A spinning machine and method of operation include a plurality of adjacently arranged workstations, each workstation having one of a spinning device or a suction nozzle to which a process vacuum is applied during spinning operation. A vacuum duct extends along the workstations for supplying the spinning devices or the suction nozzles with the process vacuum. A maintenance unit is displaceable along the workstations, the maintenance unit including a pneumatic working element and a vacuum line to supply the pneumatic working element with vacuum. A closeable connection opening is at each of the spinning devices or the suction nozzles, the connection opening connected to the process vacuum. The maintenance unit includes a suction head that is advanceable toward the connection opening and is connected to the vacuum line.

A method and a handling unit (13) are utilized for transferring a sliver (8) from a sliver can (9) into a workstation (3) of a sliver (8) processing textile machine, in particular an open-end spinning machine (1). A plurality of identical workstations (3) are arranged next to one another and a handling unit (13) is displaceable along the plurality of workstations (3). In order to transfer the sliver (8), the handling unit (13) stops at the workstation (3), the sliver (8) is captured by the handling unit (13) at the sliver can (9), and the sliver (8) is transferred to a receiving unit of the workstation (3). After the sliver (8) has been transferred, the handling unit (13) releases the sliver (8) and leaves the workstation (3). After the sliver (8) has been released, a check is carried out to determine whether the sliver (8) has been completely removed from the handling unit (13). (FIG. 4)

A method for operating a work station of a textile machine that produces or rewinds yarn in a normal operation, wherein the normal operation is interrupted. The method includes performing at least one service step for restoring the normal operation, wherein a service result is specified for the service step. A standard service operation is carried out with a service device until the service result has been achieved or a predetermined number of failed attempts has been reached. When the predetermined number of failed standard service operation attempts has been reached, an extended service operation is carried out.

The invention relates to a method for operating a textile machine (1) with a multiple number of similar work stations (2), whereas, with the assistance of work stations (2) during normal operation, yarn is produced or is rewound from a delivery coil onto a receiving coil, and whereas normal operation at the individual work stations (2) is interrupted at certain time intervals and is resumed with the assistance of a maintenance operation, and whereas the maintenance operations are carried out by one or more maintenance devices (3). In accordance with the invention, it proposed that for each work station (2), one or more production-related parameters are known or are determined, and that if more maintenance operations are to be carried out simultaneously than can be carried out by the maintenance devices(s) (3), the selection of the work station (2) to be serviced next will then be made under consideration of such production-related parameters, in such a manner that an upcoming batch change is completed as early as possible.

A service unit is provided as well as a method for controlling a service unit performing various service activities at one workstation on a textile machine having several workstations, in which case the service activities and movement orders to be carried out by the service unit are prioritized by a controller unit. In order to provide a method for controlling a service unit performing various service activities and movement orders as well as a service unit with a controller device for carrying out movement orders and service orders, which enable adjustment and maintenance work to be carried out quickly on the service unit, there is provision for avoidance maneuvers and parking orders to be carried out with the highest priority and manually set service activities and movement orders to be carried out with high priority.

The present invention relates to a textile machine having a plurality of workstations of the same type, which produce packages, more particularly cross-wound packages, and having one thread accumulator each and at least one service cart, which can be moved along the workstations. The present invention also relates to a service cart for a textile machine. In order to provide a textile machine having a plurality of workstations having thread accumulators, in the case of which textile machine fault states that occur in connection with the thread accumulator can be automatically eliminated, there is provision for the service cart to have malfunction-eliminating devices for automatically eliminating fault states that occur in the thread accumulator and/or can be attributed to the thread accumulator.

A spinning machine and method of operation include a plurality of adjacently arranged workstations, each workstation having one of a spinning device or a suction nozzle to which a process vacuum is applied during spinning operation. A vacuum duct extends along the workstations for supplying the spinning devices or the suction nozzles with the process vacuum. A maintenance unit is displaceable along the workstations, the maintenance unit including a pneumatic working element and a vacuum line to supply the pneumatic working element with vacuum. A closeable connection opening is at each of the spinning devices or the suction nozzles, the connection opening connected to the process vacuum. The maintenance unit includes a suction head that is advanceable toward the connection opening and is connected to the vacuum line.

A service unit is provided as well as a method for controlling a service unit performing various service activities at one workstation on a textile machine having several workstations, in which case the service activities and movement orders to be carried out by the service unit are prioritized by a controller unit. In order to provide a method for controlling a service unit performing various service activities and movement orders as well as a service unit with a controller device for carrying out movement orders and service orders, which enable adjustment and maintenance work to be carried out quickly on the service unit, there is provision for avoidance maneuvers and parking orders to be carried out with the highest priority and manually set service activities and movement orders to be carried out with high priority.

A method is provided for controlling movement and operation of an attending device of a yarn manufacturing textile machine, wherein the attending device moves along a row of workstations arranged next to each other to perform operations at the workstations. The method controls the movement of the attending device along the work stations and operations of the attending device based on success statistics of the operations at the workstations to achieve an overall increased efficiency of the textile machine. An operational stay of the attending device at a particular one of the work stations is terminated without waiting for a result of the operation being performed by the attending device at the particular workstation.

A maintenance device for servicing adjacent work stations of a textile machine includes an operating unit that further comprises at least one operating component configured to perform a service operation at the work stations. Driving rails are disposed alongside the workstations, and a guide moves the maintenance device on the driving rails in a direction of travel alongside the work stations. The maintenance device moves on the driving rails from a maintenance position in which one of the work stations is serviceable by the maintenance device into an inspection position in which the maintenance device can be inspected. For transport of the maintenance device from the maintenance position into the inspection position, the operating unit is pivotal relative to the guide unit and/or the operating component is movable relative to the operating unit.