Computerised control device and computer-implemented method for controlling a product processing plant, and computer program product

• US 9,952,588 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ferag AG (WRH Walter Reist Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Ferag AG (WRH Walter Reist Holding AG)
• Inventors: Groth, Uwe, Corvo, Maurizio
• Primary Examiner(s): Rutten, James D.
• Application Number:
  US14/349,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20140244015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: 700 97
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/00 Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4311 Making personalised books or mail packets according to personal, geographic or demographic data
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/431711 the subproduct being inserted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the fold of the main product
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4471 Grippers, e.g. moved in paths enclosing an area
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/25 Sequence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2551/18 Graphical interactive displays; Mouses; Touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2551/26 For input or output variables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/003 by grippers B65H29/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/24 multiple or compartmented, e.d. for alternate, programmed, or selective filling
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/02 Associating,collating or gathering articles from several sources
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/055 by collecting in juxtaposed carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/065 by collecting in rotary carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/075 by collecting in juxtaposed carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 43/00 Use of control, checking, or safety devices, e.g. automatic devices comprising an element for sensing a variable
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32027 Order, plan, execute, confirm end order, if unfeasible execute exception operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32029 Enter also delivery location, transport means, kind of truck

Abstract

A production configuration is determined for controlling a product processing plant that comprises a collecting system having a conveyor and a plurality of feeders for preparing product collections from products supplied by the feeders. The production configuration defines a production of a plurality of production sequences for a plurality of delivery routes, wherein each delivery route is assigned one or more production sequences, each of which define a production of a plurality of production collections of a collection type comprising a plurality of products. For each feeder an occupancy with products, which are to be conveyed by the feeder to the conveyor for preparation for the product collections, is determined. A production optimization parameter determines whether a defined production order is to be maintained for the delivery routes or whether the production order of the delivery routes can be altered. If the production order can be altered, the production sequences of a plurality of delivery routes for the production of production collections of the same collection type are combined to a cohesive production sequence and the occupancy of the feeders is determined for the production order with combined production sequences.

Claims

1. A computerized control device for controlling a product processing plant, which comprises a collecting plant having a conveyor and a plurality of feeders for preparing product collections of flat products of various types supplied by the feeders, wherein the control device comprises one or more processors and a computer-readable memory having stored computer code, when executed, the computer code is configured to control the one or more processors so that the control device is configured to:

detect a production configuration, which defines production of multiple production sequences for multiple delivery routes, wherein one or more production sequences are assigned to each delivery route and each production sequence defines the production of multiple product collections of a type of collection comprising multiple products;

determine occupancy with products for the feeders, these products to be supplied from the feeder to the conveyor for preparing the product collections;

receive a production optimization parameter, which determines whether a defined production order is to be maintained for the delivery routes or whether the production order of the delivery routes can be altered, and if the production order can be altered for multiple delivery routes;

combine the production sequences for the production of product collections of the same type of collection, to form a cohesive production sequence; and

determine the occupancy of the feeders for the production order with the combined production sequences such that the products are each assigned to one of the feeders, wherein the products which do not belong to a common type of collection are assigned to the same feeder, and products which are present in successive production sequences are not assigned to the same feeder, if possible.

2. The device according to claim 1 further comprising computer code executable by the one or more processors that further configures the control device to receive production optimization parameters which determine that a defined production time is to be maintained for one or more of the delivery routes and/or that the production order for the remaining delivery routes of the production can be altered and for the delivery routes of the variable production order, to combine the production sequences for the production of product collections of the same type of collection to form a cohesive production sequence and to determine the occupancy of the feeders for the production order with partially unaltered production sequences and partially combined production sequences.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to determine an expected period of time for a product change on feeders and/or a production interruption in the collecting plant when there is a change in the type of collection from a combined production sequence to a successive combined production sequence, such that the period of total time expected for the product change and the production interruption is as short as possible.

4. The device according to claim 1 further comprising computer code executable by the one or more processors that further configures the control device to receive a production optimization parameter indicating whether or not a simultaneous occupancy of multiple feeders with the same product is admissible and to determine the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the possibility of simultaneous occupancy.

5. The device according to claim 1 further comprising computer code executable by the one or more processors that further configures the control device to receive a production optimization parameter, which determines a number of loading stations that permit parallel loading for multiple delivery routes and to determine the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the number of loading stations.

6. The device according to claim 1 further comprising computer code executable by the one or more processors that further configures the control device to detect altered production conditions during production, and to determine the occupancy of the feeders during production, taking into account the altered production conditions.

7. The device according to claim 1 further comprising computer code executable by the one or more processors that further configures the control device to display the number of feeders required during a production sequence on a user interface and to detect a change in the production sequences by way of the user interface, and to determine the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the altered production sequences.

8. A computer-implemented method for control of a product processing plant, which comprises a collecting plant with a conveyor and a plurality of feeders for preparing product collections of flat products of various types supplied by the feeders, comprising:

detecting a production configuration, which defines production of multiple production sequences for multiple delivery routes, such that one or more production sequences are assigned to each delivery route, each production sequence defining the production of multiple product collections of a type of collection comprising multiple products;

determining for the feeders an occupancy by products which are to be supplied by the feeder to the conveyor to prepare the product collections;

receiving a production optimization parameter that determines whether a defined production order is to be maintained for the delivery routes or whether the production order of the delivery routes can be altered , and if the production order can be altered for multiple delivery routes;

combining the production sequences of multiple delivery routes for the production of product collections of the same type of collection to form a cohesive production sequence; and

determining the occupancy of the feeders for the production order with combined production sequences, wherein the products are each assigned to one of the feeders, such that the products which belong to a common type of collection are not assigned to the same feeder, and products that are present in successive production sequences are, if possible, not assigned to the same feeder.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving production optimization parameters which determine that a defined production time is to be maintained for one or more of the delivery routes and/or that the production order for the remaining delivery routes of production can be altered, combining the production sequences of the delivery routes of the variable production order for the production of product collections of the same type of collection to form a cohesive production sequence and determining the occupancy of the feeders for the production order with some production sequences unaltered and some production sequences combined.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising determining of an expected period of time for a product change with feeders and/or a production interruption in the collecting plant expected with a change in the type of collection from a combined production sequence to a successive combined production sequence, and defining the order of the combined production sequences such that the total period of time expected for the product change and production interruption is as short as possible.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving a production optimization parameter indicating whether or not simultaneous occupancy of multiple feeders with the same product is allowed and determining the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the possibility of simultaneous occupancy.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving a production optimization parameter, which determines a number of loading stations that permit parallel loading for multiple delivery routes, and determining the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the number of loading stations.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising detecting altered production conditions during production and determining the occupancy of the feeders during production, taking into account the altered production conditions.

14. The method according to claim 8, further comprising displaying the number of required feeders on a user interface and detecting a change in the production sequences by way of the user interface, and determining the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the changed production sequences.

15. A computer program product comprising an accessible non-transitory computer-readable memory medium having stored computer code, which is configured to control one or more processors of a control device for controlling a product processing plant, which comprises a collecting plant with a conveyor and multiple feeders for preparing product collections of flat products supplied by the feeders, so that the control device is configured to:

detect a production configuration which defines the production of multiple production sequences for multiple delivery routes, such that one or more production sequences are assigned to each delivery route, each production sequence defining the production of multiple product collections of a type of collection comprising multiple products;

determine an occupancy with products for the feeders, these products to be supplied from the feeder to the conveyor for preparing product collections;

receive a production optimization parameter that determines whether a defined production order is to be maintained for the delivery routes or whether the production order of the delivery routes can be altered with a variable production order, and if the production order can be altered for multiple delivery routes;

combine the production sequences of multiple delivery routes for the production of product collections of the same type of collection into a cohesive production sequence; and

determine the occupancy of the feeders for the production order with combined production sequences.

16. A computerized control device for controlling a product processing plant, which comprises a collecting plant having a conveyor and a plurality of feeders for preparing product collections of flat products of various types supplied by the feeders, wherein the control device comprises one or more processors and a computer-readable memory having stored computer code, when executed, the computer code is configured to control the one or more processors so that the control device is configured to:

detect a production configuration, which defines production of multiple production sequences for multiple delivery routes, wherein one or more production sequences are assigned to each delivery route and each production sequence defines the production of multiple product collections of a type of collection comprising multiple products;

determine occupancy with products for the feeders, these products to be supplied from the feeder to the conveyor for preparing the product collections;

receive a production optimization parameter, which determines whether a defined production order is to be maintained for the delivery routes or whether the production order of the delivery routes can be altered, and if the production order can be altered for multiple delivery routes;

combine the production sequences for the production of product collections of the same type of collection, to form a cohesive production sequence; and

determine the occupancy of the feeders for the production order with the combined production sequences such that the products are each assigned to one of the feeders, wherein the products which do not belong to a common type of collection are assigned to the same feeder for products that are present in successive production sequences, an expected period of time for the product change with feeders and/or an interruption in production of the collecting plants to be determined and the occupancy of the feeders is to be defined in such a way that the expected total period of time for the product change and the production interruption are as short as possible.

17. The device according to claim 16 further comprising computer code executable by the one or more processors that further configures the control device to receive production optimization parameters which determine that a defined production time is to be maintained for one or more of the delivery routes and/or that the production order for the remaining delivery routes of the production can be altered and for the delivery routes of the variable production order, to combine the production sequences for the production of product collections of the same type of collection to form a cohesive production sequence and to determine the occupancy of the feeders for the production order with partially unaltered production sequences and partially combined production sequences.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the control device is configured to determine an expected period of time for a product change on feeders and/or a production interruption in the collecting plant when there is a change in the type of collection from a combined production sequence to a successive combined production sequence, such that the period of total time expected for the product change and the production interruption is as short as possible.

19. The device according to claim 16 further comprising computer code executable by the one or more processors that further configures the control device to receive a production optimization parameter indicating whether or not a simultaneous occupancy of multiple feeders with the same product is admissible and to determine the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the possibility of simultaneous occupancy.

20. The device according to claim 16 further comprising computer code executable by the one or more processors that further configures the control device to receive a production optimization parameter, which determines a number of loading stations that permit parallel loading for multiple delivery routes and to determine the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the number of loading stations.

21. The device according to claim 16 further comprising computer code executable by the one or more processors that further configures the control device to detect altered production conditions during production, and to determine the occupancy of the feeders during production, taking into account the altered production conditions.

22. The device according to claim 16 further comprising computer code executable by the one or more processors that further configures the control device to display the number of feeders required during a production sequence on a user interface and to detect a change in the production sequences by way of the user interface, and to determine the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the altered production sequences.

23. A computer-implemented method for control of a product processing plant, which comprises a collecting plant with a conveyor and a plurality of feeders for preparing product collections of flat products of various types supplied by the feeders, comprising:

detecting a production configuration, which defines production of multiple production sequences for multiple delivery routes, such that one or more production sequences are assigned to each delivery route, each production sequence defining the production of multiple product collections of a type of collection comprising multiple products;

determining for the feeders an occupancy by products which are to be supplied by the feeder to the conveyor to prepare the product collections;

receiving a production optimization parameter that determines whether a defined production order is to be maintained for the delivery routes or whether the production order of the delivery routes can be altered , and if the production order can be altered for multiple delivery routes;

combining the production sequences of multiple delivery routes for the production of product collections of the same type of collection to form a cohesive production sequence; and

determining the occupancy of the feeders for the production order with combined production sequences, wherein the products are each assigned to one of the feeders, such that products that belong to a common type of collection are not assigned to the same feeder;

for products that are present in successive production sequences, determining an expected period of time for a product change with feeders and/or a production interruption of the collecting plant and defining the occupancy of the feeders, such that the total period of time expected for a product change or a production interruption is as short as possible.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising receiving production optimization parameters which determine that a defined production time is to be maintained for one or more of the delivery routes and/or that the production order for the remaining delivery routes of production can be altered, combining the production sequences of the delivery routes of the variable production order for the production of product collections of the same type of collection to form a cohesive production sequence and determining the occupancy of the feeders for the production order with some production sequences unaltered and some production sequences combined.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprising determining of an expected period of time for a product change with feeders and/or a production interruption in the collecting plant expected with a change in the type of collection from a combined production sequence to a successive combined production sequence, and defining the order of the combined production sequences such that the total period of time expected for the product change and production interruption is as short as possible.

26. The method according to claim 23, further comprising receiving a production optimization parameter indicating whether or not simultaneous occupancy of multiple feeders with the same product is allowed and determining the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the possibility of simultaneous occupancy.

27. The method according to claim 23, further comprising receiving a production optimization parameter, which determines a number of loading stations that permit parallel loading for multiple delivery routes, and determining the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the number of loading stations.

28. The method according to claim 23, further comprising detecting altered production conditions during production and determining the occupancy of the feeders during production, taking into account the altered production conditions.

29. The method according to claim 23, further comprising displaying the number of required feeders on a user interface and detecting a change in the production sequences by way of the user interface, and determining the occupancy of the feeders, taking into account the changed production sequences.