Shearing machine system with wear monitoring and method of operation

Abstract

The invention relates to a shearing machine system (1) comprising: a shearing machine (3) comprising a plurality of wear parts (43); a control device (33) configured to acquire operating parameters (P) of the shearing machine (3); a wear monitoring unit (35) for monitoring wear values (V W,i ) of the associated wear parts (43); at least one wear scaling module (37) configured to receive the acquired operating parameters (P); determine individual scaling wear values (VS i ) based on the operating parameters (P) using individual scaling functions (FS W,i ), and update the wear values (V W,i ) with the respective determined individual scaling wear values (VS W,i ); and an output module (39) configured to provide a status output (O) of at least one wear part (43) at an interface. The invention further relates to a method (200) for operating a shearing machine system and a computer program product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a shearing machine system comprising a shearing machine for producing sausage-shaped products, the shearing machine including a plurality of wear parts; at least one control device configured to control the operation of the shearing machine and acquire operating parameters of the machine; and at least one wear monitoring unit for monitoring the wear value of a relevant wear part among the plurality of wear parts of the shearing machine. The invention also relates to a method for operating a shearing machine system for producing sausage-shaped products. Background Technology

[0002] In practice, packaging machines (such as shearing machines) for producing sausage-shaped products (such as edible sausages) are known, wherein filler material is supplied into a tubular or pouch-shaped packaging shell (cassette), which is stored on a filling tube, and the tubular or pouch-shaped casing is closed at its front end (i.e., the end of the casing pointing in the direction of the filler material supply) by a closing device (such as a closing clamp). After a predetermined portion of the filler material has been supplied into the tubular or pouch-shaped casing, the filled tubular or pouch-shaped casing is gathered by an gathering device, forming a pleated portion thereon that is at least substantially free of filler material, and a first closing clamp is placed and closed on the pleated portion by a shearing device to close the portion of the tubular or pouch-shaped casing that has just been filled. Additionally, a second closing clamp can be placed to close the front end of the sausage-shaped product to be produced next. To cut the freshly produced sausage-shaped product from the remaining supply of tubular or pouch-shaped casing, a cutting device can be provided to cut off the pleated portion between the first and second closing clamps. The freshly produced sausage-shaped products can then be discharged from the shearing machine via a discharge device (such as a belt conveyor) for further processing, such as cooking or smoking.

[0003] Such a shearing machine includes one or more movable components, such as shearing devices or gathering devices, which are driven individually or jointly by corresponding drive devices (such as electric motors, pneumatic or hydraulic drives). These components include mechanical assemblies, such as linear guides or pivoting devices, which include bearings or support surfaces in sliding contact with corresponding opposing surfaces.

[0004] For the mass production of sausage-shaped products, highly automated shearing machines are known, configured to perform operating cycles at 3 Hz or higher. Operating cycles typically involve forming pleats via a shifter device and applying at least one closing clamp. Operating cycles may include additional tasks such as cutting operations to separate the filled product from the source of casing material. Due to the high operating speeds and the considerable force required to deform the metal closing clamps, significant forces are needed to move the movable parts. These high forces place considerable stress on the movable parts and structural elements of the shearing machine. Furthermore, machine vibrations can damage other components. Therefore, shearing machines have multiple parts that are subject to wear or potential damage. These are the wear parts of the shearing machine.

[0005] Downtime of shearing machines, especially high-powered shearing machines capable of producing 200 or more sausages per minute, can be very costly. For example, pre-produced filling material may not be used up in time and / or may fail to meet productivity targets. To minimize downtime, regular maintenance is a common practice. Shearing machine maintenance is typically based on the total number of working hours or work cycles performed by the shearing machine. During maintenance, as a safety measure, many of the shearing machine's not fully worn or damaged parts are frequently replaced. This is done to minimize the risk of wear events (such as punch breakage or wear) occurring between maintenance events.

[0006] However, this maintenance solution is not entirely satisfactory because it may result in the replacement of worn parts of the filling machine while it is still in normal operating condition. Replacing these parts takes time and increases the overall operating cost of the shearing machine. Furthermore, some worn parts of the shearing machine may wear out or fail unexpectedly before reaching the total number of working hours or performing the predetermined number of work cycles, leading to unplanned downtime. These problems are exacerbated because shearing machines are often used to produce different types of products, such as sausages of different sizes. Product changes may require changes in operating parameters. For example, different sizes of closure clamps may be used, resulting in different forces required to close them. Varying operating conditions make proper maintenance scheduling even more challenging. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to at least partially solve the problems previously highlighted, and to generally provide a shearing machine system and a method for operating a shearing machine system that facilitates proper and necessary maintenance of the shearing machine, particularly a shearing machine operated with varying operating parameters.

[0008] According to a first aspect, the present invention solves this problem through a shearing machine system as defined in independent claim 1. Specifically, the present invention solves this problem through a shearing machine system comprising a shearing machine for producing sausage-shaped products, the shearing machine including a plurality of wear parts; at least one control device configured to control the operation of the shearing machine and acquire operating parameters of the machine; at least one wear monitoring unit configured to monitor wear values ​​of associated wear parts among the plurality of wear parts of the shearing machine; at least one wear scaling module configured to receive the acquired operating parameters; determine an individually scaled wear value for each wear monitoring unit based on the received operating parameters using a separate scaling function, and update the wear value of each wear monitoring unit with the correspondingly determined individually scaled wear value; and an output module configured to provide a status output at an interface for at least one wear part based on the wear value of the wear monitoring unit associated with the wear part.

[0009] Wearing parts are parts that undergo wear during the use of a machine. Wear may occur gradually or suddenly. For example, a tool may wear gradually or break suddenly. Control devices are or include computers, processors, microcontrollers, servers, etc. Control devices are configured to control the operation of the shearing machine. For example, the control device may control one or more motors of the shearing machine such that the shearing machine's gathering device separates the filled casings into individual sausages. The control device is also configured to acquire operating parameters. In the context of this disclosure, operating parameters are parameters that characterize the operation of the shearing machine. Operating parameters may be, for example, input parameters or set parameters provided by the machine operator. Operating parameters may be product characteristics of the product to be produced or parameters derived from product characteristics. For example, operating parameters may be the product diameter of the product to be produced or the size and type of the closure clamp used to close the product. Other operating parameters may be derived from such product characteristics. For example, clamp pressure applied to the closure clamp by a tool used to deform and close the closure clamp. Operating parameters may also be measured values ​​and / or may be based on measured values.

[0010] The control device can acquire operating parameters from user input, such as through a human-machine interface, like a touchscreen display. Preferably, the control device is configured to acquire operating parameters from a predefined set of operating parameters and / or measurements. For example, multiple sets of operating parameters corresponding to different products can be stored in the shearing machine's memory. When the machine operator defines the product to be produced, the control device can be configured to acquire the set of operating parameters corresponding to that product from the set of operating parameters stored in memory. The control device can also be configured to acquire operating parameters by deriving them from user input, at least partially based on external signals and / or at least partially based on measurements. For example, the control device can be configured to derive clamp pressure from user input defining the type of clamp to be used. Preferably, the control device is configured to acquire at least one operating parameter by deriving the operating parameter corresponding to the user input from a pre-stored list of corresponding user inputs and sets of operating parameters. The control device can be configured to acquire operating parameters via one or more sensors. For example, and preferably, the control device can be configured to acquire the motor current, motor voltage, motor torque, and / or motor power consumption of the shearing machine's motor. The control device can be configured to acquire operating parameters based on external signals, particularly signals provided from other machines cooperating with the shearing machine in the production of sausage-shaped products, especially filling machines. For example, the control device can be configured to send a filling start signal to a filler connected to a filling tube of the shearing machine. The control device can also be configured to measure the time until the filler sends a filling end signal to the shearing machine, and determine an operating parameter, "filling time," representing the time required to fill the sausage-shaped product, from the time between the filling start signal and the filling end signal. Preferably, the operating parameter is a normalized parameter and / or the control device is configured to determine a normalized parameter from the acquired operating parameters. The normalized operating parameters are preferably provided as values ​​in the range of 0 to 1 or 0% to 100%, respectively.

[0011] Wear value is a numerical measure of the wear of a worn component. It should be understood that wear value can include some error. Therefore, wear value cannot perfectly represent the actual condition of the worn component. Wear value more accurately represents an approximation of the wear and / or condition of the worn component. The wear monitoring unit is configured to monitor the wear value of the associated worn component. Preferably, the wear monitoring unit is configured to record wear values, particularly during the operation of the shearing machine.

[0012] The at least one wear scaling module determines an individual scaled wear value for each monitoring unit. To determine the individual scaled wear value, the wear scaling module uses an individual scaling function. The individual scaled wear value is a separately scaled wear value for the associated wear component. The individual scaling function is a separate scaling function for each wear monitoring unit or each wear component associated with that wear monitoring unit. Therefore, the wear scaling module determines a scaled wear value that is individual for each wear monitoring unit or each wear component associated with that wear monitoring unit. For a shearing machine system with multiple wear monitoring units, the individual scaling function for a first wear monitoring unit may differ from the individual scaling function for a second wear monitoring unit associated with another wear component. However, it should be understood that in some cases, the individual scaling functions for the wear monitoring units may be the same. For example, this may be the case if the wear components have similar wear behavior. The determination of the individual scaled wear value is based on the operating parameters received by the at least one wear scaling module. The operating parameters may be represented directly or indirectly in the scaling function. For example, and preferably, the operating parameters and / or normalized values ​​of the operating parameters may form factors in the scaling function. However, it should be understood that the individual scaling function can also be adjusted additionally or alternatively based on the operating parameters. For example, a first individual scaling function can be used for a first value of the operating parameters, and if the same operating parameters have a second value different from the first value, a second individual scaling function different from the first individual scaling function can be used. The operating parameters can influence the individual scaling function or its components and / or can be components of the individual scaling function (e.g., factors, constants, etc.). The wear value of each wear monitoring unit is then updated by the wear scaling module with a correspondingly determined individual scaled wear value. For example, and preferably, the wear scaling module can replace the previous wear value with the individual scaled wear value. Alternatively or additionally, the wear value can be updated by adding or subtracting the individual scaled wear value from the wear value monitored by the corresponding wear monitoring unit.

[0013] The inventors have discovered that the effects of operating parameters on different wear parts can vary significantly. This is especially true for shearing machines, as these machines are typically highly adaptable to specific product requirements, such as product length, product diameter, casing (sausage casing) material, filler material, clamp material, clamp size, clamp shape, etc. While a change in one operating parameter may have a significant impact on the lifespan of a first wear part, its effect on a second wear part may be negligible. For example, a change in the viscosity of the filler material can have a significant impact on the strain applied to the agglomerating device, which forms pleats by removing the filler from the casing portion agglomerated into the pleats. On the other hand, the viscosity of the filler material has a negligible effect on the wear behavior of the punch, since the closing clamp is typically positioned on pleats that are essentially devoid of filler material. Therefore, the lifespan of wear parts in a shearing machine can vary significantly depending on operating conditions. Consequently, predicting and / or monitoring the wear condition of wear parts is particularly difficult for shearing machines. The complexity is further increased because the operating parameters of the shearing machine typically change multiple times during the lifespan of the wear parts. The inventors have discovered that providing a wear monitoring unit for monitoring the wear of relevant parts helps to track the wear value of that part. The wear scaling module takes into account the impact of changes in operating parameters on different worn parts.

[0014] The output module is configured to provide a status output for at least one worn component. The status output is based on the (updated) wear value of the worn component. In the simplest configuration, the wear value of the wear monitoring unit is the status output. In other embodiments, the status output includes additional information or data and / or is derived from the wear value of the wear monitoring unit. For example, the status output could be the expected remaining lifespan of the worn component associated with the corresponding wear monitoring unit. The status output is provided to an interface. The interface could be a display, data transmission interface, wireless interface, speaker, etc. For example, the interface could be a wireless interface configured to wirelessly transmit the wear status to another device, such as a handheld device, a (cloud) server, or a computer.

[0015] Preferably, at least one wear monitoring unit and / or at least one wear scaling module is a subunit, particularly a virtual subunit of the control device of the shearing machine (especially the main control device of the shearing machine).

[0016] This invention is not limited to shearing machine systems. In other preferred configurations, the invention addresses this problem by using machine systems that include another type of machine, particularly food production machine systems that include filling machines, hanging lines for suspending food, sealing machines, etc. Such machines may also include multiple wear parts.

[0017] According to a first preferred embodiment, the wear scaling module is configured to determine the number of operating cycles of the shearing machine, particularly the number of operating cycles of the shearing machine performed using the acquired operating parameters. Preferably, the control device of the shearing machine is configured to count the number of operating cycles, and the wear scaling module determines the number of operating cycles via the control device. In some configurations, the wear scaling module itself may be configured to count operating cycles and / or the shearing machine system includes a cycle counting unit for counting operating cycles. Preferably, the wear scaling module is configured to determine the number of operating cycles of the shearing machine performed using each set of operating parameters since a wear initiation event. The wear initiation event may be a major overhaul or replacement of the worn component. If the wear scaling module is configured to update the wear value of each wear monitoring unit after each operating cycle of the shearing machine, the control device and / or the wear scaling module need not be configured to determine the number of operating cycles.

[0018] Preferably, the wear value includes a wear counter representing the wear cycles of an associated wear component. The wear scaling module is preferably configured to determine a separately scaled wear counter using a separate scaling function based on the received operating parameters and the determined number of operating cycles performed by the shearing machine. The wear scaling module is configured to update the wear counter based on the separately scaled wear counter. The number of operating cycles performed by the shearing machine and / or the wear component typically has a significant impact on the lifespan of the wear component, especially if the wear component is a movable part. The wear counter represents the wear of the wearable machine in the form of a virtual number of operating cycles performed by the component. For a wear component with a 10,000-cycle lifespan, a wear counter of 5,000 cycles can respectively represent a wear component that has reached half its lifespan or moderate wear.

[0019] Wear values, including those from wear counters, are particularly useful because the number of operating cycles typically corresponds directly to the number of products produced by the shearing machine. This helps in scheduling maintenance operations and preventing unforeseen downtime. The wear scaling module is configured to determine individually scaled wear counters. To determine individually scaled wear counters, the wear scaling module considers the actual number of operating cycles performed by the shearing machine. Furthermore, the wear scaling module bases the determination of individually scaled wear counters on received operating parameters. It should be understood that the wear counter need not be equal to the number of cycles performed by the shearing machine and / or the wear components. For shearing machines operating under harsh conditions, the wear counter of the wear monitoring unit associated with the wear components is often higher than the actual number of cycles performed by the wear components. For example, if large clamps made of hard materials are used, the punches and dies of the shearing machine will wear rapidly. The wear counter updated based on individually scaled wear counters could then represent a wear counter for 5,000 operating cycles, while the shearing machine has only performed a total of 3,500 operating cycles. In other words, under very demanding operating conditions caused by specific operating parameters (clamp size, clamp material), the punch and die's 5,000 operating cycles are "exhausted" by performing only 3,500 shearing cycles.

[0020] In some embodiments, the operating parameters(s) can also result in a reduced (updated) wear counter. For example, if sausage chains are produced and the knife is operated only after a specific number of sausages linked together have been produced, the wear counter of the knife used to cut the pleated portion after the closure clamp is applied can be reduced. The “length” of the sausage chain or the number of sausages in each chain can then represent the operating parameter, based on which the wear scaling module determines an individual scaled wear counter for the knife.

[0021] Preferably, the status output includes an updated wear counter. For example, the updated wear counter may be displayed on the screen of the shearing machine that forms the interface.

[0022] In some preferred configurations, the status output for the worn component includes the remaining number of operating cycles of the shearing machine until the corresponding worn component is worn out. It should be understood that the remaining number of operating cycles is a predicted number of remaining operating cycles. Therefore, the remaining number of operating cycles included in the status output may differ from the actual number of operating cycles that the worn component can execute before complete wear.

[0023] Preferably, the remaining number of operating cycles is the remaining number of operating cycles for a shearing machine operating with the most recently acquired operating parameters. Preferably, if the shearing machine operates with the same operating parameters distributed over a predetermined number of previous operating cycles, the remaining number of operating cycles is the remaining number of operating cycles for the shearing machine. For example, if the shearing machine operates 1,500 cycles using a first type of clamp and then 500 cycles using a second type of clamp, the remaining number of operating cycles can be the remaining number of operating cycles for the shearing machine, where the usage ratio of the first type of clamp to the second type of clamp is 3:1. In some embodiments, the remaining number of operating cycles can be the number of remaining operating cycles for operation of a shearing machine with standard operating parameters.

[0024] Preferably, the individual scaling function applies a wear factor based on at least one operating parameter. The wear factor depends directly or indirectly on the operating parameter or a group of operating parameters. Preferably, the wear factor is based on the parameter value of the operating parameter, particularly the normalized parameter value of the operating parameter, and on the correlation between the operating parameter and the associated wear component (i.e., the wear component for which the individually scaled wear value is determined). Preferably, particularly if the wear value is a wear counter, the individual scaling function applies the wear factor to the number of operating cycles executed since the last update of the wear value to determine the individually scaled wear value. The correlation can be a predefined correlation. For example, the correlation can be stored in the memory of the shearing machine system. Preferably, the correlation is or includes a multiplier. For example, the correlation can be a multiplier with a value of 1.3 for the combination of the operating parameter “clamp pressure” and the wear component “punch”. The correlation is preferably independent of the parameter value of the operating parameter. Multiple correlations can be stored in memory in the form of a heatmap.

[0025] In some embodiments, the system includes at least a first wear monitoring unit associated with a first wear component of the shearing machine and a second wear monitoring unit associated with a second wear component of the shearing machine, wherein a first scaling function for determining individually scaled wear values ​​for the first wear monitoring unit differs from a second scaling function for determining individually scaled wear values ​​for the second wear monitoring unit. The wear values ​​of the wear monitoring units associated with the wear components are then individually scaled, each wear value depending on operating parameters. The operating parameters on which the individually scaled wear values ​​are based can be the same or different. For example, both the first and second individual scaling functions can be based on clamp pressure, while only the first individual scaling function is further based on the viscosity of the filler material. The updated wear values ​​for the first and second wear components can be different, but cannot be different from each other. It should be understood that, depending on the operating parameters, different scaling functions can lead to the same results.

[0026] According to a preferred refinement, the second scaling function comprises at least one operating parameter that differs from the first scaling function.

[0027] In some embodiments, the individual scaling function FS of the wear monitoring unit associated with the wear component i i has the following form:

[0028]

[0029] In this formula, VS i denotes the individual scaled wear value of component i; PV denotes the parameter value of parameter k among the m parameters P; C i，k denotes the correlation between parameter k and wear component i; and Δn denotes the number of operating cycles of the shear machine since the last time the individual scaled wear value was determined.

[0030] Preferably, if the product PV k × C i，k exceeds the significance threshold ST, the product PV k × C i，k is only included in its actual result. The significance threshold preferably has a value of 1.05, preferably 1.1, preferably 1.15, preferably 1.2, preferably 1.25, preferably 1.3, preferably 1.35, preferably 1.40, preferably 1.45, particularly preferably 1.5. By including the significance threshold, it is possible to prevent the individual scaled wear value from increasing less than the corresponding increase in the wear value of the operation of the shear machine with standard parameters. If the condition (PV k × C i，k < ST) is satisfied, then for the corresponding combination of PV and the correlation, the term (PV k × C i，k ) is preferably replaced by 1. The correlation may be a predefined correlation, for example, stored in a heat map.

[0031] Preferably, the shearing machine system further includes a prediction module. The prediction module is configured to perform predictions for the remaining time until the corresponding wear value of at least one worn component is predicted to exceed a corresponding wear threshold, the remaining number of operating cycles until the corresponding wear value of at least one worn component is predicted to exceed a corresponding wear threshold, and / or the time point at which the corresponding wear value of at least one worn component is predicted to exceed a corresponding wear threshold. The prediction module can be configured to receive updated wear values ​​from at least one wear monitoring unit. The prediction module is configured to perform predictions based on the received updated wear values. Preferably, the prediction module is configured to perform predictions using a separate prediction function. The separate prediction function is separate for the worn component to which the prediction is made. Preferably, the prediction function is based on updated wear values, particularly updated wear values ​​at the time of performing the prediction. The updated wear values ​​can form the starting value for the prediction. The separate prediction function can be similar to a separate scaling function. For example, and preferably, the function for a given operating parameter (or parameter set) and worn component, and the separate scaling function and prediction function for a specific worn component Ci, can be substantially the same. Preferably, the separate prediction function for predicting the remaining number of operating cycles until the wear value exceeds the corresponding wear threshold can take the following form:

[0032]

[0033] In this formula, N remaining N represents the remaining number of operations in the loop. start This represents the initial value used when making predictions, and N... threshold The wear threshold is represented in the form of the number of operation cycles. VS i This is a separate scaling function for the worn component i. The wear threshold can be a predefined threshold. For example, the wear threshold can be user-defined. In the exemplary form of the prediction function shown above, the separate wear function is based on the operating parameters of the shear machine at the time of prediction. However, it is also preferred that the prediction module is configured to make the prediction based on at least one expected operating parameter or a set of operating parameters. The expected operating parameters can be based on the historical operating parameters of the shear machine. For example, if the shear machine has previously been used to produce two types of products at a 3:1 ratio, then the prediction can be based on two corresponding sets of operating parameters, assuming the first set of operating parameters was used for 75% of the remaining operating cycles, and the second set of operating parameters was used for 25% of the remaining operating cycles. The prediction module can be additionally or alternatively configured to make the prediction based on predefined operating parameters or a set of operating parameters. For example, the prediction can be based on user input of the product to be produced next and a set of operating parameters corresponding to the user input.

[0034] Preferably, the status output includes the predicted remaining time, the predicted remaining number of operation cycles, and / or the predicted time point. For example, the predicted remaining number of operation cycles can be provided to the wireless interface, allowing the remaining number of operation cycles to be received and displayed on the handheld device.

[0035] In some embodiments, the output module is configured to provide a predictive maintenance signal when the wear value of at least one worn component is predicted to exceed a corresponding threshold within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of operating cycles of the shearing machine. The predictive maintenance signal can notify the user that maintenance of at least the worn component is imminent. For example, the output module can be configured to display the predictive maintenance signal on the shearing machine's display.

[0036] Preferably, the status output includes the current wear status of the worn component. The current wear status can be derived from the wear value. Preferably, the output module is configured to assign the wear status to an updated wear value. Preferably, the wear status can be assigned to a range of wear values. For example, the wear status "severe wear" can be assigned to an updated wear counter with less than 500 remaining operating cycles. Additionally or alternatively, the wear status can be a percentage of the wear component's lifespan. For example, the status output can include a current wear status in the form of "20% remaining lifespan".

[0037] In some embodiments, the operating parameters include at least one user input parameter. The user input parameter is provided by the user, preferably via a human-machine interface to the control device. Therefore, the user input is the operating parameter directly entered by the user without any further modification by the shearing machine. For example, the user input could be the type of product to be produced, the type of clamps provided to the shearing machine, the diameter or caliber of the product to be produced, etc. In some embodiments, the machine can be configured to determine the type of clamps provided to the shearing machine, for example, via an RFID tag.

[0038] According to a preferred embodiment, the control device is configured to derive at least one operating parameter from user input parameters and control the operation of the shearing machine based on the derived operating parameter. According to a preferred embodiment, the operating parameter can be a user input parameter directly provided by the user and a parameter derived from such user input parameters. Furthermore, the operating parameter can be a measurement parameter. Preferably, the control device is configured to derive multiple operating parameters from a single user input parameter. Preferably, the control device is configured to derive a predefined parameter set including at least one operating parameter from multiple predefined parameter sets based on the user input parameter. The multiple parameter sets are preferably pre-stored in the memory of the shearing machine system, particularly in the memory of the control device. For example, the user can select the type of product to be produced by the shearing machine as the user input parameter. For this product type, a "formula" including multiple operating parameters (such as filler viscosity, product length, product diameter, clamp pressure, orifice size of the agglomerating device, etc.) can be predefined in the memory of the shearing machine system. The control device can be configured to derive a parameter set corresponding to the product to be produced to obtain the operating parameter.

[0039] Preferably, the shearing machine system further includes a memory for storing operational data. The operational data may include operational parameters. In a preferred configuration of the shearing machine system, the wear scaling module is configured to determine a separate scaling function from a dataset including operational parameters and wear event information.

[0040] Preferably, at least one individual scaling function used to determine the individually scaled wear value is a predefined scaling function. The predefined scaling function is preset to determine the corresponding individually scaled wear value. For example, the predefined scaling function may be a weighted function that applies predefined weights to each parameter included in the corresponding scaling function. The scaling function and / or the correlation forming part of the scaling function may be based on empirical data. In other embodiments, at least a portion of the scaling function for at least one wear monitoring unit and the associated wear component can be determined by an algorithm from historical operating data of a shearing machine or multiple similar shearing machines. Such an algorithm can be configured to find the correlation between operating parameters and the lifespan and / or wear events of the wear component. The scaling function, at least in part based on such a data analysis algorithm, can be stored in memory as an individual scaling function. In some embodiments, the shearing machine system, particularly the wear scaling module, can be configured to adapt the individual scaling function for at least one wear monitoring unit during operation of the shearing machine. The shearing machine system is preferably configured for machine learning.

[0041] Preferably, the operating parameters include at least one of the following: clamp pressure, which is the pressure applied to the closing clamp during the closing operation; the circulation rate of the shear; die type; die width; punch type; punch width; trailing distance, which is the difference between a setpoint value and an actual value of the rotational speed of the shear's drive; clamp hardness, which is preferably given as a Brinell hardness, Vickers hardness, or Rockwell hardness value or as a relative value; lubrication state, wherein the lubrication state can be given as a numerical value distinguishing between lubricated and non-lubricated states; viscosity of the filler or product, respectively; torque, particularly the torque required to drive the flywheel of the shear; and displacement distance, which characterizes the aggregation unit during the aggregation process for forming the pleated portion. The maximum distance between the two shifting tools of the unit; the conveyor speed of the product conveyor; the filler feed rate; the filling time required to fill the product; the temperature, especially the ambient temperature and / or the product temperature; the diameter of the gathering orifice, which is the diameter of the orifice of the gathering device through which the fully gathered pleated portion extends; the gathering speed at which the gathering device reduces the product diameter to form the pleated portion; the clamping time required to apply a clamp, and the return time required to return from the fully actuated position to the intermediate position; the product length; the casing brake pressure of the casing brake of the shearing machine; the product orifice or product diameter, respectively; the machine temperature, especially the motor temperature of the shearing machine's motor; the casing material; the filling tube length, filling tube diameter, and / or relative humidity of the shearing machine's filling tube. Clamp pressure can be provided as a relative value, for example, in the range of 0 to 9, where 0 represents the lowest possible clamp pressure of the shearing machine, and 9 represents the highest possible (maximum) clamp pressure of the shearing machine.

[0042] Preferably, the shearing machine system further includes at least one sensor for acquiring sensor data, particularly sensor data indicating the machine condition of the shearing machine. For example, machine condition may be vibration of the shearing machine or a portion thereof, temperature of the shearing machine or a portion thereof, and / or noise generated by the shearing machine. Preferably, the sensor is or includes a vibration sensor, an acceleration sensor, and / or an ultrasonic sensor.

[0043] In some implementations, the at least one wear scaling module is configured to receive acquired sensor data and use the individual scaling function to determine the individually scaled wear value for each wear monitoring unit based on the received operating parameters and the received sensor data.

[0044] Preferably, the shearing machine system further includes at least one state determination module configured to determine the wear state of at least one wear component associated with the state determination module based on sensor data. The state determination module may be configured to determine the wear state of the at least one wear component based on a machine learning algorithm.

[0045] According to a preferred design, the wear monitoring unit is configured to determine a predicted state of an associated worn component based on wear values. The wear monitoring unit can also be configured to compare the predicted state of the worn component with the wear state determined by the state determination module. This allows for comparison of the results of determining the state of the worn component (i.e., wear values) based on operating parameters and the results of determining the state of the worn component (i.e., wear state) based on sensors. Preferably, the state output represents both the wear state and the wear value. For example, comparing the predicted state with the wear state can be used to verify the respective results and help prevent false alarms.

[0046] Preferably, the shearing machine system further includes a recording (log) module configured to record operating parameters, wear values, and / or status outputs. The recording module can be configured to record the operating parameters, wear values, and / or status outputs along with corresponding timestamps and / or the number of shearing machine cycles at which the corresponding operating parameters, wear values, or status outputs are determined. The recording module can be configured to store the recorded operating parameters, wear values, and / or status outputs in the memory of the shearing machine system, preferably in the memory of the control device. Preferably, the recording module is configured to record operating parameters for at least each operating cycle of the shearing machine.

[0047] In some embodiments, the recording module is configured to store at least wear events of the worn component and / or the time or number of operation cycles in which the wear event occurs. A wear event is an event in which a failure of the worn component occurs. Preferably, the recording module is also configured to store the wear event along with a corresponding timestamp, the number of operation cycles executed by the machine at the time the wear event occurs, and / or a separately scaled wear value at the time the wear event occurs.

[0048] Preferably, the shearing machine system further includes a data transmission module and / or interface configured to transmit data stored on the recording module to an external device.

[0049] Preferably, the wear component is one of the following: the belt of the tool drive of the shearing machine, particularly the toothed belt; the rod of the tool actuator of the shearing machine; the bushing, particularly the bushing of the clamping rod; the guide groove, particularly the guide groove of the drive wheel of the shearing machine; the bearing, housing, sealing element, shifter plate of the gathering device of the shearing machine; the pneumatic cylinder, particularly the pneumatic cylinder of the cutting device for cutting pleated portions; the blade of the cutting device; the spring, particularly the leaf spring; the punch; the die; the valve, particularly the pneumatic valve; and / or the brake ring of the casing brake.

[0050] Preferably, the determination of the individually scaled wear value of the wear monitoring unit associated with the punch is based on at least one of the following parameters: cycle rate; tailing distance; clamp pressure; clamp hardness; clamp height; clamp type; torque. Preferably, the determination of the individually scaled wear value of the wear monitoring unit associated with the shifter plate is based on at least one, preferably multiple, of the following parameters: cycle rate; tailing distance; filler viscosity; aggregate hole diameter; casing material.

[0051] In an alternative first aspect, the present invention addresses the aforementioned problems by providing a shearing machine for producing sausage-shaped products, the shearing machine comprising a plurality of wear parts and at least one control device, wherein the control device is configured to control the shearing machine to perform one or more operating cycles and acquire operating parameters of the shearing machine, wherein the control device is further configured to monitor wear cycle counts of at least one wear part to determine individual wear cycle counts of the wear part based on at least one operating parameter using an individual scaling function, and to update the wear cycle counts of the wear part with the corresponding determined individual wear cycle counts. Preferably, the control device is configured to determine individual wear cycle counts based on at least one operating parameter strength, the correlation between the operating parameters and the wear part, and a plurality of operating parameters executed by the shearing machine using the corresponding parameters. The correlation may be a predefined correlation. Preferably, a plurality of correlations for combinations of parameters and wear parts are pre-stored in the memory of the control device. The control device may be configured to provide a status output for at least one wear part at an interface based on the updated wear cycle counts of the wear part. It should be understood that the shearing machine of the alternative first aspect of the present invention may have aspects and preferred configurations similar to those described above with respect to the shearing machine system. Therefore, reference is made to the above description of the shearing machine system according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0052] Preferably, if the individual wear cycle count determined using a separate scaling function is lower than a predefined threshold and / or the individual wear cycle count determined using a separate scaling function is less than the number of operation cycles performed by the shearing machine, then the individual wear cycle count determined by the control device is equal to the number of operation parameters performed by the shearing machine, wherein the determination of the corresponding operation parameters for the individual wear cycle count is based on the number of operation cycles.

[0053] According to a second aspect, the present invention solves the aforementioned problems by means of a method for operating a shearing machine system as defined in independent claim 14. In particular, the present invention solves the aforementioned problems by means of a method for operating a shearing machine system for producing sausage-shaped products, particularly a shearing machine system according to any preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining at least one operating parameter of the shearing machine; determining an initial wear value of at least one wear component of the shearing machine; operating the shearing machine with the provided operating parameters to perform at least one operating cycle; determining a individually scaled wear value of the wear component based on the operating parameters using a separate scaling function; and updating the wear value of the wear component with the individually scaled wear value.

[0054] The initial wear value of at least one worn component is the wear value of the shearing machine at the start of its operation. For example, and preferably, the initial wear value can be an updated wear value after the last operating cycle performed by the shearing machine in previous operations. The operation of the shearing machine is preferably controlled by a control device of the shearing machine based on acquired operating parameters. Operating parameters may include user input parameters and / or operating parameters determined by the control device, particularly those determined by the control device based on at least one user input parameter. A wear scaling module may be provided for determining individually scaled wear values. A wear monitoring unit may be provided for monitoring wear values. The wear value may be a wear counter as defined with respect to the first aspect of the invention.

[0055] It should be understood that the method for operating a shearing machine system according to the second aspect of the invention and the shearing machine system according to the first aspect of the invention include similar and identical embodiments, which are particularly described in the dependent claims of independent claim 1. Reference has been made up to the above description of the shearing machine system according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0056] According to a first preferred embodiment, the method further includes the step of: providing a status output of the worn component at the interface based on an updated wear value. The wear status preferably includes a wear counter.

[0057] Preferably, the method further includes the steps of: determining a wear threshold for the worn component; and comparing an updated wear value with the wear threshold. The wear threshold can be determined based on user input. The wear threshold may additionally or alternatively be a predefined wear threshold, which is preferably stored in the memory of the shearing machine, particularly in the memory of the control device of the shearing machine. If the wear value is a wear counter, the wear threshold is preferably a threshold number of operating cycles. The wear threshold may have a value of 0. In some embodiments, the wear threshold is defined as an initial wear value and / or a fraction or percentage of the wear value at the start of the life of the corresponding worn component.

[0058] Preferably, the method further includes the step of providing a wear signal if the updated wear value is equal to or exceeds a wear threshold. In the context of this disclosure, a threshold can be exceeded if an increasing wear value becomes greater than the corresponding threshold, or if a decreasing wear value falls below the threshold. For example, a wear counter can increase with each cycle performed by the shearing machine, such that at some point the wear counter reaches and then becomes greater than the corresponding threshold wear count. Alternatively, the wear counter can be a decreasing wear counter, representing the remaining number of wear cycles counted backwards with each operating cycle. Such a decreasing wear counter reaches the threshold from above and then exceeds the threshold by decreasing below it. The wear signal can be an electronic signal, an acoustic signal, an optical signal, etc. For example, the wear signal can be wirelessly transmitted to a handheld device, a remote control device, a cloud server, etc.

[0059] In some embodiments, the method further includes at least one of the following steps: predicting the remaining time until an updated wear value equals or exceeds a wear threshold; predicting the remaining number of operating cycles of the shearing machine until the updated wear value equals or exceeds the wear threshold; and / or predicting the point in time until the updated wear value equals or exceeds the wear threshold. Prediction can be performed using a separate prediction function corresponding to the wear value of the respective worn component. As described above with reference to the shearing machine system, predictions can be based on the latest operating parameters or set of operating parameters at the time of prediction, on historical operating parameters, and / or on operating parameters predefined for future operation of the shearing machine system.

[0060] Preferably, the method further includes the step of acquiring sensor data representing the machine condition during operation of the shear. The method may also include the step of determining the wear condition of at least one worn component of the shear based on the sensor data. Additionally, the method may include the step of providing a maintenance signal, providing a warning signal, and / or stopping the operation of the shear if the determination of the wear condition of the worn component indicates that the worn component is worn. Additionally or alternatively, the method may include the step of providing a predictive maintenance signal, particularly if the determined wear condition meets a threshold condition. For example, a predictive maintenance signal may be provided if the wear condition indicates that the remaining life of the worn component is less than 4 weeks and / or less than 5,000 cycles of the shear.

[0061] In some embodiments, the method further includes the step of: preferably recording at least one operation parameter in a recording module for each operation cycle. The recorded operation parameters may be associated with the operation cycle executed with these operation parameters. Preferably, the operation parameters are recorded with a timestamp. The recorded operation parameters may be stored in a memory, preferably in the memory of the control device of the shearing machine in the shearing machine system. The memory specified in this disclosure may be any type of memory, such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, HDD, SSD, cloud storage, etc.

[0062] In a preferred further development, the method further includes the step of recording wear events of the worn parts. Preferably, the recorded wear events are associated with corresponding operating cycles and / or the time of their occurrence. Preferably, the method further includes the step of updating a separate scaling function based on the recorded wear events and recorded operating parameters. Specifically, the method may include a step of determining the correlation between one or more operating parameters and the wear of the worn parts based on a dataset including operating parameters of one or more machines (particularly a shearing machine) and wear events. This step can be performed using big data analytics algorithms, machine learning algorithms, or conventional data analysis methods.

[0063] In a preferred embodiment, the method further includes the following steps: determining a second initial wear value for a second wear component of the shearing machine; determining a second individually scaled wear value for the second wear component based on the operating parameters using a second separate scaling function different from the first scaling function; and updating the wear value of the second wear component with the second individually scaled wear value.

[0064] According to a third aspect, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by means of a computer program product comprising a code means configured to, when executed on a shearing system, particularly on a control device of the shearing system, perform any preferred embodiment of the method according to the second aspect of the invention.

[0065] To gain a more complete understanding of the invention, it will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The detailed description will illustrate and describe what is considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention. It should be understood, of course, that various modifications and changes in form or detail can be readily made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention may not be limited to the exact form and detail shown and described herein, nor to anything less than the whole of the invention disclosed herein and claimed below. Furthermore, the features described in the specification, drawings, and claims that disclose the invention may be necessary for the invention to be considered individually or in combination. In particular, any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. The word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps. The words “a” or “an” do not exclude a plurality. The term “a plurality” also includes the numeral 1, i.e., a single item, as well as other numerals such as 2, 3, 4, etc. Attached Figure Description

[0066] In the attached diagram:

[0067] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary shearing machine for producing sausage-shaped products is shown;

[0068] Figure 2 A shearing machine system including a shearing machine is shown;

[0069] Figure 3 An exemplary heatmap showing the correlation between operating parameters and wear on worn components is presented;

[0070] Figure 4 A cross-section of an example of the shearing device of a shearing machine is shown; and

[0071] Figure 5 A block diagram illustrating a method for operating a shearing machine is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0072] exist Figure 1The diagram schematically illustrates a shearing machine 3 for producing sausage-shaped products S (such as sausages), particularly its enclosed area containing flowable filler material F within a tubular or bag-shaped casing CA. The shearing machine 3 is part of a shearing machine system 1. The shearing machine 3 includes a filling tube 5 having a longitudinally and horizontally extending central axis A, and a discharge opening 7 for discharging the filler material F at its left end into the casing CA. The filler material F is supplied to the filling tube 5 from a filler (not shown) through a feed port 9. The filler is not necessarily part of the shearing machine system 1. The filler supplies the filler material F under pressure, such that the filler material F is pushed from the feed port 9 to the discharge opening 7 and exits the filling tube 5 in the feed direction DF. The casing CA is disposed on the filling tube 5. A casing braking assembly 11 is arranged on the filling tube 5 near the discharge opening 7 and coaxially aligned with the filling tube 5. The filling tube 5 is made of a suitable material, such as stainless steel.

[0073] The supply source of the tubular casing CA, made of a thin material, is stored on the filling tube 5 in an accordion-like pleated manner. The tubular casing CA is pulled out from the supply source during the filling process. Specifically, the feeding pressure of the filling material F, which is filled in the casing CA to form a sausage-shaped product S, pulls the casing CA from the filling tube 5. The first end of the sausage-shaped product S is closed by a closure clamp, such that the filling material F is contained within the casing CA. A casing braking assembly 11 provides braking force to the tubular casing CA pulled out from the filling tube 10. The braking force provided by the casing braking assembly 11 is adjustable, thereby controlling the amount of casing CA pulled out from the filling tube 10. Typically, the casing braking assembly 11 is controlled to ensure that the casing CA is filled with the filling material F. However, in some cases, for example, if a square shape is to be provided for the sausage-shaped product S later, some slack may be retained in the casing CA.

[0074] The shearing machine 3 also includes a shearing device 13 for closing the filled portion of the tubular casing CA by applying a closing device (such as a closing clamp C) to the pleated portion PP. To form the pleated portion, the shearing machine 3 also includes a gathering device 15. The gathering device 15 is configured to engage the filled package and remove the filling material F from a portion of the filled casing CA to form a substantially unfilled portion of the casing CA.

[0075] The shearing device 13 and the gathering device 15 are arranged downstream of the filling tube 10 relative to the feed direction DF. Figure 1 It can be inferred that the shearing device 13 is positioned immediately downstream of the discharge opening 7 of the filling tube 5. Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the shearing device 13 includes a first shearing tool 17 and a second shearing tool 19, or respectively includes a punch 17 and a die 19. It is important to note that the punch 17 and die 19 can apply and close a single closure clamp for closing a freshly filled tubular casing CA, or can be configured to simultaneously apply and close two closure clamps C, the first closure clamp for closing the rear end of the freshly filled tubular casing CA to form a sausage-shaped product S, and the second closure clamp for closing the front end of a tubular casing CA to be subsequently filled. Instead of a single punch 17 and die 19 configured to simultaneously apply multiple closure clamps, the shearing device 13 may also include multiple punches 17 and / or multiple dies 19.

[0076] The gathering device 15 includes a first shifter unit 21 and a second shifter unit 23, wherein the first shifter unit 21 is located downstream of the second shifter unit 23. First and second shearing tools 17, 29 of the shearing device 12 can be positioned between the first and second shifter units 21, 23 for at least applying and closing one or both closing clamps C to the pleated portion PP. At least one of the shifter units 21, 23 can be reversibly moved parallel to the feed direction DF of the filler material to form the pleated portion PP of the desired length. Preferably, the first shifter unit 21 is movable, while the second shifter unit 23 is stationary relative to its position in the feed direction DF. In a preferred embodiment, each shifter unit 21, 23 includes two gathering plates 25, 27 extending substantially transversely to the feed direction DF. Here, the gathering plates 25, 27 are an upper gathering plate 25 and a lower gathering plate 27. The gathering plates 25, 27 have a V-shaped gathering profile. The V-shaped gathering profile of each gathering plate 25, 27 opens towards the filled casing C. The gathering plates 25, 27 of the shifter units 21, 23 can advance toward each other, so that the gathering orifice or pore defined by the overlapping V-shaped gathering profiles of the gathering plates 25, 27 can gradually decrease in size. In this way, the gathering plates 25, 27 contract and extend through the filled casing CA through the gathering orifice, and displace the filling material from the casing CA. After the minimum gathering orifice diameter has been reached, the first shifter unit 23 moves laterally along the feed direction DF to form a pleated portion PP.

[0077] If the sausage-shaped product S is intended to be stored on a rod-shaped element (such as a smoker) for further processing (such as cooking or smoking), a suspension element L (such as a suspension ring) can be provided and attached to one end of each sausage-shaped product S, or to one end of a chain of sausage-shaped products. The suspension element L can be supplied to one of the closing tools 17, 19 and can be secured to the respective end of the sausage-shaped product S by means of a closing clamp device that closes the ends of the sausage-shaped product S.

[0078] To separate the freshly produced sausage-shaped product S from the remaining supply of tubular casing CA stored on the filling tube 5, a cutting device 29 can be provided. The cutting device 29 includes a blade that cuts the tubular casing CA upstream of a closing clamp that closes the freshly filled portion of the tubular casing CA. If two closing clamps are applied to the pleated portion P by the shearing device 13, the cutting device 29 preferably cuts the pleated portion PP between the two closing clamps. The blade of the cutting device 29 can be reversibly moved from a retracted position to a cutting position by a blade driver (not shown), particularly a pneumatic driver.

[0079] To discharge the sausage-shaped product S just produced from the shearing machine 3 in the conveying direction DT, a discharge device 31 is arranged downstream of the shearing device 13. The conveying direction DT can be substantially the same as the feed direction DF. The discharge device 31 may include a conveyor with a variable speed drive. To store the sausage-shaped product S on a rod-shaped element (such as a cigarette holder), a suspension system can be provided that captures the suspension element L with a capturing device (not shown) (such as a capturing needle). The capturing device can then guide the suspension element L toward the rod-shaped element.

[0080] The operating cycle of the shearing machine 3 includes at least the process of filling the casing CA with filling material F, subsequently forming a pleated portion PP by the gathering device 15, and applying at least one closing clamp to the pleated portion PP. The operating cycle also includes returning all components of the shearing machine 3, as part of these steps, to their starting positions. For example, the first shifter unit 21 may move toward the second shifter unit 23, and its gathering plates may move away from each other to open gathering holes, allowing a new filling portion of the casing CA to extend through it. The operating cycle of the shearing machine 3 may also include a cutting step, in which the cutting device 29 cuts off the pleated portion PP. However, in the case of producing sausage chains, not every operating cycle of the shearing machine 3 includes such a cutting step. For example, if the shearing machine 3 produces a sausage chain comprising five sausages, the cutting operation may only be performed every five operating cycles of the shearing machine 3.

[0081] The shearing machine 3 also includes a control device 33 for controlling the operation of the shearing machine 3. For example, the control device 33 may be configured to control the drive device of the shearing machine 3, which is configured to drive the shearing device 13, the gathering device 15, the cutting device 29 and / or the discharge device 31 and / or other components of the shearing machine 3, such as the casing braking assembly 11.

[0082] Figure 2A shearing machine system 1 is schematically shown. The shearing machine system 1 includes a shearing machine 3, a control device 33 configured to control the operation of the shearing machine 3, multiple wear monitoring units 35, a wear scaling module 37, an output module 39, and an interface 41. Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, for illustrative purposes, the wear monitoring unit 35, the wear scaling module 37, and the output module 39 are shown as separate units. At least one of the wear monitoring unit 35, the wear scaling module 37, and / or the output module 39 may also be formed as a subunit of the control device 33, particularly a virtual subunit of the control device 33.

[0083] like Figure 2 As shown, the shearing machine 3 includes multiple wear parts 43. Figure 2 In the embodiments, punch 17, die 19, upper gathering plate 25 and lower gathering plate 27, casing brake 11 and cutting device 29 are examples of wear parts 43. During the operation of the shearing machine 3, especially when the shearing machine 3 performs the above-described operating cycle, these wear parts 43 are subjected to wear. For example, due to friction between the punch 17 and the closing clamp C, the contact surface of the punch 17 that contacts the closing clamp C which deforms around the pleated portion will wear slowly, and / or due to excessive strain on the punch 17 during the closing process, cracks will form in the punch 17.

[0084] If the wear parts 43 have the expected quality, they have a certain lifespan. Lifespan can be defined as a certain number of operating cycles of the shearing machine 3 that can be performed by the corresponding wear part 43. For example, the punch 17 may have a lifespan of approximately 10,000 cycles. For other wear parts 43, lifespan can be defined by a certain number of operating hours of the shearing machine 3 and / or by a specific time period. For example, some sealing elements may become brittle after a certain period, regardless of the number of cycles performed by the shearing machine 3.

[0085] The lifespan of the wear component 43 typically depends on the conditions under which it is exposed. For example, the lifespan of the punch 17 may be significantly reduced if a closure clamp C made of a very hard material is used. The lifespan of the sealing element may also be significantly reduced if the sealing element is frequently exposed to corrosive cleaning media or if a pressure washer is applied to the sealing element during the cleaning process. In the shearing machine 3, the lifespan of the wear component 43 can vary significantly. Furthermore, the lifespan of two identical wear components 43 can also vary depending on the conditions experienced by the wear component 43. For example, for a closure clamp C with high clamp hardness, the punch 17 may have a lifespan of 10,000 cycles, while for a closure clamp C made of a relatively soft material, the punch 17 may have a lifespan of 15,000 cycles.

[0086] The wear monitoring unit 35 of the preferred embodiment of the shearing tool system 1 of the present invention allows monitoring of the wear value V of the wear component 43. W Preferably, a wear monitoring unit 35 is provided for each worn component 43. Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, a first wear monitoring unit 35.1 is configured to monitor the wear value of the punch 17, a second wear monitoring unit 35.2 is configured to monitor the wear value of the die 19, and so on. Figure 2 In the diagram, the monitoring unit 35 and its associated corresponding wear component 43 are connected by a dashed line. The wear value V of the wear component is shown. W The wear value V varies depending on the wear component 43 used and / or over time. W The amount of change depends on the conditions experienced by the worn parts 43, especially during the use of the shearing machine 1.

[0087] The operating parameters P that limit the specific operation of the shearing machine 3 have a strong influence on the conditions experienced by the wear component 43. The inventors have discovered that the wear of the wear component 43 can be monitored very accurately based on the operating parameters P.

[0088] The operating parameter P can be provided by the user of the shearing machine 3 via an input device (e.g., the control panel 45 of the shearing machine 3). The operating parameter P provided directly by the user is also referred to as the user input parameter PU. Such a user input parameter PU can be very specific. For example, the clamp pressure defined as the maximum pressure applied to the closing clamp during the closing process can be specified by the user as the user input parameter PU. In other configurations, the user input parameter PC can be quite general. For example, the user can only define the type of the sausage-shaped product S to be produced as the user input parameter PU.

[0089] Control device 33 is configured to acquire operating parameters P. In this embodiment, control device 33 is configured to acquire user input parameters PU from control panel 45, which is connected to control panel 45 via a suitable connection such as data cable 47. Control device 33 is also configured to acquire additional operating parameters P. Preferably, additional operating parameters P associated with a specific user input parameter PU are pre-stored in memory 49 of control device 33. Control device 33 can then retrieve these operating parameters P from memory 49. For example, if user input parameter PU specifies a specific product type, a "recipe" corresponding to that product type can be stored in memory 49. The recipe may include operating parameters P such as casing material, product length, clip type, filling viscosity, aggregate pore diameter, etc. Control device 33 can acquire these operating parameters P. Preferably, control device 33 is configured to determine operating parameters from sensor data and / or signals. Specifically, the control device 33 can be configured to determine one or more operating parameters P from external signals (e.g., signals provided from a machine connected to the shearing machine 3) and / or from internal signals (e.g., speed signals of the drive unit, current signals, etc.).

[0090] In a preferred embodiment, the control device 33 controls the operation of the shearing machine 3 based on at least some operating parameters P. For example, the control device 33 controls one or more drive devices of the gathering device 13, such that the gathering plates 25, 27 form gathering holes according to the corresponding operating parameters P. During operation, the control device 33 may acquire additional operating parameters P, such as the power consumption and / or motor current of at least one motor of the shearing machine 1.

[0091] In a preferred embodiment of the shearing tool system 1 of the present invention, the wear monitoring unit 35 is configured to monitor the wear value V of the associated wear component 43. W If worn part 43 is not used, the wear value V is... W The wear value can be provided as user input or predefined for a specific wear component 43. Specifically, wear components 43 are worn when the shearing machine 3 is operated to perform one or more production cycles. As mentioned above, the degree of wear of different wear components 43 can vary for the same operating parameter P. Furthermore, the degree of wear of the same wear component 43 varies with the operating parameter P.

[0092] Wear scaling module 37 is configured to provide individually scaled wear values ​​VS for each wear monitoring unit 35. W,i And with corresponding individually scaled wear values ​​VS W,i Update the wear value V for each wear monitoring unit 35. W,i In this embodiment, the wear scaling module 37, for example, determines an individual scaled wear value VS for the punch 17. W,17And use this separately scaled wear value VS W,17 Update the wear value V of the first wear monitoring unit 35.1 W,17 .

[0093] Wear scaling module 37 determines the individual scaled wear value V of the corresponding wear monitoring unit 35 based on at least one of the operating parameters P obtained by control device 33. W,i To receive the acquired operating parameter P, the wear scaling module 37 is connected to the control device 33. This is to determine the individual scaled wear value V for the corresponding wear monitoring unit 35. W,i The wear scaling module 37 uses a separate scaling function FS. i Each of these is separate for each wear monitoring unit 35 or associated wear component 43.

[0094] In a preferred embodiment, the wear value V W,i It is a wear counter W i This indicates the number of standard operating cycles performed by the shearing machine 3. A standard operating cycle represents the number of operating cycles of the shearing machine 3 performed using a predefined set of standard operating parameters. A wear counter W is provided. i This allows for comparison of wear values ​​of different worn parts 43 and / or the impact of different operating parameters P on worn parts 43. Maintenance can be scheduled more precisely. Furthermore, it prevents the replacement of worn parts 43 before they have reached the end of their service life. It reduces the risk of downtime due to unexpected failures of worn parts 43. It can also reduce the operating and / or maintenance costs of the shearing machine 3.

[0095] Since shearing machine 3 is not typically operated with standard operating parameters P, the wear counter W (or the virtual number of standard operating cycles performed by shearing machine 3) does not match the actual number of operating cycles performed by shearing machine 3. In an exemplary embodiment, wear scaling module 37 uses a separate scaling function FS. i Determine the wear value scaled individually VS W,i This converts the actual wear of the worn component 43 into a standard operating cycle.

[0096] Preferably, a separate scaling function FS i This includes the correlation between at least one of the operating parameters P and the wear of the wear component 43. These correlations can be found empirically using appropriate algorithms. A separate scaling function FS can be predefined for each wear monitoring unit 35. i Preferably, the control device 33 of the shearing machine system 1, particularly the shearing machine 3, or the server of system 1, is configured to update a separate scaling function FS based on historical data. i For example, and preferably, system 1 can be configured to adapt at least one individual scaling function FS based on a machine learning algorithm. i.

[0097] In this embodiment, a separate scaling function FS is used for each wear monitoring unit in the wear monitoring unit 35. i The structure is predefined. For example, the individual scaling function FS i The individual scaling function FS of the wear monitoring unit 35 can be stored in memory 49. i They are different from each other. For example, the scaling function FS alone. i It can be included in the scaling function FS i The operating parameter P in i and / or each operating parameter P i Other operating parameters P i They differ from each other in terms of their weights. These weights can be determined by a separate scaling function FS. i The weighting factors, etc., are represented in this context. In this embodiment, the separate scaling function FS for the wear scaling module 37 of the first wear monitoring unit 35.1 associated with the punch 17 is used. 17 Based on operating parameters P: clamp pressure, circulation rate, and tailing distance. The tailing distance is the difference between the set value and the actual value of the shear machine 3's drive during shear machine operation. The tailing distance is typically related to the load on the corresponding drive. In this embodiment, a separate scaled wear counter WS is used to determine the first wear monitoring unit 35.1 associated with the punch 17. 17 The separate scaling function FS 17 It has the following forms:

[0098]

[0099] Here, PV i Normalized parameter values ​​representing "circulation rate", "tailing distance", and the corresponding operating parameter P "clamp pressure". C 17,i It is the wear part "punch" and the operating parameter P i The correlation between them. The term Δn represents the self-wear counter W. 17 The number of operation cycles n performed since the last update. Therefore, the separate scaled wear counter WS used to determine the first wear monitoring unit 35.1 associated with the punch 17. 17 The separate scaling function FS 17 It is a function of the operating parameter P and the number of operation cycles n executed by the shearing machine 3.

[0100] For example, if the shearing machine 3 operates with high clamp pressure, high circulation rate, and large tailing distance, the function considering the operating parameter P, parameter value PV, and correlation c can have a value greater than 1. As a result, the individual scaling wear counter WS of the first wear monitoring unit 35.1 associated with the punch 17... 17For each cycle actually performed by shearing machine 3 with these operating parameters P, add more than one cycle. For example, if shearing machine 3 performs 500 operating cycles under harsh conditions specified by operating parameters P, then scale the wear counter WS separately. 17 It can have 650 repeating values.

[0101] Wear scaling module 37 is configured to scale the wear value WS individually with a corresponding determination. i To update the wear value V of each wear monitoring unit 35 w For example, the wear scaling module 37 can use a separate scaling function for the wear counter WS. 17 Update the wear counter W of the first wear monitoring unit 35.1 associated with the punch 17. 17 In this embodiment, the wear scaling module 37 scales the wear counter WS individually. 17 The initial wear counter, which is added when the shearer 3 with operating parameter P starts operation, is used to update the wear value V of the first wear monitoring unit 35.1. W,17 Or wear counter W 17 For example, if the wear counter W of punch 17... 17 With an initial value of 2,000 operating cycles, the wear scaling module 37 can scale the wear counter WS individually using a scaling function determined by the punch 17 (or correspondingly the first wear monitoring unit 35.1). 17 Add to this starting value to update the wear counter W 17 In the example above, even though the shearing machine 3 has performed a total of 2,500 operation cycles, the wear counter W... 17 The number of operating cycles was also increased from 2,000 to 2,650. In other embodiments, the separately scaled wear counter W can be subtracted from the initial value representing the remaining number of operating cycles or the remaining lifespan of the punch 17. 17 It should be noted that the wear counter cannot be based on the operating cycle.

[0102] For different sets of parameters P, the individually scaled wear value VS of the first wear monitoring unit 35.1 of the punch 17 W,17 It can have different values. In some embodiments, for example, if the shearing machine 3 operates with relatively low clamp pressure, soft clamps, relatively low cycle rate, and high tailing distance, the function of the operating parameter f can have a small value, such that the individual scaling wear counter WS of the punch 17... 17 The indicated number of operating cycles is less than the actual number of operating cycles performed by the shear machine 3 with these operating parameters P. The initial wear counter W is for 2,000 operating cycles. 17For example, shearing machine 3 operating with relatively low load on the punch by operating parameter P for 500 cycles may result in a single scaling wear counter WS. 17 Only 350 cycles, thus enabling the updated wear counter W 17 It has a value of 2,350 cycles. However, more preferably, the individual scaling wear counter is always greater than or equal to the number of operation cycles performed by the shearing machine 3. The wear scaling module 37 can preferably be configured such that if the individual scaling wear counter WS i If the number of operation cycles is less than the number of cycles, then the wear counter W is updated from the last time. i The wear counter W of the wear monitoring unit 35 associated with the wear component I is updated by the number of operation cycles performed by the shearing machine 3. i .

[0103] The operating parameter P that results in a relatively low load on the punch 17 can lead to a relatively high load on other components, such as the lower gathering plate 27 of the first shifter unit 21. For example, the product diameter can have a much more significant effect on the wear of the lower gathering plate 27 than on the wear of the punch 17. This more significant effect can be assessed by the separate scaling function FS of the fourth wear monitoring unit 35.4. 27 This indicates that the fourth wear monitoring unit 35.4 is configured to monitor the wear value V of the lower gathering plate 27. W, 27 For example, the corresponding wear value V that forms the lower agglomeration plate 27. W, 27 The wear counter W of the lower agglomeration plate 27 27 The individual scaled wear value WS can be increased by 400 cycles. 27 However, if the shearing machine 3 performs 300 operating cycles, the corresponding wear value W of the punch 17 will be... 17 Only 300 more cycles were added.

[0104] In this embodiment, the wear counter W i This indicates the number of (standard) operation cycles performed using the associated wear component 43. The wear scaling module 37 increments the wear value V. W Or wear counter W i In other embodiments, the wear counter W i Or any other type of wear value V W You can also count backwards from the starting value.

[0105] The shearing machine system 1 of the present invention allows for individual monitoring of the wear of each wear component 43, providing a wear monitoring unit 35 for each wear component 43. The different effects of the same operating parameters on different wear components 43, as well as the effects of variations in the same operating parameters on each wear component 43, can be considered. The wear of the monitored wear component 43 can be reliably monitored without the need for additional measuring equipment. As explained later, the shearing machine system 1 may still include one or more sensors, particularly wear monitoring sensors.

[0106] The shearing machine system 1 also includes an output module 51. The output module 51 is configured to provide a status output O to an interface 53. In this embodiment, and preferably, the interface 53 is a wireless interface configured to wirelessly transmit the status output O to a receiving device, such as a handheld device, cloud, server, computer, etc. In other embodiments, the interface 53 may be a socket or display for cable connection. The status output O provided by the output module 51 is based on the wear value V of at least one wear monitoring unit 35. W,i Preferably, the status output O is based on the wear value V of each wear monitoring unit 35 of the shearing machine system 1. W,i For example, output module 51 can provide the computer with updated wear counters W representing all wear monitoring units 35. i The data.

[0107] Preferably, the shearing system 1 further includes a prediction module 55. In this embodiment of the shearing system 1, the prediction module 55 is configured to predict the remaining number of operating cycles until the corresponding wear value V of at least one worn component 43 is reached. W, i Exceeding the corresponding wear threshold T i Specifically, the prediction module 55 is configured to predict the number of operating cycles of the shearer 3 up to the wear counter W of each wear monitoring unit 35 associated with the wear component 43. i The corresponding threshold number of operation cycles is reached. For example, the prediction module 55 can predict the updated wear value V of the first wear monitoring unit 35.1 used to monitor the wear of the punch 17. W,17 When does the threshold number of 15,000 exemplary operation cycles reach?

[0108] The prediction module 55 is preferably configured to use a prediction function. For example, the prediction module 55 can subtract the updated wear counter W at the time of prediction from the threshold of the operating cycle. i The prediction then specifies the remaining number of operating cycles for the shear machine 3 with standard operating parameters P. In other embodiments, the prediction module 55 may be configured to make the prediction based on historical operating parameters P and / or on operating parameters P specified for future operations of the shear machine 3.

[0109] For example, historical operating parameters could show that the machine uses high-demand operating parameters P (e.g., high clamp pressure) on punch 17 in half of all operating cycles performed by shearing machine 3, and standard operating parameters P (e.g., normal clamp pressure) in the other half of all operating cycles. The high-demand operating parameter P could, for example, cause a separate scaling function FS of the first wear monitoring unit 35.1 associated with punch 17. 17 This function multiplies the actual number of operation cycles performed by shear machine 3 by 1.5. Then, for each operation cycle of shear machine 3, the wear counter W is updated. 17 Increase by 1.3. Under standard operating conditions, the wear counter W 17 The prediction module 55 can match the number of operation cycles performed by the shearing machine 3. It can predict the remaining number of operation cycles based on historical operating parameters P or the assumption that the shearing machine 3 will operate with the same operating parameters P in the future. An exemplary starting wear counter W for a punch 17 of 9,000... 17 and the wear counter threshold T of punch 17 with 10,000. 17 The prediction module 55 can then predict the remaining number n of the operation loop. R =800 instead of 1,000 loops. A corresponding exemplary prediction function could have the following form:

[0110] n R =(T 17 -W 17 ) / (1×50%+1.5×50%)=(10,000-9,000) / 1.25=800

[0111] In other embodiments, the operating parameters P for future use may already be known when the prediction module 55 makes predictions. The prediction module 55 can then use a prediction function with a separate scaling function similar to this predefined parameter set.

[0112] The shearing system 1 of this embodiment is also configured to update the wear counter W when it determines that at least one worn component 43 has an updated wear counter. i The threshold T is reached within a predetermined number of operation cycles. i A predictive maintenance signal SP is provided. This determination can be based on the prediction of the prediction module 55. The predefined number of operating cycles can be zero. In this embodiment, the predefined number of operating cycles has a value of 800. In the example above, the prediction thus shows the update wear counter W of the first monitoring unit 35.1 associated with the punch 17. 17 The threshold T of 10,000 cycles will be reached within a predetermined number of 800 operation cycles. 17Then, the shearing system 1 provides a predictive maintenance signal SP. Specifically, the shearing system 1 wirelessly transmits the predictive maintenance signal SP to, for example, a service technician or the operator of the shearing machine 3 via an output module 51 and a wireless interface 53.

[0113] The shearing machine system 1 also includes a recording module 57. The recording module 57 is configured to record operating parameters P and wear values ​​V. W,i And / or status output O. In this embodiment, the recording module 57 is configured to record a set of operating parameters P for each wear cycle performed by the shearing machine 3. The recording module 57 is configured to provide a timestamp to the recorded operating parameters P. In addition, the recording module 57 is configured to store wear events of the wear component 43. For example, the recording module 57 may store multiple operating cycles and operating parameters corresponding to these operating cycles after which the wear component 43, such as the punch 17, is completely worn and must be replaced. The recording module 57 may store data representing the number of operating cycles, operating parameters P, and wear events in a memory, such as the memory 49 of the control device 33. Preferably, the shearing machine system 1 is configured to transmit the recorded data to an external device via the output module 51 and the interface 53.

[0114] The recorded data can be used in machine learning algorithms to find the correlation between the operating parameter P and the wear of one or more worn parts 43. The correlation can be used as a separate scaling function FS. i The parameters in the file are used to define the individual scaling function FS. i And / or used to improve and / or adjust the individual scaling function FS i The correlation between operating parameter P and the wear of worn component 43 can also be found empirically.

[0115] Figure 3 This illustrates the different operating parameters P. iAn exemplary table illustrating the correlation between the operating parameter P and the wear component 43. For illustrative purposes, the correlation is quantified numerically, where larger numbers indicate a stronger correlation or greater influence of the operating parameter P on the wear of the corresponding wear component 43. As shown in the table, the influence of the operating parameter P on the wear component 43 can vary significantly. For example, the trailing distance between two sausage-shaped products S has a strong influence on the wear of the gathering plates 25, 27, while the wear of the blade of the cutting device 29 is not affected by the trailing distance at all. For other wear components 43, the relevant operating parameters can be similar. The operating parameters P that affect the wear of the punch 17 and the die 19 are very similar. The only difference in the exemplary embodiment is that the operating parameter P "die type" has a stronger influence on the wear of the die 19 than on the wear of the punch 17. The exemplary table further shows that the wear of the drive disc 59 of the shearing machine 3 is affected by many operating parameters P, while only one exemplary operating parameter P affects the wear of the blade of the cutting device 29.

[0116] The correlation between operating parameter P and the wear of worn component 43, for example Figure 3 The correlation shown can be used as a separate scaling function FS for wear scaling module 37. i The parameters or multipliers in the value are used to determine the individual scaled wear value VS of the wear monitoring unit 35 associated with the corresponding worn component 43. W,i For example, the separate scaling function FS for the lower aggregation plate 25. 25 It can be based on operating parameters P: filler viscosity, product weight, tailing distance, aggregation pore diameter, circulation rate, casing material, and product orifice diameter.

[0117] Figure 4 A portion of an exemplary shearing device 13 of the shearing machine 3 is shown. For illustrative purposes, some components of the shearing device 13 are omitted. The shearing device 13 includes a punch 17 and a die 19. Figure 4In the exemplary embodiment shown, both the punch 17 and the die 19 can be moved from a neutral or retracted position to an engaged position in the closed region 61. In the closed region 61, the punch 17 and the die 19 engage with each other to deform the closing clamp. The die 19 can be linearly moved along the closed axis AC via a knee assembly 63. The knee assembly 63 is connected to the base plate 79 of the shearing machine 3 via a support member 65. The shearing device 13 includes an electric motor (not shown) for driving the punch 17 to move along the closed axis AC. To drive the die 19, the shearing device 13 includes a die drive assembly 67, which includes a die rod 69, a drive disk 59, and an electric motor (not shown). The electric motor is configured to rotate the drive disk 59 via a shaft 71. The drive disk 59 includes a guide groove 73 in which the drive portion 75 of the die rod 69 is slidably received. The support portion 77 of the die rod 69 is rotatably supported on the base plate 79. As the drive disk 59 rotates, the drive portion 75 of the die rod 69 moves according to the contour of the guide groove 73. Since the support portion 77 of the die rod 69 is supported on the base plate 65, the rotation of the drive disk 59 is converted into the pivoting motion of the die rod 69, which causes the die 19 fixed on the die rod 69 to move.

[0118] Figure 4 Sensor 81 of the shearing machine system 1 is also shown. Sensor 81 is configured to acquire sensor data, preferably sensor data indicating the machine condition of the shearing machine 1. Here, a first sensor 81.1 is disposed on the support 65 of the knee assembly 63. A second sensor 81.2 and a third sensor 81.3 are disposed on the base plate 79. The first sensor 81.1 and the third sensor 81.2 are vibration sensors configured to acquire sensor data representing the vibration of the shearing machine 1. Figure 4 In the preferred embodiment shown, the third sensor 81.3 positioned on the substrate 79 is an acoustic sensor, particularly an ultrasonic sensor. The ultrasonic waves generated by the shearing machine 1 during operation can be measured by the third sensor 81.3.

[0119] The wear scaling module 37 is configured to receive sensor data from sensor 81 and additionally determine individual scaled wear values ​​VS for at least some of the worn parts 43 based on the received sensor data or sensor signals. i .

[0120] Preferably, the shearing machine system 1 includes a status determination module 83. The status determination module 83 is configured to receive acquired sensor signals and / or sensor data. The status determination module 83 is also configured to determine the wear condition of at least one wear component 43 based on the received sensor signals / sensor data. For example, the status determination module 83 may be configured to determine that the punch 17 is fully worn based on ultrasonic sounds generated during the closing process. Preferably, if the status determination module 83 determines that at least one wear component 43 is worn and / or the wear condition of at least one wear component 43 indicates that the wear component 43 will wear within a predetermined time and / or a predetermined number of operating cycles of the shearing machine 3, the shearing machine system 1 is configured to provide predictive maintenance signals.

[0121] Figure 5 A method 200 for operating a shearing machine system 1 for producing sausage-shaped products S is shown. Here, the shearing machine system 1 is as described above. Figures 1 to 4 The shearing machine system 1.

[0122] In the first step 201 of the method, at least one operating parameter P of the shearing machine 3 is acquired. Specifically, the operating parameter P is acquired by the control device 33. In the second step 202, which can be performed before, after, or during the first step 201, the initial wear value V of the wearing component 43 is determined. W,start,i Then, as a third step 203, the shearing machine 3 is operated to perform n operating cycles for producing sausage-shaped products S. The control device 33 controls this operation of the shearing machine 3 based on the acquired operating parameters. For example, the control device 33 controls the drive motors for driving the punch 17 and the die 19 such that the clamp pressure applied to the closing clamp is equal to the corresponding operating parameter P acquired in the first step 201. In the fourth step 204, which can be performed multiple times during the operation of the shearing machine 3, the acquired operating parameters P are used, and a separate scaling function FS corresponding to the corresponding wear component 43 is applied. i To determine the individual scaled wear value VS of at least one worn component 43 W,i In step 205 of method 200, the wear value VS is scaled individually. W,i Update the wear value V of worn part 43 W,i The update may, but is not necessarily, be performed after each iteration of step 204. For example, and preferably, step 206 is performed only before step 206 of method 200 and / or after at least one operating parameter P has changed, in which the status output O is provided to interface 53 of the shearing system 1. Figure 5 As shown, at least the fourth step 204, the fifth step 205 and the sixth step 206 can be performed during the operation of the shearing machine according to the third step 203.

[0123] List of reference numerals

[0124] 1. Shearing machine system

[0125] 3 Shearing machine

[0126] 5 Filler tube

[0127] 7. Exhaust openings

[0128] 9 feed inlets

[0129] 11. Sausage casing braking assembly

[0130] 13 Shearing device

[0131] 15 Aggregating Devices

[0132] 17 punches

[0133] 19 stamping die

[0134] 21 First shifter unit

[0135] 23 Second shifter unit

[0136] 25 Upper Aggregation Plate

[0137] 27 Lower Aggregation Plate

[0138] 29 Cutting Device

[0139] 31 Discharge device

[0140] 33 Control Device

[0141] 35 Wear Monitoring Unit

[0142] 37 Wear scaling module

[0143] 39 Output Module

[0144] 41 interface

[0145] 43 Wear parts

[0146] 45 Control Panel

[0147] 47 data cable

[0148] 49 Memory

[0149] 51 Output Module

[0150] 53 interface

[0151] 55 Prediction Module

[0152] 57 Recording Module

[0153] 59 drive disk

[0154] 61 Closed Area

[0155] 63 knee bar assembly

[0156] 65 support components

[0157] 67 Mold Drive Components

[0158] 69 mold rod

[0159] 71 axis

[0160] 73 guide slot

[0161] 75 Mold Rod Drive Section

[0162] 77. Support part of mold rod

[0163] 79 substrate

[0164] 81 sensors

[0165] 83 Status Determination Module

[0166] AC is a closed axis.

[0167] C correlation

[0168] CA Packaging Sausage Casings

[0169] DF feed direction

[0170] DT conveying direction

[0171] f Individual scaling function

[0172] F Filler Material

[0173] FS i Individual scaling function for worn part i

[0174] L-type suspension element / ring

[0175] n Number of operation loops

[0176] O state output

[0177] P operation parameters

[0178] PU user input parameters

[0179] PP pleated part

[0180] S-shaped sausage products

[0181] SP Predictive Maintenance Signal

[0182] ST significance threshold

[0183] T wear threshold

[0184] V W, iWear value of component i

[0185] VS W, i Individually scaled wear values ​​of the wear monitoring unit associated with wear component i

[0186] W is the wear counter associated with the worn part i.

[0187] WS i Individual scaled wear counter associated with wear component i

Claims

1. A shearing machine system (1), comprising: A shearing machine (3) for producing sausage-shaped products (S), the shearing machine (3) including a plurality of wear parts (43); At least one control device (33) is configured to control the operation of the shearing machine (3) and acquire the operating parameters (P) of the shearing machine (3); At least one wear monitoring unit (35) is used to monitor the wear value (V) of an associated wear component among the plurality of wear components (43) of the shearing machine (3). W，i ); At least one wear scaling module (37), said at least one wear scaling module (37) being configured to: Receive the acquired operation parameters (P); Use a separate scaling function (FS) i Based on the received operating parameters (P), determine the individual scaled wear value (VS) for each wear monitoring unit (35). W,i ),and Use the corresponding determined individually scaled wear value (VS) W,i Update the wear value (V) of each wear monitoring unit (35). W,i ); and Output module (39), configured to output the wear value (V) of the wear monitoring unit (35) associated with at least one wear component (43). W,i A status output (O) is provided at the interface (41) for the at least one worn component (43).

2. The shearing machine system (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The wear scaling module (37) is configured to determine the number of operation cycles of the shearing machine (3) performed using the acquired operation parameters (P).

3. The shearing machine system (1) according to claim 2, in, The wear value (V) W,i This includes a wear counter (W) representing the wear cycle of the associated worn component (43). i ), The wear scaling module (37) is configured to use a separate scaling function to determine the individually scaled wear counter (WS) based on the received operating parameters (P) and the determined number of operating cycles performed by the shearing machine (3). i ),and The wear scaling module (37) is configured to scale the wear counter (WS) based on the separate scaling module. i To update the wear counter (W) i ).

4. The shearing machine system (1) according to claim 3, wherein, The status output (O) includes an updated wear counter (W). i ).

5. The shearing machine system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The separate scaling function (FS) i The wear factor is applied based on at least one operating parameter (P).

6. The shearing system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the system comprising at least a first wear monitoring unit (35.1) associated with a first wear component (43) of the shearing machine (3) and a second wear monitoring unit (35.2) associated with a second wear component (43) of the shearing machine (3), wherein the system is used to determine the individually scaled wear value (VS) of the first wear monitoring unit (35). W,i The first individual scaling function (FS) is different from the individual scaled wear value (VS) used to determine the second wear monitoring unit (35). W,i The second scaling function, wherein the second scaling function preferably includes at least one operating parameter (P) that is different from the first scaling function.

7. The shearing machine system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The separate scaling function (FS) i It has the following forms: Among them VS i This represents the individual scaled wear value of worn component i, PV represents the parameter value of parameter k in the number of operating parameters (P) of quantity m, and C i，k This represents the correlation between the corresponding parameter k and the worn component i, and Δn represents the self-wear value (V). W，i The number of operation cycles performed by the shear machine (1) since the latest update of ) 8. The shearing machine system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the system (1) further comprising a prediction module (55) configured to predict a corresponding wear value (V) up to at least one worn component (43). W,i The remaining time until the corresponding wear threshold is exceeded, up to the corresponding wear value (V) of at least one worn component (43). W,i The remaining number of operating cycles until the corresponding wear threshold is exceeded and / or the corresponding wear value (V) of at least one worn component (43). W,i The time point exceeding the corresponding wear threshold, where, The status output (O) preferably includes the predicted remaining time, the predicted number of remaining operation cycles, and / or the predicted time point.

9. The shearing machine system (1) according to claim 8, wherein, The output module (39) is configured to predict the wear value (V) of at least one worn component (43). W,i When the corresponding threshold is exceeded within a predetermined time or a predetermined number of operating cycles of the shearing machine (3), a predictive maintenance signal (SP) is provided.

10. The shearing machine system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the system (1) further comprising at least one sensor (81) for acquiring sensor data indicating the machine condition of the shearing machine (3), wherein the sensor (81) is preferably or includes a vibration sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor.

11. The shearing machine system (1) according to claim 10, wherein, The at least one wear scaling module (37) is configured to receive acquired sensor data and use the separate scaling function (FS) based on the received operating parameters (P) and the received sensor data. i ) to determine the individual scaled wear value (VS) for each wear monitoring unit (35) W,i ).

12. The shearing system (1) according to claim 10 or 11 further includes at least one state determination module (83), the at least one state determination module (83) being configured to determine the wear state of at least one wear component (43) associated with the state determination module (83) based on the sensor data.

13. The shearing system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims further includes a recording module (57), said recording module (57) being configured to record operating parameters (P), wear values ​​(V) W,i ) and / or status output (O), where, The recording module (57) is preferably configured to record at least the operating parameters (P) of each operating cycle of the shearing machine (3), and / or the recording module (57) is preferably configured to store at least wear events of the wear parts (43).

14. A method (200) for operating a shearing system (1) for producing sausage-shaped products (S), particularly the shearing system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the method (200) comprising the following steps: - Obtain at least one operating parameter (P) of the shearing machine (3) as described in (201); - Determine the initial wear value (V) of at least one wear component (43) of the shearing machine (1) (202). W,i ); - Operate the shearing machine (3) using the provided operating parameters (P) to perform at least one operating cycle; - Use a separate scaling function (FS) i Based on the operating parameter (P), determine (204) the individual scaled wear value (VS) of the worn component (43). W,i ), - Use the separately scaled wear value (VS) W,i Update (205) the wear value (V) of the worn component (43). W,i ).

15. A computer program product comprising program code means configured to perform the method (200) according to claim 14 when executed on a shearing system (1).

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