Can production tools, and processes for controlling the weight, cost, and dimensions of cans.

Abstract

To provide, generally, can making tools, specifically, dies and punches used on body maker machinery.SOLUTION: The present invention teaches a process of measuring and grinding tools in can / cylindrical body production, allowing reduced production downtime, a reduced cost and a predictive tool wear capability, which process allows more accurate stocking of tool inventory by means of tracking individual tools in use and providing advanced diagnostics to a tool room. This includes not just out-of-spec alarms from QA but also predictive alarms regarding cans produced by each tool, in-spec can weight and wall thicknesses, information on tool sizes being used in production, tools in inventory, pulled from inventory and other stock balancing information. The invention further teaches a system of equations for prioritizing grinding to maintain optimum tool inventory levels.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [Copyright Notice] Some of the disclosures in this patent document contain copyrighted material. The copyright holder reserves all copyrights, but will not object to any reproduction in either the patent document or the patent disclosure, as recorded in the patent documents or records of the Patent and Trademark Office. (37 § 1.71(d) of the Federal Rules Code)

[0002] [Cross-reference of related applications] This application claims the interests of U.S. Nonprovisional Patent Application No. 16 / 407,759, filed on 9 May 2019, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0003] The present invention generally relates to can-making tools, particularly dies and punches used in body-making machines, and more specifically to body-making machines, body-making machines, and related tool packs and procedures for reducing can costs, controlling the weight and dimensions of produced cans, reducing defects, reducing metal consumption, increasing manufacturing reliability, and reducing the possibility of downtime during punch and die regrinding and tool pack changes in the can-making process.

[0004] [Statement on federally funded research] This invention was not made under contract with a U.S. government agency, nor was it made by a U.S. government agency. [Background technology]

[0005] In modern methods for manufacturing cylindrical bodies such as aluminum cans, a device called a "body maker" is used. This device repeatedly punches the cup to create a finished can, removing the flange and coating, while the lid is a separate, independent unit that is sewn on later.

[0006] Can design begins with the can's specifications and requirements, the strength of the dome and column, and the wall thickness, including both thin and thick walls. These determine the body maker's can requirements for punch and dormer tool design, in addition to the thickness of the incoming metal material, the cup design, and the reduction of the body maker's dies.

[0007] Figure 9, prior art, shows an older design of a body-making machine. The reference numerals in Figure 9 are irrelevant to this patent application and can be ignored. The body maker must form the body of an aluminum can through a series of processes called drawing and ironing. These processes (repeated redrawing and ironing) require a series of punches and dies for various steps, and must be performed at high speed and produce cans with very precise weight / wall thickness. Too little material will result in a can that does not meet specifications or requirements, while too much material will result in wasted material and therefore cost in the can.

[0008] For a given size can, its weight depends more on the wall thickness than on slight variations in the can's diameter. Even errors of less than 0.0001 inches can be problematic, so the tools used for measurement must be highly precise.

[0009] The procedure can be generalized as follows: 1) The first punch changes the general shape of the cup, but the can after redrawing is still not the right size and shape. 2) Next, the can is punched through several (for example, three) ironing dies, each gradually thinning the wall thickness. 3) The cans go through a QA process that checks the wall thickness, weight, and consistency. This process is surprisingly important, as even a slight change in the can wall thickness can increase the cost of 100,000 cans (a fairly small number) by $10 or $20 due to excessive aluminum use in the ironing process.

[0010] Although this process may seem simple at first glance, in reality, there are additional factors that can trigger a chain reaction of potential problems. In particular, the dies and punches wear down. When they wear down, their size changes, and cans produced with the altered dies and punches will fall outside the acceptable weight range. This deviation is usually recorded during the QA phase, at which point production is typically stopped while the dies and punches, or both, are replaced with new ones. Generally, use, wear, and regrinding increase the inner diameter (ID) of the die, while decreasing the outer diameter (OD) of the punch.

[0011] To make matters worse, in full-scale production, one die takes about two days (or less than one million cans). Since a full set consists of one punch and three to four dies, if they wear out randomly and at unrelated intervals, the time the body maker is down for replacements can increase fivefold.

[0012] However, in reality, die sizes are a factor, so a "toolset" that properly matches dies and punches is actually necessary. As shown in Figure 3, the punch and die sets must match each other very closely, and furthermore, the change from one die to the next should be a small reduction. Remember that even a variation of 0.0001 inches can be problematic. This means that the toolset must be a neat sequence of sizes. As shown in the hypothetical example of a 12-ounce container in Figure 3, a punch with an outer diameter of 2.6030 inches may be followed by a redrawing die with an inner diameter of 2.6258 inches, as well as ironing dies of 2.6196, 2.6149, and 2.6090 inches. The problem is that if the redrawing die starts to wear upwards at ID and needs to be replaced, it must be replaced with one of the exact same size. If the replacement is not exactly the same size, the entire punch and die sequence cannot be used in production and the whole set must be replaced.

[0013] Operation stoppages are costly, increase the amount of metal used, and raise the cost of cans and the body. Unnecessary tool changes are costly and result in lost productivity. Further, if the cans become too thin to pass inspection, it is as costly as if they become too thick. It is said that between $0.10 and $0.20 per thousand cans are wasted due to inappropriate thickness. Since production lines produce millions of cans per day and most facilities have multiple lines in operation, this amount quickly adds up.

[0014] Since a typical die costs about $100, it is desirable to send the die / punch to the tool shop of the production facility for regrinding. Even then, a particular die can only be used about half a dozen times and sizing becomes even more complicated. In particular, since the die can only be ground upwards in terms of size, other dies within the same tool set must also be ground upwards to match when taken out of the production line. Returning to the previous example, if the redrawing die is ground by only 0.0002 inches to newly increase the diameter, the rest of the die set must also be ground to increase in size. This results in a can / cylindrical body with a very slightly larger diameter, but still having the required wall thickness at the end of production.

[0015] An analogue of the prior art process for regrinding production dies is shown in FIG. 8. This process 802 is generally similar to those used in the can manufacturing industry, but since various facilities tend to keep their exact operations confidential, this is labeled as an "analogue" of the prior art. This is not a flowchart, but a diagram showing the flow of tools through the tool room, inventory, grinding stock, and production line. Specifically, the grinding stock 806 comprises the amount of used (or new) dies and punches placed on the shelves of the tool room 804 available for regrinding. Naturally, when grinding a given die, it is desirable to grind only the minimum amount necessary to put a given tool set back in an orderly sequence. So in the tool room, a certain amount of grinding stock 806 can be accumulated to maintain a matching set more flexibly. The machinist uses the selected tool from the grinding stock 806 to the grinding machine 810, where it is actually reground to the desired size. This is estimated by the machinist mainly based on experience in the industry and a particular production facility. Then, the staff in the tool room performs a die / punch size inspection 812, labels the die with an accurate size (less than one ten-thousandth of an inch), so that the accurate size can be immediately known when the punch / die is placed in the inventory 814. If a replacement tool is needed, the selection 816 is made from the inventory 814 and the tool flows into production 818. Finally, the produced cans (which flow to the quality assurance of 820) are measured at a point when the cans deviate due to wear of the tools of a particular body maker machine and an alert 832 from QA to production is triggered. The line is (presumably) stopped and new tools or a new tool set are installed for the body maker.

[0016] The used tool / set (in this case, a set of 4 dies and 1 punch, or 1 die, or some other odd amount, e.g., 1 die and 4 punches could potentially be removed simultaneously) then flows back into the grinding inventory 806 in step 826.

[0017] Handling this procedure used to require timely, ad-hoc judgments from experienced machinists in the tool shop. Generally, the tool room staff needed to recall, if they remembered, what sizes of tool sets were used on the production line (more likely, multiple production lines running simultaneously). Then, the tool room staff would literally look at the dies in the inventory and guess which size was most likely to wear out next and needed immediate replacement. Since the tool room needed a certain amount of time (several hours) to regrind the dies, there was no economic feasibility in doing it "on the fly." Because it was better to have the right tools on hand, machinists simply had an inventory and tried to anticipate needs based on their experience, rather than making changes as needed.

[0018] There is one very specific item of known feedback: QA measurements of can weight and wall thickness (see line 832 near the bottom of the chart, QA returns to production). This information is collected frequently, and if the weight or thickness (the two are obviously related) exceeds the limit, production line staff are notified that changes need to be made on that particular line. However, once die / punch changes are made and replacements are removed from inventory, the toolroom is aware of this.

[0019] On the contrary, it is desirable to implement a process that allows the tool room staff to proactively grasp the production volume already performed with a given die and the exact size of the tool currently in production, and to immediately receive QA alarms for out-of-spec cans as well as information on the weight and wall thickness of cans being produced within specifications.

[0020] Furthermore, it is desirable for the tool room to have a clear understanding of what grindable stock is available and what sizes are likely to be needed for current production, and to implement procedures that allow tool room staff to balance this with known inventory levels and adjust the stock accordingly. [Overview of the project]

[0021] General Overview This application relates directly to a body maker and associated tool pack, and the improvements that can be made possible by using the procedure therefor, including, but not limited to, reducing downtime for tool changes, reducing defective parts, improving metal use by putting excess metal into trim and selling it as scrap instead of returning it to the can if not needed, and reducing the time required for tool pack replacement / installation associated with tool pack preparation. Furthermore, this process can also be used to predict tool wear in order to change tools before out-of-spec conditions occur.

[0022] This invention teaches a process for measuring and grinding tools in can / cylindrical production, enabling more accurate tool inventory management by tracking individual tools in use and providing advanced diagnostics to the tool room. This includes not only out-of-spec alarms from QA, but also predictive alarms regarding cans produced with each tool, information on the weight and wall thickness of cans within specifications, tool size information used in production, tools in inventory, tools drawn from inventory, and other stock balance information. The invention further teaches a system of equations for prioritizing grinding to maintain an optimal tool inventory level and increase productivity.

[0023] According to this invention, the process of selecting tools and moving them into production can draw information from many factors, including results that the QA department continuously or in real time finds regarding can weight and can wall thickness (and QA receives a can ID indicating which specific body manufacturer machine the can came from). This allows for pre-measurement of which dies or punches might deviate from optimal (due to wear) before the product actually changes from the requested specifications, i.e., before an out-of-spec alarm is triggered. Another form of "feedback" is tool production data, which can also be used for tool selection. Furthermore, when specific tools are removed from or added to inventory, it helps provide stock balance information when the production team and tool room engage in tool selection.

[0024] The present invention further teaches that, in another embodiment, work on grinding tools in the tool room can be performed more advantageously if a grinding schedule is created. This allows tool room staff to operate on a numerical basis when deciding which tools to remove from the grinding stock, grind, and return to the tool inventory. In one embodiment, tools pulled from production machinery and returned to the grinding stock may be accompanied by information about which tools they are, and furthermore, the tools to be used thereafter may be known to the grinding scheduler. However, the available inventory level of tool stock ready for grinding provides an even greater advantage of the present invention. Using the simple equation (presented here), a tool room machinist can objectively determine the priority of planned work based on the number of tools of a given size in the tool inventory, the preferred maximum and minimum values ​​of the inventory, and the number of tools of a given size used in production, from which five additional values ​​can be determined: shortage, potential shortage, desired grinding amount, priority level, and priority number for that particular grinding.

[0025] Summary of Claims Accordingly, another aspect, advantage, object, and embodiment of the present invention is to provide, in addition to those described above, an improved method for producing cylindrical bodies in a production line having a body maker, a tool shop, and a quality assurance station, the improved method being The process of providing grinding stock, tool inventory, and tool selection stations in a tool shop, A step of providing a body maker with a first tool set, the first tool set comprising a first set of tools including a first tool having a first size, The tool inventory includes processes that involve multiple second tools not used by the body maker, A process of redrawing and ironing multiple cylindrical bodies using a first toolset, wherein the production line notifies the tool shop of the number of multiple cylindrical bodies produced using the first tools, The quality assurance station measures the first cylinder among several cylindrical bodies against a preset threshold for can wall thickness, notifies the tool selection station of the can wall thickness, and if the first cylinder exceeds the preset threshold, notifies both the production line and the tool shop. The production line then returns the first tool from the first tool set to the grinding stock and replaces the first tool with a second tool drawn from the tool inventory, the second tool having the first size, and so on. The first step is to regrind the tool, It is equipped with.

[0026] Accordingly, another aspect, advantage, object, and embodiment of the present invention is to provide, in addition to those described above, an improved method for producing cylindrical bodies in a production line having a body maker, a tool shop, and a quality assurance station, the improved method being The process involves providing grinding stock, a grinding scheduling station, and a tool inventory at a tool shop. A step of providing a body maker with a first tool set, the first tool set comprising a first set of tools including a first tool having a first size, The tool inventory includes processes that involve multiple second tools not used by the body maker, A process of redrawing and ironing multiple cylindrical bodies using a first toolset, wherein the production line notifies the tool shop of the number of multiple cylindrical bodies produced using the first toolset, and notifies the grinding scheduling station of the size set of the first toolset used by the body maker, The quality assurance station measures a first cylinder among several cylindrical bodies against a preset threshold for the thickness of the can wall. If the first cylinder exceeds the preset threshold, it notifies both the production line and the tool shop. The production line then returns the first tool from the first tool set to the grinding stock and replaces it with a second tool drawn from the tool inventory, the second tool having the first size. The tool inventory notifies the grinding scheduling station of the number of tools in the tool inventory having a first size, A step of assigning priority to the task of regrinding a first tool, using the number of tools in a tool inventory having a first size, the number of cylindrical bodies produced using the first tool, and the size set of the first tool set, If the priority of the first tool is the highest priority in the regrinding schedule, the process of regrinding the first tool is performed. It is equipped with.

[0027] Accordingly, another aspect, advantage, object, and embodiment of the present invention is to provide an improved method for producing cylindrical bodies in a production line having a body maker, a tool shop, and a quality assurance station, in addition to those described above, the improved method is The process of providing grinding stock, grinding scheduling stations, tool inventory, and tool selection stations in a tool shop, A step of providing a body maker with a first tool set, the first tool set comprising a first set of tools including a first tool having a first size, The tool inventory includes processes that involve multiple second tools not used by the body maker, A process of redrawing and ironing multiple cylindrical bodies using a first toolset, wherein the production line notifies the tool shop of the number of multiple cylindrical bodies produced using the first toolset, and notifies the grinding scheduling station of the size set of the first toolset used by the body maker, The quality assurance station measures the first cylinder among several cylindrical bodies against a preset threshold for can wall thickness, notifies the tool selection station of the can wall thickness, and if the first cylinder exceeds the preset threshold, notifies both the production line and the tool shop. The production line then returns the first tool from the first tool set to the grinding stock and replaces the first tool with a second tool drawn from the tool inventory, the second tool having the first size, and so on. The tool inventory notifies the grinding scheduling station of the number of tools in the tool inventory having a first size, A step of assigning priority to the task of regrinding a first tool, using the number of tools in a tool inventory having a first size, the number of cylindrical bodies produced using the first tool, and the size set of the first tool set, If the priority of the first tool is the highest priority in the regrinding schedule, the process of regrinding the first tool is performed. It is equipped with.

[0028] Accordingly, another aspect, advantage, object, and embodiment of the present invention, in addition to those described above, is to provide a process for regrinding a diameter cylindrical body manufacturing tool, including punches and dies used in can manufacturing in a production facility having a quality assurance station, the process being: a) A process of providing a tool shop with a grinding machine, a tool inventory, a grinding stock, and a tool selection station, wherein the tool inventory comprises a first set of tools ready for use in the production facility, each tool in the tool inventory having an associated diameter, and the grinding stock comprises a second set of tools returned from the production facility, each tool in the grinding stock having an associated diameter, and there are multiple associated diameters for the tools. b) Minimum M of the tool for the first related diameter ^ The process of setting the number, c) A step of setting the maximum number of Mv of the tool for the first related diameter, d) A step of setting the threshold product diameter, e) A step of measuring a first cylindrical body produced using a first tool in a production facility, and, if the first cylindrical body exceeds a threshold product diameter, replacing the first tool in production with a second tool drawn from the tool inventory, wherein the first and second tools have a first associated diameter. f) The process of returning the first tool to the grinding stock, g)M ^ The process involves subtracting the number of tools A in the tool inventory having a first related diameter from the above, thereby deriving the value of the deficit D. h) Subtract from Mv the number of tools A in the tool inventory that have the first associated diameter, thereby reducing the grinding amount G q The process of deriving the value of, I) Number of tools in production having a first related diameter P q Count P q Subtract the number A of tools in the tool inventory that have the first relevant diameter from this, thereby reducing the potential deficit D. p The process of deriving the value of, j) Potential shortage D pWhen it is greater than zero, a step of assigning a first priority level to a first associated diameter; k) Potential shortage amount D p When it is less than 1 and the shortage amount D is greater than zero, a step of assigning a second priority level to a first associated diameter; L) Potential shortage amount D p When it is less than 1 and the shortage amount D is less than 1, a step of assigning a third priority level to a first associated diameter; m) For each member of a plurality of associated diameters, A, M ^ 、Mv、P q 、D、G q 、and D p A step of repeating steps b) to step L) until values of are respectively assigned to each member of a plurality of associated diameters; n) The potential shortage amount D of each member of a plurality of associated diameters to which a first priority level is assigned p Compare, and until a priority number is assigned to each member of a plurality of associated diameters to which a first priority level is assigned, the potential shortage amount D p Order them from highest to lowest respectively with respect to, the highest one receives priority number 1, and the second highest one receives priority number 2; O) Compare the shortage amount D of each member of a plurality of associated diameters to which a second priority level is assigned, and continue to assign priority numbers in the same number order without starting over by ordering each of them from highest to lowest with respect to the shortage amount D; p) Compare the associated diameters of each member of a plurality of associated diameters to which a third priority level is assigned, and continue to assign priority numbers in the same number order without starting over by ordering each of them with respect to the diameter; q) A step of selecting a tool selected for regrinding from a grinding stock, wherein the tool selected for regrinding has an associated diameter that received the highest priority number; r) A step of regrinding the tool selected for regrinding; s) A step of removing the tool selected for regrinding from the grinding stock and adding it to the tool inventory; A process that repeats from process g) to process s), It is equipped with. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention, showing a hypothetical toolset of four dies and one punch. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows elevation views of a single cylindrical body at various production stages in a body manufacturer. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a table showing a hypothetical toolset pair, both designed to produce cans or 12-ounce containers with a diameter of approximately 2,600 inches and producing thick walls of approximately 0.0060 inches. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a process chart showing the movement of tools (and alarms and information related to tools) as they pass through various parts of the facility, with an emphasis on the tool room and four main areas and several sub-areas of the production facility. This illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention, which has both tool selection and grinding scheduling. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a process chart showing the movement of tools (and alarms and information related to the tools) as they pass through different parts of the facility, in a second embodiment using tool selection, with a focus on the tool room of the production facility. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a process chart showing the movement of tools (and alarms and information related to the tools) as they pass through different parts of the facility, in a third embodiment that shows the production facility with an emphasis on the tool room and uses a planned grinding schedule. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a table showing the determination of grinding priority based on the various factors shown in the formulas taught herein. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of tool handling and a parallel to prior art processes for regrinding used in current production facilities. This figure does not represent any specific known process used in the facility. [Figure 9]Figure 9 shows a prior art body maker machine from patents of the 1970s. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Glossary As used herein, the term “grinding stock” refers to both worn and new tools available for grinding, and generally to the area of ​​a tool shop where they are stored.

[0031] The term "size inspection" refers to verifying that a reground tool has the precise dimensions required for a particular tool set and labeling the tool with its new, accurate size. This generates the tool's "associated diameter." Knowing the tool's diameter is essential for proper production. Because tools come in various sizes, in practice, most groups of tools have "multiple associated diameters," such as the various diameters shown in Figure 3 or Figure 7.

[0032] As used herein, the term “tool” refers to at least one die or punch used in the production of cylindrical bodies such as cans.

[0033] The term "toolset" refers to a group of dies / punches that are very close in size (as shown in Figure 3, for example) and are likely to be used simultaneously by a single body manufacturer.

[0034] The terms “tool inventory,” “inventory,” or “available inventory level” refer to tools that are on hand, regrinded, sized, and ready to enter production as needed, and more generally, to the area of ​​a tool shop where tools are stored when they are ready for production.

[0035] The terms "tool shop," "production" (or "production line"), QA or "quality assurance," and management refer to four main areas of a production facility involved in tool selection, grinding, cylindrical production, etc.

[0036] The terms "can" and "cylindrical body" can be used interchangeably, but for the purposes of this application, the term "cylindrical body" includes but is not limited to cans, and therefore not all cylindrical bodies are cans. Thus, the present invention can be applied to the production of many more types of products than just cans. Many consumer goods are sold in cylindrical bodies that are not cans, such as aluminum bottles and jars for cosmetics.

[0037] The term "tool production level" refers to the size and number of each type and size of tool used in production. For example, "Die #16543 with a diameter of 3.1005 has run 1,234,567 cycles (or production cans, strokes, etc.) after regrinding," or "Die #08765 with a diameter of 3.1004 has run 456,789 cycles after regrinding, ..." This information is sent to the tool selector in the tool shop. "Tool size in production" can refer to the size of a tool at the body manufacturer at any given moment. This becomes a notification sent to the grinding scheduler in the tool shop.

[0038] The term "out-of-spec alarm" refers to a notification from the QA department to the production facility that a can is not within the acceptable / threshold range (measured by wall thickness, can weight, or other parameters). In the prior art, these notifications may be known to go from QA to production, but in this invention, they may go directly to the tool shop for use by the tool shop staff. This is somewhat similar to a real-world alarm in that it is expected to generate emergency action to bring production back to acceptable dimensions.

[0039] On the other hand, the term "predictive alarm" refers to a notification sent from the production facility to the tool shop about how many cans have been drawn or ironed using a particular tool. This is useful because the longer a tool has been in use in production (measured by the number of cans produced), the more likely it is to require a short-term replacement. This notification may be updated frequently in real time, or, by policy, it may be instructed to be triggered at predefined thresholds.

[0040] Stock balance adjustment levels refer to a fairly subtle use of resources. This manifests as an action of issuing a specific size of tool (i.e., a row in the chart as shown below) to a body maker based on the presence of a surplus of tools of that size in the inventory. Considering the result if all body makers in the factory were running tools of exactly the same size, those sizes would be quickly depleted, resulting in low inventory levels for those sizes and high inventory levels for other sizes. This unbalanced stock can lead to production disruptions or force the tool shop to hastily regrind a large number of tools of the same size. It is more efficient if each body maker runs slightly different sizes, evenly distributed across the entire range of available sizes. In the real world, body makers may not be set up to run different sizes evenly distributed across the entire range of available sizes, so stock balance adjustment addresses this by balancing the stock by completely changing the body maker's toolset (if a change is necessary anyway).

[0041] The weight / wall thickness of the can and similar measurements indicate whether the can is within specifications (i.e., whether the can's walls are too thick or too thin). Thickness can be measured by the weight of the can. Since the weight of the can depends on the thickness of the walls and the base material that fit inside the can, the term "measurement of wall thickness" may include the weight of the can.

[0042] A “tool out of inventory” refers to a tool selected to be removed from the inventory. This tool is sent to production for use by the body maker and, furthermore, is no longer available in the inventory within the process of this invention, and therefore needs to be removed from the inventory record. This is important because it can change the actual number in the inventory and alter the level of tool shortages or potential shortages. This may increase the priority for regrinding additional tools of the same type and size.

[0043] "Available inventory level" has its usual meaning, indicating the number of tools available in the inventory and ready to be moved into production as needed.

[0044] As used herein, "actual" or "A" refers to the actual number of tools in the inventory.

[0045] "Minimum" or "M ^ " refers to the minimum level of tools that are retained in the inventory for each policy.

[0046] "Maximum" or "Mv" refers to the maximum level of tools that will be retained in the inventory according to the policy.

[0047] "Quantity in production" or "P q " refers to the number of tools of a specific size actually used in production.

[0048] "Shortage" or "D" is calculated according to the following formula 1, based on inventory and production (P q This means that, both at the production level and the minimum level, or as a difference between the minimum and the actual level, there are not enough tools at hand.

[0049] "Grinding amount" or "G q " refers to the difference between the maximum and the actual value, according to Equation 3 below.

[0050] "Potential deficit" or "D p" refers to the quantity produced (P) as explained with reference to Figure 7 and Equation 2. q This refers to the difference between the stated value and the actual value.

[0051] Current production methods allow for easier availability and more efficient prioritization of dies and punches, reducing downtime and production costs, which in turn reduces material consumption and increases factory / production line / body maker uptime.

[0052] End of glossary Figure 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention, showing a virtual toolset of four dies and one punch. Figure 1 shows toolset 100. This is because the order of the sizes of the various tools in the toolset inevitably limits the options available for use in the production line / production facility. In particular, the redraw die 102, ironing die #1 (104), ironing die #2 (106), and ironing die #3 (108) must be in a closely ordered size order measured by ID, and the punches 110 must also match in different sizes (clearly measured by OD). This is because cylindrical bodies such as cans are not punched in a single-step operation of the body maker. Rather, Figure 2 shows elevation views of a single cylindrical body at various production stages in the body maker. The redrawn cups / cans / cylindrical bodies 202a, 202b, 202c, and 202d are processed in several stages, punched and ironed, and with each iteration, the can's weight (i.e., material cost) and thickness (thickness partially determines weight) are brought closer to the desired tolerances. To change the thickness of the can wall in this gradual way, the size of the die and punch must be changed in stages to decrease.

[0053] Figure 3 is a table showing a hypothetical pair of toolsets, both designed to produce cans or 12-ounce containers (approximately 346 ml) with a diameter of approximately 2.600 inches. The difference in die sizes follows an orderly progression without large gaps, and it is immediately apparent that the first die produces 2.6007 ID, the next die produces 2.6006, the next die produces 2.6005, and so on.

[0054] The second row is for a second toolset of roughly the same dimensions.

[0055] Therefore, the tools must be ground very closely to the size of the set used by the body maker. This means that the tool set limits the choice of tools that can be replaced when one tool wears out through use and needs replacing, which can happen in a day or two in mass production.

[0056] Figure 8 shows an example of an analogue of a prior art process for tool handling and regrinding used in a current production facility. This figure does not represent a specific patented process used in a particular facility. The tool use / grinding / QA process 802 can be thought of as starting in the tool room 804, where, based on the operator's estimation of needs, tools are selected from the grinding stock 806 and from there go to the grinding station 810 to be prepared (by regrinding) for reintroduction into the production line tool inventory. Immediately after regrinding, measurement and inspection (812) are performed and the tools are labeled with the exact dimensions so that they are used only in tool sets that fit in the correct size order. Unless production needs to be resumed immediately, the tools do not go directly into production; instead, the tools usually join the tool inventory 814 and wait for selection 816 to enter production 818.

[0057] Cylindrical bodies produced on the body maker using the tool are measured by a member of the tool room 812. Generally, quality assurance initiates a sequence of rigorous measurements and returns. If the can wall thickness or can weight threshold is exceeded, QA 820 notifies the production department 818 that there is a problem 832. Production continues at that point, and the worn tool is removed from the body maker and returned to the grinding stock 806 826.

[0058] Management 824 will likely monitor QA information, move cans, and order new tool inventory as needed or if deemed necessary.

[0059] Figure 4 is a process chart showing the movement of tools (and alarms and information related to tools) as they pass through various parts of the facility, with a focus on the tool room and four main areas and several sub-areas of the production facility. This illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention that performs both tool selection and grinding scheduling, aiming to provide a more stable flow of dies and punches in the tool inventory, thereby avoiding the need to change tools more than necessary (changing one tool is faster than changing the entire tool set).

[0060] To achieve this, it is helpful to have procedures in place to guide tool shop staff in making selections when regrinding dies. Figure 4 illustrates a more complex tool flow and the notifications from one part of the can factory to another that make this possible.

[0061] A production facility has four main parts: the actual production facility / line itself, the tool shop, the quality assurance station, and management. Note that "station" may refer to a department or a single employee, a workroom where a particular tool is available, useful communication or automation equipment (telephone, computer), etc. The gist of this invention is not to reinvent the entire production line, but to add one station / process (grinding scheduling station) and to regrind tools in a systematic sequence rather than relying on the experience of the tool shop staff.

[0062] Therefore, the tool use / grinding / QA process 402 operates on the premise of the tool room 404, the production line 418, and quality assurance 420.

[0063] Grinding stock 406 will have multiple tools awaiting regrinding. However, the order in which tools are regrinded can lead to unnecessary production downtime, an unnecessarily large tool inventory, wasted labor costs, and other issues, resulting in differences in optimal production efficiency.

[0064] Grinding Schedule 408 is implemented according to procedures that require increased cooperation between different stations / departments within the facility, particularly regarding information that enables the creation of grinding schedules and the prioritization of grinding stock on the schedule, based on information from the production line and the QA department.

[0065] Grinding machine 410 is the station where the physical grinding of each tool takes place. The machinist at the grinding station has access to the grinding schedule, eliminating the need to quickly guess the most likely tool size to be needed.

[0066] Size Inspection 412 simply verifies the actual size of each tool as it comes out of the grinding station and labels the tool with its precise dimensions, particularly the punch's OD and the die's ID. This is essential because each tool must be used with a set of other tools of the same sequenced size. Thus, every tool has a corresponding diameter, tools in the grinding stock have multiple corresponding diameters, tools in the tool inventory have yet another set of multiple corresponding diameters, and tools actually used in production (by the body maker) have yet yet another set of multiple corresponding diameters.

[0067] Subsequently, the inventory 414 receives the dimensionally defined tools, and, in contrast to the prior art to date, the addition of units of a given relevant diameter to the inventory is reported back to the grinding machine scheduling station, which can reduce the priority level or priority number (described later in relation to Figure 7) of the tools of that particular size. Also, unique to this invention, stock balancing information is transferred and reported from the inventory to the tool selection station 416.

[0068] The tool selection station 416 is a more systematic process than in the prior art, as it is notified by information received from production personnel, as will be described in relation to the next step of the procedure of the present invention.

[0069] Production line 418 sends the cylindrical bodies produced by the body maker using tools to quality assurance 420, where measurements are taken to verify that the products are within tolerance / thresholds. However, in this invention, QA 420 does not only warn production 418 if the cans are outside tolerance (step 432). In control 424 implementing this invention, QA 420 also notifies the tool selection station 416 of the can weight and wall thickness 440 data, even if the cans do not exceed the threshold and are fully acceptable. Furthermore, when QA 420 warns production 418 of cans that are above / below the threshold, QA 420 also sends the same notification 428 to the tool shop 404, which is also a step not seen in the prior art.

[0070] Furthermore, production 418 notifies tool shop 404 of the actual tool sizes used in production 438 (multiple related tool diameters, and the number of tools of each different diameter), which is a notification not found in known prior art. In addition, production 418 proactively provides predictive information to tool shop 404 in the form of information regarding the number of cans produced by a given tool (process 430). This innovation is useful in that it allows tool shop 404 to see that a given tool is likely to need replacement, for example, because it has drawn more than 1 million cans. The same information is provided to the tool selection station (process 434).

[0071] To maintain balanced use of various size ranges across different body manufacturers in the facility, a stock balance adjustment level 436 detailing which toolset should be used for each size is provided to the tool selection station 416 by the tool inventory station 414. The tool selection station 416 notifies the tool inventory 414 when a tool is drawn from the inventory (step 442), and the inventory 414 then notifies the grinding scheduler 408 of the available inventory levels (444).

[0072] Next, the tool is returned to the tool shop grinding stock 406 in process 426, but along with the tool itself, data about the tool is also sent (this could be considered two separate processes, but for clarity in the illustration, it is shown as a single process).

[0073] The present invention can also be used in a partial form.

[0074] Figure 5 is a process chart illustrating the movement of tools (and alarms and information related to the tools) as they pass through different parts of the facility, in a second embodiment using tool selection, with a focus on the tool room of the production facility. Figure 5 shows a more complex tool flow and the notifications from one part of the canning plant to another that make this possible.

[0075] A production facility consists of four main parts: the actual production facility / line itself, the tool shop, the quality assurance station, and management. Note that "station" may refer to a department or a single employee, a workshop where specific tools are available, useful communication or automation equipment (telephone, computer), etc.

[0076] Grinding Stock 506 will have multiple tools awaiting regrinding. However, the order in which tools are regrinded can lead to unnecessary production stoppages, unnecessarily large tool inventories, wasted labor costs, and other issues, resulting in differences in optimal production efficiency.

[0077] Grinding machine 510 is the station where the physical grinding of each tool takes place.

[0078] The size inspection 512 simply verifies the actual size of each tool as it comes out of the grinding station and labels the tool with its precise dimensions, particularly the punch's OD and the die's ID. This is essential because each tool must be used with a set of other tools of a sequenced size. Also, unique to this invention, stock balancing information is transferred and reported from the inventory to the tool selection station 516.

[0079] The tool selection station 516 is a more systematic process than in the prior art, as it is notified by information received from production personnel, as will be described in relation to the next step of the procedure of the present invention.

[0080] The production line 518 sends the cylindrical bodies to quality assurance 520, where measurements are taken to verify that the products are within acceptable limits / thresholds. However, in this invention, QA 520 does not merely warn production 518 if the cans are outside the acceptable limits (step 532). In control 524 implementing this invention, QA 520 also notifies the tool selection station 516 of the weight and wall thickness data of the cans 540, even if the cans do not exceed the threshold and are perfectly acceptable. Furthermore, when QA 520 warns production 518 of cans that are above / below the threshold, QA 520 also sends the same notification 528 to the tool shop 504, which is also a step not seen in the prior art.

[0081] Furthermore, production 518 proactively provides predictive information to the tool shop 504 in the form of information regarding the number of cans produced by a given tool (process 530). The same information is provided to the tool selection station (process 534).

[0082] The stock balance adjustment level 536 is provided to the tool selection station 516 by the tool inventory station 514. The tool selection station 516 notifies the tool inventory 514 when a tool is withdrawn from the inventory (step 542).

[0083] Next, the tool is returned to the tool shop grinding stock 506 in process 526, but along with the tool itself, data about the tool is also sent (this could be considered two separate processes, but for clarity in the illustration, it is shown as a single process).

[0084] On the other hand, Figure 6 shows a production facility with an emphasis on the tool room 604 and is a process chart showing the movement of the tool 602 (and alarms and information regarding the tool) as it passes through different parts of the facility using a planned grinding schedule 608, where tool selection is nothing more than a movement from inventory 614 to production 618.

[0085] Grinding stock 606 is ready for grinding according to grinding schedule 608, and when the item reaches the highest priority number, it goes to grinder 610, is regrinded, inspected, sized, associated with size 612, and placed in inventory 614. Inventory 614 alerts schedule 608 at inventory level 644.

[0086] Production line 618 sends a predictive alarm / can for each tool 630 directly to the scheduling department 608, as well as a notification of the relevant diameter 638 currently in use in production.

[0087] Quality Assurance 620 sends out-of-spec alarms, both conventional production alarms (632) and innovative alarms, to the tool room 628, and of course, this means the tools and tool data are returned to the tools in process 626.

[0088] The important point is that when all stages of production and tools work together, several useful parameters can also be invented, the following points are noteworthy.

[0089] Figure 7 is a table showing the determination of grinding priority based on the various factors shown in the formulas taught herein. In particular, “deficiency,” “potential deficiency,” and “grinding amount” can be derived and calculated based on statistics that can be collected in all departments that share information as described herein.

[0090] "A" represents the actual number of tools in the tool inventory that can be used for production.

[0091] "M ^ " is the minimum level of tools that are kept in inventory according to policies created by management, production, and the toolroom, using information from quality assurance.

[0092] "Mv" refers to the maximum number of tools that can be kept in the inventory according to the second facility policy.

[0093] Finally, the number of tools used in production at any given moment, "P q " refers to the number of tools of a specific size actually used in production.

[0094] Note that for each different size of the tool (e.g., 2.6184 or 2.6196), there are actually multiple sets of numbers, each associated with different versions of the tool's multiple associated diameters, as each of these numbers is largely independent. Furthermore, since the tools are located in three main locations (grinding stock, tool inventory, and production), there are actually three sets of numbers for each size and each location. Grinding scheduling staff need to track numerous sets of numbers to compare and determine priorities.

[0095] It became possible to derive a new metric.

[0096] "Shortage" or "D" refers to inventory 414 and production (P q In this context, it refers to not having enough tools on hand for both production 418 and the minimum level, or instead, as the difference between the minimum and the actual number of tools, as shown in Equation 1 below. Equation 1 D=M ^ -A

[0097] For example, a policy might specify a minimum of three tools of size 2.6184 (first row in Figure 7), but since there are actually only two tools in the inventory, one tool is listed as a shortage. This illustrates that while the policy instructs the inventory to maintain a specific minimum value, a shortage occurs when there isn't enough stock to meet that minimum.

[0098] However, in reality, this is not the highest priority metric, and it has been found that additional work is needed.

[0099] In particular, the tool sizes, weighted by the number of each size actually used in production and in production line 418, were found to be almost deterministic. This is due to the short-term potential shortage "D p This represents the quantity being produced (P q This is calculated as the difference between the number of items and the actual number of items in the tool inventory (414). Formula 2 D p =P q -A

[0100] This high-priority metric proved important in the short term and serves as the basis for the system to create priority levels, not only for numbering tool sizes in order of priority (see Figure 7, tool size 2.6182, priority number 1). Thus, the positive potential deficit D p Item sizes (related diameters) with the following characteristics are classified into the highest priority level, regardless of the size of the deficit D, and all such related diameters are first classified as having the largest D p The items must be processed in ascending order.

[0101] The deficit is D, but the percentage is D p Items without a D value become second-level priority items, and after first-level items, second-level items are processed in order from the largest D value to the smallest.

[0102] As a third priority, items can be processed from the largest diameter to the smallest diameter, or other rules can be derived and used.

[0103] The number of items to be ground is also important. In the tool room, it is assumed that it is easier to repeatedly grind a single-size tool than to adjust the grinding machine or other equipment to different sizes after each tool, and multiple tool grinding can be performed. In this case, the "grinding amount" or "G q " refers to the difference between the maximum number to be held in the inventory and the actual number in the inventory, according to Equation 3 below. formula 3 G q =Mv-A

[0104] on the other, in other embodiments, G q This can be ignored in support of updating the grinding schedule after each tool has been ground, sent to inventory, returned from production, etc. In such embodiments, the calculation can be rerun after each change in tool availability data.

[0105] Part of this process may be automated, or at least partially automated. That is, alarms, information transfer, etc., may be performed using a programmable computer with non-volatile memory programming that instructs it to perform some of these tasks, such as spreadsheets, automated QA measurements, or other parts.

[0106] This disclosure is provided to enable those skilled in the art to carry out the invention without excessive experimentation, including the best mode and currently preferred embodiments currently contemplated. Nothing in this disclosure should be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is susceptible to numerous modifications, equivalents, and substitutions, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention should be understood from the appended claims.

[0107] Methods and components are described herein. However, variations of the present invention can be obtained using methods and components similar or equivalent to those described herein. Materials, articles, parts, methods, and examples are illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0108] The embodiments disclosed in detail above are only a few examples; other embodiments are possible, and the inventors intend these to be included herein. This specification describes specific examples of achieving more general objectives that can be achieved in other ways. This disclosure is intended to be illustrative, and the claims are intended to encompass any modifications or alternatives that may be foreseeable to those skilled in the art.

[0109] Since the principles of the present invention have been illustrated and explained in exemplary embodiments, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments are exemplary and that the arrangement and details can be modified without departing from such principles. Techniques from any of the examples can be incorporated into one or more of the other examples. This specification and the examples are intended to be illustrative only, and the true scope and spirit of the invention are shown by the following claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0110] Figure 1 100 Tool Set 102 Lidlow 104 Ironing Dye #1 106 Ironing Dye #2 108 Ironing Dye #3 110 punches Figure 2 202a, 202b, 202c, 202d Can / Cylindrical Figure 4 402 Tool Usage / Grinding / QA Process 404 Tool Room 406 Grinding Stock 408 Grinding Schedule 410 Grinding Station 412 Size Inspection 414 Inventory 416 Tool Selection 418 Production Line 420 Quality Assurance 424 Management 426 Tools and tool data return to touring 428 Non-standard alarm goes directly to touring 430 Predictive alarms / cans per tool 432 Out-of-Specification Alarm 434 Tool Production Level 436 Stock Balance Adjustment Level 438 Tool sizes in production 440 Can weight / wall thickness measurement 442 Inventory depletion tool alarm 444 available inventory levels Figure 5 502 Tool Usage / Grinding / QA Process 504 Tool Room 506 Grinding Stock 510 Grinding 512 Size Inspection 514 Inventory 516 Tool Selection 518 Production Line 520 Quality Assurance 524 Management 526 Tools and tool data return to touring 528 Non-standard alarm goes directly to touring 530 predictive alarms / cans per tool 532 Out-of-Specification Alarm 534 Tool Production Level 536 Stock Balance Adjustment Level 540 Can weight / wall thickness measurement 542 Inventory depletion tool alarm Figure 6 602 Tool Usage / Grinding / QA Process 604 Tool Room 606 Grinding Stock 608 Grinding Schedule 610 Grinding Station 612 Size Inspection 614 Inventory 618 Production Line 620 Quality Assurance 624 Management 626 Tools and tool data return to touring 628 Non-standard alarm goes directly to touring 630 Predictive alarms / cans per tool 632 Out-of-Specification Alarm 638 Tool sizes in production 644 available inventory levels Figure 7 A Actual Inventory M ^ minimum Mv max P q Quantity in production D Shortage amount G q Grinding amount D p Potential shortage Figure 8 - Similar to prior art 802 Tool Usage / Grinding / QA Process 804 Tool Room 806 Grinding Stock 810 Grinding Machine 812 Size Inspection 814 Inventory 816 Tool Selection 818 Production Line 820 Quality Assurance 824 Management 826 Tool returns to touring 832 Out-of-Specification Alarm

Claims

1. An improved method for producing cylindrical bodies in a production line having a body maker, a tool shop, and a quality assurance station, which reduces production downtime, lowers costs, and enables prediction of tool wear, wherein the improved method is: The process of providing grinding stock, a grinding scheduling station, and a tool inventory at the aforementioned tool shop, A step of providing a first tool set to the body maker, wherein the first tool set comprises a first plurality of tools, including a first tool having a first size; The tool inventory includes a process that includes a second set of tools not used by the body maker, A process of redrawing and ironing a plurality of cylindrical bodies using the first toolset, wherein the production line notifies the tool shop of the number of the plurality of cylindrical bodies produced using the first toolset, and notifies the grinding scheduling station of the size set of the first toolset used by the body maker, The quality assurance station measures the first cylindrical body among the plurality of cylindrical bodies against a preset threshold for the thickness of the can wall, and if the first cylindrical body exceeds the preset threshold, it notifies both the production line and the tool shop, while the production line returns the first tool of the first tool set to the grinding stock and replaces the first tool with a second tool drawn from the tool inventory, the second tool having the first size, and so on. The tool inventory includes the step of notifying the grinding scheduling station of the number of tools in the tool inventory having the first size, A step of assigning priority to the task of regrinding the first tool using the number of tools in the tool inventory having the first size, the number of the plurality of cylindrical bodies produced using the first tool, and the size set of the first tool set, If the priority of the first tool is the highest priority in the regrinding schedule, the first tool is regrinded. It is equipped with.

2. An improved method for producing cylindrical bodies on a production line having a body maker, a tool shop, and a quality assurance station, which reduces production downtime, lowers costs, enables prediction of tool wear, and reduces production line downtime and production costs, wherein the improved method is The process of providing grinding stock, a grinding scheduling station, a tool inventory, and a tool selection station in the aforementioned tool shop, A step of providing a first tool set to the body maker, wherein the first tool set comprises a first plurality of tools, including a first tool having a first size; The tool inventory includes a process that includes a second set of tools not used by the body maker, A process of redrawing and ironing a plurality of cylindrical bodies using the first toolset, wherein the production line notifies the tool shop of the number of the plurality of cylindrical bodies produced using the first toolset, and notifies the grinding scheduling station of the size set of the first toolset used by the body maker, The quality assurance station measures the first cylindrical body among the plurality of cylindrical bodies against a preset threshold for the thickness of the can wall, notifies the tool selection station of the can wall thickness, and if the first cylindrical body exceeds the preset threshold, notifies both the production line and the tool shop, while the production line returns the first tool of the first tool set to the grinding stock, replaces the first tool with a second tool drawn from the tool inventory, the second tool having the first size, and so on. The tool inventory includes the step of notifying the grinding scheduling station of the number of tools in the tool inventory having the first size, A step of assigning priority to the task of regrinding the first tool using the number of tools in the tool inventory having the first size, the number of the plurality of cylindrical bodies produced using the first tool, and the size set of the first tool set, If the priority of the first tool is the highest priority in the regrinding schedule, the first tool is regrinded. It is equipped with.

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