Modular Handling Devices for Flexible Container Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bottling plants face challenges in flexibility and efficiency during product changes and maintenance, as existing modular systems require standardized interfaces and separate treatment units, leading to increased costs and production interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A production plant with modular treatment units and handling devices that can be exchanged individually, featuring rail-shaped handling devices and distribution modules for flexible product flow management, allowing for targeted distribution and merging of container streams to optimize capacity utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate treatment units with standardized interfaces are used, then the system can be assembled with treatment units of different types and production capacities, but the costs for acquisition and operation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate treatment units that can be independently assembled and configured. Each treatment unit is a self-contained module that can be combined with others through standardized interfaces, allowing flexible system configuration without increasing overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
Standardized interfaces are implemented across all treatment units, enabling them to work together in different configurations. This universal interface design allows treatment units of different types and capacities to be combined while maintaining system simplicity and reducing operational complexity
2Loss of time
If treatment units are exchanged individually, then production interruptions during product changes or maintenance are minimized, but the handling device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handling device is designed with dynamic reconfiguration capabilities, allowing it to adapt its configuration based on the specific treatment unit being exchanged. This dynamic design enables quick unit replacement without requiring complete system shutdowns, minimizing production interruptions while managing complexity through programmable control
3Ease of manufacture
If modular treatment units with standardized interfaces are used, then the combination of treatment units is simplified, but the flexibility during product changes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into modular treatment units that can be independently configured and reconfigured. This segmentation allows standardized interfaces for easy combination while maintaining the flexibility to rearrange modules for different products, as each module can be independently positioned or replaced
Solution Approach 2:
The modular system incorporates dynamic reconfiguration capabilities through programmable control systems that can adapt the arrangement and operation of treatment units based on product requirements. This dynamic control maintains ease of combination through standardization while enabling flexibility for product changes
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A
Figure 3B
AI summary
The invention relates to a production system for producing and/or filling containers and a corresponding method. According to the invention, there are modular processing units having stationary operating modules and handling devices for handling the containers between a container entry of the handling unit and a container exit of the handling unit and for positioning the containers in the operating module. The handling devices are configured such that the handling units can be individually replaced, and/or there are at least two handling units of the same kind to which the containers can be specifically distributed. The capacity of the production system can thus be particularly flexibly and efficiently.