For the monitoring of the application of a vacuum to the finished moulds (1, 2) of a glass moulding machine, in particular of an I. S. machine, an arrangement is proposed which is composed of a vacuum sensor (13, 14), which vacuum sensor is arranged in a vacuum line (5, 6) which charges the finished mould (1, 2) and which vacuum sensor is designed for pressure measurement and detects a pressure value, which pressure value is transmitted by way of a microcontroller (15, 16) of an I. S. machine controller (22) by way of which, in a manner dependent on the measured value, a hollow glass article can be identified as being defective and rejected. The arrangement permits automated monitoring of the vacuum operation and a lessening of the burden on operating personnel, and serves for the automated assurance of product quality.

For the monitoring of the application of a vacuum to the finished moulds (1, 2) of a glass moulding machine, in particular of an I. S. machine, an arrangement is proposed which is composed of a vacuum sensor (13, 14), which vacuum sensor is arranged in a vacuum line (5, 6) which charges the finished mould (1, 2) and which vacuum sensor is designed for pressure measurement and detects a pressure value, which pressure value is transmitted by way of a microcontroller (15, 16) of an I. S. machine controller (22) by way of which, in a manner dependent on the measured value, a hollow glass article can be identified as being defective and rejected. The arrangement permits automated monitoring of the vacuum operation and a lessening of the burden on operating personnel, and serves for the automated assurance of product quality.

A glassware forming machine includes a blank mold having first and second sections and a hanger assembly configured to support the first section and permit movement of the first section towards and away from the second section. A temperature measurement system for the first section includes a thermocouple configured to be received within a recess in a wall of the first section and to generate a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the first section. The system further includes a transmitter assembly coupled to the thermocouple and comprising a housing supported on the hanger assembly and a wireless transmitter and controller disposed within the housing. The controller is configured to receive the temperature signal and generate an output signal in response for transmission by the wireless transmitter, the output signal including data indicative of the temperature of the first section of the blank mold.

A glassware forming machine includes a blank mold having first and second sections and a hanger assembly configured to support the first section and permit movement of the first section towards and away from the second section. A temperature measurement system for the first section includes a thermocouple configured to be received within a recess in a wall of the first section and to generate a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the first section. The system further includes a transmitter assembly coupled to the thermocouple and comprising a housing supported on the hanger assembly and a wireless transmitter and controller disposed within the housing. The controller is configured to receive the temperature signal and generate an output signal in response for transmission by the wireless transmitter, the output signal including data indicative of the temperature of the first section of the blank mold.

Method and system for inspecting hollow glass products of glass product material, wherein the glass products are manufactured by: a. heating the glass product material; b. forming the heated glass product material into at least one glass product; c. cooling the formed glass product; wherein inspecting the glass products comprises the following steps: d. transporting the glass products formed in step b. successively along a predetermined path along at least one infrared light sensitive sensor, wherein with the at least one sensor, of a plurality of the glass products that are transported successively along the at least one sensor, with the at least one sensor per glass product an image is made, wherein step d. is carried out between steps b. and c.; e. processing the images made in step d. for obtaining information about a wall thickness of the glass products.

Method and system for inspecting hollow glass products of glass product material, wherein the glass products are manufactured by: a. heating the glass product material; b. forming the heated glass product material into at least one glass product; c. cooling the formed glass product; wherein inspecting the glass products comprises the following steps: d. transporting the glass products formed in step b. successively along a predetermined path along at least one infrared light sensitive sensor, wherein with the at least one sensor, of a plurality of the glass products that are transported successively along the at least one sensor, with the at least one sensor per glass product an image is made, wherein step d. is carried out between steps b. and c.; e. processing the images made in step d. for obtaining information about a wall thickness of the glass products.

A method for controlling a process for forming glass containers (2) includes the steps of extracting a so-called sample container, acquiring by means of a tomography apparatus (30) several X-ray images of the sample container from different projection angles, sending the X-ray images to a computer (38), and analyzing the X-ray images using a computer. A three-dimensional digital model of the sample container is constructed in a virtual reference frame on the basis of the X-ray images. The position of the three-dimensional digital model with respect to the position of the sample container in a mold reference frame is determined and the three-dimensional digital model is analyzed to determine at least one quality indicator (A) of the sample container.

A method for detecting faulty operation of a gas blower driven by an electronically commutated DC motor. The DC motor of the gas blower is controlled by an integrated electronic motor control circuit. The electrical current draw, required in operation to reach a predetermined blower speed of the gas blower, is measured. It is measured as a measured variable via the electronic motor control circuit. The electronic motor control circuit performs a plausibility check of the measured electrical current draw. The measured value of the electrical current draw, at a predetermined blower speed, is compared to a current draw reference value characteristic stored in the electronic motor control circuit. Thus, a warning and/or an error code is issued by the electronic motor control circuit. The warning is based on deviation of the measured value of the electrical current draw beyond a tolerance range around the reference characteristic.

This invention eliminates the need for a manual work of applying a mold release lubricant to blow molds and bottom molds by workers and reduces a burden on workers involved in the mold release lubricant application work while also increasing the safety of workers during mold release lubricant application, reducing downtime associated with the mold release lubricant application work, reducing changes in the mold release lubricant application locations and variations in amount of application for the blow molds, and, furthermore, contributing to a glass bottle quality stabilization.

The application equipment (40) for applying the mold release lubricant is structured to apply the mold release lubricant to at least either a part of blow mold forming surfaces (31f) provided on the blow molds (31), or the entire surface of bottom mold forming surfaces (32f) provided on the bottom molds (32) located in the lower part of a finish molds (31), or both.

This invention eliminates the need for a manual work of applying a mold release lubricant to blow molds and bottom molds by workers and reduces a burden on workers involved in the mold release lubricant application work while also increasing the safety of workers during mold release lubricant application, reducing downtime associated with the mold release lubricant application work, reducing changes in the mold release lubricant application locations and variations in amount of application for the blow molds, and, furthermore, contributing to a glass bottle quality stabilization.

The application equipment (40) for applying the mold release lubricant is structured to apply the mold release lubricant to at least either a part of blow mold forming surfaces (31f) provided on the blow molds (31), or the entire surface of bottom mold forming surfaces (32f) provided on the bottom molds (32) located in the lower part of a finish molds (31), or both.