ANOMALY PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR A GLASS FORMING MACHINE

Abstract

The invention refers to an anomaly processing system suitable for processing a malfunction of a glass forming machine, comprising a malfunction detection unit for detecting a malfunction of the glass forming machine; a presence detection unit for detecting the presence of an operator; and in the event of a detected malfunction, a control unit for controlling the glass forming machine. The anomaly processing system is configured such that, in the event of a malfunction, the control of the glass forming machine by the anomaly processing system is dependent on whether the presence of an operator is detected.

Claims

1. An anomaly processing system suitable for processing a malfunction of a glass forming machine, comprising: a malfunction detection unit for detecting a malfunction of the glass forming machine; a presence detection unit for detecting the presence of an operator; and in an event of a detected malfunction, a control unit for controlling the glass forming machine; wherein the anomaly processing system is configured such that, in the event of a malfunction, the control of the glass forming machine by the anomaly processing system is dependent on whether the presence of an operator is detected.

2. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect a malfunction of the glass forming machine.

3. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect the presence of an operator.

4. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, further comprising a control unit configured to receive: information defining configuration parameters of the glass forming machine, an operating parameter setting of the glass forming machine, and/or a status of a production process of the glass forming machine.

5. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, wherein if a distance between a location of the operator and a location of the detected malfunction does not exceed approximately 15 meters, the anomaly processing system is further configured to detect the presence of an operator.

6. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, wherein if a distance between a location of the operator and a location of the detected malfunction does not exceed approximately 5 meters, the anomaly processing system is further configured to detect the presence of an operator.

7. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, wherein if a distance between a location of the operator and a location of the detected malfunction does not exceed approximately 1 meter, the anomaly processing system is further configured to detect the presence of an operator.

8. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, further comprising one or more cameras.

9. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, further comprising an image processing system configured to detect a malfunction and/or the presence of an operator by processing images captured by the one or more cameras.

10. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, wherein the anomaly processing system is further configured to process malfunctions of a glass forming machine, wherein the glass forming machine comprises a blank station for forming a parison from a gob of molten glass, a blow station for forming a container from the parison, a mechanism for forwarding a parison from a blank station to a blow station, and a mechanism for forwarding a container from a blow station, wherein a container can be a glass bottle; a blank station can comprise a blank mould and/or a neck ring below the blank mould and/or a plunger to form a parison from a gob of molten glass; the blow station can comprise a blow mould and/or a blowing device to blow up a parison to form a container; a mechanism for forwarding a parison from a blank station to a blow station can comprise an invert mechanism for transporting a neck ring together with a parison to a blow station; a mechanism for forwarding a container from a blow station can comprise a take-out arm, a pusher and/or a conveyor belt; and a coating hood is positioned above a section of the conveyor belt.

11. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, further comprising a camera configured to capture at the same time an image of a blank station and of a blow station.

12. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, further comprising a camera configured to capture at the same time an image of a conveyor belt and of a coating hood.

13. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, wherein to continue production without interruption if the presence of an operator is detected, the anomaly processing system is further configured, in an event of a detection of a missing gob, to control the glass forming machine to reject all incoming gobs and/or to move sections to a safe state.

14. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, wherein to continue production without interruption if the presence of an operator is detected, the anomaly processing system is further configured, in an event of a detection of articles sticking together, to control the glass forming machine may to move sections to a safe state.

15. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, wherein to continue production without interruption if the presence of an operator is detected, the anomaly processing system is further configured, in an event of a detection of articles being out of place and/or fallen over, to control the glass forming machine to move sections to a safe state.

16. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, wherein to continue production without interruption if the presence of an operator is detected, the anomaly processing system is further configured, in an event of a detection of a jam of articles, to control the glass forming machine to move sections to a safe state.

17. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, wherein to continue production without interruption while only rejecting articles of deficient quality if the presence of an operator is detected, the anomaly processing system is further configured, in the event of a repeated detection of articles failing to meet the desired quality, to control the glass forming machine to move sections to a safe state.

18. The anomaly processing system of claim 1, further comprising: a storage medium comprising a software suitable for processing a system; and a malfunction of a glass forming machine in dependence of the presence of an operator.

19. An anomaly processing system suitable for processing a malfunction of a glass forming machine, comprising: a malfunction detection unit for detecting a malfunction of the glass forming machine; a presence detection unit for detecting the presence of an operator; in an event of a detected malfunction, a control unit for controlling the glass forming machine; a storage medium comprising a software suitable for processing a system; and a malfunction of a glass forming machine in dependence of the presence of an operator; wherein the anomaly processing system is configured such that, in the event of a malfunction, the control of the glass forming machine by the anomaly processing system is dependent on whether the presence of an operator is detected.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] In the following the invention is described in more detail with the help of the examples shown in the FIGS. 1-6.

[0050] FIG. 1 illustrates the structure of a glass forming machine.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows an example of an anomaly processing system 16 according to the present invention.

[0052] FIGS. 3 and 4 show examples of preferred positionings of cameras 20 at a glass forming machine 1.

[0053] FIG. 5 shows an example of the workings of an anomaly processing system 16 according to the present invention.

[0054] FIG. 6 shows examples of malfunctions and machine controls to be executed by the anomaly processing system 16 according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] FIG. 1 shows an example of the structure of a glass forming machine 1 for the continuous mass production of glass bottles. The glass forming machine 1 comprises four sections 2, each of which produces a set of three glass bottles in parallel. Thus, the glass forming machine 1 comprises twelve production lines for the production of glass bottles.

[0056] A blank station 7 may comprise a blank mould consisting of two halves, a neck ring below the blank mould, and a plunger. A blow station 9 may comprise a blow mould, consisting of two halves, and a blow head. An invert 8 may comprise a rotating arm.

[0057] To produce a glass bottle, molten glass flows from a spout 3 to a shear 4. The shear 4 cuts the flow of melted glass into gobs. A gob is forwarded by a gob distributor 5 and a gutter 6 to a blank station 7. The two halves of the blank mould are closed. The gob is loaded into the blank mould of the blank station 7. A plunger moves into the blank mould to form a parison from the gob. The two halves of the blank mould open. An invert 8 moves the neck ring of a blank station together with the parison to a blow station 9. The two halves of the blow mould are closed. A blow head moves down on the blow mould of the blow station 9 and blows up the parison to form a glass bottle. The two halves of the blow mould open. A take-out arm 10 takes the glass bottle out of the blow station 9 and puts it on a cooling plate 11. A pusher 12 moves the glass bottle from the cooling plate 11 to a conveyer belt 13. The conveyor belt 13 moves the glass bottle to a coating hood 14. The coating hood 14 applies a coating to the glass bottle. In case a glass bottle does not meet desired quality standards, a bottle-reject 15 removes the glass bottle from the conveyor belt 13 shortly before the glass bottle enters the coating hood 14.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows an example of an anomaly processing system 16 according to the present invention.

[0059] An anomaly processing system 16 comprises a control unit 17, a malfunction detection unit 18, and a presence detection unit 19. The control unit 17 is connected through a link 21 to a glass forming machine 1. The anomaly processing system 16 comprises sensors 20. The sensors 20 are suitably placed at the glass forming machine 1 to detect a malfunction of the glass forming machine 1 and/or the presence of an operator.

[0060] Sensors 20 may be light barriers, photoelectric or infrared sensors, and the like. Inverts 8, take-out arms 10, pushers 12, conveyer belts may be driven by actuator motors. Thus, also potentiometers may be used to monitor their workings and to detect malfunctions.

[0061] Equally, light barriers, photoelectric or infrared sensors, and the like are suitable sensors 20 to detect the presence and/or the location of an operator. An operator may be equipped with an active or passive signalling device, for example an RFID chip. An RFID-based localisation system may then determine an operator's presence, for example depending on the RFID chip coming within reach of the RFID based localisation system's sensors 20. It may detect the presence of an operator only if an RFID chip, which identifies a person as an operator, is detected by the sensors (20) of the system. It may detect the presence of an operator only if the distance between the location at which the operator is detected and the location of a detected malfunction is not exceeding 15/5/1 meter.

[0062] The sensors 20 may be cameras. The cameras may comprise or be connected to an image processing system. The image processing system may be capable of detecting malfunctions, the place of detected malfunctions, the presence of a person at a location within the viewing area of a camera, and/or the identity of that person. Such a camera-based detection system may then determine an operator's presence, for example depending on a person being present within the viewing area of a camera. It may detect the presence of an operator only if it recognises a person as an operator. It may detect the presence of an operator only if the distance between the location at which the operator is detected and the location of a detected malfunction is not exceeding 15/5/1 meter.

[0063] FIG. 3 shows an example of a preferred positioning of cameras serving as sensors 20 at a glass forming machine 1. A camera 20 is placed in front and/or on top of each section 2 of a glass forming machine 1. This way, one camera 20 can monitor at least three production lines of a glass forming machine 1. Each production line comprises a set of three blank stations 7, a set of three blow stations 9, and a take-out arm 10, a cooling plate 11, and a pusher 12 for three glass bottles.

[0064] FIG. 4 shows another preferred positioning of a camera serving as sensor 20. A camera 20 is positioned in front and/or on top of a conveyor belt 13. This way the viewing area of the camera includes the conveyor belt 13, the coating hood 14, the bottle-reject 15, and the space around the conveyor belt 13, where an operator may be present. This way, one camera 20 can monitor at least the entire conveyor belt 13, the coating hood 14, the bottle-reject 15, as well as the space around the conveyor belt 13, where an operator may be present.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows an example of the workings of an anomaly processing system 16 according to the present invention. In the event that a malfunction is detected, the anomaly processing system 16 checks for the presence of an operator. In case the presence of an operator is not detected, the anomaly processing system 16 executes the controls according to the “Machine control: operator not present” controls. In case the presence of an operator is detected, the anomaly processing system 16 executes the controls according to the “Machine control: operator present” controls.

[0066] FIG. 6 shows an example of how the anomaly processing system 16 controls the glass forming machine 1 dependent on the detected malfunction, its location and the detected presence of an operator.

[0067] For example, the anomaly processing system 16 may detect that a gob is missing at a blank station 7. Usually, this is caused by a gob stuck at the gob distributor 5 and/or at the gutter 6. This can cause a jam blocking the production, and/or damage the glass forming machine 1. Therefore, if the presence of an operator is not detected, the anomaly processing system 16 controls the glass forming machine 1 in a way that all or a major part of the gobs are rejected before entering the gob distributor 5. Or, a section 2 or the entire glass forming machine 1 is moved to a safe state.

[0068] This entails that the production of glass bottles is interrupted, and/or the incoming gobs are waisted. However, if the presence of an operator is detected, the operator can easily and quickly remove stuck gobs from the gob distributor 5 and/or the gutter 6. Therefore, if the presence of an operator is detected, the anomaly processing system 16 controls the glass forming machine 1 in a way that the production process is not interrupted and hardly any gobs are waisted.

[0069] Moving to as safe state may require that a glass forming machine 1, or part of it, is shut down. In such a case, the production process down-stream of the malfunction may continue until all downstream articles have been discharged. However, the entire production may also stop immediately without discharging any articles.

[0070] In case a collapsed parison is detected, the anomaly processing system 16 controls the affected section 2 of the glass forming machine 1 in a way that it is moved to a safe state. Thus, the operator is given the opportunity to remove the collapsed parison.

[0071] The anomaly processing system 16 may detect as a malfunction that bottles are sticking together. This malfunction may be detected at the blow station 9, the take-out arm 10, the cooling plate 11, and/or the pusher 12. If the presence of an operator is not detected, the anomaly processing system 16 controls the glass forming machine 1 in way that the bottles sticking together are removed at the bottle-reject 15. However, since there is a risk that the bottles sticking together fall over and/or cause a jam, the anomaly processing system 16 may also control the machine to shut down the concerned section immediately. However, if the presence of an operator is detected, the operator can easily and quickly remove the bottles. Thus, the production is not interrupted and the risk of any further escalation or damage is avoided.

[0072] In case a bottle missing is detected at the take-out arm 10, cooling plate 11, or the pusher 12, the anomaly processing system 16 may check if this due to the operating parameter settings. For example, it may be that the section was moved to a safe state so that the missing of the bottle is intentional. If the check shows that the missing of the bottle is not intentional, the anomaly processing system 16 moves the glass forming machine 1 to a safe state. Thus, the operator is given the opportunity to remove any out of place article or jam of articles upstream of the location of the detected malfunction “bottle missing”.

[0073] The anomaly processing system 16 may detect glass bottles out of place/fallen over at the cooling plate 11, the pusher 12, or the conveyor belt 13. The anomaly processing system 16 may detect a jam of glass bottles at the cooling plate 11, the pusher 12, and/or the conveyor belt 13. If the presence of an operator is not detected, the anomaly processing system 16 controls the glass forming machine 1 in a way that all sections 2 located upstream of the jam are moved to a safe state, i.e., are shut down immediately. Thus, further escalation of the malfunction and/or further damage to the glass forming machine 1 is avoided. However, if the presence of an operator is detected, the operator can quickly and easily put the bottles back in place, and/or remove the bottles, or remove the jam. Hence, no section needs to be shut down.

[0074] The anomaly processing system 16 may detect glass bottles out of place/fallen over at the coating hood 14. The anomaly processing system 16 may detect a jam of glass bottles at the coating hood 14. If the presence of an operator is not detected, the glass forming machine 1 is controlled in way that all newly arriving glass bottles are rejected at the bottle-reject 15. However, if the presence of an operator is detected, the anomaly processing system 16 makes the glass forming machine 1 lift the coating hood 14. Thus, an operator can quickly and easily put the bottles back in place, and/or remove the bottles, or remove the jam. Hence, the production of glass bottles can continue uninterrupted.

[0075] The anomaly processing system 16 may detect a glass bottle failing to meet the desired quality at the take-out arm 10, the cooling plate 11, the pusher 12; and/or the conveyor belt 13. The anomaly processing system 16 may just remove the bottle at the bottle-reject 15. However, it may be that such a malfunction, i.e., bottles failing to meet the desired quality, is frequently/repeatedly detected. In this case, the malfunction processing system may move affected sections 2 or the entire glass forming machine 1 to a safe state. This avoids the risk that the actual cause of the malfunction may also cause unnoticed damage to the glass forming machine 1. However, if the presence of an operator is detected, the anomaly processing system 16 continues to just reject the bottles of deficient quality at the bottle reject. The operator can quickly assess if the malfunction can be corrected without interruption of the production process or not. If no, the operator may manually move part of the glass forming machine 1 or the entire machine into a safe state. If yes, the operator may take the corrective action. In this case the production process can continue without interruption.