of a form body, and/or a dimension of a form body. In some examples, the engagement technique 606 may include an indication of whether to utilize one or more of the connectors and connection components disclosed herein with respect to Figures 1 -5B. For example, as disclosed herein with respect to Figures 5A and 5B, the connection component may include the support datum connection component 126, the active clamping component 130, and/or the passive clamping component 138. Further, the connection component may include the form tool mounting plate quick-change connector 106 of Figures 1-4.

[0048] A connection component layout module 608 may determine, based on the identified engagement technique, a position of at least one connection component 610 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102. For example, the connection component layout module 608 may generate, based on the identified engagement technique, a layout of the connection component 610 with respect to the at least one form body 108 and the at least one form tool mounting plate 102. Similarly, the connection component layout module 608 may generate, based on the identified engagement technique, a layout of the connection component 610 with respect to the at least one transfer body 124 (e.g., based on a transfer body attribute 612) and the at least one transfer tool mounting plate 120.

[0049] After a “quick-change” of the toolset as disclosed herein, for a pulping machine that utilizes the assembly 100, during formation of a new product for the new toolset, a vacuum source (not shown) may be aligned with pores in the new form body. In this manner, when a vacuum force is applied, the material in the pulp may be sucked onto the wire mesh (e.g., screen as disclosed herein), and form into a shape that matches the shape of the new form body.

[0050] Figures 7-9 respectively illustrate an example block diagram 700 for pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination, a flowchart of an example method 800 for pulping machine quick- change forming and transfer assembly connection determination, and a further example block diagram 900 for pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination, according to examples. The block diagram 700, the method 800, and the block diagram 900 may be implemented on the pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination apparatus 600 described above with reference to Figure 6 by way of example and not of limitation. The block diagram 700, the method 800, and the block diagram 900 may be practiced in other apparatus. In addition to showing the block diagram 700, Figure 7 shows hardware of the pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination apparatus 600 that may execute the instructions of the block diagram 700. The hardware may include a processor 702, and a memory 704 storing machine readable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the instructions of the block diagram 700. The memory 704 may represent a non-transitory computer readable medium. Figure 8 may represent an example method for pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination, and the steps of the method. Figure 9 may represent a non-transitory computer readable medium 902 having stored thereon machine readable instructions to provide pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly connection determination according to an example. The machine readable instructions, when executed, cause a processor 904 to perform the instructions of the block diagram 900 also shown in Figure 9.

[0051] The processor 702 of Figure 7 and/or the processor 904 of Figure 9 may include a single or multiple processors or other hardware processing circuit, to execute the methods, functions and other processes described herein. These methods, functions and other processes may be embodied as machine readable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, which may be non-transitory (e.g., the non-transitory computer readable medium 902 of Figure 9), such as hardware storage devices (e.g., RAM (random access memory), ROM (read only memory), EPROM (erasable, programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable, programmable ROM), hard drives, and flash memory). The memory 704 may include a RAM, where the machine readable instructions and data for a processor may reside during runtime.

[0052] Referring to Figures 1 -7, and particularly to the block diagram 700 shown in Figure 7, the memory 704 may include instructions 706 to identify, for a pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly 100 and based on a form body attribute 604 of at least one form body 108 that is to be removably connected to at least one form tool mounting plate 102, an engagement technique 606 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0053] The processor 702 may fetch, decode, and execute the instructions 708 to determine, based on the identified engagement technique, a position of at least one connection component 610 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0054] Referring to Figures 1 -6 and 8, and particularly Figure 8, for the method 800, at block 802, the method may include identifying, by at least one processor, for a pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly 100 and based on a form body attribute 604 of at least one form body 108 that is to be removably connected to at least one form tool mounting plate 102, an engagement technique 606 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0055] At block 804, the method may include determining, by the at least one processor, based on the identified engagement technique, a position of at least one connection component to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0056] Referring to Figures 1 -6 and 9, and particularly Figure 9, for the block diagram 900, the non-transitory computer readable medium 902 may include instructions 906 to identify, for a pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly 100 and based on a form body attribute 604 of at least one form body 108 that is to be removably connected to at least one form tool mounting plate 102, an engagement technique 606 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0057] The processor 904 may fetch, decode, and execute the instructions 908 to determine, based on the identified engagement technique 606, a position of at least one connection component 610 to removably connect the at least one form body 108 to the at least one form tool mounting plate 102.

[0058] What has been described and illustrated herein is an example along with some of its variations. The terms, descriptions and figures used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the subject matter, which is intended to be defined by the following claims - and their equivalents - in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1 . A pulping machine assembly comprising: a form tool mounting plate to removably connect with a selected form body through a form body attachment mechanism; and a transfer tool mounting plate to removably connect with a selected transfer body through a transfer body attachment mechanism, wherein each of the form body and the transfer body attachment mechanisms comprise at least one recess and a body interface engageable with each other to connect a mounting plate with a body without the use of additional tools, wherein the form tool mounting plate is of a specified category, and wherein the form tool mounting plate is usable with a plurality of form bodies including the form body of the specified category.

2. The pulping machine assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the form body is interchangeable with form bodies of a specified form body size and of different configurations without the use of additional tools.

3. The pulping machine assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising: a form tool mounting platen to releasably host the form tool mounting plate; and a transfer tool mounting platen to releasably host the transfer tool mounting plate.

4. The pulping machine assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the form tool mounting plate is sealably attached with the selected form body such that a vacuum force is usable on a pulp of material to cause the pulp of material to be sucked through a screen, and to cause the pulp of material to be formed into a shape of the form body.

5. The pulping machine assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the selected form body and the selected transfer body include a complementary shape.

6. The pulping machine assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each of the form body and the transfer body attachment mechanisms comprise at least one of: the at least one recess and the body interface that includes a hook; or a clip that is engageable with a protrusion.

7. The pulping machine assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the form tool mounting plate and the form body respectively include a three-dimensional (3D) printed form tool mounting plate and a 3D printed form body.

8. An apparatus for generating molded fiber articles, the apparatus comprising: at least one form tool mounting plate removably connectable to a form tool mounting platen, the at least one form tool mounting plate including: at least one form tool mounting plate quick-change connector to removably connect at least one form body to the at least one form tool mounting plate, wherein the at least one form tool mounting plate quick-change connector includes at least one connection component engageable with the at least one form body to removably connect the at least one form body to the at least one form tool mounting plate, wherein the at least one form tool mounting plate is of a specified category, wherein the at least one form tool mounting plate is usable with a plurality of form bodies including the at least one form body of the specified category, and wherein the at least one form body is interchangeable with form bodies of a specified form body size and of different configurations without the use of additional tools.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the at least one connection component includes at least one of: a support datum connection component including a guide to align the at least one form body relative to the at least one form tool mounting plate; an active clamping component including at least one rotatable clamp to removably connect the at least one form body to the at least one form tool mounting plate; or a passive clamping component including at least one fixed clamp to retain the at least one form body relative to the at least one form tool mounting plate.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: at least one transfer tool mounting plate removably connectable to a transfer tool mounting platen, the transfer tool mounting plate including: at least one transfer tool mounting plate quick-change connector to removably connect at least one transfer body to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate, wherein the at least one transfer tool mounting plate quick-change connector includes at least one further connection component engageable with the at least one transfer body to removably connect the at least one transfer body to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate, and wherein the at least one further connection component includes at least one of: a support datum connection component including a guide to align the at least one transfer body relative to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate; an active clamping component including at least one rotatable clamp to removably connect the at least one transfer body to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate; or a passive clamping component including at least one fixed clamp to retain the at least one transfer body relative to the at least one transfer tool mounting plate.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: a screen disposed adjacent the at least one form body; and a vacuum source to generate a vacuum force on a pulp of material to cause the pulp of material to be sucked through the screen, and to cause the pulp of material to be formed into a shape of the at least one form body.

12. A method comprising: identifying, by at least one processor, for a pulping machine quick-change forming and transfer assembly and based on a form body attribute of at least one form body that is to be removably connected to at least one form tool mounting plate, an engagement technique to removably connect the at least one form body to the at least one form tool mounting plate; and determining, by the at least one processor, based on the identified engagement technique, a position of at least one connection component to removably connect the at least one form body to the at least one form tool mounting plate.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one connection component includes at least one recess in the at least one form tool mounting plate that is engageable with at least one form body interface on the at least one form body to removably connect the at least one form body to the at least one form tool mounting plate.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one connection component includes at least one clip on the at least one form tool mounting plate that is engageable with at least one form body protrusion on the at least one form body to removably connect the at least one form body to the at least one form tool mounting plate.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one connection component includes at least one of: a support datum connection component including a guide to align the at least one form body relative to the at least one form tool mounting plate; an active clamping component including at least one rotatable clamp to removably connect the at least one form body to the at least one form tool mounting plate; or a passive clamping component including at least one fixed clamp to retain the at least one form body relative to the at least one form tool mounting plate.