Advanced package formation in food packaging systems based on reinforcement learning

Abstract

A method and apparatus (including a computer program product) for forming individual packages in a food packing machine (100) having multiple subsystems is described. One or more local variable values ​​(142) are received, representing measurements by the food packing machine (100) of one or more physical parameters for the local subsystems (120). One or more remote variable values ​​(204) are received, representing measurements by the food packing machine (100) of one or more physical parameters for the one or more remote subsystems. One or more control parameter values ​​for the local subsystems (120) of the food packing machine (100) are determined by processing the remote variable values ​​(204) and the local variable values ​​(142) using a reinforcement learning model (206) and a local control model (210). The one or more control parameters of the local subsystems (120) are adjusted according to the determined control parameter values. The formation of the individual packages (122) by the food packing machine (100) is controlled according to the adjusted one or more control parameters.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a food packaging system, and more specifically, to controlling how individual packages are formed in a food packaging system.

Background Art

[0002] Automation control systems are currently used in various manufacturing and processing sites and are continuously becoming more complex. A common approach to managing this complexity is to divide the system into subsystems and develop control mechanisms suitable for each subsystem. However, this method does not always result in an optimal solution for the entire system.

[0003] As the system becomes more complex and the number of influencing factors increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to capture the influencing factors from various sources. Moreover, this complexity further increases when the relationships between the influencing factors, control variables, and the system itself are non-linear or when modeling is difficult.

[0004] Regarding the level of abstraction in industrial control, there are two main perspectives: low-level control and high-level control. Low-level control means managing individual automation components (e.g., actuators, servo motors, heaters, and many other devices). High-level control can increase the level of abstraction from the subsystem level to the system level, and further to the orchestration of an entire plant with multiple systems and subsystems that need to operate in cooperation.

[0005] For example, food processing and packaging equipment typically includes several subsystems, such as filling systems, sterilization systems, and package folding systems. Each subsystem contains numerous different elements (e.g., pneumatic actuators, servo motors, DC motors, AC motors, sensors, and other actuators). These individual elements are generally controlled by low-level local control systems utilizing conventional control techniques such as PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) controllers, which control target variables. Feedback loops are used to keep the controller error low relative to the target operating point of the element, system, or subsystem.

[0006] However, PID controllers need to be tuned to their specific application and are typically optimized for a particular operating range and dynamics. They are also not well-suited to adapting to unforeseen circumstances or working conditions outside their conventional operating range. When such conditions change (e.g., different working environment, changes in automation elements, changes in the manufacturing process, etc.), the PID controller parameters need to be adjusted and recalibrated. This can be a time-consuming and complex process, especially when numerous elements and / or subsystems are involved, as is often the case with food processing and packaging equipment, requiring significant manual input from experienced personnel.

[0007] A filling machine is an example of a composite system for packaging, distributing, and selling liquid, semi-liquid, or pourable foods such as fruit juice, UHT (ultra-high temperature) milk, wine, and tomato sauce in composite packages made of multi-layer composite packaging materials. A typical example is the parallelepiped pourable food package called "Tetra Brik Aseptic®," which is made by sealing and folding laminated strip-shaped packaging material. This packaging material has a multi-layer structure in which both sides of a base layer of carton or paper are covered with heat-sealable plastic material such as polyethylene. In the case of aseptic packaging for long-term storage, the packaging material further includes a layer of oxygen barrier material, such as aluminum foil, which overlaps with a layer of heat-sealable plastic material and is covered with yet another layer of heat-sealable plastic material, ultimately forming the inner surface of the packaging that comes into contact with the food.

[0008] The filling machine starts with a web (wound from a reel) of multilayer composite packaging material. This web is fed through the filling machine, and a tube is formed by longitudinal sealing from the web. Liquid food is fed into the tube via a pipe, and the lower end of the tube is fed into a folding device, where a transverse seal is created, and the tube is folded along fold lines, also called weakening lines, and cut to form a composite package filled with liquid food.

[0009] The machine module or subsystem responsible for shaping, lateral sealing, and cutting packages is called a "jaw system." It consists of two pairs of jaws that, through synchronized movement, pull down the packaging material tube and completely close the filled package. The jaw system is a crucial part of the filling machine because the coordinated movement of the two jaw pairs is involved in the correct shaping of the package. Furthermore, the jaws must move up and down without interfering with each other and maintain a closed state for a certain period of time so that the sealing system can complete its task. At the same time, to increase the flexibility of the machine, the system needs to be designed and controlled to adapt its operating profile according to the volume and size of various packaging forms.

[0010] If the movement of the jaw system is not precisely controlled, a discrepancy may occur between the design on the packaging material and the sealing and cutting processes in the jaw system, resulting in both an undesirable appearance and problems with the folds and integrity of the packaging material. Furthermore, even if the jaw system itself is well controlled as a subsystem, events during the packaging process (e.g., splice events (i.e., joining the tail end of a used roll packaging web at the starting point of the food packaging machine with the front end of a fresh roll packaging web to create a continuous packaging web, resulting in a web section with two layers of thickness instead of one), acceleration, deceleration, stopping, changes in package format, changes in food, etc.) can affect the robustness of low-level control and lead to inconsistencies between the design on the packaging material and the sealing and cutting processes of the jaw system. Therefore, there is a need to enhance control techniques that take into account events occurring outside the jaw system itself that may affect the formation of individual packages. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] The object of the present invention is to overcome at least partially one or more limitations of the prior art. In particular, the object is to provide a method and system that enables the control of a local subsystem (e.g., a jaw system) of a food packaging machine, taking into account not only the measurement parameter values ​​of the local subsystem itself but also those of other remote subsystems within the food packaging machine. As a result, the formation of individual packages can be improved.

[0012] In one aspect of the present invention, this is achieved by a method for forming individual packages in a food packaging machine, the food packaging machine comprising a plurality of subsystems. The method includes the following: • Receive one or more local variable values ​​indicating measurements taken by the food packaging machine of one or more local physical parameters for a local subsystem; • Receive one or more remote variable values ​​indicating measurements by the food packaging machine of one or more physical parameters for one or more remote subsystems; • Using reinforcement learning models and local control models, determine one or more control parameter values ​​for the local subsystem of a food packaging machine by processing remote and local variable values; - Adjust one or more control parameters of the local subsystem according to the determined control parameter values; • Controls the formation of individual packages by the food packaging machine according to one or more adjusted control parameters.

[0013] By utilizing both local variables and inputs from remote subsystems, the package formation process can be controlled more precisely, resulting in more resilient operation in the event of unexpected events in the food packaging machine. This leads to less packaging (and food) waste and more efficient and environmentally friendly operation of the food packaging machine. Better control of the package formation process reduces manual testing, shortening the time to market for new products and structures. This benefit is further enhanced because control strategies can be learned in a simulation environment, eliminating the need to manually configure the food packaging machine from scratch.

[0014] In one embodiment, the reinforcement learning model is a deep reinforcement learning model that includes a neural network. Deep reinforcement learning is particularly useful when evolving control strategies for subsystems that must consider a large number of variables whose internal relationships and effects on the subsystem may be unknown, and it offers a more advanced approach than what is possible with conventional reinforcement learning that does not include a neural network to determine the control parameter values ​​of one or more local subsystems of a food packaging machine.

[0015] In one embodiment, the local subsystem is a jaw system configured to form individual packages from tubes of food-filled packaging material. Jaw systems are common subsystems in many conventional food packaging machines. The ability to apply various embodiments of the present invention to existing food packaging machines and systems enhances the versatility of the invention.

[0016] In one embodiment, adjusting one or more control parameters of the jaw system includes adjusting the timing of the engagement of the sealing jaws with the tube of packaging material for forming individual packages, and / or the position of the engagement of the sealing jaws with the tube of packaging material for forming individual packages. These are two critical operations, each of which is extremely important and must be controlled with the highest precision in order to correctly form individual packages. Therefore, having improved control over these parameters, as achieved by the data-driven approaches of the various embodiments described herein, will significantly improve the operation of the jaw system and, consequently, the individual package formation.

[0017] In one embodiment, the neural network is a convolutional neural network, a recurrent neural network, a long short-term memory neural network, or a fully connected neural network. These are all different types of conventional neural networks well known to those skilled in the art and can therefore be easily incorporated into existing food packaging machine configurations.

[0018] In one embodiment, one or more local variables include measurements related to synchronization marks printed on the packaging web, the motion profile of the jog system, or the state of the mechanical forming adjustment tool, and one or more remote variable values include measurements related to packaging web movement and control variables, packaging web tension variables, packaging filling state variables, and packaging materials. All of these are different categories of variables that are used in various combinations in different food packaging machines. By using a neural network, it is possible to correspond to individual variables (or combinations thereof) classified into these categories, greatly improving the flexibility of the system.

[0019] Other aspects of the present invention include a system and a computer program for forming individual packages in a food packaging machine. The features and advantages of these aspects of the present invention are substantially the same as those related to the methods described above.

[0020] Still other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be exemplarily described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram showing a part of a food packaging machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram of a controller in a food packaging machine according to one embodiment.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] As described above, the goal of various embodiments of the present invention is to provide improved control techniques with respect to apparatuses and systems related to food processing and packaging, particularly with respect to the formation of individual packages by a food packaging machine. Correctly forming packages is important not only from the perspective of design and aesthetics, but also from the perspective of functionality, since very small errors in the formation of individual packages can affect the functionality of the package. Depending on the package, very precise accuracy (generally at the sub-millimeter level) is required. By applying the general concepts of reinforcement learning and / or deep reinforcement learning techniques to control the joist system, misalignments (e.g., between the design on the packaging material and the sealing and cutting processes in the joist system) can be corrected at a precise level.

[0024] Both reinforcement learning and deep reinforcement learning are examples of machine learning techniques. Generally, reinforcement learning (RL) is characterized by dynamically learning by using positive or negative rewards. The performance of the system is evaluated against a desired goal. When the goal is reached, a positive reward is given, and when the goal is not reached, a negative reward is given. As the positive and negative rewards accumulate over time, the RL model evolves the control policy of the system with the goal of maximizing the result. Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is an enhancement of RL and is characterized by using both RL and neural networks when evolving the control policy of the system.

[0025] In the context of food processing and packaging, RL (i.e., agent-environment interaction) can be used to evolve control policies for food processing and / or packaging machines. DRL (i.e., RL combined with neural networks) is particularly effective when evolving control policies for subsystems that must consider numerous variables whose internal relationships and impacts on the subsystem are unknown, such as filling subsystems. Furthermore, it should be noted that RL and DRL technologies can also be used to improve existing local control technologies, and this data-driven approach can "fill gaps" in conventional control technologies. Thus, DRL algorithms can directly control (or via other control layers, for example, by adjusting gains so that conventional PID controllers operate more efficiently compared to conventional control technologies) actuators (e.g., servo motors, pneumatic actuators, or other actuators) that control how individual packages are formed in a food packaging system.

[0026] To further illustrate these principles, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating some (but not all) embodiments of the present invention, using an example of controlling the jaw subsystem of a food packaging machine to perform alignment correction throughout the entire food packaging machine. The present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0027] As mentioned earlier, the jaw system is a crucial subsystem of food packaging machines, and its operation must be precisely controlled to conform to the design of the packaging material and to properly form individual packages. If the design is incorrect, problems such as bending or imperfections in the packaging material can occur.

[0028] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a food packaging machine 100, which preferably has a web 102 of packaging material having at least one sealable surface 104 on it, fed forward 106 over guide rolls 108, 110 through a web feeder to form a tube 112. The longitudinally overlapping side edges 114, 116 of the web 102 are sealed along their longitudinal edges to close the tube. The side edges may overlap so that their bottom surfaces face each other, or so that their bottom surfaces face the same direction. To assist in tube formation, strips of tape (not shown) may be provided along one or both of the longitudinal edges 114, 116.

[0029] Food is supplied from a food filling device into the formed tube via food pipes 118 located in at least part of the formed tube. Food in this context refers to anything that humans or animals ingest, eat, and / or drink, or that plants absorb, and includes, but is not limited to, liquid, semi-liquid, viscous, dry, powdered, and solid foods, beverage products, and water. To avoid doubt, food also includes materials for preparing food. Examples of food include milk, water, and juice. The filled tube is then transferred to a jaw subsystem 120, where lateral seals of the package 122 are formed, preferably at equally spaced positions along the length of the tube, but may be formed at unequal lengths. The seals may be performed by heat or other known means. After the tube is sealed, the tube is cut along its length within the range of the laterally sealed area to form individual packages filled with product. Generally, when packages of equal size are produced, each package is filled with a certain amount of product. In particular, in food packaging machines, volume uniformity is ensured by making each package the same volume during sealing. Therefore, individual lateral seals are preferably formed at equally spaced positions along the length of the web.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the food packaging machine shown in Figure 1, the jaw subsystem 120 includes first and second sealing jaw subassemblies 124, 126, respectively, located on either side of the tube. These subassemblies 124, 126 include at least one carriage 128, 130, and preferably multiple carriages. The carriages 128, 130 may preferably be mounted on their respective tracks 132, 134 along a closed-loop path. Alternatively, the carriages may be mounted along an open-loop path. Preferably, instead of varying the speed of the web 102, the positioning of the carriages 128, 130 and their associated scaling jaws 136, 138 is controlled by a controller 140 or other control mechanism to ensure that each pair of sealing jaws 136, 138 aligns with the appropriate portion of the tube at a pre-selected position. This serves to ensure the appropriate package size 122.

[0031] The controller 140 receives input from a registration sensor 142, such as an optical sensor, which can optically detect synchronization marks 144 spaced apart on the packaging web. The synchronization marks 144 are configured such that the registration sensor 142 is unlikely to misread them. For example, they may have a shape that has high contrast with the background and / or is easily recognizable. An example of a synchronization mark 144 is a UPC (Universal Product Code) barcode. In some embodiments, the registration sensor 142 may be any other type of position detection device, such as an infrared or fluorescent ink sensor, or a proximity probe, or a sensor capable of detecting magnetic ink.

[0032] Furthermore, the controller also receives input from one or more remote subsystems of the food packaging machine 100, which may experience events that could affect the operation of the local jaw subsystem. Some examples of such events may include splice events, acceleration, deceleration, or stopping of the packaging web, changes in package format, changes in product, etc.

[0033] These events can be represented by a set of remote variables, the values ​​of which represent various states in different subsystems of the food packaging machine. This is schematically shown in Figure 2, which illustrates how input from the registration sensor 142 of the local jaw subsystem is input to the controller 140 along with input variables 204 from the remote subsystem of the food packaging machine.

[0034] In one embodiment, some examples of variables representing physical parameters from the local jaw subsystem include the following: • Synchronization marks printed on packaging materials. • Jaw system operation profile (for example, stored operation data that describes the operation of a jaw system over a certain period of time by recording the operation of the servo motors that control the jaw system in a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)). • The physical position of the mechanical molding adjustment tool (this position may change, for example, based on the specific type of package produced by the food packaging machine).

[0035] In one embodiment, some examples of variables representing physical parameters from a remote subsystem include the following: • Represents web behavior and control variables, such as splice detection and package size. • Web tension variables, for example, representing the position and / or pressure of various rollers within the food packaging machine as the web moves through the machine. • Filling state, e.g., filling flow or product level. • Characteristic variables of the packaging material, such as the hardness of the packaging material, the presence or absence of a closure, and the volume of the package.

[0036] These are just a few examples of factors that may be affected by the remote subsystem and should not be considered an exhaustive list. However, they represent influencing factors that cannot be considered in conventional control systems currently in use. Local and remote variables all affect the position of the tube in their own ways, and in conventional control systems, it is difficult or impossible to determine how the various possible combinations of these remote and local variables affect the operation of the local jaw subsystem.

[0037] According to various embodiments described herein, the controller 140 uses a local control model 210 that processes local subsystem input variables 142 in combination with a reinforcement learning model 206 that processes input variables from a remote subsystem to determine how the measured variables collectively affect the operation of the local jaw subsystem. The local control model 210 may be an algorithm executed by a PID controller. The reinforcement learning model may be a deep reinforcement learning model comprising one or more neural networks, as described above. In some embodiments, the local subsystem input variables 116 may be processed by the reinforcement learning model 206. In some embodiments, the reinforcement learning model 206 may grasp how different combinations of local and remote variables affect the web tension subsystem and use this insight to improve the local control model 210. Based on the results of this processing and determination, the controller 140 generates a set of output control signals 208 for the local jaw system 120, which control the timing of the sealing jaws of the two subassemblies and their movement to engagement with the moving tube 112 for the formation of a lateral seal.

[0038] Examples of neural networks that can be used in embodiments employing deep reinforcement learning models include, for example, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) trained using reinforcement learning and deep reinforcement learning, recurrent neural networks (RNNs) such as long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks commonly used in the field of deep learning, or fully connected neural networks. LSTM networks are considered particularly useful because, unlike standard feedforward neural networks, LSTMs have feedback connections. This allows LSTMs to process not only single data points but entire sequences of data, which is particularly useful in the context of food packaging machines designed to produce a large number of packages.

[0039] Therefore, if the speed of the moving tube 112 changes, for example, due to a change in tension within the tube or an inaccurate function of one or more mechanical elements of the filling machine, the data-driven approach allows the controller 140 to detect such fluctuations in the tube's speed and adjust the position of the registered sealing jaws to ensure that the sealing jaws engage with the tube at the appropriate time, thereby preventing misalignment with the design of individual packages. As a result, the food packaging machine can operate more efficiently compared to existing solutions that may not be able to take such variables into account, resulting in fewer packages that need to be discarded, and providing both economic and environmental benefits.

[0040] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the output from the reinforcement learning model can be used to adjust the gains of a conventional PID controller so that the PID controller operates more efficiently compared to conventional control techniques that rely solely on local variable values. Thus, embodiments of the present invention may be beneficial even in situations where a PID controller is the only means of controlling the jaw subsystem. Moreover, as a result of the flexibility of the system in positioning the sealing jaws as a function of variables collected from different subsystems of a food packaging machine, the system may be employed to manufacture any of various package sizes without requiring mechanical modifications to the system.

[0041] It should be noted that while subsystems are referred to above as jaw systems, filling systems, sterilization systems, package folding systems, etc., they may also refer to some or individual elements of these subsystems.

[0042] It should be noted that in some embodiments, the control model for the controller 140 may reside within the controller 140 itself, as shown in Figure 1. In other embodiments, they may reside in and operate from external hardware / software (e.g., an external computer or similar processing unit) to further accelerate the necessary calculations, and the controller 140 within the food packaging machine may be a simpler controller that simply performs functions determined by the external hardware / software.

[0043] The systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, or a combination thereof. In hardware implementations, the division of tasks between functional units or components as described above does not necessarily correspond to division into physical units; conversely, one physical component may perform multiple functions, and multiple physical components may jointly perform a single task.

[0044] Certain components or all components may be implemented as software executed by a digital signal processor or microprocessor, or as hardware or as an application-specific integrated circuit. Such software may be distributed on computer-readable media comprising computer storage media (or non-temporary media) and communication media (or temporary media). As is well known to those skilled in the art, the term computer storage media includes both volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technique for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, optical or magnetic storage devices, or any other media that can be used to store desired information and are accessible by a computer.

[0045] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or part of an instruction containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions shown in the blocks may be executed in an order different from the order shown in the figure. For example, two consecutively shown blocks may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may be executed in reverse order depending on the functions involved. Each block in a block diagram and / or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram and / or flowchart, can be implemented by a special-purpose hardware-based system that performs a specified function or operation, or a special-purpose combination of hardware and computer instructions.

[0046] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated above, the present invention is not limited thereto and can be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject matter defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for forming individual packages in a food packaging machine (100), wherein the food packaging machine (100) comprises a plurality of subsystems, and the method is The system receives one or more local variable values ​​(142) that indicate measurements taken by the food packaging machine (100) of one or more local physical parameters for a local subsystem (120), One or more remote variable values ​​(204) are received, indicating that the food packaging machine (100) has measured one or more physical parameters for one or more remote subsystems. Using a reinforcement learning model (206) and a local control model (210), the remote variable value (204) and the local variable value (142) are processed to determine one or more control parameter values ​​for the local subsystem (120) of the food packaging machine (100). In accordance with the determined control parameter values, one or more control parameters of the local subsystem (120) are adjusted. The food packaging machine (100) controls the formation of individual packages (122) according to one or more of the adjusted control parameters. A method for preparing for something.

2. The aforementioned reinforcement learning model (206) is a deep reinforcement learning model that includes a neural network. The method according to claim 1.

3. The local subsystem (120) is a jaw system configured to form individual packages (122) from tubes (112) of food-filled packaging material (102). The method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Adjusting one or more control parameters of the local subsystem (120) includes adjusting one or more of the timing of the engagement of the sealing jaws of the packaging material (102) with the tube (112) for forming individual packages (122), and the position of the engagement of the sealing jaws of the packaging material (102) with the tube (112) for forming individual packages (122). The method according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned neural network is one of the following: a convolutional neural network, a recurrent neural network, a long-term memory neural network, and a fully connected neural network. The method according to claim 2.

6. The one or more local variables include measurements relating to one or more of the synchronization marks printed on the packaging web, the motion profile of the jaw system (120), and the physical position of the mechanical molding adjustment tool. The one or more remote variable values ​​include measurements relating to one or more of the following: the movement and control variables of the packaging web, the packaging web tension variable, the packaging filling state variable, and the packaging material. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A system for forming individual packages in a food packaging machine (100) having multiple subsystems, wherein the system comprises: Memory and Processor and Equipped with, The memory, when executed by the processor, includes instructions that cause the processor to perform a method including the following: Receiving one or more remote variable values ​​(204) from a food packaging machine (100) that indicate measurements of one or more physical parameters for one or more remote subsystems; The system receives one or more local variable values ​​(142) that indicate measurements taken by the food packaging machine (100) of one or more local physical parameters for a local subsystem (120), One or more remote variable values ​​(204) are received, which indicate measurements of one or more physical parameters of the food packaging machine (100) for the remote subsystem. Using a reinforcement learning model (206) and a local control model (210), the remote variable value (204) and the local variable value (142) are processed to determine one or more control parameter values ​​for the local subsystem (120) of the food packaging machine (100). In accordance with the determined control parameter values, one or more control parameters of the local subsystem (120) are adjusted. The food packaging machine (100) controls the formation of individual packages (122) according to one or more of the adjusted control parameters. A system equipped with the ability to do so.

8. The aforementioned reinforcement learning model (206) is a deep reinforcement learning model that includes a neural network. The system according to claim 7.

9. The local subsystem (120) is a jaw system configured to form individual packages (122) from tubes (112) of food-filled packaging material (102). The system according to claim 7 or 8.

10. Adjusting one or more control parameters of the local subsystem (120) includes adjusting one or more of the timing of the engagement of the sealing jaws of the packaging material (102) with the tube (112) for forming individual packages (122), and the engagement position of the sealing jaws of the packaging material (102) with the tube (112) for forming individual packages (122). The system according to claim 9.

11. The aforementioned neural network is one of the following: a convolutional neural network, a recurrent neural network, a long-term memory neural network, and a fully connected neural network. The system according to claim 8.

12. The one or more local variables include measurements relating to one or more of the synchronization marks printed on the packaging web, the motion profile of the jaw system (120), and the physical position of the mechanical molding adjustment tool. The one or more remote variable values ​​include measurements relating to one or more of the following: the movement and control variables of the packaging web, the packaging web tension variable, the packaging filling state variable, and the packaging material. The system according to any one of claims 7 to 11.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having instructions adapted to perform the method described in any one of claims 1 to 6 when executed by a processor.

14. A method for forming individual packages in a food packaging machine (100), wherein the food packaging machine (100) comprises a plurality of subsystems, and the method is The system receives one or more local variable values ​​(142) that indicate measurements taken by the food packaging machine (100) of one or more local physical parameters for a local subsystem (120), One or more remote variable values ​​(204) are received, indicating that the food packaging machine (100) has measured one or more physical parameters for one or more remote subsystems. By processing the local variable values ​​(142) using a local control model (210) and processing the remote variable values ​​(204) using a reinforcement learning model (206), one or more control parameter values ​​for the local subsystem (120) of the food packaging machine (100) are determined. In accordance with the determined control parameter values, one or more control parameters of the local subsystem (120) are adjusted. The food packaging machine (100) controls the formation of individual packages (122) according to one or more of the adjusted control parameters. The one or more local variables include measurements relating to one or more of the synchronization marks printed on the packaging web, the motion profile of the jaw system (120), and the physical position of the mechanical molding adjustment tool. The one or more remote variable values ​​include measurements relating to one or more of the following: the movement and control variables of the packaging web (102), the packaging web tension variable, the packaging filling state variable, and the packaging material. method.

15. The reinforcement learning model (206) is used to understand how different combinations of the local variable values ​​and the remote variable values ​​affect the local subsystem and to improve the local control model (210), The method according to claim 14.

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