Disclosed is a maintenance method for an installation for production of containers from blanks made of plastic material, which includes: a blow-molding machine including a rotating carousel and a plurality of forming stations, each including a mold; a primary power unit connected to the carousel; a transfer device suitable for inserting a blank into a mold or for withdrawing a container therefrom; and a secondary power unit connected to the transfer device. The method includes the detection of a misalignment of the transfer device with the carousel, and, therefore, operations for desynchronization of the power units, for realigning and then for resynchronization of the transfer device and of the carousel.

A synchronization system for a container-processing plant, including a container-forming machine configured to form a container, the container-forming machine having a first rotating wheel for rotating the container about a first rotation axis; a container-filling machine operatively coupled to the container-forming machine and configured to fill the container, the container-filling machine having a second rotating wheel for rotating the container about a second rotation axis; and at least one electric motor configured to cause the first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel to rotate, the synchronization system comprising: a position sensor provided in the container-forming machine and configured to detect a rotating position of the first rotating wheel and to generate a position detection signal; at least one control unit configured to: receive information associated with the position detection signal; synchronize the rotation of the second rotating wheel to the rotation of the first rotating wheel based on the information associated with the position detection signal; and synchronize the rotation of the container-forming machine and container-filling machine from a zero speed up to a full operating speed of the container forming machine at which processing operations are designed to be performed.

A plastic container manufacturing machine, comprising a chassis having a camway with a cam and a countercam and an element which is movable relative to the chassis, bearing a roller interacting with the camway so as to ensure the displacement of the movable element, wherein the machine also comprises a device for controlling the displacement of the movable element, wherein the countercam has at least one portion which is movable relative to the chassis, and wherein the control device incorporates a distance sensor that continuously measures the distance of a movable portion of the countercam relative to a fixed reference point on the chassis.

A facility for processing containers includes a container production device and at least one processing device disposed downstream from the container production device, for further processing the containers. The container production device is synchronized with the processing device during regular operation. However, upon recognition of a malfunction in the processing device, synchronization of the container production device with the processing device can be at least temporarily canceled. Also provided is a method for remedying malfunctions in a facility, in which a container production device is synchronized with a processing device during regular operation, according to which, synchronization between the container production device and the processing device is at least temporarily canceled upon recognition of a malfunction in the treatment device.

A synchronous running safeguard for transfer stations or devices for handling containers, in particular for handling bottle-like containers made of glass or plastic, having a first and a second rotary element, which each have holding elements for the containers and each have a motor drive. The rotary elements are disposed in relation to one another such that the containers can be transferred in a transfer area from one of the first holding elements to one of the second holding elements. The rotary elements, each rotationally connected, have a control element having engagement elements, and the control elements are in meshing engagement with one another. The control elements are disposed in such a way that, during operation the control elements are interengaged without contact during the rotary movement of the rotary elements and that, in the event of a fault, the control elements are interengaged with contact.

The present invention provides a method of measuring the placement of material forming a blow-molded plastic container after the container is released from a mold of a blow molder having a plurality of molds, wherein each plastic container comprises a continuous sidewall and a base, the method comprising the steps of: detecting with an infrared camera infrared light emitted from the container after the container is released from a mold; converting the detected infrared light into corresponding electrical signals; transmitting the electrical signals to a microprocessor; comparing in the microprocessor the electrical signals with stored data regarding desired material distribution forming the plastic container; and producing output information regarding the placement of material forming the container.

A plant for making containers of thermoplastic material in continuous cycle comprises: a rotary molding machine (1) configured to make parisons (2) of thermoplastic material having a body (3) with a closed bottom and a neck (4) which defines an opening; an oven (5) for heating the parisons (2), connected to the molding machine (1) and equipped with heating means (6) operating on the body (3) of the parisons (2); a rotary blow-molding machine (7) configured to receive the parisons (2) heated in the oven (5) and to blow-mold them in molds (8) to make the containers; and a management unit (9) for the plant (10), configured to switch off the oven (5) heating means (6) during a shutdown period of the blow-molding machine (7) but without interrupting the operation of the molding machine (1), so as to enable the parisons (2) located in the oven (5) to cool down during their transit through the oven (5).

An apparatus for processing containers having a transport device which transports the containers to be processed along a predefined transport path has at least one processing device which is configured to process a container in a predefined manner, wherein the apparatus has a movement device, having at least one first guide cam and at least one guide roller which is configured to roll relative to the guide cam. The apparatus also has a detection device which is configured to detect at least one measurement value which is characteristic of a running property of the guide roller relative to the guide cam, and an evaluation device which is configured to evaluate this detected measurement value taking into account at least one further operating value characteristic of the operation of the apparatus.

The invention relates to a device and a method for transporting and handling containers, in particular containers made of a thermoplastic material. The, containers are transported from an inlet point (41) to an outlet point (30) in a transport direction by the transport device, The transport device has at least one handling device (26) which moves in the transport direction for handling one or more of the containers in a simultaneous manner in particular, and the handling device (26) is arranged in a movable manner relative to the transport device in order to move in a direction which deviates from the transport direction. The invention is characterized in that the transport device has at least one motor (32, 34, 37), by means of which the at least one handling device (26) can be moved in a motor-driven manner in the direction which deviates from the transport direction.

A method and apparatus for shaping plastic preforms into plastic containers, wherein at least three different pressure stages are applied to the plastic preforms in order to expand them, wherein the pressure stages are provided by at least three different compressed-air reservoirs, and wherein, additionally, the plastic preforms are stretched in their longitudinal direction by stretching rods, wherein compressed air is returned at least at times from the plastic containers to at least one compressed-air reservoir, and at least one value characteristic of the consumption of compressed air is detected.