Flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment, and relates to the technical field of fluid filling treatment.The flexible production method comprises the following steps that the target filling amount, the container type and fluid reference parameters are loaded, and all sensors and movement mechanisms are initialized; the empty container is conveyed to a filling station, and the relative position of a filling head and a container opening is adjusted and fixed; fluid is supplied to the filling head, stabilization treatment is carried out, and a pre-filling test is executed; by executing short-time test filling at different speeds, pressure and flow data are collected, and the consistency coefficient and the flow index of the current fluid are calculated; dynamically determining a filling speed switching point for compensating the retraction effect by calculating the estimated fluid retraction volume loss and the deceleration section filling volume; filling is started at a constant speed, the filling amount is accumulated in real time, and real-time monitoring is carried out; and the container is released, filling quantity verification and parameter self-correction are carried out, the filling head is cleaned, and the system is reset.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of fluid filling and processing technology, and in particular relates to a flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of mechanical engineering, such as cement pouring in road construction, linear multi-speed filling equipment is often used to improve efficiency and accuracy. However, in processes such as bearing grease filling and sealant filling, high-precision quantitative filling of non-Newtonian fluids such as grease and sealant is required. Their rheological characteristics exhibit shear thinning behavior. During automated filling, when the filling head finishes moving and lifts, the filling material will retract due to its own viscoelasticity, causing the filling volume already filled into the machine to shrink, resulting in incomplete filling or even voids, thus producing a negative filling volume deviation. Existing technologies mostly improve accuracy by optimizing the filling head movement speed curve or using flow meter feedback, but they fail to fundamentally model and compensate for this physical retraction effect that is closely related to the instantaneous rheological state of the material. As a result, it is difficult to maintain stable filling accuracy when facing materials under different process conditions, which restricts the development of high-end flexible production. Therefore, a flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0004] This invention relates to a flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment, comprising the following steps:

[0005] Step S1: Load the target filling volume, container type, and fluid reference parameters, and initialize each sensor and motion mechanism;

[0006] Step S2: Transport the empty container to the filling station, adjust and fix the relative position of the filling head and the container opening;

[0007] Step S3: Supply fluid to the filling head, perform stabilization treatment, and conduct a pre-fill test;

[0008] Step S4: Simultaneously collect pressure and flow data by performing short-term test filling at at least two different speeds, and calculate the consistency coefficient and flow index of the current fluid based on a non-Newtonian fluid power-law model.

[0009] Step S5: Based on the real-time rheological parameters obtained in step S4, combined with the preset reference speed, deceleration period time and equipment constant, the filling speed switching point for compensating for the retraction effect is dynamically determined by calculating the estimated fluid retraction volume loss and deceleration period filling volume.

[0010] Step S6: Start filling at the reference speed and accumulate the filling volume in real time; during the filling process, determine whether the rheological parameters and switching point need to be updated based on the pressure fluctuations; when the accumulated filling volume reaches the speed switching point, control the filling head to decelerate linearly to a stop during the deceleration period.

[0011] Step S7: The filling head moves to a safe position and releases the container; the actual filling volume is verified by integrated weighing, and the retraction model parameters are adaptively adjusted according to the deviation; after the filling head is automatically cleaned, the system is reset to prepare for the next filling cycle.

[0012] Furthermore, step S1 includes the following steps:

[0013] Step S11: The control unit reads the target filling volume, container specifications, and the reference consistency coefficient and reference flow index corresponding to the fluid type from the production order; and sets the linear motion reference speed, deceleration time, effective area of ​​the filling head, and equipment constants of the filling head as fixed parameters.

[0014] Step S12: Zero the flow sensor reading, set the pressure sensor range, and reset the position sensor to the mechanical origin; the control unit sequentially checks the response status of each sensor signal, filling valve, and linear motion mechanism to confirm that the system is ready.

[0015] Furthermore, step S2 includes the following steps:

[0016] Step S21: The conveyor belt delivers the empty container to the designated area of ​​the filling station. The position sensor scans the center coordinates of the container opening and sends the coordinate information to the control unit. The control unit calculates the offset between the current coordinates of the filling head nozzle and the target coordinates of the container opening, and drives the horizontal linear motion mechanism to move to eliminate the offset and complete the initial alignment.

[0017] Step S22: After horizontal alignment, the control unit activates the clamping device to fix the container from both sides to prevent it from moving; controls the vertical linear motion mechanism to lower the filling head to a preparatory position at a preset height from the container opening.

[0018] Furthermore, in step S3, fluid is supplied from the storage tank to the buffer chamber of the filling head, and the control unit adjusts the supply pressure to fill the buffer chamber with fluid and remove air bubbles; a pre-filling test is performed: the filling valve is briefly opened to squeeze out a small amount of fluid at low speed, while the flow sensor monitors the flow rate to confirm that the fluid flows smoothly without blockage; after preparation, the filling head is reset to the starting position to prepare for formal filling.

[0019] Furthermore, step S4 includes the following steps:

[0020] Step S41: The control unit first controls the filling head to run at a first test speed for a first predetermined time to extrude the first test fluid, and simultaneously records the first average pressure difference and the first average flow rate during this period; immediately controls the filling head to run at a second test speed different from the first test speed for a second predetermined time to extrude the second test fluid, and simultaneously records the second average pressure difference and the second average flow rate.

[0021] Step S42: The control unit substitutes the two sets of pressure difference and flow data recorded in step S41 into the parameter calculation relationship derived based on the power law model. This relationship is obtained by transforming the fluid dynamics equation at the nozzle. The flow index is calculated using the logarithmic ratio of the two sets of data. Then, the consistency coefficient is calculated using the obtained flow index and one of the sets of data. Finally, the calculated consistency coefficient and flow index are stored as the current real-time parameters.

[0022] Furthermore, step S5 includes the following steps:

[0023] Step S51: The control unit reads the real-time consistency coefficient and real-time flow index obtained in step S4, the preset reference speed and deceleration time, and the device constant obtained by pre-calibration; substitutes the above parameters into the shrinkage volume calculation model, which shows that the shrinkage volume is directly proportional to the product of the fluid consistency coefficient, the power of the reference speed and the deceleration time, thereby calculating the estimated fluid shrinkage volume loss.

[0024] Step S52: Calculate the volume of fluid squeezed out based on the effective area of ​​the filling head during the deceleration period when the filling head speed linearly decreases from the reference speed to zero. This volume is half of the volume generated during the deceleration period of uniform filling at the reference speed. Subtract the calculated deceleration volume from the target filling amount, add the estimated shrinkage volume loss calculated in step S51, and output the final adaptive filling speed switching point.

[0025] Furthermore, step S6 includes the following steps:

[0026] Step S61: Open the filling valve and control the filling head to start constant speed filling at the reference speed; calculate the cumulative filling volume in real time by integrating the flow sensor signal; read the pressure sensor data at fixed intervals and calculate the pressure fluctuation value.

[0027] Step S62: During the constant-speed filling process, if the pressure fluctuation value exceeds the stability threshold, the current filling process is interrupted, and steps S4 and S5 are re-executed to update the rheological parameters and recalculate the speed switching point. Then, filling continues based on the new switching point. When the cumulative filling volume reaches the current effective speed switching point, the deceleration program is immediately triggered to control the filling head speed to decrease linearly to zero during the deceleration period until the filling valve is completely closed.

[0028] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0029] 1. This invention directly addresses the problem of filling volume deviation caused by changes in material rheological properties by measuring and compensating for the unique retraction effect of non-Newtonian fluids at the end of the filling process in real time. Based on real-time estimated material parameters, the system adaptively adjusts the filling stop point, thereby physically offsetting volume loss. This ensures that the final filling volume more stably approaches the preset target value, reducing the probability of overfilling or underfilling and guaranteeing the consistency of product quality per unit.

[0030] 2. This invention does not rely on a preset fixed speed curve or a single physical property parameter, but has the ability to identify key rheological properties of materials online; in the face of natural fluctuations in material properties caused by different formulations, batches or temperatures, the system can automatically sense and adjust the control strategy without frequent manual intervention or parameter reset; this adaptive characteristic enables the same production line to stably handle similar materials with property fluctuations, improving the flexibility and intelligence of the production system in response to changes in incoming materials.

[0031] 3. This invention combines the constitutive relation of non-Newtonian fluids with the kinematic model of the filling process to construct a compensation control algorithm that includes material properties; this closed-loop control method based on a physical model makes the system's decision-making basis more reliable and enhances the accuracy of control.

[0032] Of course, any product implementing this invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the process for a flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] Please see Figure 1 As shown, this invention is a flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment, comprising the following steps:

[0037] Step S1: System initialization and parameter loading:

[0038] The filling equipment is started, and the control unit loads the production order parameters, including the target filling volume. Container type and fluid type reference parameters; Initialize the sensor system: calibrate the flow sensor to zero, set the pressure sensor range, and reset the position sensor; Set control parameters: linear motion reference speed of the filling head. This speed is preset according to the production rhythm; deceleration period time The filling time is fixed at 0.5 seconds to ensure a smooth stop; the effective area of ​​the filling head... Obtained through equipment geometry; equipment constants The data is obtained through preliminary calibration and used to shrink the model; the control unit checks the status of each component.

[0039] Step S2: Container positioning and alignment:

[0040] The storage tube is conveyed to the filling station via a conveyor belt. A position sensor detects the position of the storage tube opening, and the control unit drives a linear motion mechanism to adjust the horizontal position of the filling head so that the filling head nozzle is aligned with the center of the storage tube opening with an error of less than 0.1 mm. After alignment, a mechanical clamping device fixes the storage tube to prevent movement during the filling process. At the same time, the filling head descends to the ready position, 5 mm away from the tube opening, ready for filling. This positioning process is achieved through closed-loop control and takes no more than 2 seconds.

[0041] Step S3: Fluid preparation and stabilization:

[0042] The filling material is supplied from the storage tank to the buffer chamber of the filling head. The control unit adjusts the supply pressure to ensure the filling material stably fills the buffer chamber and eliminates air bubbles. A pre-filling test is then performed: the filling valve is briefly opened at a low speed. A small amount of filling material is extruded at a rate of millimeters per second, while a flow sensor monitors the flow rate to ensure smooth and unobstructed fluid flow. Once preparation is complete, the filling head returns to its starting position, ready for actual filling.

[0043] Step S4: Real-time rheological parameter estimation:

[0044] Before filling begins, the control unit performs a short, low-flow filling operation to estimate the rheological parameters of the current batch of material to be filled; the process is as follows: the filling head is controlled at two different speeds. Each extrusion filling process takes 0.5 seconds, while a pressure sensor simultaneously measures the corresponding pressure difference. The flow sensor measures the corresponding flow rate. According to the power-law model of non-Newtonian fluids, fluid shear stress With shear rate The relationship is ,in, This is the consistency coefficient. The flow index; at the nozzle of the filling head, the shear rate is related to the filling speed. Proportional, that is ,in The pressure difference is a geometric constant determined by the nozzle radius and length; derived through fluid dynamics, it is... With traffic The relationship is approximated as:

[0045]

[0046] In the formula, For nozzle length, Here, represents the nozzle radius, all of which are known constants of the equipment; this is for real-time estimation. and Taking the logarithm of the above equation and simplifying it, we can calculate using two sets of measurements:

[0047]

[0048] Then substitute into the calculation. :

[0049]

[0050] The control unit will calculate the and The parameters are stored as real-time rheological parameters of the fluid and used in subsequent steps; this process takes about 1 second and ensures that the parameters reflect the current state of the filling material.

[0051] Step S5: Adaptive filling speed planning:

[0052] Based on the real-time rheological parameters obtained in step S4 and The control unit calculates the filling speed switching point. To compensate for the retraction effect; the filling process is divided into a constant speed section and a deceleration section: the constant speed section is based on speed Filling, deceleration section in time Internal linear deceleration to zero; volume reduction This refers to the volume loss caused by the retraction of filling material after filling stops, which is related to fluid properties and the stopping speed. Based on rheological models and experimental data, the retraction volume is modeled as follows:

[0053]

[0054] in, (This refers to equipment constants, obtained through prior calibration, with dimension matching); the volume of filling in the deceleration section. for:

[0055]

[0056] in The effective area of ​​the filling head; to ensure the total filling volume reaches the target, the switching point. The calculation is as follows:

[0057]

[0058] real-time calculation of the control unit and monitor filling volume Obtained through integration via flow sensor; if If less than zero, adjust. or Recalculate, but usually and The preset has been optimized; this calculation is completed before filling begins.

[0059] Step S6: Filling Execution and Real-time Monitoring

[0060] Initiating formal filling: The control unit opens the filling valve and drives the linear motion mechanism at a speed... As the filling head descends, it extrudes the filling material; a flow sensor measures the flow rate in real time, and the cumulative filling volume is obtained by integration. The pressure sensor continuously monitors the pressure; simultaneously, the control unit checks for changes in rheological parameters every 0.1 seconds. If the pressure fluctuation exceeds the threshold, the short-term measurement in step S4 is re-executed to update the parameters. and And recalculate ;when At that moment, the control unit immediately switches to the deceleration phase: linearly reducing the filling head speed, within a certain time... From the inside When it drops to zero, the velocity curve is as follows ,in The deceleration phase has elapsed; during the deceleration phase, monitoring continues. The filling valve is closed when the speed reaches zero; after stopping, the filling material retracts, but through compensation, the actual filling volume is close to the expected volume. The entire filling process takes approximately 3-5 seconds, depending on... and .

[0061] Step S7: Filling Completion and Post-processing:

[0062] Once the filling head is raised to a safe position, the mechanical clamping device releases the storage tube. The control unit verifies the filling volume using an integrated weighing sensor: the total weight of the storage tube is measured, and the tare weight is subtracted to obtain the actual filling volume. If the error exceeds the tolerance range, the deviation is recorded, and parameters are adaptively adjusted. Used for subsequent filling; the storage tube is removed from the filling station and enters the sealing process; the filling head is automatically cleaned: the nozzle is rinsed with clean water to prevent filling material residue; the system is reset to prepare for the next filling cycle; all data is uploaded to the production management system for quality optimization.

[0063] Working principle:

[0064] This solution aims to compensate for volume loss caused by fluid retraction at the end of filling by estimating the rheological parameters of non-Newtonian fluids online and dynamically adjusting the filling speed switching point accordingly. The method utilizes real-time pressure and flow signals of the fluid during the filling process to quickly identify key parameters of its rheological model. Based on a physics-driven retraction loss model, it proactively adjusts the critical point at which filling transitions from constant speed to deceleration, thereby ensuring high accuracy of the final filling volume under production conditions where fluid behavior changes in real time.

[0065] In the above scheme, the filling process is modeled as a control problem affected by the time-varying characteristics of the fluid. By combining real-time sensor data with a simplified non-Newtonian fluid power-law model, two parameters characterizing the current fluid consistency and shear thinning degree are calculated online. These parameters are immediately input into an innovative retraction compensation model, which quantifies the amount of fluid elastic retraction caused by the stopping action and compensates for this loss in advance during the filling process by dynamically adjusting the switching sequence of the filling stage. This mechanism enables the system to proactively adapt to the rheological fluctuations of filling materials in different batches or even within the same batch, rather than passively relying on a fixed speed curve or post-processing correction.

[0066] In this method, real-time parameter estimation is based on a short-duration, dual-speed micro-filling test. By measuring the system pressure and flow rate at two different extrusion speeds, the approximate constitutive equations for non-Newtonian fluid flow in a circular tube are established to derive the real-time consistency coefficient and flow index. The key to the retraction compensation model lies in establishing a physical empirical formula that correlates rheological parameters, filling speed, and retraction volume. The theoretical model is calibrated with actual observation data using equipment constants. Its function is to accurately predict the retraction loss volume that will occur when filling stops under the current production rhythm and material characteristics, and to convert this volume into a correction amount that requires early cessation of constant-speed filling.

[0067] This method is automatically executed in a closed loop through an embedded control system, ensuring the real-time nature of the compensation response and the continuity of the production cycle, ultimately solving the problem of shrinkage in the filling of non-Newtonian fluids.

[0068] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0069] The preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely illustrative of the invention. These preferred embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of the invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the invention. The invention is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. A flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S1: Load the target filling volume, container type, and fluid reference parameters, and initialize each sensor and motion mechanism; Step S2: Transport the empty container to the filling station, adjust and fix the relative position of the filling head and the container opening; Step S3: Supply fluid to the filling head, perform stabilization treatment, and conduct a pre-fill test; Step S4: Simultaneously collect pressure and flow data by performing short-term test filling at at least two different speeds, and calculate the consistency coefficient and flow index of the current fluid based on a non-Newtonian fluid power-law model. Step S5: Based on the real-time rheological parameters obtained in step S4, combined with the preset reference speed, deceleration period time and equipment constant, the filling speed switching point for compensating for the retraction effect is dynamically determined by calculating the estimated fluid retraction volume loss and deceleration period filling volume. Step S6: Start filling at the reference speed and accumulate the filling volume in real time; during the filling process, determine whether the rheological parameters and switching point need to be updated based on the pressure fluctuations; when the accumulated filling volume reaches the speed switching point, control the filling head to decelerate linearly to a stop during the deceleration period. Step S7: The filling head moves to a safe position and releases the container; the actual filling volume is verified by integrated weighing, and the retraction model parameters are adaptively adjusted according to the deviation; after the filling head is automatically cleaned, the system is reset to prepare for the next filling cycle.

2. The flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S1 includes the following steps: Step S11: The control unit reads the target filling volume, container specifications, and the reference consistency coefficient and reference flow index corresponding to the fluid type from the production order; and sets the linear motion reference speed, deceleration time, effective area of ​​the filling head, and equipment constants of the filling head as fixed parameters. Step S12: Zero the flow sensor reading, set the pressure sensor range, and reset the position sensor to the mechanical origin; the control unit sequentially checks the response status of each sensor signal, filling valve, and linear motion mechanism to confirm that the system is ready.

3. The flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S2 includes the following steps: Step S21: The conveyor belt delivers the empty container to the designated area of ​​the filling station. The position sensor scans the center coordinates of the container opening and sends the coordinate information to the control unit. The control unit calculates the offset between the current coordinates of the filling head nozzle and the target coordinates of the container opening, and drives the horizontal linear motion mechanism to move to eliminate the offset and complete the initial alignment. Step S22: After horizontal alignment, the control unit activates the clamping device to fix the container from both sides to prevent it from moving; controls the vertical linear motion mechanism to lower the filling head to a preparatory position at a preset height from the container opening.

4. The flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S3, fluid is supplied from the storage tank to the buffer chamber of the filling head. The control unit adjusts the supply pressure to fill the buffer chamber with fluid and remove air bubbles. A pre-filling test is performed: the filling valve is briefly opened to squeeze out a small amount of fluid at low speed, while the flow sensor monitors the flow rate to confirm that the fluid flows smoothly without obstruction. Once preparation is complete, the filling head returns to its starting position.

5. A flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S4 includes the following steps: Step S41: The control unit first controls the filling head to run at a first test speed for a first predetermined time to extrude the first test fluid, and simultaneously records the first average pressure difference and the first average flow rate during this period; immediately controls the filling head to run at a second test speed different from the first test speed for a second predetermined time to extrude the second test fluid, and simultaneously records the second average pressure difference and the second average flow rate. Step S42: The control unit substitutes the two sets of pressure difference and flow data recorded in step S41 into the parameter calculation relationship derived based on the power law model. This relationship is obtained by transforming the fluid dynamics equation at the nozzle. The flow index is calculated using the logarithmic ratio of the two sets of data. Then, the consistency coefficient is calculated using the obtained flow index and one of the sets of data. Finally, the calculated consistency coefficient and flow index are stored as the current real-time parameters.

6. A flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S5 includes the following steps: Step S51: The control unit reads the real-time consistency coefficient and real-time flow index obtained in step S4, the preset reference speed and deceleration time, and the device constant obtained by pre-calibration; substitutes the above parameters into the shrinkage volume calculation model, which shows that the shrinkage volume is directly proportional to the product of the fluid consistency coefficient, the power of the reference speed and the deceleration time, thereby calculating the estimated fluid shrinkage volume loss. Step S52: Calculate the volume of fluid squeezed out based on the effective area of ​​the filling head during the deceleration period when the filling head speed linearly decreases from the reference speed to zero. This volume is half of the volume generated during the deceleration period of uniform filling at the reference speed. Subtract the calculated deceleration volume from the target filling amount, add the estimated shrinkage volume loss calculated in step S51, and output the final adaptive filling speed switching point.

7. A flexible production method based on linear multi-speed high-precision intelligent filling equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S6 includes the following steps: Step S61: Open the filling valve and control the filling head to start constant speed filling at the reference speed; calculate the cumulative filling volume in real time by integrating the flow sensor signal; read the pressure sensor data at fixed intervals and calculate the pressure fluctuation value. Step S62: During the constant-speed filling process, if the pressure fluctuation value exceeds the stability threshold, the current filling process is interrupted, and steps S4 and S5 are re-executed to update the rheological parameters and recalculate the speed switching point. Then, filling continues based on the new switching point. When the cumulative filling volume reaches the current effective speed switching point, the deceleration program is immediately triggered to control the filling head speed to decrease linearly to zero during the deceleration period until the filling valve is completely closed.

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