Dynamic Wrap Force Control for Packaging Film Break Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wrapping machines face challenges in maintaining consistent containment force and preventing packaging material breaks due to irregular load geometries and varying demand rates, especially at high speeds, leading to inefficient use of materials and potential damage during transit.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that dynamically control the dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser by monitoring wrap force and adjusting parameters to meet desired containment force requirements, while minimizing breaks and optimizing layer application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the dispense rate of packaging material is increased to meet varying demand rates during rotation, then packaging material breaks are reduced, but containment force consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the dispense rate adjustable and variable during the wrapping cycle. The system dynamically modifies the dispense rate based on real-time monitoring of wrap force and determination of containment force, allowing the dispenser to adapt to varying demand rates caused by irregular load geometries while maintaining containment force consistency through active control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control by monitoring the wrap force applied to the load during wrapping and using this information to dynamically adjust the dispense rate. The system continuously compares actual containment force with target containment force and modifies the dispense rate accordingly, ensuring both break reduction and force consistency are achieved through closed-loop control.
2Stability of the object's composition
If wrap force is increased to improve containment, then load stability is improved, but packaging material breaks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the wrap force parameter during the wrapping cycle rather than applying constant high force. By monitoring containment force in real-time and modifying the dispense rate accordingly, the system maintains adequate load stability while avoiding excessive force that would cause material breaks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the wrap force parameter dynamically based on monitored conditions. The system determines containment force from monitored wrap force and adjusts the dispense rate to maintain optimal parameters, preventing both insufficient containment and excessive force that leads to breaks.
3Productivity
If the wrapping speed is increased to improve productivity, then output is improved, but containment force consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses real-time feedback control to monitor wrap force and determine containment force during high-speed wrapping. This allows the system to maintain containment force consistency even at increased wrapping speeds by dynamically adjusting the dispense rate based on actual conditions rather than relying on pre-programmed fixed-rate dispensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical feedback mechanisms (such as physical sensors and actuators) with a computational approach that determines containment force from monitored wrap force data and uses software-based control to adjust the dispense rate, enabling precise control at high speeds.
4Reliability
If excess packaging material is supplied to prevent breaks, then material breaks are reduced, but material waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback control to supply packaging material based on actual containment force requirements rather than excessive pre-programmed amounts. By monitoring wrap force and dynamically adjusting the dispense rate, the system provides exactly the amount of material needed to prevent breaks without unnecessary waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the wrapping process to self-regulate by determining containment force from monitored data and automatically adjusting the dispense rate accordingly, eliminating the need for conservative over-supply of material and achieving both break prevention and waste reduction.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and program product monitor a wrap force during a wrap cycle to dynamically control the dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser to meet a desired containment force to be applied to a load. A conversion may be performed between wrap force and containment force for the monitored wrap force or a containment force parameter to facilitate the performance of a comparison between the monitored wrap force and a containment force parameter associated with the desired containment force to be applied to the load. A wrap force parameter may also be dynamically adjusted, and in some instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored wrap force, and may be used to meet a load containment force requirement for a load. In other instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored packaging material breaks to reduce the occurrence of packaging material breaks.