Print Mark Sensor Temporal Signal Analysis for Process Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing print mark sensors primarily focus on detecting print marks but fail to provide additional information for process control and environmental analysis, limiting their ability to contribute to machine and material quality assessment and operational reliability.

Innovation Solution

A print mark sensor with a control and evaluation unit that stores and analyzes successive light receiver signals from multiple print marks, generating result data and parameters about the environment, objects, and printing process, allowing for improved process control and operational insights.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a print mark sensor only detects primary sensor signals from print marks, then the device complexity is low, but the loss of information occurs because additional process control information is not provided

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess control informationVSAvoidsensor system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system is designed to perform multiple functions: it detects print marks for primary sensing purposes and simultaneously captures environmental information, object characteristics, and printing process data through the same light transmitter and light receiver components. This multi-functionality allows the system to provide comprehensive process control information without adding separate detection devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system utilizes its own operational data (light transmission and reception signals) to generate additional process information. By analyzing the characteristics of the light signals interacted with print marks and their environment, the system self-generates valuable process control data without requiring external monitoring equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If successive light receiver signals from multiple print marks are stored and analyzed, then the measurement precision of process parameters improves, but the loss of time increases due to data storage and temporal analysis

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess parameter accuracyVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control and evaluation unit continuously stores successive light receiver signals in an electronic memory during normal operation, preparing the data in advance for analysis. This preliminary data accumulation allows the system to perform temporal analyses and generate process parameters without causing time delays when actual process control decisions need to be made.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous operation by storing signals without interrupting the sensing process. The electronic memory continuously accumulates light receiver signals while the printing process proceeds, ensuring that data processing occurs in parallel with production, thereby minimizing any time loss and maintaining continuous useful action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If the control and evaluation unit generates result data from temporal analysis of light receiver signals, then the reliability of process monitoring improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidcontrol and evaluation unit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control and evaluation unit is integrated into the existing sensor housing, merging the data processing functions with the light transmission and reception components. This integration allows the system to generate reliable process monitoring data through temporal analysis of stored signals without requiring a completely separate complex processing system, thereby improving reliability while managing device complexity through unified design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The sensor provides valuable information on material quality, machine status, and operational reliability, enabling continuous monitoring and optimization of the printing process, reducing errors and improving detection accuracy.

Implementation Method 1

at least one light transmitter for emitting light beams and at least one light receiver for receiving remitted light beams

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3305526B1Printing mark sensor
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 SICK AG
  • EP3305526B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

Method for evaluating print marks (2) of detection objects with a print mark sensor (1) and print mark sensor (1) for evaluating print marks (2) with at least one light transmitter (3) and at least one light receiver (4) with a control and evaluation unit (5) for evaluating the light receiver signal of the light receiver (4), with an output (6) for a sensor signal which is generated by the control and evaluation unit (5) based on the light receiver signal, characterized in that an electronic memory (7) is provided to store a plurality of successively detected light receiver signals from several successively detected print marks, wherein the control and evaluation unit (5) is configured to evaluate the plurality of light receiver signals from several successively detected print marks and to generate result data and/or parameters that allow conclusions to be drawn about the environment of the print mark sensor, about the detection object,to enable the printing mark and/or the process.