Sensing device and system for dynamically measuring a tank on a plug and tank machine comprising such a sensing device

Abstract

The present application relates to a sensing device for use in a can maker, the sensing device comprising a plurality of sensors positioned about and spaced apart from a sensing axis by a radial distance. Each of the plurality of sensors is configured to determine a number of characteristics of cans positioned on a punch of the can maker as the punch travels through along the sensing axis during normal operation of the can maker to produce cans.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. patent application serial number US63 / 319,943 filed on March 15, 2022. Technical Field

[0003] The disclosed concepts relate generally to machinery and, more particularly, to can making machines for producing can bodies such as those used in the food and beverage packaging industry. More particularly, the disclosed concepts relate to sensing devices and systems used in can making machines for dynamically measuring characteristics of a can body being formed on a punch and for actively positioning the punch relative to components within the machine. Background Art

[0004] Typically, an aluminum can may start with an aluminum sheet from which a circular blank is cut. The blank is formed into a "cup" having a bottom and an overhanging sidewall. The cup is fed into a canning machine that passes the cup through an additional circular die that thins and lengthens the cup to form a can body. That is, the cup is set on a punch mounted on an elongated plunger. The plunger is configured to reciprocate and pass the cup through a circular die that (re)draws and thins the cup. That is, in each forward stroke of the plunger, the cup passes through a circular die that further forms the cup into a can body. Near the beginning of the return stroke, the now elongated can body is removed from the plunger before the punch passes back through the circular die. Before the punch passes forward through the circular die again, a new cup is set on the punch. After additional finishing operations (e.g., trimming, washing, printing, etc.), each can body is sent to a filling machine, which fills the can with product. The top piece is then coupled to the can body and the can body is sealed, thereby completing the can.

[0005] The tool kit in the can making machine has a plurality of spaced apart dies, each with a generally circular opening. The opening of each die is slightly smaller than the next adjacent upstream die. Thus, as the punch pulls the cup through the first die (i.e., the redraw die), the aluminum cup is deformed on the generally cylindrical punch. Since the opening of the subsequent downstream die in the tool kit has a smaller inner diameter (i.e., the opening is smaller), the aluminum cup is thinned as the plunger causes the punch and the aluminum cup on the punch to pass through the remaining dies of the tool kit. The spacing between the plunger and the redraw die is typically less than about 0.010 inches, and less than about 0.004 inches in the last ironing die. After the cup has moved through the last die, the bottom and side walls of the cup have the desired thickness; the only other deformation required is to form the bottom of the cup into a domed portion that extends inward (i.e., is concave). To achieve this, the distal end of the punch is concave, and at the maximum extension of the plunger is a "dome." The domer has a generally convex domed top and a shaped perimeter. When the plunger reaches its maximum extension, the bottom of the can engages the domer and deforms into a domed top, with the bottom perimeter of the can being shaped as desired (usually angled inwardly to increase the strength of the can and allow the resulting cans to be stacked). As the plunger is retracted, the can is caused to fall off the end of the plunger by injecting air into the center of the plunger. The air travels through the plunger and exits the end of the punch and forces the can loose from the punch. Typically, there is also a mechanical stripper that prevents the can from remaining on the punch as the punch is retracted through the tool kit. The plunger is retracted through the tool kit, a new cup is set on the punch, and the cycle is repeated.

[0006] The plunger and tool kit are usually oriented generally horizontally. However, this orientation causes the plunger to wear and break. That is, the dies in the tool kit must be separated to allow the blank / cup to deform properly. This means that the plunger must extend horizontally through the entire tool kit, a distance that is usually between 18 inches and 30 inches, while the stroke length of the canning machine is slightly longer. This means that the plunger is essentially a cantilever. As is known, even a very rigid member supported as a cantilever will sag at the distal end. Although this sag is usually not a problem for stationary members, it is a problem for reciprocating punches / plungers that travel through a certain number of dies with a radial clearance of less than about 0.004 inches. In order to compensate for the sag of the punch / plunger, the tool kit, domer and demolding machine are usually each statically aligned with the punch / plunger. However, when the machine is running, one or more of these static alignments may not be applicable to the dynamics of the moving plunger / punch. In addition, there are other factors that may cause the punch not to run concentrically with the centerline of the machine. Thus, due to sagging and other reasons, the plunger may not be concentric with the circular die of the kit, i.e., the plunger is closer to or contacts the lower portion of the die, resulting in incorrectly formed, unusable cans, and over time, one or both of the punch and / or die of the kit may prematurely wear and / or otherwise become damaged. When this occurs, the worn / damaged part must be replaced. Furthermore, since replacing such parts is a time-consuming process, and since a typical canning machine produces over 15,000 cans per hour, punch / plunger misalignment is a disadvantage. That is, if the punch / plunger is misaligned, it is unlikely that any acceptable cans will be made. The plunger should be aligned with the centerline of the machine (horizontally and vertically).

[0007] In order to verify that an acceptable can has been formed, the body making machine is periodically stopped so that measurements can be taken of a particular can, particularly the thickness of the can around several can circumferences. Based on these measurements, the required adjustments can be determined and / or the need to replace worn parts can be determined. Such adjustments and / or replacement of one or more parts are then made and the machine is put back into operation. The time required to make such stops to measure cans and adjust the alignment or replacement of various parts of the body making machine is time when the body making machine is not producing usable cans, which is a disadvantage. Therefore, the problem with the known systems and methods for aligning a punch / plunger with a tool kit and / or other components of a body making machine is that the known systems and methods are unable to detect the position of the punch / plunger in motion and / or the details of the can formed on the punch / plunger as the punch travels through the tool kit. Summary of the invention

[0008] The disclosed and claimed concepts provide a sensing system and apparatus for determining the position of a punch and a can on the punch as the punch and can leave a tooling pack on a reciprocating punch of a body making machine during normal can forming operation. The apparatus provides for determining the characteristics of a can while the body making machine is operating normally without stopping or slowing the machine. The dynamic readings provide active feedback that can be readily used to automatically position / align various components of the body making machine as needed while the body making machine is actively forming cans without stopping or slowing the machine.

[0009] As one aspect of the disclosed concept, a sensing device for use in a body making machine is provided. The sensing device includes: a plurality of sensors positioned about a sensing axis and spaced apart radially from the sensing axis, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to determine a number of characteristics of one or more of the cans positioned on a punch of the body making machine and / or a number of characteristics of the punch as the punch passes along the sensing axis during normal operation of the body making machine producing cans.

[0010] A number of characteristics may include the presence of the can body on the punch.

[0011] A number of characteristics may include positioning against the surface of the can body and the surface of the punch.

[0012] The plurality of sensors may include at least three sensors. The plurality of sensors may include at least four sensors.

[0013] The sensing device may further include a frame, wherein the plurality of sensors are coupled to the frame, and wherein the frame is configured to be coupled to a stripper plate of the body making machine.

[0014] As another aspect of the disclosed concept, a system for sensing properties of cans in a body making machine is provided. The system includes: a sensing device, the sensing device including: a plurality of sensors positioned about a sensing axis and spaced radially apart from the sensing axis, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to positionally determine a number of properties of one or more of the cans and / or a number of properties of the punch on a punch of the body making machine as the punch passes along the sensing axis during normal operation of the body making machine producing cans; and a controller in communication with the plurality of sensors.

[0015] The controller may be configured to determine the presence of the can on the punch based on a number of characteristics. The controller may be configured to determine the thickness of the can based on a number of characteristics. The controller may be configured to determine the positioning of the punch relative to the sensing axis.

[0016] The plurality of sensors may include at least three sensors.

[0017] The sensing device may further include a frame, wherein the plurality of sensors are coupled to the frame, and wherein the frame is configured to be coupled to a stripper plate of the body making machine.

[0018] The controller may be configured to determine an adjustment to a position of a component of the body making machine in response to a number of characteristics of the can body.The system may also include an adjustment device configured to adjust the position of the component, wherein the adjustment device is in communication with and controlled by the controller.

[0019] As yet another aspect of the disclosed concept, a can making machine for forming a plurality of can bodies is provided. The can making machine includes: a tool kit having a forming passage defined by a plurality of forming dies through the tool kit about a central forming axis, the forming dies being configured to form a cup into a can body; a plunger body having a punch positioned on an end of the plunger body and the punch being configured to move back and forth through the forming passage in a reciprocating manner, the punch of the plunger body being configured to receive the cup and advance the cup through the plurality of forming dies of the tool kit to form the can body; an ejection mechanism being configured to remove the can body from the punch after advancing through the tool kit; and a sensing device positioned between the tool kit and the ejection mechanism, the sensing device comprising: a plurality of sensors positioned about a sensing axis positioned generally along the forming axis and spaced radially apart from the sensing axis, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to determine a number of characteristics of a can body positioned on the plunger as the can body advances through the ejection mechanism on the plunger body.

[0020] These and other objects, features and characteristics of the disclosed concepts, as well as the methods of operation and function of the related structural elements and the economy of combination and manufacture of the parts will become more apparent from consideration of the following description and appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are provided for illustration and description purposes only and are not intended to be defined as limiting the concepts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] A full understanding of the disclosed concepts can be gained from the following description of the preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a body making machine according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed concept;

[0023] Figure 2 is a partially schematic perspective view of a sensing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed concept;

[0024] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A partial schematic elevation view of a sensing device of ; and

[0025] Figure 4 is a series of graphs showing the effects of active forming / production of cans such as Figure 1 The can making machine shown uses a Figure 2 and Figure 3 The sensing device shown is an example output signal from a sensor of the sensing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The specific elements shown in the drawings and described herein are merely exemplary embodiments of the disclosed concept. Therefore, specific dimensions, orientations and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered as limiting the scope of the disclosed concept.

[0027] As used herein, the term "can" refers to any known or suitable container configured to hold a substance (such as, but not limited to, a liquid, food, any other suitable substance), and expressly includes, but is not limited to, beverage cans (such as beer and soda cans) and cans for food.

[0028] As used herein, a "target position" is a selected position of a component relative to one or more other components.

[0029] As used herein, "dynamic positioning" means positioning a component relative to one or more other components based on measurements taken while the punch of a can forming machine is in motion. This will include adjusting the component while the punch is in motion as well as when the punch is stationary, as long as the measurements are taken while the punch is in motion.

[0030] As used herein, "active positioning" means positioning a component relative to one or more other components as the punch moves.

[0031] As used herein, "coupled" refers to a connection between two or more elements, whether direct or indirect, so long as a connection occurs. An object held in place against another object solely by the action of gravity is not "coupled" to the underlying object unless the underlying object is otherwise substantially held in place. That is, for example, a book on a table is not coupled to the table, but a book glued to the table is coupled to the table.

[0032] As used herein, "directly coupled" means that two elements are coupled to each other in direct contact with each other.

[0033] As used herein, “fixedly coupled” or “fixed” means that two components are coupled together so as to move as one while maintaining a constant orientation relative to each other. Fixed components may or may not be directly coupled.

[0034] As used herein, the word "unitary" means that a component is created as a single device or unit. That is, a component including multiple devices that are created separately and then coupled together as a unit is not a "unitary" component or body.

[0035] As used herein, "associated" means that the identified components are related to each other, contact each other, and / or interact with each other. For example, a car has four tires and four wheels, and each wheel is "associated" with a specific tire.

[0036] As used herein, "engaged" with reference to gears or other components having teeth means that the teeth of the gears engage one another and rotation of one gear causes rotation of the other gear.

[0037] As used herein, the term "a number" shall mean one or an integer greater than one (ie, a plurality).

[0038] As used herein, "normal operation" of a bodymaker means running the bodymaker in a full production mode for an extended period of time in order to produce an optimum number of can bodies for the particular bodymaker during that period of time.

[0039] Reference now Figure 1 , schematically illustrates representative portions of a can forming machine or body making machine 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed concept. The body making machine 10 includes an operating mechanism 12 configured to provide cyclic and / or reciprocating motion (such as indicated by double-headed arrow 13), a plunger 14, a loading station 16, a die assembly or tool kit 18, a can stripper 20, and a domer assembly 22. Figure 1 In the exemplary embodiment shown, each of the above-described components is coupled directly or indirectly to a frame or housing, shown generally at 24, for maintaining the components and / or selected portions thereof in a known relationship relative to one or more of the other components.

[0040] Continue to refer Figure 1, the plunger 14 has an elongated, substantially cylindrical plunger body 26 that is positioned about a longitudinal axis 28 so that the plunger 14 moves back and forth generally along the longitudinal axis 28. The plunger body 26 includes a proximal end 30 that is positioned closest to and coupled to the operating mechanism 12 and a distal end 32 that is positioned opposite the proximal end 30. A punch 34 is disposed at, above, or on the distal end 32 of the plunger 14. The punch 34 has a generally cylindrical body that has a concave distal end 36 that is shaped to correspond to a cavity 38 of a domer mold 40 of the domer assembly 22. The operating mechanism 12 provides reciprocating motion to the plunger body 26, thereby causing the plunger body 26, and thus the punch 34 positioned at the distal end 32 of the plunger body 26, to move back and forth along the longitudinal axis 28. That is, the punch 34 is configured to reciprocate between a retracted position in which the punch 34 is positioned between the loading station 16 and the operating mechanism 12, and an extended position in which the plunger body extends generally horizontally through the tool kit 18 and the concave distal end 36 of the punch 34 is disposed adjacent the domer die 40. More specifically, in the extended position, the concave distal end 36 of the punch 34 extends into the cavity 38 of the domer die 40 of the domer assembly 22 and indirectly engages with a convex dome structure 42 disposed as part of the domer die 40.

[0041] The tool kit 18 includes a number (three as shown) of dies 50, each having an opening 52 therein. The opening 52A in the first die 50A (the die 50 closest to the operating mechanism 12) is slightly larger than the opening 52B in the second die 50B (located in the middle as shown). The opening 52B in the second die 50B is slightly larger than the opening 52C in the third die 50C (farthest from the operating mechanism 12). That is, in an exemplary embodiment, the radius of the opening 52A in the first die 50A is approximately 0.010 inches larger than the radius of the punch 34, the radius of the opening 52B in the second die 50B is approximately 0.007 inches larger than the radius of the punch 34, and the radius of the opening 52C in the third die 50C is approximately 0.004 inches larger than the radius of the punch 34. The one or more openings 52 of the one or more dies 50 are arranged along a common axis 54 and together form a forming channel (not numbered), which is thus arranged around the common axis 54. To optimally form the can body, ideally, the common axis 54 of the forming passages is generally aligned with the longitudinal axis 28 of the plunger body 26 (or vice versa) so that the plunger body 26 and the punch 34 on its end travel concentrically through the opening 52 of each die 50 during the can forming operation.

[0042] exist Figure 1In the configuration shown, the body making machine 10 is configured to convert a cup into a can body, which can be topped to form a can. The loading station 16 positions the cup on / over the punch 34 before the punch 34 travels forward through the tool pack 18 to move from the retracted position to the extended position (as previously described). As the punch 34 pushes the cup through the tool pack 18, the cup is thinned and stretched to the desired length and wall thickness, ideally if the one or more openings 52 of the one or more dies 50 of the die pack 18 are properly aligned with the path of the punch 34 (as previously described). The elongated cup is the can body.

[0043] The domer assembly 22 is disposed at the end of the stroke of the plunger body 26. The domer assembly 22 includes a domer mold 40, which is coupled to the frame 24 of the body making machine 10 by a mounting assembly 56, which can have any suitable arrangement. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed concept, the mounting assembly 56 is arranged in a manner similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,713,980, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, so that the positioning of the domer mold 40 can be dynamically adjusted (as discussed below). The domer mold 40 is a body 44 having a cavity 38 that defines a convex dome structure 42. The cavity 38 may include other features configured to form a cup bottom. Ideally, the center of the convex dome structure 42 is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis 28 of the plunger body 26. In this arrangement, when the plunger body 26 is in its most extended state, i.e., in the previously discussed extended position, the cup bottom (i.e., the portion of the cup covering the concave distal end 36 of the punch 34) is formed by the punch 34 entering the cavity 38 of the domer die 40. That is, the cup bottom becomes a dome extending into the can body. After the dome is formed in the newly formed can body still positioned on the punch 34, the plunger body 26 begins the rearward portion of the stroke moving rearwardly from the extended position to the retracted position.

[0044] The can stripper 20 is disposed on the outer surface of the stripper partition 60 opposite the tool kit 18. After the dome has been formed in the bottom of the can and the plunger 14 (and therefore the punch 34) begins to move rearward, the can stripper 20 removes the can body from the punch 34. Therefore, the punch 34 travels rearward without a cup or other material between the punch 34 and the die 50 of the tool kit 18. In this configuration, the punch 34 may contact the die 50, thereby causing damage to the punch 34 and / or the die 50. In order to prevent or reduce such damage, it is advantageous to substantially align the longitudinal axis 28 of the plunger body 26 with the die axis 54. That is, the punch 34 should not vibrate or sag. As previously discussed, the punch 34 disposed on the distal end 32 of the plunger body 26 is prone to sag due to its cantilever body. Additionally, if the convex dome structure 42 of the domer die 40 is misaligned with the longitudinal axis 28 of the plunger body 26, the punch 34 may be pushed out of alignment with the die axis 54 upon entering the cavity 38 of the domer die 40 and then snap back (i.e., abruptly) into alignment upon exiting the cavity 38. This action may cause the punch 34 to vibrate. Although the amount of droop and misalignment caused by vibration is small, the tolerances between the punch 34 and the opening 52 of each die 50 of the tool kit 18 are small enough that any droop or vibration may result in contact between the punch 34 and the opening(s) 52.

[0045] Continue to refer Figure 1 , also refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The body making machine 10 also includes a sensing system 100 having a sensing device 110 for dynamically measuring the positioning of the punch 34 and measuring the can body being formed on the punch 34 during normal operation of the body making machine 10. Figure 1 As shown, the sensing device 110 is positioned on or in the stripper partition 60 between the tool kit 18 and the can stripper 20 and is coupled to the stripper partition. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the sensing device 110 includes a frame 112 positioned around an opening 114 through which the punch 34 and the overlying can body can freely travel. The sensing device 110 also includes a plurality of sensors 116 coupled to the frame 112 around a sensing axis 118 that travels through the opening 114. Figure 1-3 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the sensing device 110 includes four sensors 116 having substantially identical configurations, each of which is spaced apart from a sensing axis 118 by a distance R ( Figure 3) and are positioned in 90° increments about the sensing axis 118. In the exemplary embodiment, each sensor 116 is spaced a distance R from the sensing axis 118 that is 0.030″ greater than the expected radius of the can on the punch 34. Although four sensors 116 are shown, it should be understood that arrangements utilizing other numbers of sensors 116 (e.g., but not limited to, three sensors 116, more than four sensors 116, etc.) may be employed without departing from the scope of the disclosed concept. Each sensor 116 is configured to provide a signal to a controller 120 (having any suitable arrangement, provided as part of the sensing system 100) by which a number of characteristics of the punch 34 and the can positioned on the punch 34 may be determined (as the punch 34 and the can travel through the opening 114 after traveling through the tool kit 18). These characteristics include: the position of the punch 34 relative to each of the sensors 116, the presence (or absence) of the can, the length of the can present on the punch 34, and the thickness of the can (including variations along the height of the can and / or around the circumference of the can when multiple sensors are considered). In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed concept, each sensor 116 stores a series of collected samples and then transmits the data via a wired or Bluetooth network in accordance with a determined protocol at a specified transmission rate while communicating with the controller 120.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed concept, each respective sensor 116 is an inductive proximity sensor configured to provide an output signal to a controller 120 that is inductively coupled to a pulse from the respective sensor 116 to a surface 122 of the punch 34 (at Figure 3 and / or the distance D1 from the corresponding sensor 116 to the surface 124 of the tank body (not numbered) (shown in dashed lines in FIG. Figure 3 In some exemplary embodiments of the disclosed concept, the distance D1 is defined by the specifications specified in the quality standard decree, which is generally between 0.0065" and 0.0040" and as small as 0.038"; wherein the distance D2 has a safe distance between the OD wall of the container / punch and the physical sensing coil, which represents a gap ranging from about 0.080" to 0.030", depending on the container wall thickness defined by the quality standard.

[0047] Figure 4 An example of a series of graphs is shown, which shows that when the sensing device 110 is used such as Figure 1 The four sensors 116 (eg, Figure 2 and Figure 310 ). Each waveform in the graph represents a complete cycle or stroke of the target (i.e., the punch 34 and the container / can body disposed on the punch) as it travels through the sensing device 110. The changes in the output signal are interpreted in the algorithm of the controller 120 and provide detailed information related to the thinning, drawing or forming of the container (i.e., the can body). These interpretations include, but are not limited to, plunger temperature, plunger speed, entry / exit angle, position relative to the calculation center, container wall thickness, and changes along the container body. In addition, these waveforms provide target positions derived from one or more known positions of one or more sensors 116.

[0048] Figure 1 Schematically shown is a controller 120 of the sensing system 100, which utilizes a programmable logic circuit (PLC) and one or more stored algorithms to analyze the signals from the sensor 116 to provide an output 126. The output 126 may simply be provided to a user (e.g., via any suitable wired or wireless means) in the form of a report (e.g., on a suitable display or other device) that provides details of the can body and / or information about the positioning of the punch 34. The output 126 may be provided to other systems and / or devices and utilized by other systems and / or devices to control / adjust the operation of the bodymaking machine 10 and / or control / adjust various components of the bodymaking machine. Although shown as a separate component, it should be appreciated that the controller 120 may be a control device for other operations associated with the bodymaking machine 10, or may be other one or more devices / arrangements without departing from the scope of the disclosed concept.

[0049] From the foregoing it can thus be appreciated that the disclosed concept enables a body making machine to operate more autonomously and require less downtime than conventional devices.

[0050] Although specific embodiments of the disclosed concept have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and substitutions to those details may be developed based on the overall teachings of the present disclosure. Therefore, the specific arrangements disclosed are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the disclosed concept, which is given by the full scope of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.

[0051] In the claims, any reference signs placed between brackets shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The words "comprise" or "comprising" do not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in the claim. In a device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by the same hardware. The words "a" or "an" preceding an element do not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. In any device claim enumerating several means, several of these means may be embodied by the same hardware. The fact that certain elements are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that these elements cannot be used in combination.

Claims

1. A sensing device (110) for use in a body making machine (10), the sensing device comprising: A plurality of sensors (116) are positioned about a sensing axis (118) and spaced radially apart from the sensing axis, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to determine a number of characteristics of one or more of the cans positioned on a punch of a body making machine and / or a number of characteristics of the punch as the punch (34) passes along the sensing axis during normal operation of the body making machine to produce cans.

2. The sensing device according to claim 1, wherein: The certain number of characteristics includes the presence of the can body on the punch.

3. The sensing device according to claim 1, wherein: The certain number of characteristics includes positioning of a surface of the can body and a surface of the punch.

4. The sensing device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of sensors includes at least three sensors.

5. The sensing device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of sensors includes at least four sensors.

6. The sensing device according to claim 1, further comprising a frame (112), wherein: The plurality of sensors are coupled to the frame, and wherein the frame is configured to be coupled to a stripper plate (60) of the body maker.

7. A system (100) for sensing a property of a can body in a can making machine, the system comprising: A sensing device (110), the sensing device comprising: a plurality of sensors (116) positioned about a sensing axis (118) and spaced radially apart from the sensing axis, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to determine a number of characteristics of one or more of the cans positioned over a punch of a body making machine and / or a number of characteristics of the punch as the punch (34) passes along the sensing axis during normal operation of the body making machine producing cans; and A controller (120) in communication with the plurality of sensors.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The controller is configured to determine the presence of the can on the punch based on the certain number of characteristics.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The controller is configured to determine a thickness of the can body based on the number of characteristics.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The controller is configured to determine a position of the punch relative to the sensing axis.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The plurality of sensors includes at least three sensors.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The sensing device also includes a frame (112), wherein the plurality of sensors are coupled to the frame, and wherein the frame is configured to be coupled to a stripper plate (60) of the bodymaker.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein: The controller is configured to determine an adjustment to a position of a component of the bodymaking machine in response to the certain number of characteristics of the can body.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an adjustment device configured to adjust the position of the component, wherein: The adjustment device is in communication with the controller and is controlled by the controller.

15. A body making machine (10) for forming a plurality of can bodies, the body making machine comprising: A tool kit (18) having a forming passage defined through the tool kit about a central forming axis (54) by a plurality of forming dies (50) configured to form a can body from a cup; a plunger body (26) having a punch (34) positioned on an end of the plunger body, the punch being configured to move back and forth through the forming passage in a reciprocating manner, the punch of the plunger body being configured to receive the cup and advance the cup through the plurality of forming dies of the tool kit to form a can body; an ejection mechanism (20) configured to remove a can from the punch after the punch has traveled through the tool kit; as well as A sensing device (110), the sensing device being positioned between the tool kit and the demoulding mechanism, the sensing device comprising: A plurality of sensors (116) are positioned about and spaced radially apart from a sensing axis (118) disposed generally along the central forming axis, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is configured to determine a number of characteristics of a can positioned on the plunger as the can passes over the plunger body prior to the demolding mechanism.

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