Method for providing operating data in machine production line, machine production line

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing operating data of a transport system in a machine production line, in particular for filling and packaging food and / or beverages, and to a machine production line. The machine production line includes a plurality of machines and at least one transport system. The at least one material stream of the machine production line includes at least one of the transport system and the machines. The transport system includes one or more devices. The method creates one or more functional modules. Each of the one or more functional modules fulfills a particular standardized function within the machine line. Each of the one or more functional modules functionally represents one or more of the devices along a flow of material within the machine line. For each of the one or more functional modules, a standardized programmable logic controller (PLC) interface is provided for outputting standardized information as the operating data of the functional module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for providing operating data of a transport system in a machine line, and to a machine line having a transport system, in particular a machine line for filling and packaging food and / or beverages. Background Art

[0002] Today, filling and packaging equipment in the beverage and liquid food industry is highly optimized and can process up to 120,000 units per hour. A typical filling and packaging equipment consists of several different machines and modules, which are connected to each other via conveyor belts. Here, units (such as bottles, cans, trays, bundles, etc.) are transported from one machine to another and pass through the various machines in the production line in a predetermined sequence.

[0003] The failure of a single machine in such a machine line represents a fault that propagates along the material flow and forces other machines to stop there. In order to maintain a high level of performance, a continuous analysis process is necessary in order to identify weak links in the line and to eliminate them continuously.

[0004] It is therefore important to identify as quickly as possible the machine or the intermediate area between two adjacent machines in a line that has caused a line or part of a line to stop in the event of a malfunction of multiple machines. Previously, this task was mainly solved by expertise, whereby experts in complex machine lines checked the equipment based on experience in order to identify the error. However, this manual procedure is usually based on experience and is often very time-consuming.

[0005] The filling line consists of machines (fillers, labelers, cleaners, pasteurizers, packers, loaders, etc.) and a network consisting of conveyors and "small" equipment connected to these conveyors, such as date marking systems, carton sealers, empty bundle storage, etc. The network of conveyors and small equipment is hereinafter called the "transport system".

[0006] Although the machines themselves usually have special data interfaces via which error messages and status reports can be output, the transport system data is not provided (case 1) or is only provided to the higher-level IT system in a highly aggregated form based on the enabled groups (case 2).

[0007] In the first case (no access to transport system data), the status of the transport system is not transparent (historical / real time). Therefore, the analysis of the filling equipment is limited to the machine data and there will be "blind spots".

[0008] In the second case (access to aggregated transport system data), picking has disadvantages due to the need to find a compromise between a generic PLC implementation (less effort in picking, increased effort in BDE system analysis due to lack of transparency) or a customized, device-dependent, individual PLC implementation (high effort at the PLC level, resource and expansion issues due to the need for expertise, no comparability between devices due to individualization, slightly less effort in analysis due to increased transparency).

[0009] From the enabled groups that currently exist, it is not clear what functions these enable groups perform. This depends on the line layout and / or is individual and different for each customer.

[0010] The data interface in the existing system was based on the enabling group status. In principle, an enabling group could always display only one active fault, although there were also message texts that indicated which function of the enabling group had a fault. This made it very difficult to aggregate the status to the enabling group and create transparency about the status.

[0011] Transport system data (e.g. status, error messages, diversion settings) is essential for identifying production disruptions, evaluating line characteristics and analyzing potential for improving overall equipment effectiveness.

[0012] Therefore, there is a need for an improved machine production line and an improved method for providing operating status of a transport system in a machine production line. Summary of the invention

[0013] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for providing operating data of a transport system in a machine production line, in particular in a machine production line for filling and packaging food and / or beverages, and a machine production line for implementing the method. Embodiments and improvements are included in the following.

[0014] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for providing operating data of a transport system in a machine production line, in particular a machine production line for filling and packaging food and / or beverages. The machine production line comprises a plurality of machines and at least one transport system. At least one material flow of the machine production line comprises the transport system and at least one of the machines. The transport system comprises one or more devices. The method starts with creating one or more function modules. Each of the one or more function modules performs a specific standardized function within the machine production line. Each of the one or more function modules functionally represents one or more of the devices along the material flow within the machine production line. Subsequently, for each of the one or more function modules, a standardized programmable logic controller (PLC) interface is provided for outputting standardized information as these operating data of the function modules. These operating data include the status, operating parameters or error messages of the function modules.

[0015] One embodiment of the invention relates to a machine line in which the above-described method is implemented. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Exemplary aspects of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 An exemplary portion of a filling device is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 An exemplary portion of a filling device is shown, as is known in the prior art in production line management systems;

[0019] Figure 3 An exemplary portion of a filling device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a production line management system is shown;

[0020] Figure 4 An exemplary equipment configuration for PET containers and bonded strapping is shown;

[0021] Figure 5 An exemplary equipment configuration for a PET container and shrink packaging machine is shown;

[0022] Figure 6 An exemplary device configuration for a can or glass bottle is shown; and

[0023] Figure 7 An exemplary equipment configuration for a can is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Figure 1 An exemplary section of a typically occurring filling plant (machine line) 100 is shown. Figure 1. The three machines are a pasteurizer 102, a labeler (EtiMa) 104 and a second EtiMa 106. The machines 102, 104 and 106 themselves are typically equipped with sensors and data interfaces so that they can be regularly controlled by the user and can communicate their operating status.

[0025] The machines 102, 104 and 106 are interconnected via a transport system that includes conveyors 107, 113, 114 and a diverter 108. Thus, the transport system consists of a network of conveyors 107, 113, 114, diverters 108 and other smaller devices that are connected in a manner similar to the transport system described above. Figure 1 1 and 112.

[0026] Examples of such devices 110, 111, 112 may be a date marking system, a carton sealer, an empty bundle storage or similar devices. However, these devices are only examples and in particular, these devices may be all possible devices of the following devices: devices for processing (in particular, date marking, sealing, wrapping and / or drying) packages / packaging components and / or devices for inspecting (in particular, weighing and / or visually inspecting) packages / packaging components and / or devices for controlling (in particular, transporting, merging, rejecting, diverting, buffering, feeding and / or distributing) the material flow of packages / packaging components.

[0027] These devices 110, 111, 112 and the diverter 108 are characterized in that they usually have no connection to the transport system data or only have a connection to the aggregated transport system data. For example, these elements and, if necessary, the conveyor are aggregated into an activation group 120 so that the activation group 120 can only output the entire status.

[0028] An enable group usually consists of many individual modules that would otherwise have to be switched on or off individually. Therefore, these modules are grouped into enable groups and switched on together. However, these enable groups include larger areas that can also group different product flow routes into one enable group. Therefore, currently existing enable groups are only suitable to a very limited extent for obtaining high-resolution error propagation.

[0029] One object of the present invention is to provide, collect, analyze operating data and control a transport system in a beverage filling device. This is achieved according to the embodiments of the present invention described here with reference to so-called functional modules.

[0030] The overall purpose of the transport system varies depending on the individual circumstances of the production line, product and customer. In this case, the individual overall tasks can be fulfilled by a plurality of standardized functions. The components that can constitute the transport system according to the embodiment can be encapsulated in functions so that individual status messages and also control interfaces are provided specifically for these functional components or functional modules.

[0031] Depending on the embodiment, the functions may be, for example: "transport", "date marking", "distribution of container flow", "diversion of container flow", "merging of container flow", "storage of empty pallets", "drying containers", "sealing cartons", "inspection of containers", etc. Thus, the corresponding overall task of the transport system consists of a plurality of standardized functional modules, which may also appear multiple times throughout the system. These functional modules, each of which performs a function / task, can be packaged on a PLC (automation technology).

[0032] According to some embodiments, this may be done as follows.

[0033] Firstly, a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) can provide a standardized interface for each of these modules. This makes it possible to provide relevant information about the functions and interfaces in order to control the functional modules, as described below. The functional modules should be controlled via the interfaces and the operating status can be retrieved from them.

[0034] According to the embodiment, the operation data acquisition system can record these standardized relevant information and output them for further use / evaluation. This standardized information can be used for analysis of production line functions, calculation of transport system characteristics and reports, visualization of equipment, etc.

[0035] As mentioned previously, the production line management system may use the interfaces of the functional modules to control them (eg, to affect the flow of product through the production line or to change the settings of a printer, etc.).

[0036] When creating functional groups, the material flow through the machine line must be taken into account. This is particularly shown in Figure 1 , which is in the example Figure 2 and described in the subsequent drawings.

[0037] Figure 22 shows a diagram of a machine production line section, as is visualized in the prior art, for example, in a production line management system. Here, only the machines 102, 104 and 106 are shown to be connected to one another via a transport area 208. However, it is not possible to see which components are located behind the transport area 208, and in the event of a fault in the transport area 208, it is also not possible to show where the error occurred in the transport area (which can consist of multiple branches), because the production plant consists of machines that are connected to one another via a transport system, similar to a traffic network with branches, mergers, dynamic branches during the production process, etc.

[0038] In order to better decompose Figure 2 In the transport area 208, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when cutting (i.e. creating) the functional modules, these functional modules are created so that the product flow is understood. That is, the functional modules cannot be cut overlappingly on multiple routes so that the material flow and the operating status can be displayed at any time.

[0039] If a diverter is included in the transport system and the production flow of a certain sub-production process travels in a first direction, and the enabling group may however include elements of a first (e.g. left) and a second (e.g. right) transport system, one may not know which route is specifically affected by the failure.

[0040] Therefore, in an embodiment of the invention, the functional modules are segmented so that they include fixed parts with routes of material flows that cannot be changed. For example, a diverter can be described / used / created / typed as its own standardized function (ie as its own functional module).

[0041] If the shunt machine itself fails, the shunt machine may include as a standardized function a message that may be output via the PLC interface, for example: "Control current flow left / right". Although there are many different shunt machine implementations that physically function in different ways, each shunt machine may still output this standardized message via the PLC interface.

[0042] Therefore, if Figure 3 As shown, a higher resolution of the transport area can be achieved by interconnecting the function modules (as on a map) and thus making it possible to output the status of each function module and thus the material flow in an overview at any time.

[0043] By linking these functional groups, which are connected to each other via corresponding SPS interfaces, possible error propagation can be identified. With the information of the functional modules, the system can evaluate where and what effects a specific fault may have, such as production interruption, jamming, shortage of transport materials, etc.

[0044] exist Figure 3 The example in Figure 1 shows how the decomposition can be further broken down using functional modules. Figure 2 The transport area 208 includes transport sections 320, 322, 323, a diverter 330, and inline modules 340 and 343. Figure 3 Each of these functional modules may be a single machine, or may be a collection of multiple machines that are functionally aggregated into one functional module.

[0045] The operating data of a functional module can be output to the PLC interface through a signal of a device in the functional module or through a signal of one or more sensors in the functional module.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for providing operating data of a transport system in a machine production line, in particular a machine production line for filling and packaging food and / or beverages, is provided. As mentioned above, the machine production line comprises a plurality of machines and at least one transport system. At least one material flow of the machine production line comprises the transport system and at least one of the machines. The transport system comprises one or more devices.

[0047] The method starts with creating one or more functional modules. Each of the one or more functional modules performs a specific standardized function within a machine production line. Each of the one or more functional modules functionally represents one or more of the devices along the material flow within the machine production line.

[0048] Subsequently, for each of the one or more functional modules, a standardized programmable logic controller (PLC) interface is provided for outputting standardized information as the operating data of the functional module, which includes the status, operating parameters or error messages of the functional module.

[0049] By means of the PLC interface, standardized information of the one or more functional modules can be output and / or recorded.

[0050] By means of functional modules as described in this embodiment and standardized control interfaces for transport systems for filling production lines, higher transparency of complex production lines is generated. The so-called digital twin of the machine line is improved and includes a higher system resolution. The high transparency of complex product lines paves the way for numerous digital products in the future.

[0051] Other advantages of the invention described herein are: greater flexibility for optional aggregation according to specific application scenarios by providing granular information at the OT level, and reduced picking-related effort in transport system planning due to layout-independent standardization. Data quality and comparability are achieved by means of layout-independent standardization of functional modules, which requires less expertise during picking.

[0052] In the following Figures 4 to 7 Various exemplary apparatus configurations for various bottle filling apparatuses are described in the accompanying drawings, in which the present invention or at least parts and aspects of the present invention may be implemented. Figures 4 to 7 The description is intended only to provide a general overview of the machines for which status data can be collected and on the basis of which LLM can process user requests.

[0053] Figure 4 An exemplary apparatus configuration 1000 for use with PET bottles or PET containers and adhesively bonded bundles is shown. Figure 4 As shown, the equipment configuration 1000 includes different modules, which form a production line, at the end of which the filled PET containers are output on a pallet in the form of bundles. Here, some of the modules and machines may be optional, and the present invention is not limited to the specific form and arrangement of the equipment configuration.

[0054] The equipment configuration 1000 comprises an oven 1002 for parisons, a parison sorter 1004 with a feeder, and a blow molding machine 1008. Modules 1002, 1004, and 1008 generally form a stretch blow molding machine in which PET containers are made and molded from the initial material. The manufactured PET containers are further transferred to a filler 1010 in which the bottles are filled. The filler may optionally include a rinser. During storage or transportation, various particles may be deposited in the parisons, such as dust, residues of cardboard or wooden pallets. These particles can be removed by a rinser. A sealer may be arranged at the end of the filler, with the aid of which the PET container is sealed after filling.

[0055] Optionally, the plant configuration 1000 may include a carousel for hot filling of PET containers after the filler 1010. The filled PET containers are conveyed to a separator 1020 and further to a drying device 1024, in which the PET containers are dried, via one or more conveyor belts 1016 (which may also include a buffer 1018 for intermediate loading of filled containers).

[0056] After drying, the PET containers are conveyed to the labeler 1026. The labeler 1026 can be designed for various labeling techniques, such as labeling with hot glue, cold glue, self-adhesive labels or sleeve labels. After printing or labeling the PET containers, the PET containers are conveyed to the handle applicator through the second drying device 1028, the production line distributor 1030, the conveyor belt 1032, the adhesive bundle production device 1034 and the curing path. In the adhesive bundle production device 1034, the PET containers are grouped together in a specific group size and packaged into bundles, such as "six-packs". In the handle applicator, handles are attached to the container, which makes it possible to carry the bundle comfortably. The finished bundles are then arranged correspondingly by the robot 1042 to form layers and packaged on pallets by the palletizer 1044.

[0057] In the plant configuration 1000, so-called format carts or format racks can be arranged at various modules and machines in order to provide quickly exchangeable format kits for short changeover times and automatic tool switching. Examples of format carts are a format cart 1006 for a blow molding machine 1008, a format cart 1012 for a filling machine 1010, a format cart 1022 for a labeling machine 1026, a format cart 1038 for a glued strapping production device 1034, and a format cart 1046 for a palletizer 1044.

[0058] Figure 5 Another exemplary equipment configuration 1100 for a PET container and shrink packaging machine is shown. Figure 5 The device configuration 1100 includes the Figure 4 The device configuration of 1000 modules and machines has many modules and machines, but there are some differences. Figure 5 Omitted already combined Figure 4 A description of the module.

[0059] A significant difference between the two exemplary plant configurations 1000 and 1100 is that a labeling machine 1126 with a labeling module 1127 can be installed after the blow molding machine 1008 and before the filling machine 1008. For this purpose, the plant configuration 1100 can include up to six transport tracks 1150 into which the PET containers can be squeezed. After the PET containers have been squeezed into one of the six tracks 1150, they are conveyed to a film winding module 1152 and then to a shrink tunnel 1154.

[0060] Figure 6 An exemplary equipment configuration 1200 for jars or bottles is shown. Figure 6 The exemplary device configuration 1200 is again related to Figure 4 and Figure 5The device configurations 1000 and 1100 have some similarities, so the description of the device configurations is limited to the differences in the device configurations.

[0061] like Figure 6 As shown, an exemplary apparatus configuration may include two separate feed sections. Figure 6 The first infeed on the left side shows a branch for cans, or alternatively a sub-branch for new bottles that can be reused. Here, containers (i.e. cans or new bottles) are guided into the machine by a depalletizer 1302, where they are guided to a filling machine 1010 via a conveyor belt. Figure 6 The second feed section on the right shows the sub-branch for reusable bottles, which are introduced into the device from a reusable sorting device (not shown).

[0062] In case already used reusable bottles are introduced into the equipment configuration 1200 via the sub-branch for reusable bottles, the reusable bottles first pass through a cleaning machine or washing machine 1304. Another possible difference of the exemplary equipment configuration 1200 is a converting packaging machine 1306 after the labeling machine 1026. The converting packaging machine can sort the bottles or cans into cardboard clip application devices or boxes, or both.

[0063] Figure 7 An exemplary plant configuration 1300 for cans is shown, wherein elements already described in other plant configurations are not described again. The cans in the plant configuration 1300 are introduced from a can magazine 1402 with cans into a depalletizer 1302. After the cans have passed through the filling machine and have been filled, the cans are closed by means of a sealing magazine 1404 and the cans are further transported along the plant 1400 via a conveyor belt, as described above.

[0064] If not required, the optional pasteurizer 1408 may be bypassed via bypass 1412. In the pasteurizer 1408, the just filled product may be pasteurized for storage.

[0065] Compared to the equipment configurations 1000, 1100 and 1200, in the exemplary equipment configuration 1300, different tanks for corresponding consumables are shown, such as a tank 1410 with a flushing liquid and / or a filling product and a tank 1406 with a lubricant. These tanks can also be included in the exemplary equipment configurations already described above. For example, the chemical product 106 conveyed to the machine from the mixer device 110 can be stored in tanks 1406 and 1410.

Claims

1. A method for providing operating data of a transport system in a machine line, in particular a machine line for filling and packaging food and / or beverages, the machine line comprising a plurality of machines and at least one transport system, wherein: at least one material flow of the machine line comprises the transport system and at least one of the machines, and The transport system includes one or more devices, The method comprises: creating one or more functional modules, wherein each of the one or more functional modules performs a specific standardized function within the machine line, and wherein each of the one or more functional modules functionally represents one or more of the equipment along a material flow within the machine line; For each of the one or more functional modules, providing a standardized programmable logic controller (PLC) interface for outputting standardized information as the operating data of the functional module, wherein the operating data includes a status, operating parameters or error messages of the functional module; and The standardized information of the one or more functional modules is recorded or output by means of the PLC interface. 2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional modules are further adapted to be controlled via the PLC interface.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more devices include: Equipment for handling, in particular dating, sealing, wrapping and / or drying of packaging materials / packaging components; and / or Inspection, in particular equipment for weighing and / or visual inspection of packaging / packaging components; and / or Equipment for controlling, in particular conveying, merging, rejecting, diverting, buffering, feeding and / or dispensing material flows of packagings / packaging components. 4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a functional module is created such that it comprises a fixed part of a route within the machine line with an unchangeable material flow.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the standardized information of the one or more functional modules is used to analyze production line functions, calculate transport system characteristics and reports and / or visualize the machine line. 6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operating data of a functional module are output to the PLC interface via a signal of a device in the functional module or via signals of one or more sensors in the functional module.

7. The method according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein two or more functional modules are connected to one another and the material flow is described at any time via the respective PLC interface.

8. A machine line designed to provide operating data of a transport system in the machine line, in particular in a machine line for filling and packaging food and / or beverages, wherein the machine line comprises: Multiple machines; At least one transportation system wherein: at least one material flow of the machine line comprises the transport system and at least one of the machines, and The transport system includes one or more devices, one or more functional modules, wherein each of the one or more functional modules performs a specific standardized function within the machine line, and wherein each of the one or more functional modules functionally represents one or more of the equipment along a material flow within the machine line; For each of the one or more functional modules, a standardized programmable logic controller (PLC) interface is used to output standardized information as the operating data of the functional module, wherein the operating data includes a status, operating parameters or error messages of the functional module; and The PLC interface is designed to record or output the standardized information of the one or more functional modules.

9. The machine production line according to claim 8, wherein the one or more functional modules are controlled by a production line management system via the corresponding PLC interface.

10. The machine production line according to claim 9, further comprising: At least one sensor in a functional module, wherein the operating data of the functional module is output to the PLC interface via a signal of the at least one sensor.

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