Automatic feeding control system for functional candies

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic charging control system for functional candies, which relates to the technical field of candy processing and comprises a stock bin module, a metering and conveying module, a mixing and caching module, a control execution module, a man-machine interaction control module and a safety protection module, the stock bin module is used for configuring an independent sealed stock bin for storing functional component raw materials in a classified manner, and the independent stock bin is provided with a material level sensor for monitoring the stock of materials in real time and triggering material supplementing early warning; and the metering and conveying module is used for performing high-precision metering on the materials in different physical states. Through a triple mechanism of synchronous conveying hardware, a dynamic coordination algorithm and real-time monitoring compensation, the system overcomes the defects of traditional sequential feeding from three dimensions of material conveying time sequence, proportional control precision and mixing process optimization, the feeding mode of simultaneous starting and stopping, accurate proportion and dynamic adaptation of multiple materials is achieved, and finally the component variation coefficient is reduced to be smaller than that of the conventional feeding mode. The distribution uniformity of functional components of candies is remarkably improved, and the quality stability of products is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of candy processing, in particular to an automatic feeding control system for functional candy. Background Art

[0002] Functional candies refer to special candies that are made by adding nutrients or active substances with specific functions to traditional candies to give them special functions. As consumers' demand for functional foods increases, functional candies have a large market size. In the traditional candy production process, the raw material addition link usually relies on manual operation or semi-automatic equipment.

[0003] At present, in the feeding control of existing functional candies, a sequential feeding mode is adopted when multiple materials are added at the same time. The start and stop time difference of each silo is large, which easily leads to local accumulation of low-proportion ingredients in the initial stage. There is a lack of dynamic coordination mechanism, which is prone to "first in, last out" or uneven mixing, affecting the candy processing quality. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to provide an automated feeding control system for functional candies to address the problem, raised in the above-mentioned background art, that in the existing feeding control system for functional candies, multiple materials are fed simultaneously in a sequential feeding mode, resulting in large differences in the start and stop times of the various silos, which easily leads to local accumulation of low-proportion ingredients in the initial stage. This lack of a dynamic coordination mechanism makes it easy for "first in, last out" or uneven mixing to occur, thus affecting the processing quality of the candies.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: a functional candy automatic feeding control system, comprising a silo module, a metering and conveying module, a mixing and buffering module, a control execution module, a human-computer interaction control module, and a safety protection module; The silo module is used to configure independent sealed silos to store functional ingredient raw materials in a classified manner. The independent silos are equipped with level sensors to monitor the material inventory in real time and trigger refill warnings. The metering and conveying module is used to perform high-precision metering of materials in different physical states, realize multi-level control of "coarse feeding + fine feeding", transport raw materials through pipelines, collect weighing data in real time, and dynamically adjust the conveying volume through the controller algorithm; The mixing and caching module is used to evenly mix the materials to ensure the uniform distribution of functional ingredients. The temporarily cached mixed materials are unloaded to the candy forming machine according to the instructions of the control execution module to match the rhythm of the previous and next processes. The control execution module is used to coordinate the linkage operation of each module, dynamically optimize the feeding parameters through intelligent algorithms, collect sensor data in real time, and perform fault diagnosis and emergency processing; The human-computer interaction control module provides a visual operation interface, providing parameter settings, monitoring status display, and handling abnormal operations; The safety protection module is used to provide emergency braking, fault self-locking, explosion-proof and fire-proof functions, and feedback fault codes to the human-computer interaction module.

[0006] Preferably, the silo module includes a silo and a level monitoring module; the silo includes a liquid silo and a powder / granular silo; the level monitoring module is used to monitor the inventory data of each silo, and issue an alarm message when the level is lower than the set threshold. The powder silo is installed with a microwave level meter or a rotary paddle level switch to detect high and low levels, and the liquid silo uses an ultrasonic level meter or a magnetostrictive level meter to provide real-time feedback of volume data.

[0007] Preferably, the metering and conveying module includes an intelligent metering module, a conveying execution module and an error compensation module; the intelligent metering module is used to measure the discharge of each silo; the conveying execution module is used to convey the corresponding materials through the pipeline according to the candy formula, and is equipped with a rotary distribution valve driven by a servo motor to control the isolation of different material paths; the error compensation module is used to collect weighing data in real time, dynamically adjust the conveying volume through the controller algorithm, and correct the liquid volume or powder bulk density according to the ambient temperature and humidity.

[0008] Preferably, the mixing cache module includes a mixing container, a temperature control detection module and a cache unloading module; the mixing container is used to hold the raw materials and stir and mix them; the temperature control detection module is used to pass circulating water or heat transfer oil through a jacketed temperature control layer to achieve temperature control, and use an online viscometer to monitor the state of the mixed materials in real time, and automatically adjust the stirring parameters when abnormalities occur; the cache unloading module is used to temporarily cache the mixed materials through a volumetric cache bin, and automatically suspend unloading when the candy forming machine is paused.

[0009] Preferably, the control execution module includes a core control module, an execution drive module and a data communication module; the core control module is used to obtain sensor data in real time through an industrial-grade PLC and generate control instructions through a control algorithm; the execution drive module is used to send control signals to hardware devices; the data communication module realizes real-time data interaction based on field bus and industrial Ethernet.

[0010] Preferably, the human-computer interaction control module includes an interactive interface module, a recipe management module, an operation authority management module and an alarm and fault handling interaction; The interactive interface module is used to display the status of raw material transportation, mixing, and testing in real time; The recipe management module is used to store candy recipes and supports custom additions. After selecting a recipe from the drop-down menu, the system automatically loads parameters and verifies the raw material inventory; The operation authority management module is used to automatically assign operation authority according to the operator's identity, and fingerprint verification is required for key operations and operation logs are recorded; Alarm and fault handling interaction is used to provide multi-level alarm prompts and provide historical alarm query and fault diagnosis assistance.

[0011] Preferably, fault diagnosis assistance includes intelligent guidance and remote assistance; intelligent guidance is used to provide maintenance suggestions based on fault codes; remote assistance is used to connect to cloud support through a 4G module, and engineers can remotely view real-time data and issue instructions.

[0012] Preferably, the safety protection module includes a mechanical safety module, an electrical safety module and a process safety monitoring module; The mechanical safety module is used to provide equipment overload protection detection. After detecting an overload, it outputs a fault message and performs a locking operation. The electrical safety module is used to arrange emergency stop buttons throughout the machine. After being pressed, all power supplies are cut off within 100ms. UPS uninterruptible power supply is also configured. The process safety monitoring module is used to provide safety grating detection and prohibit equipment startup when it is blocked.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. In this invention, through the triple mechanism of "synchronous conveying hardware + dynamic coordination algorithm + real-time monitoring and compensation", this system solves the defects of traditional sequential feeding from the three dimensions of material conveying timing, proportion control accuracy, and mixing process optimization. It realizes the feeding mode of "simultaneous start and stop, precise proportion, and dynamic adaptation" for multiple materials, ultimately reducing the coefficient of variation of ingredients to 0.001, significantly improving the uniformity of the distribution of functional ingredients in candies and ensuring the stability of product quality. 2. In the present invention, 8-16 actuators are coordinated in real time by an industrial-grade PLC, so that multiple materials can be started synchronously according to the formula ratio, achieving precise linkage and collaborative work between modules, improving the overall operating efficiency and stability of the system, avoiding production problems caused by asynchronous operation of various equipment, and auxiliary intelligent optimization control so that the system can adapt to different production needs and working conditions, thereby improving the intelligence level and control accuracy of the production process; 3. In the present invention, fingerprint verification and operation log recording are used to ensure that only personnel with corresponding permissions can perform key operations, prevent misoperation and malicious modification, and ensure the security and stability of the system. The operation log records provide a basis for tracing the production process and fault analysis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 This is a system block diagram of a functional candy automatic feeding control system of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the implementation regulations described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0016] Reference Figure 1 As shown: A functional candy automatic feeding control system, including a silo module, a metering and conveying module, a mixing and buffering module, a control execution module, a human-computer interaction control module and a safety protection module; The silo module is used to configure independent sealed silos to store functional ingredient raw materials in a classified manner. The independent silos are equipped with material level sensors to monitor material inventory in real time and trigger refill warnings. The classified storage in independent silos prevents contamination and reduces the risk of cross contamination. Specifically, it includes silos and material level monitoring modules. Silos include liquid silos and powder / granule silos; The material level monitoring module is used to monitor the inventory data of each silo and issue an alarm when the material level falls below the set threshold. Powder silos are equipped with microwave level meters or rotary paddle level switches to detect high and low material levels. Liquid silos use ultrasonic level meters or magnetostrictive level meters, which provide real-time feedback of volume data. Real-time monitoring through material level sensors automatically triggers an early warning when material is low and activates the feeding system. The frequency of manual refilling is reduced from 8 times per shift to 1-2 times per shift, reducing the risk of contamination caused by human contact with materials. The metering and conveying module is used to perform high-precision metering of materials in different physical states, realizing multi-level control of "coarse feeding + fine feeding", conveying raw materials through pipelines, collecting weighing data in real time, and dynamically adjusting the conveying volume through the controller algorithm; specifically, it includes an intelligent metering module, a conveying execution module, and an error compensation module; The intelligent metering module is used to measure the output of each silo, and the error of trace components is controlled within ±1% through the "coarse feeding (80% completion) + fine feeding (20% supplement)" mode; The conveying execution module is used to transport the corresponding materials through the pipeline according to the candy formula. It is equipped with a rotary distribution valve, driven by a servo motor, to control the isolation of different material paths. The rotary distribution valve realizes the synchronous delivery of liquid and powder with a time difference of ≤0.2 seconds, and the coefficient of variation of the mixed ingredients is reduced from 12% of the traditional system to 4%. The error compensation module is used to collect weighing data in real time, dynamically adjust the conveying volume through the controller algorithm, and correct the liquid volume or powder bulk density according to the ambient temperature and humidity. The temperature and humidity real-time compensation algorithm is used to correct the liquid volume and powder density to reduce the raw material loss rate. The mixing and caching module is used to evenly mix the materials to ensure the uniform distribution of functional ingredients. The mixed materials are temporarily cached and discharged to the candy forming machine according to the instructions of the control execution module to match the rhythm of the previous and next processes. Specifically, it includes a mixing container, a temperature control and detection module, and a cache unloading module. The mixing container is used to contain the raw materials and stir and mix them; The temperature control detection module is used to control the temperature by circulating water or thermal oil through the jacketed temperature control layer. The online viscometer is used to monitor the state of the mixed material in real time, and the mixing parameters are automatically adjusted in case of abnormalities. The jacketed temperature control layer protects heat-sensitive components. The buffer bin is linked to the molding machine to dynamically adjust the unloading speed, reducing equipment idling time and improving production capacity. The buffer unloading module is used to temporarily buffer the mixed materials in a volumetric buffer bin. When the candy forming machine is paused, the unloading is automatically suspended. The linked control of the buffer unloading module and the candy forming machine realizes the temporary buffering and on-demand unloading of the mixed materials. When the forming machine is paused, the unloading is automatically suspended, which reduces the idling time of the equipment, improves the utilization rate of the production equipment, and thus improves the overall production capacity. The control execution module is used to coordinate the linkage operation of various modules, dynamically optimize feeding parameters through intelligent algorithms, collect sensor data in real time, perform fault diagnosis and emergency processing, and coordinate 8-16 actuators in real time through industrial-grade PLC, so that multiple materials can be started synchronously according to the formula ratio. This realizes precise linkage and collaborative work between various modules, improves the overall operating efficiency and stability of the system, and avoids production problems caused by asynchronous operation of various equipment. Specifically, it includes a core control module, an execution drive module, and a data communication module. The core control module is used to obtain sensor data in real time through industrial-grade PLC and generate control instructions through control algorithms; The execution driver module is used to send control signals to the hardware device; The data communication module realizes real-time data interaction based on fieldbus and industrial Ethernet, achieving high-speed and reliable real-time data interaction. Operators can obtain real-time operating status data of each link of the system, facilitating timely monitoring and management. It also provides data support for system fault diagnosis and remote maintenance. The human-computer interaction control module provides a visual operation interface, provides parameter settings, monitors status display, and handles abnormal operations; specifically, it includes an interactive interface module, a recipe management module, an operation authority management module, and alarm and fault handling interaction; The interactive interface module is used to display the status of raw material delivery, mixing, and testing in real time, facilitating parameter setting, status monitoring, and operational control, improving operational convenience and efficiency. The recipe management module supports custom addition and automatic parameter loading, reducing the operator's manual input work and improving production preparation efficiency. The recipe management module is used to store candy recipes and supports custom additions. After selecting a recipe from the drop-down menu, the system automatically loads parameters and verifies the raw material inventory; The operation authority management module is used to automatically assign operation authority based on operator identity. For key operations, fingerprint verification and operation log recording are required. The operation authority management module ensures that only personnel with corresponding authority can perform key operations through fingerprint verification and operation log recording, preventing misoperation and malicious modification, and ensuring the security and stability of the system. The operation log records provide a basis for production process tracing and fault analysis. Alarm and fault handling interaction is used to provide multi-level alarm prompts, historical alarm query, and fault diagnosis assistance. Fault diagnosis assistance includes intelligent guidance and remote assistance. Historical alarm query and fault diagnosis assistance functions help operators quickly locate the cause of the fault. Intelligent guidance and remote assistance improve the efficiency of fault handling, reduce production interruption time caused by faults, and ensure production continuity. Intelligent guidance is used to provide maintenance suggestions based on fault codes. Remote assistance is used to connect to cloud support via a 4G module, allowing engineers to remotely view real-time data and issue instructions. The safety protection module is used to provide emergency braking, fault self-locking, explosion-proof and fire-proof functions, and feedback fault codes to the human-computer interaction module. Specifically, it includes a mechanical safety module, an electrical safety module, and a process safety monitoring module; The mechanical safety module is used to provide equipment overload protection detection. When an overload is detected, it outputs a fault message and performs a locking operation to prevent damage to mechanical components caused by overload and extend the service life of the equipment. The electrical safety module is used to place emergency stop buttons throughout the machine. When pressed, they cut off all power within 100ms. A UPS uninterruptible power supply is also configured to ensure safe shutdown of the equipment and data integrity in emergencies and sudden power outages, reducing the risk of equipment damage and data loss. The process safety monitoring module is used to provide safety grating detection. When it is blocked, the equipment is prohibited from starting, preventing personnel from entering the danger zone when the equipment is running. The layout of the emergency stop button enables the operator to quickly stop the equipment in an emergency, doubly protecting the safety of personnel and reducing the incidence of safety accidents.

[0017] Data collection in the present invention: the silo module monitors the raw material inventory through the material level sensor, the error compensation module of the metering and conveying module collects weighing, temperature and humidity data, and the temperature control detection module of the mixing cache module collects material temperature and viscosity data. Each sensor transmits the data to the control execution module.

[0018] Instruction generation and transmission: After the core control module (industrial-grade PLC) of the control execution module receives data, it generates control instructions through built-in algorithm analysis and processing, and sends them to various hardware devices through the execution driver module. At the same time, the data communication module realizes data interaction between modules and external devices.

[0019] Execution operation: The metering and conveying module completes high-precision metering and conveying according to instructions; the mixing and caching module stirs and mixes materials, adjusts temperature, and caches and unloads materials; the human-computer interaction control module provides an operation interface to realize recipe management, authority control, and fault handling interaction; the safety protection module monitors in real time to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment.

[0020] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, it is still possible for those skilled in the art to modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or to make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features therein. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A functional candy automatic feeding control system, characterized by: It includes silo module, metering and conveying module, mixing and caching module, control execution module, human-computer interaction control module and safety protection module; The silo module is used to configure independent sealed silos to store functional ingredient raw materials in a classified manner. The independent silos are equipped with level sensors to monitor the material inventory in real time and trigger refill warnings. The metering and conveying module is used to perform high-precision metering of materials in different physical states, realizing multi-level control of "coarse feeding + fine feeding", conveying raw materials through pipelines, collecting weighing data in real time, and dynamically adjusting the conveying volume through the controller algorithm; The mixing and caching module is used to evenly mix the materials to ensure the uniform distribution of functional ingredients. The temporarily cached mixed materials are unloaded to the candy forming machine according to the instructions of the control execution module to match the rhythm of the previous and next processes. The control execution module is used to coordinate the linkage operation of each module, dynamically optimize the feeding parameters through intelligent algorithms, collect sensor data in real time, and perform fault diagnosis and emergency processing; The human-computer interaction control module provides a visual operation interface, providing parameter settings, monitoring status display, and handling abnormal operations; The safety protection module is used to provide emergency braking, fault self-locking, explosion-proof and fire-proof functions, and feedback fault codes to the human-computer interaction module.

2. The functional candy automatic feeding control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The silo module includes the silo and material level monitoring module; Silos include liquid silos and powder / granule silos; The material level monitoring module is used to monitor the inventory data of each silo and issue an alarm when the material level falls below the set threshold. The powder silo is installed with a microwave level meter or a rotary paddle level switch to detect high and low material levels. The liquid silo uses an ultrasonic level meter or a magnetostrictive level meter to provide real-time feedback of volume data.

3. The functional candy automatic feeding control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The metering and conveying module includes an intelligent metering module, a conveying execution module and an error compensation module; The intelligent metering module is used to measure the discharge of each silo; The conveying execution module is used to transport the corresponding materials through the pipeline according to the candy formula, and is equipped with a rotary distribution valve driven by a servo motor to control the isolation of different material paths; The error compensation module is used to collect weighing data in real time, dynamically adjust the delivery rate through the controller algorithm, and correct the liquid volume or powder bulk density according to the ambient temperature and humidity.

4. The functional candy automatic feeding control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mixing and caching module includes a mixing container, a temperature control and detection module, and a cache unloading module; The mixing container is used to contain the raw materials and stir and mix them; The temperature control detection module is used to control the temperature by introducing circulating water or heat transfer oil through the jacketed temperature control layer. The online viscometer is used to monitor the state of the mixed material in real time and automatically adjust the stirring parameters when abnormalities occur. The buffer unloading module is used to temporarily buffer the mixed materials through the volumetric buffer bin, and automatically suspend unloading when the candy forming machine is paused.

5. The functional candy automatic feeding control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control execution module includes a core control module, an execution drive module and a data communication module; The core control module is used to obtain sensor data in real time through industrial-grade PLC and generate control instructions through control algorithms; The execution driver module is used to send control signals to the hardware device; The data communication module realizes real-time data interaction based on fieldbus and industrial Ethernet.

6. The functional candy automatic feeding control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The human-computer interaction control module includes an interactive interface module, a recipe management module, an operation authority management module, and an alarm and fault handling interaction module; The interactive interface module is used to display the status of raw material transportation, mixing, and testing in real time; The recipe management module is used to store candy recipes and supports custom additions. After selecting a recipe from the drop-down menu, the system automatically loads parameters and verifies the raw material inventory; The operation authority management module is used to automatically assign operation authority according to the operator's identity, and fingerprint verification is required for key operations and operation logs are recorded; Alarm and fault handling interaction is used to provide multi-level alarm prompts and provide historical alarm query and fault diagnosis assistance.

7. The functional candy automatic feeding control system according to claim 6, characterized in that: Fault diagnosis assistance includes intelligent guidance and remote assistance; Intelligent guidance is used to provide maintenance suggestions based on fault codes; Remote assistance is used to connect to cloud support via a 4G module, allowing engineers to remotely view real-time data and issue instructions.

8. The functional candy automatic feeding control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The safety protection module includes a mechanical safety module, an electrical safety module and a process safety monitoring module; The mechanical safety module is used to provide equipment overload protection detection. After detecting an overload, it outputs a fault message and performs a locking operation. The electrical safety module is used to arrange emergency stop buttons throughout the machine. After being pressed, all power supplies are cut off within 100ms. UPS uninterruptible power supply is also configured. The process safety monitoring module is used to provide safety grating detection and prohibit equipment startup when it is blocked.

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