Management Device, Management Method, and Program

Abstract

A management device, a management method, and a program are provided that enable containers to be manufactured without reducing productivity. [Solution] A management device that manages a manufacturing process in which a container is manufactured by pressing the surface of packaging material by moving a mold back and forth, and is equipped with an image receiving unit that receives an image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material, and an estimation unit that estimates whether a defect will occur in the container based on the analysis results of the image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a management device, a management method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] As a packaging container for food, a paper container described in Patent Document 1 is known. This paper container is manufactured by bending and adhering a part of a paper blank (packaging material). Patent Document 1 describes a step of arranging the blank, a step of supplying hot air to the four corners of the arranged blank, a step of pressing the blank using a mold, and the like. By performing such steps, after melting the layer made of a heat-melting resin formed on the surface of the blank, the four corners are bent and overlapped, and the overlapped portion is pressed and heat-sealed to join and manufacture the paper container.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when manufacturing a paper container by pressing a blank with a mold, problems such as misalignment and aging deterioration are likely to occur in the mold, which is a movable part. Also, in order to prevent the mold from getting hot due to hot air, it may be necessary to circulate cooling water inside the mold. In this case, a mechanism for supplying or draining cooling water is provided in the mold, but these mechanisms need to be maintained regularly. In maintenance, after disassembling the mold to check for aging deterioration of the components, cleaning, etc. are performed, and then a reproduction operation of reassembling and installing it back in its original position is carried out.

[0005] In the reproduction operation, even when the mold was supposed to be installed at the original position, there were often problems where paper containers could not be manufactured correctly. In such cases, it was necessary to repeat the test of pressing the blank while changing the position of the mold and make adjustments until the paper containers could be manufactured correctly. For this reason, there was a problem that the reproduction operation after maintenance took a long time.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a management device, a management method, and a program that can suppress the prolongation of the reproduction operation after maintenance.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In order to solve the above-described problems, one aspect of the present invention is a management device that manufactures a container by pressing the surface of a packaging material by reciprocating a mold, Used in the system the management device including an image reception unit that receives an image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material, and an estimation unit that estimates whether or not a defect occurs in the container based on an analysis result obtained by analyzing the image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material. Among them, whether the difference between the analysis result obtained at the stage before maintenance and the analysis result obtained after the mold is reinstalled at the original installation position after being removed for the maintenance is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold

[0008] Also, one aspect of the present invention is a management method performed by a computer device that is a management device that manufactures a container by pressing the surface of a packaging material by reciprocating a mold, the method including: an image reception unit receiving an image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material; and an estimation unit estimating whether or not a defect occurs in the container based on an analysis result obtained by analyzing the image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material. Used in the system Among them, whether the difference between the analysis result obtained at the stage before maintenance and the analysis result obtained after the mold is reinstalled at the original installation position after being removed for the maintenance is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold

[0009] Also, one aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer device that is a management device that manufactures a container by pressing the surface of a packaging material by reciprocating a mold to receive an image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material, and to estimate whether or not a defect occurs in the container based on an analysis result obtained by analyzing the image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material. Used in the system Among them, whether the difference between the analysis result obtained at the stage before maintenance and the analysis result obtained after the mold is reinstalled at the original installation position after being removed for the maintenance is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, a container can be manufactured without reducing productivity.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

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Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] The management system 1 is a system for managing the manufacturing process of manufacturing containers. Hereinafter, the case of manufacturing a paper container in the manufacturing process will be exemplified and described. However, it is not limited thereto. The management system 1 can be applied to at least a process of moving a mold to manufacture a product, and a process in which the mold is removed during maintenance or the like and then reinstalled at the original position.

[0014] First, the manufacturing process will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the flow of the manufacturing process according to the embodiment. FIGS. 2 to 5 are diagrams for explaining the manufacturing process of FIG. 1.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, in the manufacturing process, a container is manufactured by performing each of Process A, Process B, and Process C. The next process is the process performed next to the manufacturing process. For example, it is a process of filling the container manufactured in the manufacturing process with contents or joining a lid material to the container.

[0016] Process A is a process of arranging the blank BR at a predetermined position. Process B is a process of supplying hot air to the four corners of the blank BR. Process C is a process of pressing the blank BR to manufacture a container. The blank BR is a substantially square paper wrapping material, and a plurality of folding lines are formed in advance by embossing or the like. A quadrilateral constituting the bottom surface of the container is formed by a part of the folding line at the center of the blank BR.

[0017] FIG. 2 shows the relative positional relationship between the blank BR and the molds (male mold OG and female mold MG) in Process A. In Process A, the blank BR is arranged between the male mold OG and the female mold MG.

[0018] The male type OG is configured to be operable in the vertical direction D. For example, the male type OG is attached to a shaft T connected to a drive mechanism (not shown). When the shaft T is driven by the drive mechanism, the male type OG moves up and down together with the shaft T. The female type MG is installed below the male type OG, and its installation position is fixed.

[0019] Figure 3 shows the relative positional relationship between the blank BR and the hot air supply units HA1 to HA4 in process B. In process B, the hot air supply units HA1 to HA4 eject hot air from the ejection holes toward the four corners of the blank. The layer made of the heat-melted resin formed on the surface of the blank BR by the hot air melts.

[0020] Figure 4 shows the relative positional relationship between the blank BR and the mold before pressing, and Figure 5 shows the relative positional relationship between the blank BR and the mold after pressing.

[0021] As shown in Figure 4, in process A, the blank BR is placed between the male type OG and the female type MG.

[0022] As shown in Figure 5, in process C, the male type OG reaches the position where the blank BR is placed close to the blank BR from above the blank BR, and descends toward the female type MG in contact with the blank BR. As a result, the blank BR bends along the folding line and is formed into the shape of a container composed of a bottom surface portion and side surface portions rising from the bottom surface portion by folding.

[0023] As shown in Figure 5, rollers R (an example of a mold) are installed below the female type. The rollers R are cylindrical in shape having a diameter and length corresponding to the shape of the side surface of the container, and are installed one by one on the left and right sides of the mold. After the male type OG descends to the position where the female type MG is installed and forms the blank BR into the shape of a container, it further descends to the position where the rollers R are installed in contact with the bottom surface of the container. When the container descends to the position of the rollers R, the side surface of the container is pressed by the rollers R. As a result, the bent and overlapped portions on the side surface of the container are brought close and joined to complete the container.

[0024] In the manufacturing process, the following management is carried out. (Management 1) Management of the hot air supply units HA1 to HA4 (Management 2) Temperature management of the cooling water and the mold (Management 3) Management of the position and operation timing of the mold (Management 4) Melting management of the blank BR (Management 5) Individual identification management of the containers

[0025] (In Management 1), the temperature and air volume of the hot air supplied from the hot air supply units HA1 to HA4 are measured, and the measured values are recorded. In the manufacturing process, for example, temperature sensors for measuring the temperature near the ejection holes of the hot air supply units HA1 to HA4 and air volume sensors for measuring the air volume are provided to perform (Management 1). In Process B, the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is recorded, and the air volume measured by the air volume sensor is recorded.

[0026] (In Management 2), the temperature of the cooling water and the mold is measured, and the measured values are recorded. In the manufacturing process, for example, temperature sensors for measuring the temperature of each of the male mold OG, female mold MG, and roller R are provided to perform (Management 2). In each of Processes A to C, the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is recorded. Also, temperature sensors for measuring the temperature of the cooling water circulated through each of the male mold OG, female mold MG, and roller R are provided. In each of Processes A to C, the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is recorded.

[0027] (Management 3) measures the position of the mold and records the measured value. In the manufacturing process for performing (Management 3), for example, position sensors for measuring the respective positions of the molds (male mold OG, female mold MG, and roller R) are provided. The position sensors are installed, for example, on columns that support the molds, and measure the distance from the position where the position sensors are installed to the molds. The position sensors are, for example, optical sensors. In this case, the position sensors irradiate laser light (for example, infrared light, etc.) that is divided at short intervals (pulses) toward the mold to be measured, and detect the reflection at the light receiving part. The position sensors measure the distance based on the deviation (phase difference, etc.) between the irradiated laser light and the received laser light.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a method of measuring the position of the mold. As shown in FIG. 6, for example, the position sensor for measuring the position of the male mold OG is composed of a sensor PS1 that measures the distance to the upper surface S1 of the male mold OG, a sensor PS2 that measures the distance to the side surface S2, and a sensor PS3 that measures the distance to the side surface S3. Similarly, for the positions of the female mold MG and the roller R, a three-dimensional position including the position in the height direction is measured. For example, in process A, the position sensors measure the positions of the respective molds and record the measured values.

[0029] As described above, the male mold OG moves up and down. Therefore, when the male mold moves, its installation position changes. The position sensor measures the position of the male mold OG that moves up and down at every fixed timing. For example, the position sensor measures the position of the male mold OG at the timing when the up and down movement of the male mold changes from rising to falling. When changing from rising to falling, the movement stops. The position sensor measures the position of the male mold OG at the timing when this movement stops. Thereby, the position can be measured accurately.

[0030] Also, in (Management 3), the operation timing of the mold is measured, and the measured value is recorded. In the manufacturing process, in order to detect the operation timing of (Management 3), a detection sensor for detecting the operation of the driving part of the mold (the driving part that moves the male mold OG up and down) is provided. The detection sensor detects the operation timing, for example, by detecting a change in the measured value of a position sensor that measures the position of the male mold OG in the height direction. Alternatively, the detection sensor may detect the operation timing by detecting a signal output from a drive control unit that controls the driving part of the mold (for example, a signal instructing the start of driving).

[0031] (Management 4), the temperature of the blank BR is measured, and the measured value is recorded. In the manufacturing process, in order to perform (Management 4), for example, an infrared camera for measuring the surface temperature of the blank BR is provided.

[0032] Figures 7 and 8 are diagrams for explaining a method of measuring the temperature of the blank BR. As shown in Figure 7, for example, in Process B, an image (so-called heat map) showing the temperature distribution of the blank BR in color is captured using an infrared camera TC installed above the blank BR. Then, as shown in Figure 8, the results of analyzing the captured image are recorded. In the example of this figure, the overall view, enlarged view, and analysis results of the captured image are shown. The overall view is an image showing the temperature distribution of the entire blank BR captured by the infrared camera TC. The enlarged view is an image showing the temperature distribution at the parts where it is desired to confirm whether the melting temperature has been reached and at the four corners of the blank BR. The analysis result is the result of analyzing the temperature distribution in the enlarged view. In the example of this figure, the maximum temperature and the area (number of pixels) of the region that has reached a predetermined temperature range (in the example of this figure, T2 to T3 [°C]) are shown.

[0033] (Management 5): Information (individual identification information) that uniquely identifies the container is assigned to the container manufactured in the manufacturing process, and the assigned information is recorded. To perform (Management 5), for example, a two-dimensional code in which the individual identification information of the container is embedded is printed on the blank BR. In the manufacturing process, the two-dimensional code printed on the blank BR is read by a code reader or the like, and the read information is recorded.

[0034] By performing the above-described (Management 1) to (Management 5), the quality of the containers manufactured in the manufacturing process is managed. For example, if the temperature of the hot air supplied from the hot air supply units HA1 to HA4 measured in (Management 1) is less than the threshold temperature, heat fusion will be insufficient, and there is a high possibility that a forming defect has occurred in the container. Therefore, management is performed such that containers in which the temperature of the hot air supplied from the hot air supply units HA1 to HA4 is recorded as less than the threshold temperature are regarded as defective products.

[0035] Also, by performing (Management 1) to (Management 5), management is performed so that no defects or failures occur in the manufacturing equipment used in the manufacturing process. For example, if the temperature of the mold or the cooling water measured in (Management 2) is equal to or higher than the threshold temperature, the temperature of the mold will rise, which may cause the manufacturing equipment to fail. Therefore, it is checked whether the cooling water is circulated properly in the mold, whether there is clogging or the like at the supply port and discharge port of the cooling water, and whether there is a defect in the pump for circulating the cooling water, and measures are taken so that the temperature of the mold and the cooling water is less than the threshold temperature.

[0036] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, using the information recorded in (Management 1) to (Management 5), the reproduction work after maintenance is performed efficiently. Hereinafter, the configuration for performing the reproduction work after maintenance will be described in detail.

[0037] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a quality control device 90 to which the management system 1 of the embodiment is applied. The management system 1 includes, for example, various sensor groups and the quality control device 90. The various sensor groups are composed of, for example, a mold management device 10, a hot air ejection hole management device 20, a thermal imaging device 30, and a code reader 40.

[0038] The mold management device 10 includes a sensor group for managing the mold. The mold management device 10 includes, for example, a first position detection sensor 11, a second position detection sensor 12, a third position detection sensor 13, a mold temperature sensor 14, a cooling water temperature sensor 15, and a mold operation sensor 16. The first position detection sensor 11 is a sensor for detecting the position of the male mold OG, and is, for example, sensors PS1 to PS3 for measuring the distances from each of the three directions to the male mold as shown in FIG. 6. The second position detection sensor 12 is a sensor for detecting the position of the female mold MG. The third position detection sensor 13 is a sensor for detecting the position of the roller R. The second position detection sensor 12 and the third position detection sensor 13 have, for example, the same configuration as the first position detection sensor 11.

[0039] The mold temperature sensor 14 is a sensor for measuring the temperature of the mold, and is, for example, a sensor for measuring the temperature of the male mold OG, a sensor for measuring the temperature of the female mold MG, and a sensor for measuring the temperature of the roller R. The cooling water temperature sensor 15 is a sensor for measuring the temperature of the cooling water circulating inside the mold. The mold operation sensor 16 is a sensor for detecting the operation of the mold. Information indicating the measured values measured by the sensor group included in the mold management device 10 is output to the quality control device 90.

[0040] The hot air outlet hole management device 20 includes a sensor group that manages the hot air supply units HA (hot air supply units HA1 to HA4). The hot air outlet hole management device 20 includes, for example, a hot air temperature sensor 21 and an air volume sensor 22. The hot air temperature sensor 21 measures the temperature of the hot air ejected from the hot air outlet holes of the hot air supply unit HA. The air volume sensor 22 measures the air volume of the hot air ejected from the hot air outlet holes of the hot air supply unit HA. Information indicating the measured values measured by the sensor group included in the hot air outlet hole management device 20 is output to the quality management device 90.

[0041] The thermal imaging device 30 is an infrared camera that measures the temperature of the blank BR. The thermal imaging device 30 receives the infrared rays emitted from the blank BR, and images an image showing the temperature distribution of the blank BR by detecting the wavelength and intensity of the received infrared rays. The thermal imaging device 30 outputs the image showing the captured temperature distribution to the quality management device 90.

[0042] The code reader 40 reads a two-dimensional code (a code in which individual identification information is embedded) printed on the blank BR. The code reader 40 outputs the information read from the two-dimensional code to the quality management device 90.

[0043] The quality management device 90 is a computer device that manages the quality of the containers manufactured in the manufacturing process, and is, for example, a PC (Personal Computer), a server device, or the like. The quality management device 90 includes, for example, a communication unit 91, a storage unit 92, a control unit 93, a display unit 94, and an input unit 95.

[0044] The communication unit 91 is a functional unit that communicates with external devices, which is realized by, for example, a general-purpose communication IC (Integrated Circuit). The communication unit 91 receives information (sensor information) output by each of, for example, the mold management device 10, the hot air ejection hole management device 20, the thermal imaging device 30, and the code reader 40. The display unit 94 includes, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal display, and displays an image according to the control unit 93 on the display device. The input unit 95 includes, for example, an input device such as a mouse or a keyboard, acquires information input to the input device, and outputs the acquired information to the control unit 93.

[0045] The storage unit 92 is realized by, for example, a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium), or a combination thereof. The storage unit 92 stores a program for realizing each component of the quality management device 90, variables used when executing the program, and various types of information.

[0046] The storage unit 92 includes, for example, sensor information 920, quality management information 921, and maintenance information 922. The sensor information 920 is information output by each of the mold management device 10, the hot air ejection hole management device 20, the thermal imaging device 30, and the code reader 40.

[0047] The quality management information 921 is information for managing the quality of the containers manufactured in the manufacturing process, and is information in which the sensor information 920 is associated with each container manufactured in the manufacturing process. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the quality management information 921 of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the quality management information 921 includes items such as, for example, container code, process, mold position, mold temperature, cooling water temperature, operation timing, hot air supply, blank temperature, and presence or absence of defects. The container code is the individual identification information of the container read by the code reader 40 in (Management 5). The process indicates the process in which sensor information is acquired, and is information indicating any one of Processes A to C. The mold position is information indicating the position of the mold measured by the first position detection sensor 11 or the like in (Management 3). The mold temperature is information indicating the temperature of the mold measured by the mold temperature sensor 14 in (Management 2). The cooling water temperature is information indicating the temperature of the cooling water measured by the cooling water temperature sensor 15 in (Management 2). The operation timing is information indicating the operation timing measured by the mold operation sensor 16 in (Management 3). The hot air supply is information indicating the temperature and air volume of the hot air measured by the hot air ejection hole management device 20 in (Management 1). The blank temperature is information indicating the temperature distribution of the blank BR imaged by the thermal imaging device 30 in (Management 4). The presence or absence of a defect is information indicating whether the container is determined to be a defective product. The defect of the container is determined based on, for example, whether various sensor information satisfies predetermined manufacturing conditions and the inspection result.

[0048] The maintenance information 922 is information used for reproduction work during maintenance. FIGS. 11 and 12 are diagrams showing a configuration example of the maintenance information 922 of the embodiment. In the maintenance information 922A shown in FIG. 11, examples of information used in the position adjustment stage during maintenance are shown. In the maintenance information 922B shown in FIG. 12, examples of information used in the prototype stage during maintenance are shown.

[0049] The position adjustment stage is a stage in which, during maintenance, the installation position of the mold reinstalled at the original position is adjusted again. The prototype stage is a stage in which, during maintenance, a container is prototyped to test whether the container can be manufactured correctly. Thus, in the reproduction work after maintenance, for example, adjustments are made in multiple stages, such as the position adjustment stage and the prototype stage.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 11, the maintenance information 922A includes items such as, for example, a maintenance ID, a mold position, a reference position, and a difference. The maintenance ID is information that uniquely identifies the maintenance. The mold position is information measured in the adjustment stage and indicating the installation position of the mold. The reference position is information indicating the installation position of the reference mold, and is, for example, information indicating the reference position of each of the male mold, the female mold, and the roller. The difference is information indicating the difference between the mold position and the reference position.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 12, the maintenance information 922B includes items equivalent to, for example, the quality control information 921. That is, the maintenance information 922B shows measured values such as the mold position, the mold temperature, the cooling water temperature, the operation timing, the hot air supply, and the blank temperature, which are measured in the manufacturing process of the container prototyped during maintenance.

[0052] Returning to the description of FIG. 10, the control unit 93 realizes its functions by executing programs stored in the storage unit 92 by a Processing Unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) as hardware included in the quality control device 90.

[0053] The control unit 93 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 930, an estimation unit 931, a quality control unit 932, and a device control unit 933. The acquisition unit 930 acquires information (position information) indicating the installation position of the mold in the position adjustment stage via the communication unit 91, and outputs the acquired information to the estimation unit 931. Further, the acquisition unit 930 acquires information (sensor information) measured by various sensor groups in the manufacturing process in the prototyping stage via the communication unit 91, and outputs the acquired information to the estimation unit 931.

[0054] Based on the information indicating the installation position of the mold acquired from the acquisition unit 930 in the position adjustment stage, the estimation unit 931 estimates whether or not defects such as molding defects occur in the container to be prototyped in the prototyping stage.

[0055] In the position adjustment stage, for example, the estimation unit 931 acquires information indicating the installation position of the mold measured before removing the mold during maintenance from the acquisition unit 930, and stores the acquired information in the maintenance information 922A as the reference position. Further, the estimation unit 931 acquires information indicating the installation position of the mold measured in the position adjustment stage from the acquisition unit 930, and stores the acquired information in the maintenance information 922A as the mold position. When the difference between the mold position and the reference position is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the estimation unit 931 estimates that a defect occurs in the container prototyped in the prototype stage.

[0056] In this case, instead of using the mold position measured before removing the mold as the reference position, the estimation unit 931 may use the statistic of the mold position measured in the manufacturing process before maintenance as the reference position. The statistic here is, for example, the average value, the mode value, the maximum value, the minimum value, etc. Further, the estimation unit 931 may use the statistic of the mold position when the manufactured container is a non-defective product among the positions of the mold measured in the manufacturing process before maintenance as the reference position.

[0057] In the position adjustment stage, when the difference between the mold position and the reference position is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the estimation unit 931 estimates that the cause of the defect is the installation position of the mold installed after maintenance. The estimation unit 931 outputs information indicating the difference (estimation result) between the mold position and the reference position to the display unit 94 for display. Thereby, the maintenance worker can be guided to bring the position of the mold after maintenance closer to the reference position.

[0058] In the position adjustment stage, when it is estimated by the estimation unit 931 that no defect occurs, the reproduction work after maintenance proceeds to the prototype stage.

[0059] Based on the sensor information acquired from the acquisition unit 930 in the prototype stage, the estimation unit 931 estimates whether a defect such as a molding defect occurs in the container prototyped in the prototype stage.

[0060] In the prototype stage, the estimation unit 931 obtains, for example, from the acquisition unit 930, the quality control information 921 obtained in the manufacturing process before maintenance as reference information. Further, the estimation unit 931 obtains from the acquisition unit 930 the sensor information measured in the prototype stage, and stores the obtained information as maintenance information 922B.

[0061] For example, when the difference between the corresponding sensor information of the reference information and the maintenance information 922B is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the estimation unit 931 estimates that a defect has occurred in the container prototyped in the prototype stage. In this case, the estimation unit 931 outputs the sensor information (estimation result) for which the difference has become equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold to the display unit 94 for display. Thereby, the maintenance worker can be guided to make the sensor information after maintenance closer to the value of the sensor information in the reference information.

[0062] Alternatively, when the tendency of the sensor information indicated by the reference information and the tendency of the sensor information indicated by the maintenance information 922B are different, the estimation unit 931 may estimate that a defect has occurred in the container to be prototyped. The tendency here is an example of "the degree of strength of correlation".

[0063] For example, consider a case where, compared with the reference information, in the maintenance information 922, the temperature of the hot air hardly changes, but the mold temperature is high and the blank temperature is low. Situations that can be considered as factors causing such a tendency are, for example, a situation where the direction of the hot air has changed after maintenance and the hot air is ejected in the direction of the male mold rather than in the direction of the blank. Alternatively, it is a situation where the position of the blank arranged in process A has changed, the hot air is not ejected onto the blank, and the hot air is ejected onto the female mold. If a container is manufactured in such a situation, there is a high possibility of a defect occurring. Based on such a concept, when the tendency of the sensor information indicated by the reference information and the tendency of the sensor information indicated by the maintenance information 922B are different, the estimation unit 931 estimates that a defect has occurred in the container to be prototyped.

[0064] On the one hand, considering the case where, when compared with the reference information, in the maintenance information 922, the temperature of the hot air tends to be low, but the mold temperature and the blank temperature also tend to be low, and neither temperature falls below the threshold value. A situation that can be considered as a factor for such a tendency is, for example, a situation where after maintenance, the hot air ejection unit has cooled and its temperature has decreased compared to before maintenance. Even if it is in a situation where the temperature has decreased compared to before maintenance, if it has reached the specified temperature, the possibility of defects occurring when manufacturing the container in such a situation is low. Based on such a concept, when the tendency of the sensor information shown in the reference information and the tendency of the sensor information shown in the maintenance information 922B are the same, the estimation unit 931 estimates that no defects will occur in the prototype container to be produced.

[0065] When the estimation unit 931 estimates that a defect will occur based on the difference in the tendency between the reference information and the maintenance information 922B, it outputs and displays information (estimation result) indicating that the tendencies of the two pieces of information are different on the display unit 94. In this case, the estimation unit 931 may display additional information that makes it easier for the maintenance worker to understand the correlation relationship of various sensor information, for example, together with the correlation coefficient. The additional information is, for example, an image that overlays various sensor information for each of the reference information and the maintenance information 922B using a pie chart (radar chart). Thereby, the maintenance worker can be made to understand the difference in the tendencies of the two pieces of information.

[0066] Also, in the prototype stage, the estimation unit 931 may manufacture a plurality of containers and estimate whether a defect will occur using the maintenance information 922 corresponding to each of the plurality of manufactured containers.

[0067] In this case, for example, the estimation unit 931 calculates the correlation coefficient between the reference information and the maintenance information 922. The correlation coefficient is an example of "the degree of strength of correlation". The correlation coefficient is represented by an arbitrary real value from, for example, +1 to -1, indicating that the closer it is to +1, the stronger the positive correlation, and the closer it is to -1, the stronger the negative correlation.

[0068] A strong positive correlation indicates that the trends of one piece of information (e.g., reference information) and another piece of information (e.g., maintenance information 922) are the same. For example, if in one piece of information, it is shown that the higher the air volume of the hot air, the higher the temperature of the blank, and in the other piece of information, it is also shown that the higher the air volume of the hot air, the higher the temperature of the blank, then the positive correlation becomes stronger. In this case, even after maintenance, it is considered that the air volume of the hot air is appropriate and the temperature of the blank is rising appropriately. When a container is manufactured in such a situation, the possibility of defects occurring is low. Based on such a concept, when the correlation coefficient between the reference information and the maintenance information 922 shows a strong positive correlation, the estimation unit 931 estimates that no defects will occur in the prototype container.

[0069] On the other hand, a strong negative correlation indicates that the trends of one piece of information (e.g., reference information) and another piece of information (e.g., maintenance information 922) are opposite. For example, if in one piece of information, it is shown that the higher the air volume of the hot air, the higher the temperature of the blank, and in the other piece of information, it is shown that the higher the air volume of the hot air, the lower the temperature of the blank, then the negative correlation becomes stronger. In this case, for example, a situation can be considered where the air volume is too large, the position of the blank is displaced, and the temperature of the blank does not rise. When a container is manufactured in such a situation, the possibility of defects occurring is high. Based on such a concept, when the correlation coefficient between the reference information and the maintenance information 922 shows a strong negative correlation, the estimation unit 931 estimates that defects will occur in the prototype container.

[0070] Also, when both the positive correlation and the negative correlation are not strong, it means that the correlation is weak. For example, when the reference information shows that the higher the temperature of the mold, the higher the temperature of the cooling water, if the maintenance information 922 shows that the temperature of the cooling water tends to be low regardless of whether the temperature of the mold is high or low, the correlation becomes weak. When the correlation is weak, it means that the tendency shown in the reference information is not shown in the maintenance information 922. In such a case, for example, a situation can be considered where the cooling water is not supplied inside the mold and the mold is not cooled by the cooling water. When the container is manufactured in such a situation, there is a high possibility of defects occurring. Based on such a concept, when the correlation is weak in the correlation coefficient between the reference information and the maintenance information 922, the estimation unit 931 estimates that defects will occur in the prototype container.

[0071] When the estimation unit 931 estimates that a defect will occur based on the correlation coefficient between the reference information and the maintenance information 922B, it outputs the correlation coefficient (estimation result) to the display unit 94 for display. In this case, the estimation unit 931 may display additional information that is easy for the maintenance worker to understand. The additional information is an image showing the correlation relationship of various sensor information. For example, it is an image that overlays and shows, in a pie chart (radar chart), the tendency of the mold temperature when the temperature of the hot air is high and the tendency of the mold temperature when the temperature of the hot air is low, so that they can be compared between the reference information and the maintenance information 922.

[0072] Note that the estimation unit 931 may use the statistical quantity of the sensor information measured in the manufacturing process before maintenance as the reference information, or may use the statistical quantity of the sensor information measured in the manufacturing process before maintenance in the case where the manufactured container is a non-defective product.

[0073] Further, when calculating the correlation coefficient, the estimation unit 931 may perform weighting by multiplying the respective sensor information of the reference information and the maintenance information 922B by a predetermined coefficient. Among the sensor information, for example, for information that can cause a defect due to a very small difference (for example, information indicating the installation position of a mold), a relatively large value (for example, 2.0) is multiplied. On the other hand, for information that does not affect the occurrence of a defect even if there is a difference in the measured value (for example, individual identification information of a container), a relatively small value (for example, 0.1) is multiplied. The estimation unit 931 estimates whether a defect occurs in the container based on the correlation coefficient between the reference information after weighting and the maintenance information 922B. Thereby, it is possible to estimate whether a defect occurs in the container based on the strength of the correlation in the information that greatly contributes to the occurrence of the defect, and it becomes possible to improve the accuracy of the estimation.

[0074] The quality control unit 932 controls the quality of the containers manufactured in the manufacturing process. The quality control unit 932 acquires various sensor information in the process of manufacturing the containers, and stores the acquired information as quality control information 921 in the storage unit 92.

[0075] The device control unit 933 integrally controls the quality control device 90. For example, the device control unit 933 stores the sensor information received by the communication unit 91 and the information input to the input unit 95 in the storage unit 92, or outputs them to the estimation unit 931 and the like. In the input unit 95, for example, various threshold values and the like are set and input by a maintenance worker or the like.

[0076] Here, the flow of the processing performed by the quality control device 90 will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. FIGS. 13 and 14 are flowcharts showing the flow of the processing performed by the quality control device 90.

[0077] FIG. 13 shows the flow of a process in which various sensor information is stored during the manufacturing process. First, the quality control device 90 executes process A (step S10), acquires the sensor information corresponding to process A, and stores the acquired information (step S11). The sensor information corresponding to process A is, for example, information indicating a container code, the temperature of the mold and the temperature of the cooling water, and the position of the mold, etc. Next, the quality control device 90 executes process B (step S12), acquires the sensor information corresponding to process B, and stores the acquired information (step S13). The sensor information corresponding to process B is, for example, information indicating the temperature and air volume of the hot air, the temperature distribution of the blank, the temperature of the mold and the temperature of the cooling water, and the position of the mold, etc. Next, the quality control device 90 executes process C (step S14), acquires the sensor information corresponding to process C, and stores the acquired information (step S15). The sensor information corresponding to process C is, for example, information indicating the start time of the male mold's descent, the start time of the male mold's ascent, the temperature of the mold and the temperature of the cooling water, etc. Then, the quality control device 90 acquires information indicating whether or not a defect has occurred in the manufactured container, and stores the acquired information (step S16). Finally, the quality control device 90 generates quality control information 921 by storing the information acquired in each of steps S11, S13, S15, and S16 in association with the container code.

[0078] FIG. 14 shows the flow of a process performed by the quality control device 90 during the reproduction operation after maintenance. In the position adjustment stage, the quality control device 90 acquires information (position information) indicating the installation position of the mold and stores it as maintenance information 922A (steps S20 to S21). The quality control device 90 determines whether or not the difference between the maintenance information 922A and the reference position is less than a predetermined threshold value. When the difference is less than the predetermined threshold value, the quality control device 90 executes step S24 and proceeds to the prototype stage. On the other hand, when the difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold value, the quality control device 90 displays the difference and prompts the maintenance worker to make an adjustment (steps S22 to S23). Then, it returns to step S20 and repeats the position adjustment.

[0079] In the prototype stage, the quality management device 90 prototypes a container, acquires various sensor information in its manufacturing process, and stores it as maintenance information 922B (step S25). Based on the maintenance information 922B and the reference information, the quality management device 90 estimates whether a defect occurs in the prototyped container (step S26). For example, the quality management device 90 estimates that a defect occurs in the container when the difference in the corresponding sensor information between the maintenance information 922B and the reference information is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. Alternatively, the quality management device 90 estimates that the correlation between the maintenance information 922B and the reference information is weak and a defect occurs in the container when the correlation coefficient between the maintenance information 922B and the reference information is within a predetermined range.

[0080] When the quality management device 90 estimates that a defect occurs in the container, it estimates the cause of the defect (step S26). For example, the quality management device 90 estimates that the fact that the difference in the corresponding sensor information between the maintenance information 922B and the reference information is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold is the cause of the defect in the container. Alternatively, the quality management device 90 estimates that the fact that the correlation coefficient between the maintenance information 922B and the reference information is less than a predetermined threshold is the cause of the defect in the container. The quality management device 90 displays the estimated cause of the defect (estimation result) on the display unit 94 (step S27).

[0081] As described above, the quality control device 90 of the embodiment is a management device that manages the manufacturing process. In the manufacturing process, containers are manufactured. In the manufacturing process, the blank BR (packaging material) is pressed by reciprocating the mold to manufacture the container. The quality control device 90 includes an acquisition unit 930, an estimation unit 931, and a display unit 94. The acquisition unit 930 acquires position information. The position information is information indicating the installation position of the mold. The position information is information indicating the position of the male mold OG measured by the first position detection sensor 11, the position of the female mold MG measured by the second position detection sensor 12, and the position of the roller R measured by the third position detection sensor 13, respectively. The estimation unit 931 estimates whether a defect will occur in the container to be manufactured after reinstallation using the first position information and the second position information in the reproduction operation (reinstallation) after maintenance. The first position information is information measured before maintenance, for example, the position information measured before removal during maintenance, or the position information measured in the manufacturing process before maintenance.

[0082] Thereby, the quality control device 90 of the embodiment can adjust the position of the mold after reinstallation using the position information measured before reinstallation. For this reason, it can be accurately returned to the position before reinstallation. For this reason, the mold can be returned to the positional relationship before maintenance, and in the manufacturing after reinstallation, factors such as the molds not meshing properly, the pressing force being insufficient or excessive can be eliminated, and the reproduction operation can be efficiently advanced. Therefore, since an increase in the time required for maintenance can be suppressed, it is possible to manufacture containers without reducing productivity.

[0083] Also, in the quality management device 90 of the embodiment, the acquisition unit 930 acquires defect information. The defect information is information indicating whether a defect has occurred in the container manufactured in the manufacturing process. The defect information is, for example, the information indicated in the item of "presence or absence of defect" in the quality management information 921. The estimation unit 931 sets, as the reference position, the statistical quantity of the position information measured in the manufacturing process of the containers that have been manufactured in the manufacturing process before maintenance and have been determined to be non-defective without any defects. The estimation unit 931 determines that a defect has occurred when the difference between the position information measured after reinstallation and the reference position is equal to or greater than the threshold value. Thereby, in the quality management device 90 of the embodiment, based on the conditions under which non-defective products are manufactured, the position after maintenance can be adjusted. Therefore, the same effect as the above-described effect is achieved, and it is possible to manufacture containers without reducing productivity.

[0084] Also, in the quality management device 90 of the embodiment, the acquisition unit 930 acquires the quality management information 921. The quality management information 921 is information measured to manage the quality of the containers to be manufactured. The estimation unit 931 estimates whether a defect will occur in the containers to be manufactured after reinstallation based on the quality management information 921 and the maintenance information 922 measured before and after reinstallation, respectively. Thereby, in the quality management device 90 of the embodiment, it is possible to efficiently perform maintenance without acquiring new information by using the quality management information 921 measured in the manufacturing process.

[0085] In addition, in the quality control device 90 of the embodiment, the estimation unit 931 estimates whether a defect will occur in the container manufactured after reinstallation based on the correlation coefficient (degree indicating the strength of the correlation) between the quality control information 921 (reference information) acquired before reinstallation and the quality control information (maintenance information 922) acquired after reinstallation. Thereby, even when a large number of sensor information is included in the quality control information 921 and it is impossible to generally determine which sensor information is the cause of the defect, it is possible to estimate whether a defect will occur based on the degree to which the overall tendency of the information is similar, that is, whether the correlation is strong. For this reason, even when a large number of sensor information is measured as the quality control information 921, it is possible to estimate accurately.

[0086] In addition, in the quality control device 90 of the embodiment, the acquisition unit 930 may acquire the installation position of the male mold measured at the timing when the operation direction of the reciprocating male mold OG changes as the sensor information 920 (position information). Thereby, even when the male mold moves up and down, the installation position of the male mold can be measured at the timing when the movement stops, and the position can be measured accurately.

[0087] In addition, in the quality control device 90 of the embodiment, a blank is arranged between the male mold and the female mold, and the male mold is moved to reciprocate in the direction of the female mold to form a container. Thereby, the blank can be correctly bent along the bending line to form the container in the correct shape.

[0088] In addition, in the quality control device 90 of the embodiment, the quality control information may include information indicating the temperature and air volume of hot air (hot air supply information). Further, the quality control information may include information indicating the temperature distribution of the blank (packaging material) (temperature distribution information). Further, the quality control information may include information indicating the temperature of the mold and the cooling water (temperature information). Thereby, it is possible to estimate the possibility of occurrence of a defect based on the tendency of the temperature and air volume of hot air, the temperature distribution of the blank, or the temperature of the mold and the cooling water, or the correlation coefficient.

[0089] In the above-described embodiment, since the female mold is installed below the male mold, the case where the male mold moves up and down has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The male mold only needs to be able to reciprocate at least in the direction of the female mold. For example, the male mold may reciprocate along an arbitrary locus such as a left-right direction or an arc. In such a case, the position sensor measures the position of the male mold OG at the timing when the moving direction changes in the reciprocating motion. Thereby, it is possible to measure the position accurately.

[0090] Also, in the above-described embodiment, the maintenance of the male mold has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is also applicable to the maintenance of the female mold and the roller. It is also applicable when maintaining a plurality of molds simultaneously. For example, when the male mold and the roller are removed and then reassembled and installed at their original positions, first, for example, the installation position of the male mold is adjusted. For example, based on the installation position of the female mold, the installation position of the male mold is adjusted so that the positional relationship is the same as that before maintenance. Then, based on the installation position of the female mold (or the adjusted male mold), the installation position of the roller is adjusted.

[0091] Also, in the above-described embodiment, an example using molds has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to metal molds, and of course, molds made of any material such as wood or resin may be used.

[0092] The management system 1 and all or part of the quality management device 90 in the above-described embodiment may be realized by a computer. In that case, a program for realizing this function may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on this recording medium may be read into a computer system and executed to realize it. Here, the "computer system" is assumed to include hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices. Further, the "computer-readable recording medium" refers to a portable medium such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, or a storage device such as a hard disk built into a computer system. Furthermore, the "computer-readable recording medium" also includes, like a communication line when transmitting a program via a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line, a medium that dynamically holds a program for a short time, and, like a volatile memory inside a computer system that becomes a server or a client in that case, a medium that holds a program for a certain period of time. Also, the above program may be for realizing a part of the aforementioned functions, and may further be realizable in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system for the aforementioned functions, or may be realized using a programmable logic device such as an FPGA.

[0093] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and designs and the like within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention are also included.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0094] 1... Management system 90... Quality management device (management device) 92... Storage unit 920... Sensor information 921... Quality management information 922... Maintenance information 93... Control unit 930... Acquisition unit 931... Estimation unit 932… Quality Control Department 933… Equipment Control Department 94… Display Unit (Output Unit)

Claims

1. A management device used in a system for manufacturing a container by pressing the surface of a packaging material by reciprocating a mold, comprising: an image receiving unit that receives an image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material; an estimation unit that estimates whether a defect occurs in the container based on whether a difference between the analysis result obtained at a stage before maintenance and the analysis result obtained after the mold is reinstalled at the original installation position after being removed for maintenance among the analysis results obtained by analyzing the image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold; A management device comprising the above.

2. The estimation unit estimates whether a defect occurs in the container based on quality control information serving as a standard for quality control and showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material and the analysis result obtained by analyzing the image showing the temperature distribution. The management device according to Claim 1.

3. having a storage unit that stores the quality control information; The estimation unit refers to the quality control information stored in the storage unit and performs the estimation. The management device according to Claim 2.

4. a part of the packaging material is heat-sealable where it is folded and overlapped; the image receiving unit receives an image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material when hot air is supplied to the packaging material. The management device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

5. A management method performed by a computer device, which is a management device used in a system for manufacturing a container by pressing the surface of a packaging material by reciprocating a mold, comprising: an image receiving unit receives an image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material; an estimation unit estimates whether a defect occurs in the container based on whether a difference between the analysis result obtained at a stage before maintenance and the analysis result obtained after the mold is reinstalled at the original installation position after being removed for maintenance among the analysis results obtained by analyzing the image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. A management method.

6. Causing a computer device, which is a management device used in a system for manufacturing a container by pressing the surface of a packaging material by reciprocating a mold, to receive an image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material. Based on whether or not the difference between the analysis result obtained at the stage before maintenance among the analysis results obtained by analyzing the image showing the temperature distribution of the packaging material and the analysis result obtained after the mold is reinstalled at its original installation position after being removed for the maintenance is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, it is estimated whether or not a defect occurs in the container. Program.

Images