A self-adaptive method for component orientation.

Abstract

A self-adaptive method for orienting components, such as packaging components, in real time, wherein an adjusted command is applied to at least one actuator to orient at least one component, the oriented component then undergoes a transformation, and after the transformation, the orientation of the component is measured to obtain a measured characteristic of the component's orientation, and the command is gradually adjusted based on the already measured characteristic of the component's orientation.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Corresponding application This PCT application claims priority to an earlier European patent application No. EP22201943.2 filed on October 17, 2022 in the name of AISAPACK HOLDING SA, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety into this PCT application.

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of methods for producing packaging, more particularly to flexible packaging produced by assembling oriented components. The present invention can be used, for example, but not exclusively, for the production of packaging tubes intended for packaging liquid or viscous products, semi-liquid products or products in powder form.

[0003] Naturally, the invention does not only apply to the manufacture of packaging tubes, but may also be applicable in other fields where the manufacture of an article results from the assembly of oriented components. [Background technology]

[0004] WO2016055924 (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) proposes a method for orienting a cap relative to a printed tube body, in which angle corrections are determined by taking into account modeled signals during a learning phase. The method described in WO2016055924 significantly reduces the time required for setup and, thanks to real-time measurement of the difference between the desired and measured orientations, allows for the removal of any assemblies from the production batch that are not accurately oriented. While this method has many advantages, it requires operator intervention to adjust machine commands when a deterioration in quality is observed. Such a deterioration in quality may be related to changes in the environment in which the manufacturing machine is located, changes in the components (geometry, materials) used on the machine, or deterioration associated with the machine (heat generation, wear).

[0005] Another problem not solved by WO2016055924 relates to a multi-track assembly method for assembling oriented components, in which several assembly tracks are processed sequentially and / or simultaneously, each with a different behavior that affects the final orientation between the components. This is particularly the case for a rotating platform with several tracks, such as an index turntable with several mandrels, each corresponding to a track. See, for example, WO2007141711, WO2010054804, and WO2015001453, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. With this type of device, there is a deviation (mean and standard deviation) between the desired orientation and the measured orientation, which varies from track to track. Optimizing the orientation device settings for all of the tracks as a whole provides the best overall compromise, but this approach may be insufficient when the orientation must be very precise.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks with a self-adaptive manufacturing method that adjusts machine orientation commands and / or parameters in real time based on measured characteristics of the oriented item. Specifically, the method allows the orientation of each track to be individually self-adjusted to ensure optimal orientation accuracy despite changes in the manufacturing environment, despite variations between components, despite differences in behavior between tracks, despite differences in behavior between orientation actuators, and despite changes resulting from machine wear and / or heating. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to improve methods and devices for producing packaging by assembly of oriented components, in particular, but not exclusively, packaging tubes intended for packaging liquid or viscous products, semi-liquid products or solid products (e.g. in powder form).

[0008] Another objective is to propose a self-adaptive orientation method and station / device that adjusts commands in real time to obtain assembled components with a very accurate and uniform orientation despite changes in the manufacturing environment and / or despite variations in the characteristics of the assembled components and / or despite changes related to the manufacturing equipment.

[0009] Another object is to propose an orientation method and station that makes it possible to reduce the variations between items within the same production batch.

[0010] Another object is to propose an orientation method and station that can be implemented simply and efficiently.

[0011] Another object is to propose an orientation method and station that can be easily implemented and that makes it possible to improve the accuracy of transformation operations, said transformation operations being, for example, transport or placement operations, or assembly, welding or gluing operations of components, or molding or overmolding operations, or capping operations that involve snapping or screwing components together, or filling operations, or sealing operations, or packing operations such as putting oval tubes into boxes.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to improve the accuracy of orientation used in so-called multi-track methods such as rotary turntables or parallel linear systems. The present invention makes it possible to improve the effective orientation accuracy of multi-track devices using a minimum number of actuators and measurement devices.

[0013] Another object is to propose an orientation method and a modular system that can be implemented on existing machines.

[0014] Other objects and solutions arising from the present invention will be described in the following text and in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0015] The present invention relates to a method for orienting components at high production speeds, and in particular to a single-track or multi-track orientation method implemented on a rotating device.

[0016] In particular, the present invention relates to a method for orienting components with self-adaptive commands in real time based on measuring one or more characteristics of the orientation during production without shutting down the machine. The measured characteristics of the orientation are primarily the deviation between the desired and measured values ​​of the orientation, although other characteristics may also be determined, such as the mean value of the orientation per track or, in the case of a multi-track configuration, the standard deviation of the orientation per track. By measuring these characteristics, wear or damage to the multi-track rotating device can be detected and predicted, and preventive maintenance can be performed. According to the present invention, the characteristics of the oriented component are compared in real time with reference characteristics.

[0017] The invention relates in particular to a method for the orientation of components on tubular bodies used in packaging, said components being, for example, the head or cap of a tube, or the neck or base of a bottle. According to the invention, a multi-track orientation method can be performed at high production speeds and includes a self-adaptive and optimized adjustment of orientation commands for each track of the machine.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method manages a plurality of actuators, which are orienting devices or stations that receive orientation commands and place components in an orienting position. Thus, according to the present invention, the method can manage a plurality of actuators, each feeding a plurality of tracks. This is particularly the case for a turntable with n x k parallel mandrels and k actuators. For example, for a turntable with six parallel mandrels and two actuators, the total number of tracks is 12, with each actuator assigned six tracks. According to another example shown in WO2007141711, the turntable includes 8 x 6 mandrels, i.e., 48 tracks in total.

[0019] The present invention aims to orient components with high precision and small differences in assembly processes carried out at high manufacturing speeds.

[0020] In an embodiment, the invention relates to a self-adaptive method for orienting components, such as packaging components, in real time, wherein an adjusted command is applied to at least one actuator to orient at least one of said components, the oriented component then undergoes a transformation, the orientation of the component is measured after the transformation to obtain a measured characteristic of the orientation of the component after the transformation, and the command is gradually adjusted based on the measured characteristic of the orientation of the component after the transformation.

[0021] In an embodiment, the adjusted command is obtained by a self-adaptive theoretical model that self-adjusts to find optimal parameters of the self-adaptive theoretical model.

[0022] In an embodiment, the optimal parameters of the model are obtained by minimizing the deviation between the measured properties and the theoretical properties calculated by the model.

[0023] In an embodiment, multiple components are oriented, each on a corresponding track.

[0024] In an embodiment, the measurement of orientation is optical, although other equivalent means for this measurement may also be used.

[0025] In an embodiment, the converting operation may be, for example, an assembly, and / or welding, and / or joining, and / or molding, and / or an overmolding operation, and / or a capping operation including snapping components together, and / or screwing components together, and / or a packing operation such as placing an oval tube into a box, or some combination thereof.

[0026] In an embodiment, the module for self-adaptive correction of orientation comprises a plurality of self-adjustable theoretical models of the orientation station.

[0027] In an embodiment, the module for self-adaptive correction of orientation includes a self-tuning theoretical model for each track of the orientation station and / or for each actuator of the orientation station.

[0028] In an embodiment, the self-adjustable theoretical model is a black-box mathematical function such as a mathematical function and / or a polynomial function and / or a fractional function and / or a non-linear function (logarithmic, exponential) and / or a neural network.

[0029] In an embodiment, the parameters of the model are adjusted by an incremental algorithm, RLS (Recursive Least Squares), and / or by quadratic optimization (Quadratic Programming), and / or by gradient descent optimization.

[0030] In an embodiment, the command is univariate, for example, comprising angular position, and / or the command is multivariate, for example, comprising angular position, and / or rotational speed, and / or torque.

[0031] In an embodiment, the end piece is overmolded onto the tubular body.

[0032] In an embodiment, the tube is capped by attaching a cap to the head of the printed tube.

[0033] In an embodiment, the invention relates to a device for implementing the method described in the present application, said device comprising at least an actuator, a single-track or multi-track transformation device, a device for measuring orientation and means for processing the measurements, said device further comprising a single-track or multi-track self-adaptive correction module generating optimal parameters for a model of each track and optimal commands for each track. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] The principle of the invention is illustrated in Figure 1. The orientation method uses at least an orientation station and a module for self-adaptive correction of the orientation. [Figure 2] An extension of the method shown in FIG. 1 to a multi-track (three tracks are shown in FIG. 2 as a non-limiting example) and multi-actuator method is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] Orientation Station The orientation stations 1, 1' perform at least the operations of orienting the components and measuring the effective orientation of the oriented components to determine the actual orientation of the oriented components. After the orientation step and before the step of measuring the actual orientation, the orientation stations 1, 1' perform one or more operations referred to as transformation operations.

[0036] The orientation of the components is carried out using actuators 2, 2' which are known in the art and are capable of orienting the components at high production speeds. An example of a robust actuator 2, 2' which does not require long settling times thanks to the use of algorithms is described in WO 2016 / 055924.

[0037] The properties of the actual orientation of the component after any transformation operation performed by the transformation device 3, 3' are measured by a measurement device 4, 4' for measuring orientation, such as an optical camera or optical sensor or any other suitable sensor. The measurements obtained from the transformation device 3, 3' are finally processed in a processing device 5, 5' to obtain the measured properties of the orientation of the component in question.

[0038] Operations referred to as conversion operations can include assembling components, positioning components (such as on a conveyor belt, in a box, or on a mandrel), etc.

[0039] According to embodiments of the invention, the converting operation is carried out on a multi-track indexing turntable 3, 3' for overmolding the tube head onto the printed skirt. The tube head is, for example, oval in shape or, for example, circular with a hole not located on the axis of symmetry. According to some alternative embodiments, the turntable moves continuously.

[0040] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the converting operation is performed on a multi-track indexing turntable 3 for snapping a hinged cap onto the printed tubular body. According to some alternative embodiments, the turntables 3, 3' move continuously.

[0041] According to an embodiment of the invention, the converting operation is performed on a multi-track indexing turntable 3, 3' for welding the tube cap onto the printed skirt. According to some alternative embodiments, the turntable 3, 3' moves continuously.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the invention, the converting operation is performed on a multi-track indexing turntable for welding a base (e.g., oval) onto the printed tubular body. According to another embodiment, the turntable moves continuously.

[0043] The turntable described above is, for example, as shown in the prior art publications referred to herein.

[0044] Module for self-adaptive correction of orientation In parallel with the orientation station, a module 6, 6' for self-adaptive correction of the orientation adjusts in real time the commands for the actuators 2, 2' used to orient the component.

[0045] According to an embodiment of the invention, the module for self-adaptive correction of the orientation 6 , 6 ′ uses at least one self-adjustable theoretical model that simulates the behavior of the orientation station 1 .

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the module for self-adaptive correction of orientation 6, 6' also calculates adjusted commands for the actuators 2, 2' using the optimized parameters of the self-adjusted theoretical model in real time.

[0047] Theoretical model According to an embodiment of the present invention, the module for self-adaptive correction of orientation 6, 6' comprises one or more self-adjustable theoretical models (digital twins) of the orientation stations 1, 1'.

[0048] According to an embodiment of the invention, the module 6, 6' for self-adaptive correction of the orientation comprises a self-adjustable theoretical model for each track of the orientation station 1, 1'.

[0049] According to an embodiment of the invention, the module for self-adaptive correction of the orientation 6, 6' comprises a self-adjustable theoretical model for each actuator of the orienting station 1, 1'.

[0050] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the module for self-adaptive correction of orientation 6, 6' comprises a self-adjustable theoretical model for each track and each actuator of the orientation station 1, 1'.

[0051] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-tuning theoretical model is a mathematical function.

[0052] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-tuning theoretical model is a polynomial function.

[0053] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-tuning theoretical model is a fractional function.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-adjusting theoretical model is a non-linear function (logarithmic, exponential).

[0055] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-tuning theoretical model is a black-box mathematical function such as a neural network.

[0056] How to adjust model parameters in real time According to an embodiment of the present invention, the parameters of the model are adjusted in real time by minimizing the deviation between the response (to the same command) of the method (applied to the actuators 2, 2′) and the response of the model (the command injected into the model) (see Figures 1 and 2).

[0057] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the parameters of the model are adjusted by the incremental algorithm RLS (Recursive Least Squares).

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the parameters of the model are adjusted by quadratic optimization (quadratic programming).

[0059] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the parameters of the model are tuned by gradient descent optimization.

[0060] According to the invention, the self-adjusted parameters of the model make it possible to calculate adjusted commands for the actuator 1 in real time.

[0061] Coordinated commands for actuators According to the present invention, the self-adaptive correction module 6, 6' uses an optimized theoretical model to adjust the commands to the actuators 2, 2' in real time (calculating the adjusted commands taking into account the desired characteristics of the orientation and the optimal parameters of the model) taking into account the desired characteristics of the orientation as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0062] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the command is univariate, for example, the command corresponds to an angular position.

[0063] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the command is multivariate, for example the command comprises an angular position, a rotational speed and a torque, although other variables are of course possible within the framework of the present invention.

[0064] Example of a method according to the present invention Example 1: Overmolded Device In a method for manufacturing packaging tubes by overmolding end pieces onto printed tubular bodies, the tubular bodies are oriented before being transferred onto an overmolding turntable. The method uses two actuators 2, 2' in parallel to orient and distribute the tube bodies onto a turntable 3, 3' containing six pairs of mandrels. The conversion operations (transfer, overmolding of end pieces) are performed on the turntable 3, 3'. Two measuring devices 4, 4' mounted on the turntable 3, 3' measure the orientation between the end pieces and the tubular bodies after the conversion operation (in this example, overmolding).

[0065] Parameters for the method in Example 1 -12 tracks (6 pairs, i.e. 12 mandrels) - Two actuators 2, 2', each assigned to six tracks -12 theoretical models.

[0066] The present invention allows optimal orientation of components for each of the 12 tracks individually (each track has its own theoretical model).

[0067] The present invention allows for real-time analysis of the performance of each of the 12 tracks and each of the two actuators, allowing for optimization, prediction or compensation for degradation in the device's operation.

[0068] Example 2: Capping Device In a method for capping a tube by snapping a cap onto the head of a printed tube, the cap is oriented before being snapped onto the tube, for example, to ensure alignment between the printed surface and the opening of the cap. The method uses a single actuator 2, 2' to orient and snap the cap onto a tube loaded onto a mandrel placed on a turntable 3, 3'. The rotating turntable 3, 3' includes seven mandrels, the movements of which are performed successively. The effective orientation between the cap and the tube is performed after the movements.

[0069] Parameters for the method in Example 2 -7 tracks (7 individual mandrels) - 1 actuator 2, 2' -7 theoretical models.

[0070] According to a variant of Example 2, the capping method comprises two parallel actuators 2, 2' that orient and snap the cap onto a turntable 3, 3' that is equipped with seven pairs of mandrels.

[0071] Parameters for the variant of the method in Example 2 - 14 tracks (7 pairs of mandrels, i.e. 14 mandrels) - Two actuators 2, 2', each assigned to seven tracks -14 theoretical model.

[0072] Effect of the invention The present invention makes it possible to achieve precise orientation optimized for each individual track (each track has its own theoretical model) and minimal orientation imbalance per track, which is far superior to a general setting optimized for all of the tracks as a whole.

[0073] The present invention allows for reduced setup time through an integrated self-adjusting function.

[0074] The present invention allows for compensation for machine, environmental and component related degradation.

[0075] With ongoing control throughout production, the commands for the orientation stations 1, 1' are adjusted automatically, in real time, and independently for each track so that the effective characteristics of the orientation on each track are optimal for the characteristics of the desired orientation.

[0076] When degradation of other properties, such as standard deviation (variance of orientation measurements), is measured, the present invention allows for the rapid diagnosis and location of defective components or mechanisms, and for preventative action to be taken before a malfunction occurs.

[0077] The principles of the present invention are highly economically effective because they prevent rejects and limit human intervention by self-adjusting machines in real time as soon as degradation is detected and before failure occurs.

[0078] The embodiments described in this application are illustrative examples and should not be considered limiting. Other embodiments may, for example, use equivalent means to those described. The various embodiments described above may also be combined with each other depending on the circumstances, or means used in one embodiment may be used in another embodiment.

[0079] Exemplary embodiments have been described to provide a general understanding of the principles of the structure, function, manufacture, and use of the systems and methods disclosed herein. One or more examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the systems and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting exemplary embodiments, and that the scope of the present invention is not defined solely by the claims. Features shown or described in connection with one exemplary embodiment may be combined with features of other embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Several problems with conventional methods and systems have been described herein, and the methods and systems disclosed herein may address one or more of these problems. By describing these problems, no admission of knowledge thereof in the art is intended. Those skilled in the art will understand that, while certain methods and systems have been described herein in conjunction with several non-limiting embodiments, the scope of the invention is not so limited. Moreover, while the present invention has been described in conjunction with several embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be or become apparent to those skilled in the applicable arts. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace and cover all such alternatives, modifications, equivalents and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims

1. 1. A self-adaptive method for orienting components, such as packaging components, in real time, comprising: applying a coordinated command to at least one actuator to orient at least one of the components; the oriented component then undergoing a transformation; and measuring an orientation of the component after the transformation to obtain a measured characteristic of the orientation of the component after the transformation; A self-adaptive method in which the commands are gradually adjusted based on the orientation properties of the components measured after the transformation.

2. The self-adaptive method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusted command is obtained by a self-adaptive theoretical model that self-adjusts to find optimal parameters of the self-adaptive theoretical model.

3. 3. The self-adaptive method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the optimal parameters of the model are obtained by minimizing the deviation between the measured characteristics and the theoretical characteristics calculated by the model.

4. A self-adapting method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of components are oriented, each component being on a corresponding track.

5. The self-adaptive method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the measurement of the orientation is optical.

6. 6. The self-adapting method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the transforming operation is an assembly, or a welding or gluing operation, or a molding or overmolding operation, or a capping operation involving snap-fitting or screwing, or a packing operation such as putting an oval tube into a box.

7. The self-adaptive method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the module (6, 6') for self-adaptive correction of orientation comprises a plurality of self-adjustable theoretical models of orientation stations (1, 1').

8. 8. The self-adaptive method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the module (6, 6') for the self-adaptive correction of the orientation comprises a self-adjustable theoretical model for each track of the orienting station and / or for each actuator of the orienting station (1, 1').

9. 9. The self-adaptive method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the self-adjustable theoretical model is a black-box mathematical function such as a mathematical function, and / or a polynomial function, and / or a fractional function, and / or a non-linear function (logarithmic, exponential), and / or a neural network.

10. 10. The self-adaptive method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the parameters of the model are adjusted by an incremental algorithm, RLS (Recursive Least Squares) and / or by quadratic optimization (Quadratic Programming) and / or by gradient descent optimization.

11. The self-adaptive method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the command is a single variable, such as an angular position, and / or the command comprises multiple variables, such as an angular position, and / or a rotational speed, and / or a torque.

12. The self-adapting method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the end piece is overmolded onto the tubular body.

13. A self-adapting method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the tube is capped by attaching a cap to the head of the printed tube.

14. A device for implementing the self-adaptation method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, said device comprising at least an actuator (2, 2'), a single-track or multi-track transformation device (3, 3'), a device for measuring orientation (4, 4') and means for processing the measurements (5, 5'), said device further comprising a single-track or multi-track self-adaptive correction module (6, 6') for generating optimal parameters for a model of each track and optimal commands for each track.

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