Hollow-Body Forming Station Leak Diagnosis Via Pressure Decay

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing forming stations in thermoplastic container production experience varying degradation rates of wearing components, leading to excessive forming fluid consumption and non-compliant containers due to unintentional disturbances and leaks, necessitating frequent maintenance that disrupts production.

Innovation Solution

A diagnostic method involving pressure measurements during the passive maintenance phase of forming cycles to calculate the rate of pressure drop, using linear regression to identify leaks, and predict maintenance needs based on average slope calculations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If frequent maintenance operations are performed to replace wearing components, then reliability of container production is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to production stoppages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer production reliabilityVSAvoidcontainer production rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The diagnostic system performs preliminary detection of leak trends during normal production cycles by monitoring pressure decay rates. When the system predicts that a wearing component will fail within a predetermined number of cycles, maintenance is scheduled in advance during planned stoppages rather than reacting to actual failures or performing frequent preventive maintenance, thus optimizing the balance between reliability and productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of substance

If wearing components are monitored and replaced proactively, then forming fluid consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases due to diagnostic systems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforming fluid consumptionVSAvoiddiagnostic system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors the pressure decay rate during each production cycle and feeds this information back to the control unit. The control unit calculates the slope of pressure change and compares it against threshold values to detect early signs of leaks from wearing components, enabling proactive replacement before significant fluid loss occurs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces complex mechanical leak detection methods with electronic pressure sensing and computational analysis. By using pressure sensors and calculating pressure decay rates through software, the system achieves accurate leak detection without requiring complex mechanical diagnostic devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If multiple pressure measurements are taken during passive maintenance phase, then measurement precision of leak detection is improved, but loss of time increases due to extended diagnostic duration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleak detection precisionVSAvoiddiagnostic time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs multiple pressure measurements at periodic intervals during the passive maintenance phase. By taking measurements at specific time points (e.g., immediately after pressurization, then at regular intervals), the system achieves precise leak detection through slope calculation while keeping the total diagnostic time within acceptable limits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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

Precise detection of leaks and optimal timing of maintenance operations reduce forming fluid consumption and energy use, ensuring consistent production quality by minimizing unnecessary stoppages.

Implementation Method 1

a phase of passively maintaining pressurization during which the hollow body is isolated from the forming fluid source by closure of the blowing valve, wherein the diagnostic method comprises a step of determining the change in the pressure of the forming fluid in the hollow body by carrying out a series of multiple pressure measurements successively during the phase of passively maintaining pressurization

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure measurement:

Data Source

PatentUS20250269579A1Method for diagnosing a forming fluid leak in a station for forming hollow bodies

Publication Date: 2025.08.28 SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS SAS

AI summary

Provided is a method for diagnosing a forming fluid leak in at least one station for forming hollow bodies during a production cycle sequence. Each cycle includes a first phase of pressurizing the hollow body by connection to a source of forming fluid compressed to a maximum blowing pressure, followed by a second phase of passively maintaining pressurization during which the hollow body is isolated from the forming fluid source. The diagnostic method includes a determining the change in the pressure of the forming fluid in the hollow body by carrying out a series of multiple pressure measurements successively during the second phase.