Filling system with central control system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a filling system comprising a plurality of machines, each of which is configured to perform operating functions based on a respective command set, and a central control device configured to control the operating functions of the plurality of machines. Furthermore, the filling system comprises a graphical interface device configured to communicate with the central control device and provide a user with graphically supported programming of the central control device.

Description

Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to the field of filling systems and here in particular to the central control / regulation of the operation of the machines of the filling systems.Prior ArtFilling systems for beverages or the like comprise a plurality of production units connected in series, such as filling machines, labeling machines and packaging machines. These can be designed at least partially as rotary machines which are coupled to one another by means of rotating transfer devices. Alternatively, the production units can also be designed as straight runners and / or be connected to one another via linear transport devices, distribution devices and product buffers. The individual machines of a filling plant communicate only with direct preceding or following machines (in the production line) by means of signal exchange and have no information about operating states of the other machines contained in the line.Individual functions of the individual machines must be selected manually by the operator or can only be selected by directly upstream or downstream machines in the production line. Customer-specific monitoring and monitoring functions must be re-created for each customer per commission in the respective machines. These functions cannot be reused for other machines and can only be created by expert experts with detailed programming skills. Furthermore, the functions must also be dynamically maintained / adjusted and maintained, thereby increasing complexity and cost for implementing both updated and new functions.It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a filling system with an improved programmable control device which enables a simple and rapidly implemented dynamic adaptation of the control of the operating sequences of the individual machines of the filling system.DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe above object is achieved by a filling system having a plurality of machines, each of which is designed to execute operating functions on the basis of a respective instruction set, and a central control device which is designed to control the operating functions of the plurality of machines. Furthermore, the filling system comprises a graphical interface device which is designed to communicate with the central control device and to provide a user with graphically supported programming of the central control device.The term "control device" is understood here to mean a control and / or regulating device, and the term "control" also includes the term "control" and / or regulating. The control device may comprise an artificial intelligence. This artificial intelligence can be designed in the form of an artificial neural network. Thus, self-learning systems can be suitably used in the open-loop / closed-loop control of the manufacturing and treatment processes carried out by the working machines of the plant.Generally, the instruction set of each machine may be stored in the respective machine (i.e., in a memory or storage medium) or in a storage medium external to the respective machine, such as the cloud.According to the invention, the central control device in cooperation with the graphic interface device (GUI device) permits a relatively simple to operate superordinate control of all operating functions / line sequences of the machines of the installation. All information about all operating sequences can be taken into account at a control level higher than the individual operating functions / line sequences of the machines. In this case, individual instructions of the instruction sets, in particular individual instructions of the instruction set of one of the plurality of machines, can be combined with individual instructions of the instruction set of another of the plurality of machines in a suitable manner with one another for optimizing the process sequence of the production / treatment line of the installation.The central control device can also run distributed over a plurality of physical systems.All information about the production line can be provided at / for the central control device at the central location. In particular, different line applications can be implemented flexibly and without customer-specific programming in the machines. Particular line applications can thus be configured in the customer project. Compared to the prior art, such a solution is less susceptible to errors and the start-up time of a new production line can be reduced. Line operation via the central control also permits better uniform documentation.According to one development, each of the machines comprises an individual machine controller which is designed to control the operating functions of the respective machine on the basis of the respective instruction set, and in this case the central control device is designed to control each of the individual machine controllers in order thus to control the operating functions of the plurality of machines. In particular, the central control device can be designed to control the operating functions of the plurality of machines via the individual machine controllers, and the graphical interface device can be designed to provide the user with programmable access to the respective instruction set of the plurality of machines. The individual commands of the command sets can be graphically depicted on the graphical interface device, so that an intuitive linking of individual commands in a process flow is made possible easily and quickly.In particular, the graphical interface device of the filling system can be designed to provide the user with low-code or no-code programming of the central control device. Thus, intuitive programming is possible without specific programming knowledge or knowledge of a specific programming language. In this case, the graphical interface device can be designed to graphically provide the selection of individual commands and the creation of links of selected individual commands of the respective command sets of the plurality of machines to one another and / or to the central control device.Additionally, operations may be customized in the low code or no code environment and need not be programmed with detailed programming skills as before by skilled artisans. By configuring operations in a low code or no code cross environment, implemented solutions can be flexibly adapted to different layout types of the production line. Also, the processed container and package types in the production line are independent of the function combinations created in the low code or no code environment.Customer-side manufacturing execution systems (MES) can be linked via the flexible configuration options of low-code or no-code programming of standard interfaces of existing machines.According to a further development, the graphical interface device is designed to display information about the operating functions of the respective machine. Thus, the user can capture all relevant operating parameters via the same graphical interface device which is used for programming the central control device and take them into account, advantageously for example during programming or generally during operation of the installation.According to a further development, the installation comprises a chatbot which comprises the graphical interface device. The chatbot is a computer-implemented dialog system with which it can be communicated by text input or speech, so that it intelligently supports the operator's operation of a machine of the filling system and, in particular, the programming of the central control device. The chatbot may include or be associated with a voice output. Such a voice output can be used to guide a dialogue with an operator. The chatbot may receive a voice input picked up by a microphone or a text input from an operator as an input.Furthermore, the chatbot can be configured to present diagnostic information about operations of the machines.The chatbot can comprise a speaker recognition module, which serves in particular for speaker identification. It can also be used for speaker verification, i.e. for checking the identity of a speaker specified by an operator. The chatbot can recognize an operator via the speaker recognition module and he can thus adapt the dialogue with the recognized operator to the same. For example, the dialogue with one operator recognized as an experienced operator will differ from a dialogue with another operator recognized as a less experienced operator in terms of inconvenience and detail. The dialogue can thus be suitably adapted to the design or experience of the operator. Also, the dialogue of the competence of the recognized operator can be adjusted so that it can be prevented that the operator tries to initiate an operation for which it is not authorized.In particular, the chatbot can be equipped with an artificial intelligence (AI) module or be connected to such a module, with the aid of which it can learn. For example, after a user has been recognized using the aforementioned speaker recognition module, he can infer the level of experience / training of the user from the dialog behavior of the user developing over time and adapt his own dialog behavior in accordance with the learning result. Thus, an operator profile of an operator can be dynamically guided, stored and used for learning. The operator profile can contain data about the skill and competence of the operator, which determine to what extent the operator can influence the operation of which machines and components of the machines. The operator profile can also be used in speech recognition of a speech input of an operator. The AI module may also be used for learning / training the above-mentioned speech recognition and speaker recognition. In particular, the AI module can intelligently assist the operator in programming the central control device using the graphical interface device. The AI module may be oriented for machine learning and may be or include an artificial neural network.The filling plant according to any of the examples described above may be a plant for the production and treatment of plastic bottles or glass bottles or aluminum cans or general containers made of plastic or glass or aluminum, or the filling plant according to any of the examples described above may be a plant for the production and treatment of containers made of at least one natural-organic material (for example paper) or at least one natural-organic material (for example paper).Thus, according to a further development, the plurality of machines comprise a production machine for forming containers made of plastic, in particular a blow molding machine, or for forming containers made of glass, or for forming containers made of aluminum, a filling machine for filling the formed containers and a labeling machine for labeling the formed containers or the filled containers.According to a further development, the plurality of machines comprise a production machine for forming containers from at least one natural-organic material or at least one natural-organic material, a filling machine for filling the formed containers and a decoration machine for decorating the formed or filled containers.Embodiments of a method according to the invention are described below with reference to the drawing. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and various combinations of the recited features are included in the invention. Fig. 1 schematically shows a plant for the production and treatment of plastic containers according to an example of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a GUI that can be used by way of example for programming the control of a plant for producing and treating containers. FIG. 3 shows details of an exemplary filling system. FIG. 4 schematically shows a plant for the production and treatment of containers from at least one natural-organic material or at least one natural-organic material comprising according to an example of the present invention.The present invention relates to a filling plant for manufacturing and treating containers with a plurality of machines, and more particularly to the control of the control of operations of the machines. The programming of a central control device of the installation is carried out intuitively and simply via a graphical interface device (GUI) which provides low-code or no-code programming.An exemplary plant 10 is schematically shown in FIG. 1. The plant 10 includes a plurality of machines, each configured to perform its operational functions based on a respective instruction set. The plurality of machines of the plant 10 comprise a blow molding machine 11 for producing plastic containers, a mixer 12 for producing the product to be filled, a filler 13 for filling the product into the plastic containers produced in the blow molding machine 11, a transport device 14 having a plurality of transport stages and optionally transport stages for transporting the containers between the individual machines, and a labeler 15 for labeling the produced or filled containers.Furthermore, the system 10 comprises a central control / regulating device 16, which is designed to control the operating functions of the individual machines. Each of the multiple machines may have its own software, which is stored, for example, in a memory of the respective machine or in the cloud, and which maps events / processes of the respective machine. The control by the central control / regulating device 16 is effected via appropriate programming, which allows access to the software of the machines. By means of the suitably programmed central control / regulating device 16, commands of the software of the machines are combined appropriately in order to control and optimize the operating sequence of the production line.The control / regulation device 16 can comprise an artificial intelligence. This artificial intelligence can be designed in the form of an artificial neural network. Thus, self-learning systems can be suitably used in the open-loop / closed-loop control of the manufacturing and treatment processes carried out by the working machines of the plant.The central control / regulation device 16 is programmed with the aid of a graphical interface device (GUI) which is designed to communicate with the central control device and to provide a user with graphically supported programming, in particular low-code or no-code programming, to the central control device.An example of such a GUI, as may be implemented in the installation 10, for example, is shown in FIG. 2. The GUI 20 shown in FIG. 2 graphically provides a plurality of different commands in a command window 21. These commands provided in the command window 21 can be selected by a user, for example using a computer mouse, and can be provided for use after corresponding insertion / displacement in a main window 22, for example by dragging with the computer mouse. In the main window 22, the selected commands are linked to one another by the user, as is indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2.The GUI 20 thus provides simple and intuitive low code or no code programming that enables configuration of the operations of the plant, for example the plant shown in FIGS. 1, 3 or 4, without special programming skills.In particular, the GUI 20 may be included by a chatbot Cb that further facilitates use of the GUI 20 by a user. The chatbot Cb may be a self-learning chatbot and the learning process may be performed using a trainer that collects and evaluates data and stores received voice data and recognized semantic content in a memory. Furthermore, an operator profile of an operator can be stored and updated in the memory. For example, the chatbot Cb can be used to learn how the level of knowledge of an operator identified with the aid of speaker recognition changes over time, and a dialogue with this operator can be adapted over time to the changing level of knowledge of the operator.Furthermore, a virtual reality or augmented reality output can be presented to the operator via the GUI 20, which can be used both to support the dialogue with the operator and to display diagnostic and other operating data. The virtual reality or augmented reality output can contain an in particular simulated animated representation of information, for example about operating sequences of machines of the filling plant.An example filling plant 300 that may include the plant 10 shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated in FIG. 3. The filling system 300 for filling containers 302, 303, for example plastic bottles, with a liquid product, such as a beverage or the like, comprises a filling machine 305 for filling and closing the containers 302, 303 and a distribution device 306 provided downstream of the filling machine 305 for distributing the containers 302, 303 to two separately controllable transport paths 307, 308, in each of which at least one container buffer 309, 310 with adjustable container guides 309 a, 310 ais provided. Downstream of the container buffers 309, 310, labeling machines 311, 312 and packaging machines 313, 314 for producing container containers 315 are provided. These are fed to a collecting and distributing device 316, so that the container containers 315 are distributed on sorting tracks 317 provided downstream of the collecting and distributing device 316 and can be fed to a picking device 318.The transport paths 307, 308 each comprise first input-side sections 307 a, 308 awhich are formed in a single track and for the pressureless transport of the containers 302, 303. Furthermore, the transport paths 307, 308 comprise second sections 307 b, 308 bon the output side, which are each embodied in multi-lane fashion for the pressureless transport of the containers 302, 303. Switches 307 c, 308 cor corresponding distribution devices are provided for distributing the containers 302, 303 from the single-track first section 307 a, 308 ato the individual tracks of the second section 307 b, 308 b, which are designed, for example, in the form of separate lanes 307 b 1 to 307 b 3, 308 b 1 to 308 b 3.Furthermore, the filling system 300 comprises two devices for producing containers 319, 320 in the form of blow molding machines 319, 320. In the example shown, separate blow molding machines 319, 320 are provided for producing different containers 302, 303, for example containers of different geometric shapes. At least one of the blow molding machines 319, 320 can be connected to the filling machine 3055 via an inlet-side transport section 321. Via an input-side switch 305a, different incoming container streams can be supplied for further processing. Further production units 323, 324 can be provided, for example, in the form of shrink tunnels.For controlling the filling system 300 according to the invention, a central control / regulating device 322 is provided, which communicates in particular with the distribution device 306, the container buffers 309, 310, the labeling machines 311, 312 and production units upstream of the distribution device 306, such as the filling machine 305 and the blowing machines 319, 320. The central control / regulation device 322 can correspond to or comprise the control / regulation device 16 shown in FIG. 1. In particular, the central control / regulation device 322 can be programmed with the aid of low-code or no-code programming provided by a GUI, for example the GUI 20 shown in FIG. 2.In the example shown, the labeling machines 311, 312 are connected to their own communication and control devices K 1, K 2, the filling machine 305 to its own communication and control device K 3 and the blowing machines 319, 320 to their own communication and control devices K 4, K 5. Each of the communication and control devices K 1, K 2, K 3, K 4 allows the corresponding machine to be operated by a user via a suitable interface. The communication and control devices K 1, K 2, K 3, K 4, K 5 are logically assigned to the respective machines of the filling system 300. Of course, all the machines of the filling system 300 can be equipped with their own communication and control devices, and the communication and control devices can be linked to one another, so that they can exchange themselves via operating states of the machines and requirements of the operators. In general, for safety reasons, the networking of the communication and control device with the other machines, mobile collaborative robots (CR), but also smartphones of the operators, etc., can be limited to a defined internal area (for example in the form of a company's own network) and at the same time an exchange in the Internet for the independent learning of the communication and control device, for example with regard to a speech recognition or speaker identification, can be made possible.The central control / regulation device 322 is connected to the communication and control devices K 1, K 2, K 3, K 4, K 5 and can take over the coordination of the machines and transport technology at least partially, for example during the organization of the plant production and the change of the products in type. Logically and / or physically, each machine can be assigned a communication and control device K 1, K 2, K 3, K 4, K 5. An operator can operate the respective machines via the communication and control devices K 1, K 2, K 3, K 4, K 5, for example with the aid of voice inputs and voice dialogs. At least some of the communication and control devices K 1, K 2, K 3, K 4, K 5 can each comprise a chatbot. The communication and control devices K 1, K 2, K 3, K 4, K 5 may use display devices positioned on the machines to display information. Implementations with central and distributed data processings and databases, which can be accessed by the central control / regulation device 322 and the communication and control devices K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, are possible.FIG. 4 shows an exemplary filling plant 40, which can comprise the plant 10 shown in FIG. 1, which is designed to produce and treat containers from at least one natural-organic material or comprising at least one natural-organic material. The plant 40 comprises a manufacturing machine 41 for forming containers made of at least one natural-organic material or comprising at least one natural-organic material. For example, the manufacturing machine 1 may be configured to form containers for forming paper containers, such as paper bottles, for example, having a predetermined grass fiber fraction. The containers produced in the production machine 41 can be provided with an inner coating and / or outer coating in the same working machine or subsequently. The inner coating and / or outer coating can serve for the mechanical stability and tightness of the container. The plant 40 may include a plurality of parallel-operating manufacturing machines 41, and the containers manufactured by this plurality of parallel-operating manufacturing machines 41 may be merged for further processing. Thus, a relatively high throughput can be achieved even at a relatively low manufacturing cycle.The plant 40 further comprises a decorating machine 42 to which the containers formed in the manufacturing machine 41 are supplied for decorating. Decoration is effected by labeling and / or printing on the containers. The decorating machine 42 can be configured to label the containers with the aid of cold glue or hot glue by roller or spray application (GlueJet), or APS labeling. The decorating machine 42 can be designed to print the containers with an ink, for example in a vertical position.In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the decorated containers are subjected to a post-treatment in a post-treatment machine 43 which serves for drying or curing the printing media and / or labels.The labeling and / or printing of the containers can be monitored in a control machine 44 of the system 40. Containers that fall below minimum quality standards with regard to their printing or labeling can be discharged and, for example, recycled.Furthermore, the plant 40 shown in Fig. 4 comprises a filling machine 45 for filling the containers produced in the production machine 41. The filling can take place after or before the decoration of the containers in the decoration machine 43.The containers filled by the filling machine 45 are closed in a closing machine 46 of the plant 40. The closing machine 46 can be designed to close the filled containers, for example with a screw closure made of metal or plastic or a hot seal of the opening with aluminum foil, plastic or paper fiber.Before (upstream) or after (downstream) filling in the filling machine 45, the containers can also be fed to a paint machine 47, in which they are sealed by paint application, for example to protect the ink applied.Finally, the sealed filled containers can be packaged in a packaging machine 48 of the plant 40.The operation of the individual working machines 41 to 48 of the installation 40 and devices for transporting the containers between these working machines is controlled / regulated by a central control / regulating device 49 of the installation 40. The control / regulation device 49 can comprise an artificial intelligence, which can be designed in the form of an artificial neural network.In particular, the central control / regulation device 49 of the system 40 can correspond to the central control / regulation device 16 of the system 10 shown in FIG. 1. Programming of the central control / regulation device 49 can be effected with the aid of low-code or no-code programming provided by a GUI, for example the GUI 20 shown in FIG. 2, as has been described above.

Claims

A filling plant (10, 40, 300) comprising a plurality of machines each configured to perform operational functions based on a respective instruction set; a central controller (16, 49, 322) configured to control the operational functions of the plurality of machines; and a graphical interface device (20) configured to communicate with the central controller (16, 49, 322) and provide a graphical assisted programming of the central controller (16, 49, 322) to a user.The filling plant (10, 40, 300) according to claim 1, wherein each of the machines comprises an individual machine controller configured to control the operating functions of the respective machine based on the respective instruction set; and wherein the central controller (16, 49, 322) is configured to control each of the individual machine controllers.The filling plant (10, 40, 300) of claim 2, wherein the central controller (16, 49, 322) is configured to control each of the individual source machine controllers based on the respective instruction set; and the graphical interface device (20) is configured to provide the user with programmable access to the respective instruction set of the plurality of machines.The filling plant (10, 40, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the instruction set of each machine is stored in the respective machine or in a storage medium, for example the cloud, located outside the respective machine.The filling system (10, 40, 300) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the graphical interface device (20) is designed to provide the user with low-code or no-code programming of the central control device.The filling plant (10, 40, 300) according to claim 5, wherein the graphical interface device (20) is configured to graphically provide a selection of individual commands and / or a creation of links of selected individual commands of the respective command sets of the plurality of machines to one another and / or to the central control device (16, 49, 322).The filling system (10, 40, 300) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the graphical interface device (20) is designed to display information about the operating functions of the respective machine.The filling plant (10, 40, 300) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a chatbot comprising the graphical interface device (20).Filling plant (10, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of machines comprises a manufacturing machine (11, 319, 320) for forming containers made of plastic, in particular a blow molding machine, or for forming containers made of glass or aluminium; a filling machine (13, 305) for filling the formed containers; and a labeling machine (15, 311, 312) for labeling the formed containers or filled containers.The filling plant (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the plurality of machines include a manufacturing machine (41) for forming containers of at least one natural-organic material or at least one natural-organic material; a filling machine (45) for filling the formed containers; and a decorating machine (42) for decorating the formed or filled containers.

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