Method for operating a first and a second food machine, storage device, and food machine

Abstract

A method for operating a first food machine and a second food machine, where a data set required to operate the first food machine is stored in a first storage unit of the first food machine, and the data set required to operate the first food machine is additionally stored in a second storage unit of the second food machine.

Claims

1. A method for operating a first food machine and a second food machine, wherein a data set required to operate the first food machine is stored in a first storage unit of the first food machine, and wherein the data set required to operate the first food machine is additionally stored in a second storage unit of the second food machine.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data set required to operate the first food machine is not required to operate the second food machine.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data set required to operate the first food machine is transmitted to the second storage unit of the second food machine via a wireless or wired communication link.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data set required to operate the first food machine comprises input data detected with an input device of the first food machine.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data set required to operate the first food machine comprises user data.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a loss of the data set in the first storage unit of the first food machine is recognized, the data set is transmitted from the second storage unit of the second food machine into the first storage unit of the first food machine.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a loss of input data or user data of the data set in the first storage unit of the first food machine is recognized, the input data or the user data of the data set are transmitted from the second storage unit of the second food machine into the first storage unit of the first food machine.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a loss of the data set in the first storage unit of the first food machine is recognized, the first food machine is controlled by a control device of the second food machine with aid of the data set stored in the second storage unit of the second food machine.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data set to operate the first food machine comprises order data for a first order that is transmitted from an order data management system via a wireless or wired communication link.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein when order data for a second order is not provided by the order data management system, the order data from the first order is transmitted from the second storage unit of the second food machine into the first storage unit of the first food machine.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first food machine and the second food machine are part of a common production line of a plurality of food machines comprising a third food machine, wherein a further data set required to operate the second food machine is stored in the second storage unit of the second food machine, and wherein the further data set required to operate the second food machine is additionally stored in a third storage unit of the third food machine.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first food machine and the second food machine are part of a common production line of a plurality of food machines, wherein all data sets required to operate the production line of the plurality of food machines are stored in the first storage unit of the first food machine and in the second storage unit of the second food machine.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first food machine and the second food machine are part of a common production line of a plurality of food machines comprising a third food machine, wherein a further data set required to operate the second food machine is stored in the second storage unit of the second food machine, and wherein the further data set required to operate the second food machine is additionally stored in a third storage unit of the third food machine, wherein an additional data set required to operate the third food machine is stored in the third storage unit of the third food machine, and wherein the additional data set required to operate the third food machine is additionally stored in the first storage unit of the first food machine.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data set required to operate the first food machine is selected, wherein an indicator is detected by a detection device in order to select the data set, and the data set is determined from a list of predefined data sets by a selection unit depending on the detected indicator.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the detected indicator is an optically detectable indicator and the detection device is an optical detection device.

16. A storage device for a food machine, wherein the storage device is configured to receive, store, and transmit to one or more other food machines a data set required to operate the one or more other food machines.

17. The food machine, a food processing machine, or a food packaging machine, comprising the storage device as claimed in claim 16.

18. A production line comprising a first food machine and a second food machine, wherein a data set required to operate the first food machine is stored in a first storage unit of the first food machine, and the data set required to operate the first food machine is additionally stored in a second storage unit of the second food machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a production line according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In the various figures, identical parts are always provided with the same reference signs and are therefore generally also named or mentioned only once in each case.

[0036] The illustration in FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a production line 10 consisting of a plurality of, in this case four, food machines 1, 2, 3, 4. The production line 10, in particular the individual food machines 1, 2, 3, 4, are connected to an order data management system 20, via which the food machines 1, 2, 3, 4 can be configured for production of orders held in the order data management system 20.

[0037] The food machines 1, 2, 3, 4 each comprise a storage unit 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, in which a data set required to operate the first food machine 1 is stored. A further component of the food machines is an operating unit 1.2, 2.2, 3.2, 4.2, via which an operator can make inputs. These inputs can be converted into input data for the operation of the relevant food machine 1, 2, 3, 4 and stored in the relevant storage unit 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 as part of the data set. The operating unit 1.2, 2.2, 3.2, 4.2 can be formed as part of a combined operating and display unit, for example as a touch-sensitive screen. Furthermore, the food machines 1, 2, 3, 4 each comprise a control unit 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 4.3, via which the relevant food machine 1, 2, 3, 4 is controlled. For control, the control unit 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 4.3 reads data of the relevant data set from the storage unit 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 of the food machine.

[0038] In the production line 10 according to the exemplary embodiment, four food machines 1, 2, 3, 4 are provided in series in a process flow in such a way that the processing starts in a first food machine 1, the products of the first food machine 1 are forwarded to a second food machine 2, the products of the second food machine 2 are forwarded to a third food machine 3, and the products of the third food machine 3 are forwarded to a fourth food machine 4. The food machines 1, 2, 3, 4 can be configured either as a food processing machine or as a food packaging machine. For example, the first food machine 1 and the second food machine 2 and the third food machine 3 can be formed as food processing machines and the fourth food machine 4, which follows the first three food machines 1, 2, 3 in the process flow, can be formed as a food packaging machine.

[0039] In order to allow the greatest possible availability of the production line 10, special measures are taken in the production line 10 according to the exemplary embodiment. A data set required to operate the first food machine 1 is stored both in a first storage unit 1.1 of the first food machine 1 and also in a second storage unit 2.1 of the second food machine 2. This makes it easier to restore the data set after a loss of data in the first storage unit 1.1 and thus increases the availability of the production line 10.

[0040] For example, an operator of the first food machine 1 can generate input data for operating the first food machine 1 via the operating unit 1.2. These data are stored in the first storage unit 1.1. In order to be able to retain them in the second food machine in the event of a loss, the input data or the complete data set stored in the first storage unit 1.1 are transmitted to the second storage unit 2.1 of the second food machine 2 via a wireless or wired communication link 5. The data set can additionally comprise user data, for example user-dependent authorization data and/or user-dependent machine settings, for example user-dependent display settings.

[0041] In the production line 10 according to the exemplary embodiment, with regard to the storage units 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1, pairs of food machines 1, 2, 3, 4 are formed which are interleaved with each other in a chain. That is to say, the second storage unit 2.1 stores the data set required to operate the first food machine 1, and the third storage unit 3.1 of the third food machine 3 stores the data set required to operate the second food machine 2. The fourth storage unit 4.1 of the fourth food machine 4 stores the data set required to operate the third food machine 3.

[0042] According to a variation of the exemplary embodiment, it can be provided that all data sets required to operate the production line 10 for the individual food machines 1, 2, 3, 4 are stored both in the first storage unit 1.1 of the first food machine 1 and in the second storage unit 2.1 of the second food machine 2. Preferably, this totality of data sets is also stored in the third storage unit 3.1 and in the fourth storage unit 4.1, particularly preferably in the storage units of all food machines 1, 2, 3, 4 of the production line 10.

[0043] The food machines 1, 2, 3, 4, in particular the respective control units 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 4.3 of the food machines 1, 2, 3, 4, are configured to recognize an error state of the corresponding food machine 1, 2, 3, 4, in particular of the storage unit 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 of the food machine 1, 2, 3, 4. Furthermore, the control units 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 4.3 are arranged to restore the data set from the copy in a storage unit 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 of another food machine 1, 2, 3, 4 in the event of a recognized error and/or a recognized loss of the data set in the relevant storage unit 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1. For example, an error and/or a recognized loss of the data set in the first storage unit 1.1 of the first food machine 1 can be recognized and the data set can be transmitted from the second storage unit 2.1 of the second food machine 2 to the first storage unit 1.1 of the first food machine 1.

[0044] When transmitting data from the second into the first storage unit 1.1, the complete data set can be transmitted. Alternatively, it is possible to transmit only those data from the second storage unit 2.1 into the first storage unit 1.1 for which the loss has been recognized. For example, a loss of input data or user data of the data set can be recognized in the first storage unit 1.1 of the first food machine 1 and the input data or user data of the data set can be transmitted from the second storage unit 2.1 of the second food machine 2 into the first storage unit 1.1.

[0045] In addition, it can be provided that in the event that a loss of the data set in the first storage unit 1.1 of the first food machine 1 is recognized, the first food machine 1 is controlled by the second control device 2.3 of the second food machine 2 with the aid of the data set stored in the second storage unit 2.1. The first food machine 1 can be controlled by the second control unit temporarily, for example until the data set in the first storage unit 1.1 is restored and/or the first food machine is fully functional again.

[0046] Once the data set for the operation of the first food machine 1 is restored in the first storage unit, the first food machine 1 can be controlled by means of the data set and the first control unit 1.3.

[0047] The data set for operating the first food machine 1 can comprise order data for a first order, which are transmitted by the order data management system 20 via a wireless or wired communication link 21. It is conceivable that—for example, after transmission of the first order—there is a failure of the order data management system 20, or the communication link 21 to the order data management system 20 is defective. In such a case, i.e. when order data for a second order are not provided by the order data management system 20, order data for the first order are transmitted from the second storage unit 2.1 of the second food machine 2 to the first storage unit 1.1. Any missing order data for the second order, for example serial numbers and/or batch information, are then manually adapted, for example by an operator input at the first control unit 1.2 of the first food machine 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0048] 1 food machine

[0049] 1.1 storage unit

[0050] 2 food machine

[0051] 2.1 storage unit

[0052] 3 food machine

[0053] 3.1 storage unit

[0054] 4 food machine

[0055] 4.1 storage unit

[0056] 5 communication link

[0057] 10 production line

[0058] 20 order data management system