Drink Container Handling System with Upstream Residual Quantity Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current production line changes result in significant stoppage times and material waste due to the need for large magazines and lengthy emptying processes, especially when switching between different products or rolls.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine the residual quantity of products and containers in a detection area upstream of the supply line, allowing for precise supply of materials just before a product change, minimizing waste and reducing changeover times by linking container and product quantities and using detection units to control the supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If large magazines or reservoirs are used to minimize product change procedures, then stoppage times are reduced, but the magazines become difficult to empty and require large amounts of time for emptying procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of container characteristics (such as RFID tags, barcodes, or optical identifiers) upstream in the conveying line to identify when the last container of the current product type will pass through. This advance information allows the control system to trigger the emptying procedure at the optimal moment, preventing waste accumulation while minimizing stoppage time during product changes.
2Loss of time
If large magazines or reservoirs are used to minimize product change procedures, then stoppage times are reduced, but material waste increases as packaging materials and charged products can no longer be used
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where detection units continuously monitor the characteristics of containers passing through the conveying line. This information is fed back to the control system, which calculates the residual quantity of containers for the current product type. Based on this real-time feedback, the system optimizes the timing of product change procedures to minimize material waste while maintaining continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
By detecting container characteristics upstream and calculating residual quantities in advance, the system can trigger the emptying procedure at the optimal moment before the magazine becomes completely filled with waste material. This preliminary action prevents the accumulation of unusable materials while ensuring minimal stoppage time during product transitions.
3Loss of time
If detection units are added to determine residual quantities, then material waste and stoppage times are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The containers themselves carry identification characteristics (such as RFID tags, barcodes, or other machine-readable markers) that enable automatic detection. The detection units read these self-contained identifiers without requiring external intervention or complex manual tracking systems. This self-service approach minimizes the complexity of the detection system while enabling precise tracking of container quantities and characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a device for handling containers is described, wherein the containers are transported along a predetermined transport path and combined with at least one other product, the amount of which can be determined, in such a way that the product is fed to each individual container in a predetermined feed area of the transport path, wherein the other product is routed along a feed path to the feed area. At least one characterizing state is determined in a detection area disposed upstream relative to the feed area in a direction of transport of the containers, the state being characteristic of a number of containers fed, and a residual amount for the product that remains to be fed to the predetermined feed area until the product is switched is determined as a function of this characteristic state.