Filter Rod Machine Defect Detection and Exclusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods in the tobacco processing industry fail to detect and eliminate tow twists and connection points in filter material strips, leading to suboptimal filter rod production with increased waste and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for operating a filter rod machine that includes a sensor system to detect defects in the filter material strip after stretching and before application, allowing for precise exclusion of defective areas during processing, utilizing acoustic, optical, and acceleration sensors to identify narrowing or thickening defects like tow twists and connection points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sensor is arranged downstream of the rod-shaping device to detect connection points, then the connection points can be detected and filter rods can be excluded from further processing, but the detection occurs after the filter material has been processed through multiple stages making precise localization difficult and increasing waste
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is positioned to detect defects (connection points and tow twists) in the filter material strip before it enters the rod-shaping device and before plasticizer application. This preliminary detection allows the system to identify defective areas early in the process, enabling precise localization and minimizing the number of filter rods that need to be excluded from production, thereby reducing filter material waste while maintaining reliable defect detection
2Measurement precision
If the sensor is positioned upstream of the application device, then defects can be detected before plasticizer application, but the sensor may be contaminated by application materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the sensor in a specific location upstream of the application device where it can detect defects in the filter material strip before plasticizer is applied, while the conveyor system and device geometry act as intermediaries that prevent direct contact between the sensor and application materials, thus maintaining measurement precision without sensor contamination
3Reliability
If connection points are detected downstream after rod formation, then the detection system can identify defects, but the affected area cannot be precisely localized and more filter rods must be excluded
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor detects connection points and other defects in the filter material strip upstream of the rod-shaping device, before the material undergoes transformation during rod formation. This preliminary detection at an earlier stage in the process enables precise localization of defects along the strip, allowing the system to exclude only the specific defective areas rather than large portions of filter rods, thereby improving manufacturing precision while maintaining reliable defect detection
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the production of high-quality filter rods with minimal waste by accurately detecting and isolating defective regions, reducing the number of affected filter rods to about 5-6 and preventing contamination of sensors with application materials.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing acoustic, optical, and acceleration sensors to identify narrowing or thickening defects
Implementation Method 2
utilizing acoustic, optical, and acceleration sensors to identify narrowing or thickening defects
Implementation Method 3
utilizing acoustic, optical, and acceleration sensors to identify narrowing or thickening defects
Implementation Method 4
filter material in the form of a filter material strip is taken from a supply in the form of at least one bale, spread out, stretched
Implementation Method 5
the strip of filter material absorbs less plasticizer when sprayed at the point of a tow-twist
Implementation Method 6
A common method for producing joints between strips of filter material is to overlap the ends of the strips of filter material and heat-seal them, in which the fibres, e.g. B. acetate fibers merge
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a filter strand machine (1, 2) of the tobacco processing industry, wherein filter material in the form of a filter material strip (4, 4') is taken from a supply in the form of at least one bale (6, 6'), spread out, stretched, conveyed through a spreading device (12) and fed to a formatting device (23) of the filter strand machine (1, 2) and a filter strand (24) is formed from the filter material strip (4, 4').The invention further relates to a filter strand machine (1, 2) for the tobacco processing industry with a filter material dispensing station from which a filter material strip (4, 4') can be dispensed from at least one filter material supply (6, 6'), with a spreading device (7, 8), a stretching device (3, 9), an application device (12) and a strand forming device (23) by means of which a filter strand (24) can be produced from the filter material strip (4, 4'), wherein at least one sensor (39, 39'; 60, 70, 80, 90) is provided which is designed to detect a defect (45, 51 - 51VII; 55) of the filter material strip (4, 4').The method according to the invention is characterized in that at least one sensor (39; 39'; 60, 70, 80, 90) detects a defect (45, 51-51VII; 55) after the stretching of the filter material strip (4, 4') and before the application device (12) and generates at least one signal (39a, 39b) which serves to exclude at least the area of the filter strand (24) containing the defect (45, 51-51VII; 55) from further processing. The filter strand machine (1, 2) according to the invention is characterized in that the sensor (39, 39'; 60, 70, 80, 90) is arranged at or downstream of the stretching device (3, 9) and upstream of the application device (12).