Method for operating a textile machine, and textile machine

Abstract

A method is provided for operating a textile machine having a plurality of identical workstations wherein, during a normal operation of the workstations, yarn is produced or rewound from a supply bobbin onto a receiving bobbin at the workstations. After a stoppage at a plurality of the work stations, the method includes starting and setting the plurality of workstation into a normal operating mode. The method includes dividing the plurality of workstations into groups of workstations, and starting up the groups of workstations at different predefined times, such as predefined waiting times between consecutive groups of the work stations.

Claims

1. A method for operating a textile machine having a plurality of identical workstations wherein, during a normal operation of the workstations, yarn is produced or rewound from a supply bobbin onto a receiving bobbin at the workstations, the method comprising: at a plurality of the workstations, after a stoppage, starting and setting the plurality of workstation into a normal operating mode; wherein the plurality of workstations are divided into groups of workstations, wherein each group of workstations includes at least two of the workstations, and the groups of workstations are started at different predefined times.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the different predefined times is a predefined waiting time between start-up of consecutive ones of the groups of workstations.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the predefined waiting time is adjustable and determined as a function of status data of the textile machine.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the groups of workstations are fixed and predefined.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the groups of workstations are determined as a function of status data of the textile machine.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein a sequence in which the groups of workstations are started is predefinable.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein a sequence in which the groups of workstations are started is determined as a function of status data of the textile machine.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein any one or combination of a sequence in which the groups of workstations are started, the predefined times between start up of consecutive ones of the groups of work stations, and determination of the groups of work stations are determined as a function of status data of the textile machine, the status data comprising data related to one or both of resources of the textile machine or parameters of the spun or wound yarn.

9. A textile machine, comprising: a plurality of identical workstations for producing yarn or for rewinding yarn from a supply bobbin onto a receiving bobbin; a control system, the control system configured to operate the workstations in accordance with the method of claim 1.

10. The textile machine as in claim 9, wherein the control system comprises one central control unit or multiple control units.

11. The textile machine as in claim 9, further comprising one or more sensors in communication with the control system, the sensors configured to gather status data of the textile machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages of the invention are described in the following exemplary embodiments. Wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a textile machine, and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of a further textile machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a textile machine 1 according to the invention, comprising a plurality of identical workstations 2, of which only a few are provided with a reference numeral, for the sake of clarity.

(6) The textile machine 1 can be any type of textile machine 1, which comprises a plurality of identical workstations 2, in particular a spinning machine or winder.

(7) Particularly noteworthy are textile machines 1 producing cross-wound bobbins and, in this case, in particular, open-end spinning machines and air-jet spinning machines.

(8) Moreover, the textile machine 1 comprises a machine head 3, which includes a central control unit 4. Not shown here is an alternative exemplary embodiment, which operates the textile machine 1 with the aid of decentralized control means rather than the central control unit 4.

(9) The machine head 3 supplies the workstations 2 with electrical energy and compressed air via power cables 5 and compressed air pipes 6, respectively. Other resources, such as vacuum, can also be required by the workstations 2.

(10) When the start-up of a plurality of workstations 2 is necessary, for example, after a scheduled machine stoppage, after a lot change, or after a power failure, the workstations 2 are initially divided into groups 7 of workstations 2. The various groups have been labeled here as 7.1, 7.2, etc. In this exemplary embodiment, a group 7 of workstations 2 consists of two workstations 2. A greater number of workstations 2 per group 7 is also conceivable, however, and it is also conceivable that the number of workstations 2 per group 7 is not the same for all groups 7.

(11) If the workstations 2 assigned to the groups 7.1 to 7.100 are now to be started, the workstations 2 of the group 7.1 are started first. The workstations 2 of the group 7.2 are then started with a time offset with respect to the workstations 2 of the group 7.1. Due to this time offset, not all resources are required simultaneously, and so a rapid start-up of all workstations 2 is possible with the aid of the time offset.

(12) The mentioned method is so simple that no particular requirements need to be placed on the control unit 4 in order to carry out the method.

(13) In the following description of the alternative exemplary embodiment represented in FIG. 2, identical reference numerals are utilized for features that are identical and/or at least comparable in terms of their design and/or mode of operation as compared to the first exemplary embodiment represented in FIG. 1. Provided said features are not explained in detail once again, their design and/or mode of operation correspond/corresponds to the design and mode of operation of the features already described above.

(14) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the workstations 2 have been divided into groups 7 of workstations 2, which were determined as a function of status data of the textile machine. The particular group 7.1, 7.2, etc., to which the workstation 2 has been assigned is noted in the particular workstation 2. Workstations 2 without a number of a group 7 do not require a start-up, for example, because they are already running in the normal operating mode or they have a fault, which must be eliminated before a start-up.

(15) Other status data, which can affect the assignment of workstations 2 to groups 7, are, for example, the resources of the textile machine 1 and/or parameters of the spun or wound yarn. By incorporating these status data, the assignment of workstations 2 to groups 7 can take place in such a way that the start-up of the workstations 2 can take place even faster.

(16) Moreover, the number of workstations 2 per group 7, and the waiting time between the start-up of a group 7 and the subsequent group 7 can be determined as a function of the status data of the textile machine 1.

(17) In summary, the method according to the invention, which is simple and uncomplicated, allows for a rapid start-up of workstations 2 after a stoppage of these workstations 2.

(18) The present invention is not limited to the represented and described exemplary embodiments. Modifications within the scope of the claims are also possible, as is any combination of the features, even if they are represented and described in different exemplary embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(19) 1 textile machine 2 workstation 3 machine head 4 control unit 5 power cable 6 compressed air pipe 7 group