CA2118519A1 - Electronic controller for a glassware forming machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A timing and control system for a glassware forming machine includes a shop computer system (20) resident within a control room and a hot end console (35) on the shop floor adjacent a multi-section glassware forming machine (10). The shop computer system executes a number of subroutines which permit configuration of the shop and of each IS machine section (10a-10f), such as routines for identifying on and off angles for the several mechanical devices associated with the sections. The shop computer system implements subroutines which test for and detect potential conflicts or collisions between machine devices due to changes in the event times for the devices. Timing and sequence functions of the system are implemented using a link table (100) associated with the on and off angles of two sub-events for each mechanical device. Linkable records (107-110) are linked to storage locations in the link tables corresponding to 0.1 degree increments in the shop or machine cycle.

Description

. WO93/21593 ~ 9 PCT/US93/03590 !

, ~LF,~TRONIC CO~TRO~R FOR
A GLASSWARE FORMlNG MACHINE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a computer-based systeln for synchronizing and controlling the operations of a glassware forminy machi~le. The glassware forming maclline includes a number of individual sections w}~ich receive molten glass from a furnace or forehearth to be molded into a particular glassware article. The article or ware is passed by way of a transfe~ conveyor to a lehr for annealing the glass. The present invention thus contemplates a computer-based system for scheduling the operation of each section and its m~chanical components, and for providing access by the machine operator to modify the glassw~re formin9 sequence an~ timing of events.
A typical glassware forMing machine includes a plurality oi sections which are each capable of manufacturing glassware by itself. The sections are operated in synchronism : according to a particular phase relationship between each section in order to permit the plurality of sections to o~tain gobs of molten glass from a single source in an ordered sequence. Each section then for~s these acquired gobs of molten glass into a number of finished glassware articles which are then delivered to an output conveyor, again in sync~lronized fashion. While one section is delivering glassware to the conveyor, another section may be engaged in a different step in the formation of the glassware article. When properly timed and phased, wholly formed glassware articles are produced by each sèction and passed in an orderly fashion onto the conveyor which transports tlle glassware articles to a stacker, and ultimately to a lehr for annealing.

.

WO93/21593 )~11 8 5 1 PCT/US93/03590 ~-~

The glassware forming machine, and each section includes a n~lmber of functional componellts or mechanical devices which perform each of the steps ill the glassware forming operation. For instance, the machine includes a feeder for acquiring moltell glass from the forehearth and passing tlle molten glass to a gob distributor. A shear cuts the mol~en glass illtO measured gobs. rhe gob distributor includes a number of scoops which are used to convey tlle measured gobs to one of the number of sections associated with the gob distributor. Separate mo~ors are used to drive the feeder, shear ana gob distri~utor.
Each section also includes a number of mechanical devices which can ~e pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically controlled. For instance, each section receives the molten ylass and includes a component for moldiny the glass, or blowing the glass, into a glassware article. The glassware article is typically formed in a section and then transferred to a dead plate which can include the component for blowing cooling air onto the glassware article. A pusher assembly is use~ to push the gla3sware article from the deadplate onto a moving conveyor adja~ent the IS machine. Each sections may ` include means for forming more than one glassware article.
Thus, the pusher may also include a number of arms for simultaneously pushing the number of glassware articles from the deadplate onto the conveyor in unison. Each of the mechanical devices of the IS machine is typically commanded by a valve block which signals the operation of each of the components in an appropriate timed sequence.
In a typical glassware ~orming machine, multiple sections fee~ glassware articles onto a common conveyor. Each of ~he s~ctions may produce up to four articles of glassware at a time. Thus, throughout a single cycle of the glassware forming system, multiple glassware articles can be produced by the totality of the IS machine. These glassware articles must be properly formed and properly passed to the conveyor - WO93~1593 PCT/U~93/03590 `'~ ~ 1 g 5 9 so that no conflict results--that is, so that glassware articles do not crasll inl;o each other as they en~er the transport conveyor~ lhe operation of the glassware forming system requires precise timing of each of the steps of the glassware forming process includillg formation of the molten go~, distribution of the go~ to each section, formation of the g1assware article in each section, and tranfiport of the finished article to the transfer conveyor and ultimately to the lehr.
In past years, cwTIbersome systems of cams, drum timers an~ echanical linkages were used to provide the proper tilllin~ and se~uence of events for each of the mechanical components of the glassware forming system. In recent years, however, electronic timing has replaced the prior mechanical systems, and solving many of the problems associated with those systems. Electronic timing and synchronization provi~es more accurate control of the glassware forming process and greater flexibility in manipulating or changing the s~qllence and timing of glassware forming events.
For the purposes of the following disclosure, a number of terms will be defined which are frequently used in the g~assware forming art. In the ar~, a C'shop" is a particular glassware forming machine. This glassware forming machine includes a multiple number of individual sections. A n shop cycle" is the amount of time required for a complete cycle of all events for all of the individual sections forming the shop. For convenience, and configuration purposes, a complete shop cycle has been defined in the art in terms of degrees from 0.1 to 359.9 deg-ees, usually in 0.1 degree incrementS.
~ n "event" is used to designate a step in the glassware forming process. More specifically, an event is the as~ociation of a particular output to change the state of a mechanical devicP at a certain angle in the shop or section cycle. Each event has an "on angle" and an "o~f angle" to WO 93/215g3 ~ 1 1 8 ~ 1 g PCT/US93/03590 -. -designate when the paLticu1ar event begirls and ends. For each event, and more specifically for each particular outplit, a signal is sent to a devi.ce controller which is used to acti~ate or de-activate tlle motors, valves, solenoids, etc., driviny the actual mechanical components of the sho~. Each mechanical device of eYery section of t~ie shop will have an output associated with it, and the operation of each of these componen~s will have a specific event associated with it.
Each of the IS machines is operated in a "firing order".
This firirlg order constitutes the order in which each section receives gobs from tlle gob dist~ibutor. As each section is activated in the firing order sequence, each section commences operation at a different angle in the shop cycle.
This angle is known as a "section differential offset" which represents the delay from the beginning of the shop cycle befnre the individual section begins its OWIl glassware forming cycle. Each section also operates in a cycle from receiving the glass gob to forming the glassware article to pushing the ar~icle onto the transfer conveyor. Each section cycle ha.s the same duration as the shop cycle so that synchronization is important between the shop and section cycles .

1, WO93/~lS93 PCT/US93/03590 ' 1 .tX~19 B~IE~ I~E~CRI~ITION OF 'lHE DR~WING~

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of t~le ~asic components of the timing an~ control s~rstenl for a ~lassware forming machille in accor~a~lce witl~ tl~e present invention.
~IGS. 2A and 2B are pictorial represerltations of tlle t iming and control system of the pr~sent invention confiyured for single sho~ and multiple shop control, respec~ively.
FIG. 3 is a depiction of the primary menu screen implemented by software in the timing and control system of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a depiction of anvther menu screen iln~)lemented by ~he invention and particularly showing a help feature of t~e system.
FIG. 5 is a depiction of another menu screen implemented ~y the inventive system permitting user configuration of the glassware forming shop.
FIG. 6 is a depiction of another menu screen permi~:ting user configuration of the stop states of mechanical componen~s of a mac}line section.
FIGS. 7A and 7B are depictions of menu screens which permit user input to change or jog on and off angles for event groups or specific events in the glassware forming cycle.
FIG. 8 is a depiction of a screen display in which timing 25 information ~or a shop is graphically represented.
FIG. 9 is a depiction of a menu screen implemented by t~le present inverltion to implemerlt con~lict testing and detection procedures within tlle system software.
FIGS. 10A and 10B are graphs illlsstrating the conflict G 30 testing protocol implemented by the present invention witl E'IG. lOA showing a timing configuration resulting in no . .
corlflict and FIG. 10B showing a modified timing configuratios resulting in a conflict ~etection.
FIG.ll is a depiction of a screen displayis~g productior~

W093/21~93 PCT/US93/03S90 -~

~1 ~8519 -6-re~ort inforlnation concerni11g ~he performaJlce of a glassware fornlin~ shop.
E'IGS. 12A~ aIe flowch~rts showing e~ch ~f the su~routines implemented by software wi~hin the timiny and control system of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a block representation of the configuration of mernory locations in the present invention utilized to provided linked lis~s of events which impleme11t the sequence and timing functions of the timing and control system of the 10 p~esent in~ellLion.

_ W093/21~93 PCT/US93/03590 .~ `3 DESCRIPTION 0~ lHE ~REFERRED EMBODIMENT

For tlle purposes of promoting an understan~ y o~ the principles of the inventioll, reference will now be nlade to the em~odiment illustrated in tlle drawin~s and specific language will be used to descri~e the same. It will nevertlleless be understood that no limitation of ~he scope of the inventioll is ~hereby intended, sucll alterations and fur~her modifications in the illustrated device, an~ such further applications of tlle principles of the inven~ion as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normal~y occur to one skilled in the art to which the inventiQn relates.
FIG. 1 shows the b3sic components of one embodimellt of the timing and control system for a glassware forming systern ~ the p~esent invention. FIG. 1 shows a typical configuration for one shop 10 which is made up of six sections lOa-lOf. The shop also includes a ~orehearth for producing molten ylass, a ~eeder, a shear, a gob distributor, a ~ransfer conveyor, a stacker, and a lehr, althougll these components have not ~een depicted in FIG. 1. The timing an-~sequence of operation of these shop ~evices is pre~erably controlled by the timing and control system of the pres~nt invention.
The ~eadplates 11 for each section have been shown, as well as a pusher assem~ly 12 which includes a num~er of arms 13 ar transferring finished glassware articles from the deadplate 11 to a movirly col-veyor 14. Each section as well as the ~emaining gLassware handling mechanical devices of t~le shop can be constructed as known in the art. It is l~ 30 understood tllat tlle timing and control system of the presellt i ~ inven~ioll can be adapte~ fnr use in controlling a variety of - shop configurations and IS machine components.
l'l~e central component o~ tlle timiny and control system o the present inventioll is the shop computer system 20 which is WO93/21~93 PcT/uS93/03590 -situated within a control room separate from the mechanical glassware forminc~ component:s or the shop itself. Il~
accordance wi~h the preferred embodiment, t~e S~IOp cvmputer 20 includes a master computer 21 and a shop control computer 22~ Each of ~hese computers 21 and 22 may be an IBM-compatible microcomputer, such as a 4~6 compu~er operated at 33 Mhz. The function of the master and ~ontrol computers 21 and 22, respectively, will be described more fully herein. Inclllded with the shop computer is a user-interface ~3 which includes a monitor 24, a keyboard 25, a "mo~se" or ¦ ~trackball" 26 and a printer 27. Each of these latter components provides a user-friendly interface for entering new information for controlling the timing and sequence of events, for receiving information concerning the status of th~ operation of the glassware forming shop and for the passage of other in~ormation such as for pr~paring reports concerning the performance of the shop.
The timing and control system further includes a power distribution panel 30 which resides in a power room that can ~e separately environmentally controlled. The power dis~ribution panel provides power to all of the components of the timing and control system, as well as to all of the mechanical devices of the IS machine. Preferably, the power distribution panel 30 is configured to proviae 220 volts to the components of the shop computer system 20, and 24 volts to the device controllers and mechanical devices. In addition,-the power di~stribution system include a battery backup which allows continued operation of the IS machine mechanical devices after loss of AC power. This battery back~tp can be operable for a sufEicient time to allow all of the Inolten g]ass to be purged from t~le IS machine and to allow the mechanical components of the machine to be moved to a predetermined state in the event of a power loss.
A third component of the timing and control system of the presellt invention is the hot end display 35. The hot end . ~
,~',t ~8~1g display is essen~ially a gra~ ics console situated on the sllop floor or in ~he product.ion area near the particular g]assware formill~ machine l0. The hot end display preerably includes a "toucll screen" feature (as described more fully llerein), w~icll facilitates tl~e entry of data by the operator and is very user-friendly ior the environment wi~hin which t~le display resides.
The next link of the system is the I/O junction box 37.
This I/O junction box provides power and control si~nals to the various device controllers and mechanical devices of the IS nlachines. Preferably, signals received from the shop computer system 20 and the power distribution panel 30, are fed to a junction box 3~ which then relays the signals to a number of serial multiplexer modules 3~ associated with each section. The use of the serial multiplexers 39 reduces the wiring requirements and provides a more efficient means of providing power and control signals to each of the mechanical components of all sections. This particular feature of the present system is described more fully in co-pending patent application Serial No. 654,296 ~iled on Feb. 12, l99l in the name of inventor Anthony Clark and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. As described more fully in that application, ~he junction box 37, and particularly the serial Illultiplexers 39, greatly reduce the wiring requirements and complexity from prior electronic timing and control systems.
'i The disclosure of application S.N. 65~,246 concerning this serial multiplex~er ! .system is incorporated herein by re~erence.
One significant benefit of the present invention is tlle abi'~ity to con~igure the shop computer system 20 into a S}`lOp network. For example, a typical glass plant will include a number of glassware forming shops. These shops may be forming 'the same o~ different glassware articles. It is - often desirable to provide a link hetween each shop, for exa~nple, to ~rovide common set-up data between a number of 35 different shops. In addition, linking eac~l of t~le several WO93/2l593 ~1 ~ 8 5 ~ 9 PCT/USg3/03~90-~

shops of a glass ~lant provides a ready means for producillg production reports for the entire plant.
By way of example wi~l reference first ~o FIG. 2A, th~
control system of t~le present inve~ltion is shown in the absence oE a shop network. It can be seen that three diferent shops can include tlleir OWIl COrrespOndilly Cetltral ::
computer and hot end display with an individual disk drive providing storage capability for each indîvidual shop. On the other hand with reference to FIG. 2~, a master set-up computer can be provided (which corresponds to master computer 21 shown in FIG. 1) which interfaces withl a single disk drive and a single operator console. In this configuration, the single master set-up computer communicates with a number of indi~idual control computers associated with -;
each S}lOp. Each shop still retains its own section control computer and hot end display; however, information that may ~e common among each of the shops is provided to and from the master set-up computer and its associated disk drive. This greatly reduces the amount of computer hardwa~e and software required for a particular glass plant.
The function of each of the specific components of the system of the present invention will now be described. The shop computer system 20, and particularly t~le section control computer 22, is the main controller for the system which performs the shop control funct~ons. Tlle s~lop computer system also provides shop configuration information, as well as jo~ informatiQn. This job information constitutes all o~
the informatioII necessary to configure ~he shop to pro~uce a particular type of ware. Job inEorma~ioll can be stored on the hard disk of the master computer 21 or retrieval at any time. It is ~ypical ill a glass plant t~lat specific glassware articles are produced regularly throughout the year. Thus, the particular timing and control necessary to produce that g~assware article may be repeated several times for a given shop. It is therefore preferable to store job setup .

W093/2l593 Pcr/usg3/o3590 informatiol~ so that the timillg and control of ~le IS machine for t~le particular job can be ~eadily achieYed by sim~ly retlieving the job setup inormation, loading it into the timing an~ control routirles within the shop control comput:er 22 and implemelltirlg th~se routilles.
The shop master computer 21 include a programmable security lock feature. l'his security lock feature permits ~ersorlnel at the glass plarlt to assign security access levels for each of the individual control but~ons corresponding to specific fllnctions of the timing ~nd control system. A
particular shop may have varyiny degrees of security levels ranging from the operator to a master key level. At the operator security level, only certain functions o the timing arld control s~stem can be accessed or actuated by the operator on the shop floor. For example, a security lock may prevent the shop operator from being able to char.ge the overall Liming oE each of the sections of the shop, while permitting the operator to make modest ~hanges in the timing of a specific mechanical device of an IS machine. At another ~;
security level, a "setup level", certain personnel of the glass plant can be permi.tted to input or change information concerning the initial setllp o~ the ~hop itsel. rl'his setup in~ormation can include data concerning the physi~al aspects of ~he IS machin~.
Additional security levels can be provided for the shift su~ervisor and the production su~ervisor for the glass plant. At each of!these securi~y levels, the respective supervisor may be permitted to increase the speed of the glassware forming system, or more parti~ularly each shop cycle. ln addi~ion, eacll of the supervisors may ~e permitted to generate cer~ain report data concerrling the operation of ~he glassware forming machine ~uring a given shift, or during `
a longer period oE time as an indication of the perormance of the glass plant. Fillally, the master key is designated ~or the ultimate security level. This master key permits WO93/21593 ~ 5~9 PCT~S~3/03590-..

-17.-access to all of ~he information controlled by a master computer 21. In addition the master key provides access for the plant manager for example ~o determine ~he security access levels for other employees o the glass plant. It is contemplated with the present invention that each operator and supervisor or other rel~vant employees of the glass plant are provided with a key sized security key. T}lis security key includes all of the relevant security access information digitally stored within the key. The key holder can insert t~1e key into a reader associated wit~l either the shop computer system 20 or the hot end display 35 which then reads the information from the digital key to determine the security access level permitted for that key holder.
Both the user interface 23 and the hot end terminal 35 :.
are tied to the section control computer 22 of the shop computer system 20. The hot end terminal 35 is used by the operator on the shop floor. In this instance a touch screen.
display is highly preferable to facilitate the use of the termillal by the operator. The touch screen display is implemented by a monitor device known in the computer art which permits data entry by simply touching a locativn on the display screen itself. Since the number oE functions that would need to be accessed by the operator is limited and since the data entry that would normally be made by the operator is mi.nimal a touch screen provides the necessary degxee of flexibility of access hy the operator to the timing and control fun~tions of~ the system.
On the other ~land in the control rooM the personnel accessing the user interface 23 will typically need to input a greater amount of information to the master computer 21.
Consequently, a keyboard 25 and a mouse 26 is provided. It : is contemplated that personnel in the control room will be providing information concerning the configuration of the particular shop and the setup of a particular job. The software implemente~ by the master and section com~uters and W093/21~93 PCT~USs3/03590 more particularly the section computer 22, provides user interEace to the timing and control sequences by way of a rlumber oE diE~ereIIt display screens. Certairl of ~lle display screens can be accessed only in t~e control room to control access to cer~ain }?rocedures wi~hin the timing and control system.
In accordance with the present invention, the timing and control is implernented by so~tware stored in the master an~
sectior) computeLs. The software is menu driven to simplify user illput and the direction of the process. Eacll menu corresponds to cer~ain functions, or subroutines, execute~ by the timiny and control system. The primary display screen 40 is shown in FIG. 3. This rnain screen 40, or start-up screen, displays a number of "buttons" which can be "pushed" by way of the toucll screen ~eature or by use of the mouse and cursor associated with tl~e nlouse. Graphics software can be used to - give ea~h button the appearance of being up or down, that is pushed or unused. From the main screen, pushing any of the buttons will then direct graphics software to pull up a new screen according to the particular button activated and will direct the timing and control routines accordingly.
ln one novel feature of the invention, a "help" button, such as button 41, is provided with each s~reen displayed on the monitor. Pushing this "help~ button 41 can produce a -display such as shown in FIG. 4, in wllich a "text balloon~' 42is drawn that includes information concerning the fun~tion of a particular screen button. For example, as s~lown in FIG. 4, ~he console operator had pushed the llelp button and then the button labelefl "Graphic Visplay" to provide th~ text balloon ~2 pointing to the graphics display button and informing the user of the fun~tioll of this particular button.
When a particular glassware shop begins operation, t~le - irst essential .step in using the timing and control systeln ~L the present inven~ion is to configure the shop. This conf~guration step can be commenced by pressing the configure WO93/21593 PCT/~S93/03~90 l g `.

shop bllttoll 43 on the rnain screcn 40 tllat is au~omatica1]~
disp~ayed when the shop compuLer system 2~ is turned on. A
sample screen 44 is ShOWIl irl FIG. 5 ~hich is pl1lled llp wherl the configure S~lOp b~lt~OII 43 is actlla~ed. A~ ~his staye, tlle control room user can enter speciic data when the shop is first installed or when the shop configuration is to be physically changed. This information can include a name for the shop, ~he numher of sections in t~le shop ~that is the number of sections associated with the shop~ and the number 1~ o glass,gobs that will be provided to each section.
addition, shop configuration data can include the maximum nunlber of events anticipated for each section, or in ot~ler words, the number of actual outputs that are to le provided to each section for control of the section's mechanical devices. In the preferred embodiment, np to 72 events carl be provided for each section correspondiny to up to 72 outputs fed to the shop and IS machine device controllers.
As can be seen in the lower right portion of the screen 49, a keypad display 45 is provided which allows the user to input numeric data by using the touch screen or the mouse.
Thus, a specific hardware keyboard is not required for data entry. This keyp3d display 45 can be provided on subsequent menu screens where numeric input is required.
C~nfiguration of the specific sllop also requires designation of the number of bottles per minute which are to be produced by the shop. This bo~tles-per-minute (~PM) entry determines the shop's cyclic rate, or the speed at which the shop will operate to produce glassware articles. The range of speeds for the present invention is preferably 2 to 20 cycles per minute. The number of bottles yielded per minute can be obtained by the product of the cycle speed times the number of gobs per section times ~he number of sections per shop. The range of speeds for the present invention can yield a minimum of 2 * no. gobs * no. sections and a maximum of 20 * no. gobs * no. sections per minute. Thus, for a six WO93/21593 ~ r 1~ PCTIUS93/03590 section machine with each section receiving three 90~5, at a ra~e of 20 cycles per minute, the BE~M would be 20*3*6 or 360 bottles ~er minllte. For a shop operating at 20 cycles per minute, the shop will rut1 through its complete c~cle in 3.0 seconds.
The sho~ rate vallle cleriv d from the BPM entry is used to pre-set a CPU level irlterrupt timer to occur at precise time increments representing O.l degrees of a shop cycle. The interrupt software is used to accurately synchronize all of ,' the individual I.S. machines in the shop. The cycle speed determined hy the BPM entry during the shop configuration step also provides the timing signal for all of the timing aspects of the system. In other words, at 20 cycles/minute - the shop computer 22 generates signals to cycle the shop every 0.9 minutes. These signals are typically referred to as synchronization signals and are fed to each of the sections to ensure that all of the co~ponents of the ~lassware forming system are'in pr~per synchronization. The firing order serves to provide means of timing the individual I.S. machines together so that each machine delivers its completed ware onto the common transfer conveyor in an orderly fashion without interfering with ware already on the conveyor or with ware that will subsequently be placed on the conveyor. The section differential oEfset provides a means to further adjust the timing between the I.S. machines to compensate for factors such as qob delivery rate. The effect of these, two timing façtors is to offset the start of the machine cycle of each individual I.S. machine relative to other machines.
In operation, t~1e timi11g between the various I.S.
' mac~ es in a particular shop is dictated by two factors.
T~le first factor is the section firing order, and the second i5 the section differential offset. The firing order serves to ~rovide means oE tinling the individual I.S. machines toyether so that each machine delivers its completed ware onto the conunon transfer conveyor in an orderly fashion WitllOU~ intererill9 WJ t.h ware alrea~y on ttle conveyor or with WO93/215g3 i ~ PCT/US93~0359 ware that will subsequently be ~laced on the conveyor. The section diferen~ial offset provides ~ means to fl~rt}ler adjust the timing betweerl the I~S. machines to compensate for factors such as gob delivery rate. ~r~e e~ect o~ these two timing factors is to offset the stalt of the machine cycle of eacll individual l.S. machine relative to other machines.
Alternatively, the pre.sent inventiorl contemplates receiving a timing signal from an external source. In this case, the BPM value would not be used to set the cycle time.
For example, a signal provided from the gob a sect:ion from distributor can be used to indicate the start of a l~ew IS
machine cycle. Thus, when molten glass is provide~ to a section from the distributor, the shop can be notified that a new cycle should begin. The shop computer will provide all the timing and synchronization in~ormation based upon Ieceipt of the signal from the gob distributor.
In a further aspect of the shop conf iguration step in implementing the timing and control system of the present j invention, a stop configuration button ~6 provides arcess to a screen 47 shown in FIG. 6. This screen allows the SIIOp operator to set the particular state of each of the mechanical devices of the glassware forming machine once the operation of tlle shop is stopped, such as after a programmed stop. Once the operation of the glassware forming machine is resumed, each of the mechanical devices can return to their normal state when the shop cycle is re-initiated. However, the stop configuration input of screen 47 allows the sl-op operator to predetermine the angle in the section cycle at which the section will stop and the state of its mechanical devices ~t that stop location. As shown in FIG. 6, the stop configuration oE the particular section is set at 125 degrees of tlle section cycle, while the state of the associated devices, such as the gob distributor, is "hold", which means that t~e device remains in that position until the shop cycle 3~ resumes. The state of the component can also be maintained "on" or "of~" as required under ~he circumstances.

~ WO93/21~93 PCT/l~S93/1)3590 ~t~9 Tlle configure shop menu screen 49 also includes a button ~8 whi~h allows access to atlo~ler sc~een providing io~ input of the sectiol~ firing order. In one ~nbodiment, a plurality of predetermined firin~ orders is stored in memory wllich can s be accessed as required for the shop con~iguration. In addition, any of the prede~ermirled firing orders can be edited to customize tlle iring or(~er oE each of t~le sectiolls as reyuired for a paL~icular job setup. Menu screen 44 in Fi~. 5 also includes a s~acker control button 49 wllich is provided to permit configuration of the stacker control sequence. This feature allows changin~ the number of glassware articles collected at the stacker for a given c~cle. These articles will eventually be pushed inl:o t~
lehr for annealing. This number of bottles is typically determined by the capabilities of the lehr itself.
Further steps in the configuration of the shop provide additional screens for entry of bottle spacin~ data. Bottle spacing concerns the distance ketween the centers of lead bo~tles for adjacent sections on the conveyor. In addi~ion, the distance between the leading edge of the section to the point where ware can be rejected is provided. This distance information allows the system controller to determine when a particular defective bottle has reached the ware-reject station for manual or automatic rejection. Other data that can be entered includes the number of ~lassware articles to be rejected at the end of a manual swab cycle, the num~er of shop cycles during which gob delivery to the sections is disabled following a section restart, and the number of shop cycles to continue section operatio-l after the stop button has been pressed and gob delivery has been stopped. This latter feature sets the number of shop cycles required to : ~ purge glassware articles that is in process in each of the sections wher, the section has been normally stopped.
Finally, an additional data entry is permitted for the number of mold/blank cooling cycles in which cooling equipmellt is disabled a~ter a cold star~ of a given section.

W O 93/21593 2 1 1 ~ S 1 9 Y(~r/U5~3/03590 .~

--1~-- ..

An a~itional screen provides the capa~ility or ident;~ying specifi~ events and event ~rcups for each section~ In accordance with the present inven~ion, it has been determined that certain events can be arranged into grollps for which the timing changes can be Inade uniformly withirl the group. For instance, a particular IS section may include events for yob intercept, tong close, baffle and blank open. Each of these events occur at differerlt an~les iI~ the shop cycle. }lowever, when the on/off angles for one o~ the events within this group of events is changed, the remailling events in the group must also llave their event times changed accordingly. Certain events which work in conj~lnction with other events must have t~leir on~'off angles or times changed in unison and by the same amount to ensure proper function in the glassware formin~3 ~rocess. It should be understood, however, that each of the events within a group may have different on and off angles. All that is req~lired is that each event in the group be dependent upon the other events in the group so that any change in the on/off angles must be carried through each event in the grcup.
It has been found that identification of event groups greatly facilitates timing changes in a particular shop setup. In the past, timing changes required "jogging" or incrementing the particular angle on/off angle for every event o a section, which often led to significant errors in setting up the timing of a given shop. For example, in these prior systems,~the amount that each of the events was jogged could be inadvertently changed between given events.
Moreover, one event that should normally have been jogged with other events in a group could be overlooked, thereby destroying the sequence of operation in the glassware ~orming process. With the present invention, designation of event groups eliminates a significant amount of work for the shop operator. With this feature, all that is required is that the operator be aware that a certain group of events, SUC~l as events associated with the distribution of the gob to the blank mol~, needs to have its timing changed with respect to WO~3/21593 PCT/US93/0359~

the shop cycle. The shop compllter ~hen Inakes all the Lemailling changes necessary to t-lle other events in tlle g~oup.
The present inventioll coIItelll~lates the a~ility ~c jog event groups or to jog events se~aratel~, as shown by the screeIIs 50 and 51 in FI~S. 7A and 7B, respectively. In FIG.
7A, the screen 50 allows for jogging event groups. The buttons at the right side of the screen allow jogging of the particular ~n and o~f degree angles. The first button 52 indicates the number of degrees ~y which each of 'the identified on or of~ angles will be incremented w]hen the operator presses either the "sooner" button 53 or the "later"
button 54. ~ressing the sooner button 53 decreases the on/off angle degrees, thereby causing the palticular event j group to ~egin earlier ~ZI the shop cycle. Conversely, the ¦ 15 later button 54 increases t~e on/off angles so that the particular events in the group happen later in the shop cycle. To facilitate the jogging step, the button ~2 can be toggled to permit angle changes of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 degrees as required to fine tune the sequence of operations of ~he system.
Similarly, the screen 51 shown in FI~. 7B permits jogging individual events, rather than event groups. For example, it may be discovered by the operator that the timing of one event within a ~roup is slightly o~f. In that instance, the j 25 operator can pull up screens 51 and individually jog the ¦ ~iming of ~he specific event within the group. The same ~ sooner/later buttons are provided ~o correct the event timing.
¦ Menu screen 51 in FIC.7B also depicts an additional Il feature of the present invention, namely, the capability of j 30 progralnming two sub-events for a particular machine component. Certain mechanical devices of a section must Perform more than one on/off sequence in a single shop or .
machine cycle. In prior devices, each on/off seguence reguired designation of a separate event with an output from the computer corresponding to each event. Thus two outputs, and therefor two electrical wiLes, were required to convey the on/off signals for two events in the cycle of a single W~93/21593 PCT/~S93/0359~ -5 ~ 9 mechanical device. However, with the present inve~ltion, up to two separate sub-events may be used to deine t}~e on al1d off angles for each sequence for eacll particular device.
()n:l.y a single OUtpllt is ~:equired to interf ace tlle sl~op computer system 20 to the mechanical device. Four signals, 2 "on" and 2 "off", will be transmitted from the out;put to tlle device controller. Again, this facilitat~s modification of the job confi~llration by the master operator who need only un~erstand that a given component may perform two steps or events witllin a shop cycle. With the present invention, the shop operator need only call u~ the particular components in order to find its two sub-events, while witll prior devices, the shop o~erator must remember that the particular component is associated with two different events separated by a number lS of degrees in the shop cycle.
~ nce the shop has beel1 configured and once each of the events for a ~articular job has been input, the job information can be saved onto permanent memory on hard disk in the mas~er computer system 20. A library of job setups ~arl be developed in the glass plant so that setups in the shop and in each individual section can be readily accomplished by pulling a job file from memory and permitting the shop computer to automatically read this information into the shop control software.
The shop computer system 20 of the present invention also provide~ a graphic display of the timing of each of the components of the IS machine in the shop. Referring to FIG.
8, it is seen that a menu display 55 is generated by the control software whic~l includes A number of rows 56 corresponding to several devices of a particular IS machine section. A scroll bar 57 allows scrolling up or down to e~:~ose other components of the machine section. In each row it is seen tha~ a black bar extends part way across the row.
For e~ample, in tl~e last row corresponding to the blow head, row 5B, a black bar 59 extends from about 280 degrees to about 330 degrees. This black bar corresponds to the time over which the particlllar functional mechanical devices i~

._ WO93~21~93 PCT/US93/03590 operatin~. Thus, the earlies~ angle, 280 degrees, corresPon~s to the on angle of tlle ~low ~lead component while the later angle, 330 degrees, corresponds to the of~ angle for that device. This display 55 graphically s~lows the cn and o~E angles for all of the section devices as well as a relati~.~e depiction of tllese angles for all of t:he components of tlle IS machine. In addition, a vertical line ~0 is pro~ided ~orresponding to the stop degree for tlle sect:ion.
In tiliS case, the particular sec~ion shown on the figure has a stop angle o~ 265 de~rees which means that upon a programmed stop this section will colltinue to cycle up to 265 degrees o~ its cycle before stopping.
Anotller important feature of the present inventioll is represented in FIG. 9, and particularly the display screen fi2 referring to a collision list menu. After a particular shop or IS machine is configured, it is frequently necessary to ~,ine-tune the timing of the operation of each of the devices of the system, or "jog" the on ~nd off angles of those components. Any time the on and off angles of a device is - 20 chaLI~e~ relative to other devices of the shop, ~here is a risk o~ conflic~ or collision between the movements of the devices. In some instances, the devices themselves can collide while in other instances, the glass gob or newly formed ~lasswa~-e article can collide with components of the IS machine or with other newly formed glassware articles. In prior mechanical and early electronic control systems, these potential conflicts or collisions were ascertained by trial and error in which the timing of a particular device was modified and the shop run thro~ at least one cycle to determine whether any con1ict or collision would occur.
Fre~uently, problems caused by a timing c}lange would not surface for several cycles. This trial and error process was often time con~uming and reslllted in the loss of newly formed gl3ssware articles. La~er electronic control systems have been desigrled to recognize a collision while the machine is operating and prevent tlle potentially colliding components from mo~ing.

W O 93~21593 P ~ /US93/03590 L9 What is needed, llowever, is a com~uter hased system which can recognize potential collisions before the angle changes are made to prevent an improper configuration of the IS
machine. This feature is ~rovided by the preserlt invelltion through tlle cvllision list proceduL-e accessible througll the menu display 62 of FIG. 9. Eor any event, such as the event shown in llock 63 of the display 62, a number of other events, SUC~I as in the list G4, can be identi~ied that could potential]y cause a conflict or a mechanical inter~erence or collision if activated at nearly the same time. These potential collisions could occur relative to an om angle or oEE angle of any sub-event associated with the identified device. In accordance with the present inven~ion, a conflict testing and detection process is acromplished by identifying a ~locking pulse defined by two angles in the shop or machine cycle. Once a blocking pulse is identified for a particular device or event, and a list of possibly conflicting events i5 . ~
identified, the software within the control computer 22 can ascertain whether a new angle or a particular event will fall within that blocking pulse. If so, the so~tware re~urns a warning message to the operator and refuses to enter the particular angle change.
The blocking pulse and its effect is illustrated grapllically in FIGS. 10A and 10~. ~s shown in FIG. 10A, two events, event A and event B, are shown which correspond to activation and de-activation of the mechanical device. The on and off angles for event ~ are 150 degrees arld 200 degrees, respectively, while the angles for event B are 2~5 , and 265 de~rees, respectively. The ~locking pulse for the ¦ 30 ancJle of event A is set at -20 degrees and ~30 degrees from the on angle of 150 degrees. Thus, any device that ~egins its movement at a time ~hat falls within this range 130-180 presents the potential for a conflict and that particular angular relationship is disallowed by software Withill the control computer.
The software of the ~resent invention perrnits the machine or shop o~erator to assigrl a separate blocking p-llse ~o the ~WO93/~1593 ,~1 1 8 S I 9 PCT/US93/03590 on ang:Le and to tlle off angle for ever~ device in ~he shop.
ln accordance wi~l1 the invention, the software pre~erably compares ol1 ang]e blocking pulses with other on angle blocking pulses, and lilcewise for the off angle blocking pulses of devices being tes~ed for conflicts. With this approach, overla~ between the on ang~e blocking pulse of one ~evice wi.th t~le on angle blocking pulse of another device will yield a conflict determination. In the specific example depicted in FIG. lOA, event B a11d its on angle blocking pulse are well removed from t~e blockiny pulse of event .A and the particular angle configuration is permit~ed. }~owever, referring to FIG. lO~, it can be seel1 that event B after it has been jogged to change its on and off ang].es does pose a collision problem. More specifically, a blocking pulse for event B after it has been jogged, or decremented from 225 to 170 ~egrees, falls wi~hin the blocking pulse range for event ~, as depicted by the da~hed lines extended down between the .
two figures. The software within the computer system recognizes this overlap between the blocking pulses and disallows the requested jog to the on and off angles for event B.
In operation of the collision prevention feature, the blocking pulse or the event identified in menu display block 63 in FIG. 9 is compared to the blocking pulses for each of the events shown in the event list 64 on the display 62. It is understood that the even~s in the event list 64 may themselves have their OWIl collision list for comparison with other events in the same list or Witll new events in a differel1t list. The high-speed computing capability of the control computer 22 permits very rapid consideration of the collision list for all of the events for a section, even up to the maximunl allowed 72 events. The computing capability of this control computer can readily handle 72 events, each preferably having up to lO events in i~s collision list, although typically, only a few components are at risk for conflict or col1.ision.

WO93/21593 P~T/US93/03590~

~ ~ 1 8 ~ 2~-~ eferrirlg again to FIG. l~A it can be seen ttlat tl1e ~]oc~ing ~)ulse for event ~ is offset by 20 degrees froln the on anyle of 15~ degrees for the event. This 20 degree clifference operates as a kin~ of collision bu~fer based upon t~le ulldeLstandirly tl1~t there Illay ~e some i~ ereTIt del~y between the time that a signal from the device controller ¦ changes state asld the actual physical resp~nse of the ~ associated mec~lani~Al device. ln some instances the timing j of specific everl~s In~y in fact overlap Oll the display of FIG.
¦ l0 8 b~lt due ~o t~lis dolay tilne no actual c~nflict would result. lden~ ca~ion of a blocking pulse can accourlt for this inherent time delay and consequently the collision testing and d~tecLion software only refers to the ~locking pulses ra~ler tllal~ ~o the specific on and off angles for a giverl evet~t.
Vuring the system and shop con~igllration steps performed in ~he control r~om by a control operator each section of the shop is con~igur~d. I~eally each section will have the same con~iguration and timing sequence once a gob is received al: the particular IS machine section. With this in mind an operator can simplify the configuration and setup process by arranging the coniguration for one section and then copying that configuration illtO the events list and collision list for other sections h~ving an identical configuration. This fea~ure 9reatly simplifies and speeds up the operator s task of conEi~uring a shop. The software is also capa~le o~
filling i~entical infor~nation into all events for the current .section. For examp~e if the stop state of all tlle co~n~onents of a given section is a hold condit~n one ¦ 30 keystroke is all that is required to copy this state of ~ondi~ion for all the remaining even~s for ~he section.
In addition to the setup screens shop computer system 20 is also capable of produciny production reports to depict the performance of t~e particular shop. One such report is shown in FIG. ll. The display 68 can include a variety of information including the number of gobs cut an~ delivered ware rejected for each section and the total ware rejected ~W093/2159~ PCT/~'Sg3tO3590 for t~le shop, ~ottles transfer~ed to the stacker and the total ware transferred to the lehr for annealing. The produc~io~l report can be ~ased UpOII a particll]ar work shi~t or totaled for an entire day or any pOltiOIl of a day. ~he reports can be isolated as ~o a specific sec~ion or in t~le case of a networked sy~tenl, a p~rticular shop or the sections within that: par~icllar shop. Coun~ers or proximity sensors at several statiolls along the shop and each IS machine can provide signals necessary to count each step in ~he glassware forming pLocess.
~ ach o the foregoing features, in addition to further features of t~le timing and control system of the present invention, is described furt~ler in tlle flow charts 12A-12D.
In the first flow chart of FIG. 12A, it is seen that immediately upon program start of the software contained within the shop computer 20, the main display shown in FIG. 3 is brought up on the monitor screen. Tlle main display includes a number of buttons which can be activated by the operator to send program control to any one of a number of subroutines, such as the routine for configuril~g the shop shown in block B2. The shop con~iguration subroutine iden~i~ied in block 82 also references additional su~routines for generating the section fiIing order 83, stacker control 84, event group setup 85, preparing the collision list 86, and preparing the stop configuration 87 for eacll section and each component of tl-e sectio~l. The main display 81 also provides access Lo a subroutine 88 for jogging event groups and subroutine 89 for de~ermining syst:em security features.
Additional subro-ltines for creatillg sub-even~.s, step 9~, and for acknowledging alarm messages, ste~ 91, are provided. In step 91, al~rms me~sages generated ~y software within the systern controller can be rea~ and printed. As eac~ alarm - message is read, ~he color oL the message on the screen is changed to indicate that it has alread~ been read so that it will not be confused with newly generated alarm mèssages.
The main display is also used to access subroutines foL
jo~ ~etup and edit, which is shown in more det.ail in FIG.

... . . .. , .. .. . . ~

WO93/21~93 PCT/US~3/03590-~;

-2~-12B. As described above, in the jo~ setup an~ edit portion of the system control, each speciEic attribute of each section and each event can be created and edited. In addition, the job setup and edit subroutine includes subroutines 93 for disp]ayin~ E)articular events. The events can be displayed for each sec~ion, or or a sE~ecific ~vent among all sections can l~e displayed. In addition, displays of any combillation of events and sllb-events can also be displayed, depending up~n the re~uirements of the operator.
10A subroutine 93 can be accessed througA the main display to jog specific events. As described above, the events can be jogged in multiple or partial de~ree increments, either to activate the on and off angles sooner or later in the shop cycle. In addition, a continuous jog feature is provided in `
wllich tl~e particular event is jogged wit.h each successive maclline shop cycle. This particular feature can be of value ::
when an operator is trying to fine-tune the operation of the .
glassware forming system. For example, if the event c~rresponds to activation of the pusher arm for transferring the glassware articles from the deadplate onto the conveyor, continuously jogging the timing of the operation of the yusher can allow the operator to mak~ sure that glassware from a particular section falls in proper sequence and spacing relative to glassware fed to the conveyor from tlle other sections. Once the operator is satisfied wi~h the and off angles for the particular event, the continuous jog feature can be disabled and the particular timing sequence stored in memory for the remaining cycles of operation of the shop. In addition to jogging particular events, certain offse~s for the system can be joyged, incremented or decremented. For instance, offsets for ~he start times for -each:section can be mo~ified relative to the zero ~ngle of ~:
the machine shop cycle. Other off.sets for the stacker control or other ComE~ollellts of t~le IS machine can also be in~reased or decreased.
The present invention also contemplates a notepad feature gs w~lich allows arl operator to leave messages for subsequent ~W093/21~3 ~ 9 PCT/US93tO3590 sl1ift operators. ~nother ~ubrouti11e 9~ allows a system oper~tor to generate a variety of production reports as described above. A furt1ler su~routine 97 allows access to existing job setup information or ~ermits ~n operator to store job management inormation on hard disk Cor ~ ure use. A diagnostics subroutine i5 also provi~ed, WhiCll is shown in more detail in FI~. 12D. This diagnostic subroutine provides information concerning t11e status of the XO
components of ~he system, ~he network to other shops if present, and the status o~ the printer in the sho~ conlputer sys teln .
It is understood that each of the subroutines accessible from the main display 8l operate in the background in the operatiorl of the shop computer system 20. The present invention also contemplates software that operates in the foreground for per~orming the basic timing and synchronization fw1ctions of t11e system. Typically, these fore~round routines read the timing iI1formation from the v~riety of user inputs, and specifically from the job setup information, to determine when "on" (activ3tion) or "of~"
(de-activation) signals are to be sent to the specific device c~ntrollers of the IS machine and shop. For examp~e, the foreground routir1e mai.ntair1s the shop cycle time an~
generates a synehronization signal once every shop cycle. On the other hand, when the timin~ and control system is opera~ed in a slave mode, the background routines can read a signal from an encoder separate from the shop computer to determine the sync11ronization an~1 timing of the IS machines i.n t}1e shop. For example, an encod~r can be mounted to the gob distributor, shear cutter or feeder to generate a pulse eacl1 time molten glass is provided to the shop. This encoder . signal can be l1sed to.deterlnine tl1e real time for a.
particular shop cycle in a manner described previously. The operation o~ tl1e IS machine is then s~nchronized to this external encoder signal.
The foreground timing routines also monitor specific components o tl1e shop to determine synchronization 3 PCTIUS93/03~9~
&~;~9 -2~-sta~ilit~ or exalnple, t~le gob distributoL, shear c~ltter or g-,b fee~ers can be moni~ore~ to ascertain whether ~hey are provitling tll~ molten glas~ to the individ~al sections is accvrdanc~ with the an~icipated shop cycle.
The foreground timing and c~-ntrol routines within the shop computer system 20 access the on and off sub-event data poirlts for each o~ the components of each sectivn of the S~IOp~ The rotation cycle of the lS mac~line is emulated digitally in 0.1 degree resolution increments. Each 0.1 degree increment corresponds to a storage locatior~, in a run tilne data base maintained by the shop computer. ~'hus, for a ~ull cycle of operation of the shop, that is 360 clegrees, 3,G0~ storage locations are utilized. In accordance with the present invention, 3,600 storage locations are provide~ for "on" times for the first sub-ev~nt and 3,600 storage locations are provided for the on angles for the second sub-event. Likewise, ~he,"of~" times for first and second sub-eYents are also provided with 3,600 storage locations each. Each separate array of 3500 storage locations can be referre~ to as a "link table" in accordance with the present invention.
A separat~ single storage location is provided ~or a current angle poin~e~. This current angle pointer is setluential].y inc~em~nte~ throllgh each of the 3,600 storage locations for all four link tables. This current angle pointer corresponds to the instantaneous time or angle in the shop c~cle. For, e~ample,~if the curr~nt angle pointe~ is pointing to storage location 1800 in each of the link tab]es for the two on and two off times for the sub-events, this ~`
!30 corresponds to an angle in the shop cycle of 180 degrees.
Each o the Eour link tables provide el~ry points for accessin~ linkabl,e records contained in memory. The storage location in the link tables can contain an address of the first linkable record "linked" to or associated with tlle -~
particular storage location or specific angle in the cycle.
~ach li.nkable record contains two pieces of in~ormation. The ~irst is an identi[ication of ~ p~rticular device or event -~W~93/21593 PCT/US93/03590 -2.9-wllose output is to be updated at tlle specific angle pOillt of tlie cy~le. Tlle event ouLput will be t~lrned on or activate~
for an on su~-evellt linl~ rccord and will be turned off or de-activated for an of sub-event record.
~he second piece of ir~forina~iorl contairled in each linkabie recold is ~t~e memory ad~res~ o~ ano~her record to be lirlked to the particular angle. This other record references another device or event that is to change state at the angle. Tlllls, th~ present invention contemplates a ~daisy chain" of evel~t lillkable records queued together from a ~artic~llar storage location in t~le linked list representing the 360~ of tlle machine or shop cycle. Software in the control computers read the storage locations in the link tables to determine i an event is associated with the angle represented by the s~orage location. If not, the pointer moves to 1he next storage location in the link table. If so, the software reads t}~e storage location to find the first linkable record. The contents of the first record are read and the state signal (on or off) is sent to the appropriate device identified in the linkable record. The software also looks in the record to ascertain if another lin~able record has been linked and the program flow passes accordingly.
This important feature of the present invention is shown ~ diagxammatically in FIG. 13. In this figure, it can be seen ! 25 that four link tables 100, 101, 102 and 103 are provided.
The first link table corresponds to on times ~or the first sub-event, whil~ link table 102 corresponds to tlle off time for that sub-event. Likewise, link tables 101 and 103 correspond to the on and off times for the second sub-event.
It should be borne in mind that ~he present inven~ion contemplates that each component of t~le IS machine may operate more than once during a cycle, in one or two - sub-everlts. Thus, the link records 101 and 103 acknowledge the possibility of having a second sub-event for the particular component. As can be seen from FIG. 13, each of the link tables 100-103 for tlle sub-event on and off times includes 3~00 address or storage locations which co~respond WO93/21~93 PCT/US~3/0359~ ~
~I~8~1~

to every 0.1 degree increment in the shop or machine cycle.
T~le currellt angle pointer 105 is shown pointing to location 8 in each of the link ta~les 100-103. Thus, the current angle poin~er in this specific example is pointing to a ccrres~onding angle in the cycle of 8xO.l, or .8 degrees.
Refel-ring more specifically to the first link table 100 correspondiny to the on times for the firs~ sub-event, it can be seen that addresses storage locations 1-5, 7-8, 10-3597 and 3599-3600, include no records linked thereto. However, at addresses 6, 9 and 35-98, seyarate records are "lirlked" to these particular addresses. For example, at location 6 in the link table, corresponding to a cycle time of 0.6 degrees, a linkable record 107 is linked thereto which includes the nulnber of a particular component of the IS machine to change state at the angle. In the specific example, the device 13 could correspond to, for example, an electronic pusher, a scoop, a mold closing mechanism, or other functional component of the IS machiIle. T~lis record is read and the particular device identified in that record, device 13, is turned on or activated in accordance with the link table 100. It can be seen that at that same time or address location 6 in the remaining link tables 101-103 no other linka~le record is connected to any of the other link tables. Thus, at tllat particular instant in the cycle, no other device will change state, either activated or deactivated, except for component 13 represented by linkable record 107.
Advancing to location 9 just past the illustrate~
position of the current an~le pointer 105, it can be seen tlat three records 108, 109 and 110 are associated with that particular curr~nt angle storage location in the link table.
Thus, when the current angle pointer 15 advances to location 9, the software will se~uentially read the three records 10~-110 ~o ascertain that IS machine devices 3, 9 and 1 are to change state.
Referring next to t~le link ta~le 102 for the off tilnes for the first sub-event, it is seen that at location 8 -`~WO93/21593 PCT/~S93/035gO

corre~poIIdillg to ~he illus~rated location of t}le angle pointer 105 a linkable record 112 is associa~ed with that particular location. The component identifie~ in that record 112 is component 13 WhiC}l was turned Oll at location ~ in accordarlce with ~he lir~k ta~le 100. Thus, ~he system controller will direct that this same device be turned off, or cle-activate~, once the currerlt angle poillter reaches location 8.
Referring again to t~le link ta~le 100, there are several records 115 depicted as not heing configured. This rneans that the particular devices identified in these re!cords are not identified linked to a particular angle in the link t~le. However, the operator can identify any one of these records during the job set-up steps by specifying event angles for the devices identified in the non-linked records.
So~tware will then digitally "link" that record to an appropriate link list storage location.
lt should be apparent that the linkable records, such as l.inkable records 108-110 associ~ted with a specific angle or tirne, can be iden~i~ied as an event group. SimJ.Iar].y, ~inkable records at di~ferent locations, such ~s linkable recor~l 107 and 109 can also constitute a particular event group, with the understanding that tllese two components must have their on and off angles incremented or decremented concurrently and equally in accordance with the eYent group philosop~y. Chang.ing the event items linked to a storage ~ocation in the link table is accomplished by a run time editor ~hich accesses the linkable records in real time durln~ the operation of t}le I~ machirle. The run time e~itor i.n effect "unhooks" the linkab:le record for a particular sub-e~Jent from its entry ~oint to the link table and hooks ~llat recor~ OlltO a difÇerent entry point or angle location.
For example, the linkable recor~ 107 corresponding to device 13 can be moved from its entry point location 6 to entry 35 pC'ill~ location 4 iIl response to jogging t~le on time for comporlent 13. Changing the location of the linkable record wi~ll respect to the link table 100 then means that this WO93/21593 ,~ 9 PCTJUS93/0359 linkable record 107 ~e accessed 0.2 degrees earlier by t~le current angle pointer 10~. In instances where mul~iple records, such as records 108-110 are associated with a particular entry point loca~:ion, removal o~ a particlllar linkable recold may lequire patclling the remainîng records back to~ether~ For instance, if record 109 is to be removed, a new link Inust be esta~lished b~tween recor~ 108 and 110 since t~lese records are illtended to remain at the particular entry point ~.
As previous].y described, the present invention conteln~lates control of up to 72 cornponents per section.
lhus, each of the sub-event on and off link tables can include 72 linkable records. ~11 72 linkable records could b~ associated with a single entry point corresponding to a single angle in the shop cycle time, or some or all of the 72 r~cords can be dispersed to different ones of the 3600 entry -:
points correspondi~g to the full 360 degrees of the section .
cycle. It is furth~r understood that each section of the S}lOp includes its own collection of link tables 100-103. A
current angle pointer 105 is unique to each section.
The cycle through the li~k tables ~or each section is initiated with respect to the overall shop timing provided by the shop computer system 20. As previous]y expressed, the shop cycle is determined by the bottles per minute, the number of sections and the number of gobs per section, or alternatively is determined based upon an external signal such as ~rom the gob dis~tributor. At any rate, this signal from the main computer synchronizes each of the section cycles based upon angle offsets for the beginning of each IS
machine section cycle. In otller words, each individual section commences its particular run cycle at a different angle in the overall shop cycle. Thus, the first section of a six-section IS machine sectionmay begin at the zero angle o~ the shop cycle, while the next adjacent cycle can begin at the 30 degree point in the shop cycle. This 30 degree value corresponds to a section differential offset which can be il~pUt by th~ operator during the shop configuration step.

WO93/21593 ~1 1 8 ~ i 9 PCT/US93/03590 ~33-Eacll section ~ill tyuically ha~e a different section difelerltial o~fset so that each sec~ioll is begirlni-l~ it:s individual section cycle at di~erent absolute times in the shop cycle. ~y this approach, the operation of each sec~ion and particularly the on ancl oEf angles for each of the components of each section, can be identical for all sections. In other words, the link tables 100-103 can be identical for ever~ section. However, the absolute time in ;~
the shop cycle at which these link tables are commenced can ~--vary based upon the section differential ofEset. It should be understood, however, that the current angle pointer 105 for each section is advanced at 0.1 degree increments simultaneously for every section in synchronization with the shop cycle pointer maintained by the master computer.
Whi~e the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and ~oregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrlctive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described arld that all changes and modiications that colne within the spirit of the invention are desired ~o be protected.

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Claims (10)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method of controlling at least one individual section of a glassware forming machine, the individual section receiving gobs of molten glass and having a plurality of mechanical devices operable in timed relationship with respect to one another to form the gobs into glassware articles, wherein the mechanical devices are each cyclically actuated by a respective device controller at respective relative times during a cycle of operation of the individual section, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a list of locations in a computer memory corresponding to a list of sequential times during one cycle of operation of the individual section;
providing a number of groups of digitally linked memory storage locations, wherein a unique value is stored in each storage location, the unique value identifying one of the mechanical devices of the individual section;
digitally linking each of the number of groups to a respective location in the list of locations, the respective location corresponding to an event time in the individual section cycle at which each of the devices identified by the linked storage locations of the respective group is to change state between an "on" or active state and an "off" or inactive state;
sequentially addressing each location in the list of storage locations at fixed time increments of the individual section cycle;
determining whether a group of linked storage locations is linked to the addressed location in the list of storage locations; and if a group is detected in the prior step, reading the unique value of each linked storage location of the group and providing a signal to a device controller corresponding to the mechanical device identified by the respective unique value to change the state of the mechanical device.

2. The method of controlling at least one individual section of a glassware forming machine of claim 1, wherein:
the step of providing a list of locations includes providing a first list of locations corresponding to the "on"
state of the mechanical devices and a separate second list of locations corresponding to the "off" state of the mechanical devices;
the step of digitally linking includes linking groups separately to the first and second lists of locations;
the step of sequentially addressing includes simultaneously addressing corresponding locations in the first and second lists; and the step of reading the unique value and providing a signal includes providing an "on" signal to mechanical devices identified in groups linked to the first list of locations and an "off" signal to mechanical devices identified in groups linked to the second list of locations..

3. A glassware forming system comprising:
at least one glassware forming machine having a plurality of individual sections, each section having a plurality of mechanical devices actuatable to operate in synchronization through a cycle of operation of the glassware forming machine to form glassware articles;
a gob feeder for providing molten glass to each section of said glassware forming machine;
a plurality of device controllers for controlling the actuation of a corresponding one of said plurality of mechanical devices;
a computer-based system controller including;
a plurality of signal outputs, one each corresponding to and exclusively providing signals to one each of said plurality of device controllers;
means for storing two pairs of times for each of said plurality of mechanical devices corresponding to two actuations of the device during one cycle of operation of the glassware forming machine, each pair of times including an on time corresponding to activation of the device and an "off" time corresponding to deactivation of the device;
means for determining the time elapsed in a cycle of operation of the glassware forming machine;
means for transmitting a device control signal at one of said outputs corresponding to one of said plurality of device controllers when the "on" and "off"
times for each of said two pairs of times equals the time elapsed in the cycle of operation thereby activating and deactivating the corresponding mechanical device twice during a cycle.

4. A glassware forming system comprising:
at least one glassware forming machine having a plurality of individual sections each section having a plurality of movable mechanical devices actuatable to operate in synchronization through a cycle of operation of the glassware forming machine to form glassware articles;
a gob feeder for providing molten glass to each section of said glassware forming machine;
a plurality of device controllers for controlling the actuation of a corresponding one of said plurality of mechanical devices;
a computer-based system controller including;
means for storing in a memory a plurality of on/off times for each of said plurality of mechanical devices;
means for cyclically transmitting device control signals to each of said plurality of device controllers in response to a corresponding one of said plurality of on/off times read frp, said memory said device control signals directing the activation or re-activation of a corresponding one of said plurality of mechanical devices;
means for varying selected ones of said plurality of on/off times for a selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices in response to input by the machine operator, said means for varying including;
means for determining new on/off times based upon the operator input;
means for testing whether movement of said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices in accordance with said new on/off times can result in an interference with the movement of another of said plurality of mechanical devices, and for generating a blocking signal if such interference is detected; and means for replacing in memory the stored on/off times with said new on/off times for said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices unless said blocking signal has been generated.

5. The glassware forming system of claim 4, wherein said means for testing includes:
means for defining a blocking pulse for said another of said plurality of mechanical devices, said blocking pulse representing a time range defined between two time values input by the operator;
means for comparing one of said new on/off times with said blocking pulse; and means for generating said blocking signal if said one of said new on/off times falls within said time range represented by said blocking pulse.

6. The glassware forming system of claim 4, wherein said means for testing includes:
means for defining a blocking pulse for said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices, said blocking pulse representing a time range defined between two time values input by the operator;
means for shifting said blocking pulse by a time increment equal to the difference between said stored on/off times and said new on/off times for said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices;

means for comparing the stored on/off times for said another of said plurality of mechanical devices with said shifted blocking pulse for said selected one of said devices;
and generating said blocking signal if said stored on/off times for said another of said plurality of mechanical devices falls within said time range represented by said blocking pulse.

7. The glassware forming machine of claim 4, wherein said means for testing includes:
means for storing in memory a table listing a number of said mechanical devices;
means for associating said table with said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices;
means for reading said table associated with said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices to determine which of said plurality of mechanical devices is to be tested for said interference.

8. A glassware forming system comprising:
at least one glassware forming machine having a plurality of individual sections, each section having a plurality of movable mechanical devices actuatable to operate ill synchronization through a cycle of operation of the glassware forming machine to form glassware articles;
a gob feeder for providing molten glass to each section of said glassware forming machine;
a plurality of device controllers for controlling the actuation of a corresponding one of said plurality of mechanical devices;
a computer-based system controller including;
means for storing in a memory data associated with each of said plurality of mechanical devices, said data for each one of said devices including;
on/off times for controlling the movement of each of said plurality of mechanical devices; and a collision list identifying others of said plurality of mechanical devices to be tested for interference in movement with said one of said devices;
means for cyclically transmitting device control signals to each of said plurality of device controllers in response to a corresponding one of said plurality of on/off times read from said memory, said device control signals directing the activation or de-activation of a corresponding one of said plurally of mechanical devices;
means for varying selected ones of said plurality of on/off times for a selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices in response to input by the machine operator, said means for varying including;
means for determining new on/off times based upon the operator input;
means for testing whether movement of said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices in accordance with said new on/off times can result in an interference with the movement of others of said plurality of mechanical derives identified in said collision list, and for generating a blocking signal if such interference is detected, and means for replacing in memory the stored on/off times with said new on/off times for said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices unless said blocking signal has been generated.

9. The glassware forming system of claim 8, wherein:
said data for each one of said plurality of mechanical devices further includes two time values defining a blocking pulse time range; and said means for testing includes:
means for shifting said blocking pulse by a time increment equal to the difference between said stored on/off times and said new on/off times for said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices;
means for comparing the shifted blocking pulse of said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices with the blocking pulses of said others of said plurality of mechanical devices; and generating said blocking signal if the blocking pulse of said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices overlaps the blocking pulse of any of said others of said plurality of mechanical devices.

10. A glassware forming system comprising:
at least one glassware forming machine having a plurality of individual sections, each section having a plurality of mechanical devices actuatable to operate in synchronization through a cycle of operation of the glassware forming machine to form glassware articles;
a gob feeder for providing molten glass to each section of said glassware forming machine;
a plurality of device controllers for controlling the actuation of a corresponding one of said plurality of mechanical devices;
a computer-based system controller including;
means for storing a plurality of on/off times for each of said plurality of mechanical devices;
means for cyclically transmitting device control signals to each of said plurality of device controllers in response to a corresponding one of said plurality of on/off times, said device control signals directing the activation or de-activation of a corresponding one of said plurality of mechanical devices; and means for varying selected ones of said plurality of on/off times for a selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices, wherein said system controller is isolated from said glassware forming machine; and a hot end terminal situated proximate said glassware forming machine, said terminal having;

one of said plurality of mechanical devices;
means for comparing the shifted blocking pulse of said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices with the blocking pulses of said others of said plurality of mechanical devices; and generating said blocking signal if the blocking pulse of said selected one of said plurality of mechanical devices overlaps the blocking pulse of any of said others of said plurality of mechanical devices.