Plastic Preform Inspection in Silo for Transport Damage Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inspection systems for plastic preforms fail to detect damages incurred during transport and storage, leading to inefficiencies and gaps in processing due to their placement downstream of the injection molding machine and in the blow molding device.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with an inspection device positioned between the reservoir and sorting device, allowing for real-time inspection of plastic preforms during transport, using image recording and evaluation devices with artificial intelligence to identify defects and eject damaged preforms before they reach the sorting stage, thus minimizing handling disruptions and maintaining continuous processing flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inspection systems are arranged after the injection molding machine, then manufacturing defects can be detected, but damages during transport and storage in the silo remain undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection device is positioned to examine preforms while they are still in the silo before they are separated and transported to the blow molding machine. This preliminary inspection ensures that both manufacturing defects and transport damages are detected early, preventing defective preforms from entering the production line and eliminating the information loss about transport-induced damages.
2Reliability
If inspection systems are arranged in the blow molding device, then final product quality can be ensured, but gaps are created in the production flow when defective preforms are rejected
Solution Approach 1:
By performing inspection in the silo before the blow molding process, defective preforms are identified and removed early in the workflow. This preliminary action prevents defective preforms from reaching the blow molding device, thereby maintaining continuous production flow without gaps caused by rejecting defective parts at later stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection and rejection function is extracted from the blow molding device and placed in the silo area. This separation allows the blow molding device to operate continuously without interruption, as defective preforms are removed before they can disrupt the production flow.
3Reliability
If inspection systems are arranged in the separation device, then damaged preforms can be identified, but the separation process becomes time-consuming and failure-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection is performed in the silo before the separation process begins. This preliminary inspection identifies defective preforms early, allowing them to be removed before the time-consuming separation operation. As a result, the separation device only handles good preforms, eliminating rework and reducing overall processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection function is extracted from the separation device and placed in the silo area. This extraction prevents defective preforms from entering the separation process, thereby eliminating the time loss and potential failures associated with separating and rehandling defective preforms.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for treating plastic preforms, having a reservoir which is configured for receiving a plurality of plastic preforms, having at least one first transport device which transports the plastic preforms out of the reservoir, and having a sorting device which is arranged down-stream of the first transport device in a transport direction of the plastic preforms, and having at least one further transport device which is arranged downstream of the sorting device in the transport direction, wherein the apparatus has an inspection device for inspecting the transported plastic performs, arranged between the reservoir and the sorting device.