The invention relates to devices and to methods for transporting preforms in the region of a blow-molding machine, in particular a sorting device (10) for transporting preforms (20) composed of a thermoplastic material in the region of a blow-molding machine for the blow-molding of containers, comprising a transportation wheel (12), which has a plurality of accommodating recesses (18) for accommodating and conveying the preforms (20), which accommodating recesses are arranged on the circumference of the transportation wheel in such a way that the accommodating recesses are distributed in the circumferential direction, a guide collar (16), which extends circumferentially around the transportation wheel (12) in some regions in such a way that the guide collar is radially spaced apart from the transportation wheel, wherein the preforms (20) are transported in suspension between the transportation wheel (12) and the guide collar (16) in the region of the sorting device (10), and a selection unit for selectively removing a respective individual preform (20) transported in one of the accommodating recesses (18) of the transportation wheel (12), wherein the selection unit comprises a pivotable ejecting star (14) with a plurality of ejecting arms (31), which ejecting star, when in the idle position, reaches into the peripheral region of the transportation wheel (12) by means of a first ejecting arm (31) immediately adjacent to the guide collar (16) in the transportation direction of the preforms (20), in such a way that the preforms (20) in the accommodating recesses (18) that are transported past the first ejecting arm (31) are secured against unintentionally falling out, wherein the ejecting star (14), in the event of a rotational motion, pushes an individual preform (20), which is marked for removal, out of one of the accommodating recesses (18) of the transportation wheel (12) by means of a second ejecting arm (32) following after the first ejecting arm (31), and wherein, in a recurring manner after the preform (20) marked for removal has been pushed out, the second ejecting arm (31) takes on the securing of the preforms (20) transported past the second ejecting arm against falling out of the accommodating recesses (18).

A preform is sterilized by a preform sterilizer. The preform is blow-molded by a blow-molding device to manufacture a container. Next, the container is filled with a culture medium by a filling device without sterilizing the container by a container sterilizer, and the container is plugged by a plugging device. Thereafter, it is verified how much microorganism survive or propagate in the culture medium in the container. A degree of sterilization in the container sterilizer is adjusted on the basis of a verification result.

Some embodiments are directed to a system for detecting foreign matter in a parison discharged successively from a discharge device, the system comprising: infrared cameras that detect infrared beams emitted from the parison; and a determination unit that determines whether foreign matter is present in the parison on the basis of the infrared beams detected by the infrared cameras. A determination area is set in the parison in a discharge direction of the parison, a storage unit is provided that stores an infrared threshold set for the determination area, and the determination unit compares the detected values from the infrared cameras with the threshold.

Some embodiments are directed to a system for detecting foreign matter in a parison discharged successively from a discharge device, the system comprising: infrared cameras that detect infrared beams emitted from the parison; and a determination unit that determines whether foreign matter is present in the parison on the basis of the infrared beams detected by the infrared cameras. A determination area is set in the parison in a discharge direction of the parison, a storage unit is provided that stores an infrared threshold set for the determination area, and the determination unit compares the detected values from the infrared cameras with the threshold.

In order to detect a point of generation of oil leakage in a machine, an oil leakage detection device is provided with a state observation unit configured to acquire a change pattern of the flow rate of oil from log data recorded during operation of a machine tool and create input data based on the acquired change pattern of the oil flow rate, a label acquisition unit configured to acquire information on the presence of generation of oil leakage and a point of generation of oil leakage from the log data and create teacher data based on the acquired information on the presence of generation of oil leakage and information on the generation point of oil leakage, a learning unit configured to perform supervised learning based on the input data and the teacher data, thereby constructing a learning model, and a learning model storage unit configured to store the learning model.

An apparatus for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, having a transport device which transports the plastic preforms to be formed along a predetermined transport path, wherein the transport device has a rotatable transport carrier wherein a plurality of forming stations are arranged. The forming stations each have blow-molding devices within which the plastic preforms can be formed into the plastic containers by applying a flowable medium. The forming stations each have application devices for applying the flowable medium to the plastic preforms, and the apparatus has a feed device for feeding plastic preforms to be formed to the transport apparatus, and a discharge device for discharging formed containers from the transport device. The apparatus has a clean room within which the plastic preforms or the plastic containers are transported at least sectionally. The apparatus has an ejection device to eject plastic preforms or plastic containers from the transport path.

An apparatus for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, having a transport device which transports the plastic preforms to be formed along a predetermined transport path, wherein the transport device has a rotatable transport carrier wherein a plurality of forming stations are arranged. The forming stations each have blow-molding devices within which the plastic preforms can be formed into the plastic containers by applying a flowable medium. The forming stations each have application devices for applying the flowable medium to the plastic preforms, and the apparatus has a feed device for feeding plastic preforms to be formed to the transport apparatus, and a discharge device for discharging formed containers from the transport device. The apparatus has a clean room within which the plastic preforms or the plastic containers are transported at least sectionally. The apparatus has an ejection device to eject plastic preforms or plastic containers from the transport path.

A blow molding machine is subjected to a sterilizing treatment in a simple manner. A liquid sterilizer is filled into preforms of at least the same number as the number of spindles. In a heating unit that heats the preforms to a molding temperature, some of the liquid sterilizer is caused to diffuse, and blow air is blasted into preforms in which the liquid sterilizer remains to cause the liquid sterilizer to diffuse in a molding unit, and molded bottles are discharged.

A blow molding machine is subjected to a sterilizing treatment in a simple manner. A liquid sterilizer is filled into preforms of at least the same number as the number of spindles. In a heating unit that heats the preforms to a molding temperature, some of the liquid sterilizer is caused to diffuse, and blow air is blasted into preforms in which the liquid sterilizer remains to cause the liquid sterilizer to diffuse in a molding unit, and molded bottles are discharged.

Some embodiments are directed to a system for detecting foreign matter in a parison discharged successively from a discharge device, the system comprising: infrared cameras that detect infrared beams emitted from the parison; and a determination unit that determines whether foreign matter is present in the parison on the basis of the infrared beams detected by the infrared cameras. A determination area is set in the parison in a discharge direction of the parison, a storage unit is provided that stores an infrared threshold set for the determination area, and the determination unit compares the detected values from the infrared cameras with the threshold.