EP0495029A1 - Process for finding the material flow in a textile processing plant - Google Patents

Abstract

Method and device for determining the flow of materials in a plant for processing textile products, in particular in a spinning mill, plant in which the material is processed by several processing machines and transported to and from these processing machines by transport systems and if necessary stored in at least one zone of a storage place, the treatment machines being able to consist of several individual treatment stations, process and device characterized in that, in a transport system at less, transport operations are detected by means of sensors without physical marking of the individual materials and identified in time in a computer and linked to indications on the spot and in that a first data file is thus established which contains at the less information on the transport operations that took place from the place of receipt of the materials ux to the place of transfer of materials and also in that the determination of the flow of materials from a place of reception of materials from the transport system, for example from a depot of a processing machine placed before the system of transport, to a place of transfer of the materials of the transport system, for example a reception point of the processing machine placed after the transport system, is carried out by an analysis of the data contained in this file, and / or in that, for at least one processing machine disposed before or after the transport system and having at least one reception point and at least one deposit point, the flow of materials between these points is stored without physical marking of the materials from a transport system to a processing area or vice versa by temporal and spatial location and recording of all the changes undergone by the individual materials at these locations in ns a computer or in the computer. We

Description

 Process for determining material flow in a textile processing plant

The invention provides a system for material flow tracking, the means for generating associated time and

Includes location coordinates for the material to be tracked. Means can also be provided to record (e.g. save) these coordinates in such a way that they can be found again.

The system can be implemented in one process or in one execution.

The system is designed in particular for use in a system which comprises both material conversion points (processing points) and means of transport in order to convey material between the conversion points. However, the system is not restricted to use in such a plant. The invention can be used both in combination with a single conversion point and in combination with a single transport or storage means.

Preferably, the system can ezw. the conversion office is operated in such a way that material units in the publishers or

Knowing filing cer or each conversion point are defined. The time coordinates thus allow the assignment of a filing unit to a template unit.

The location coordinates can be generated on the basis of signals which are emitted by sensors which react to the presence of material or to material conveying conditions in their touch fields. A system can have an array of such

Include sensors.

The sensors assigned to a transport or storage means can be arranged in such a way that they are assigned

5etrιebsverhaltnιssen (without swapping interventions)

Material units ouren the order of their conveyance by marking are identifiable. For this purpose, the sensor can be designed in such a way that the transport routes are divided into sections such that the identification is ensured by the sequence in each section. Under such conditions, it is not necessary to mark the units. However, the invention can also be used when the units are marked and the sensors react to the marking.

Means should be provided to generate time coordinates and to associate these coordinates with the location coordinates. The time coordinates can be generated in the form of times. However, this is not mandatory. The generation of time coordinates could e.g. on the basis of the "process time", which is clocked on the basis of the process rhythm. However, using the time is at least advantageous if the material flow tracking is used in combination with a system for operator support. Such an operator support system can e.g. according to our PCT patent application No. PCT / CH91 / 00097 dated April 23, 1991. The entire content of said PCT Patent Application No. PCT / CH91 / 00097 dated April 23, 1991 is included in this application by this reference.

The system for material flow tracking is controlled by computer means. The sensors are then coupled to the computing means such that the location coordinates

defining signals are supplied to the computing means. The computing means itself can comprise means for generating the time coordinates, e.g. a clock-determining means. The assignment of the location and time coordinates can by the simultaneity of the

Arrival of a sensor signal into the computing means with which a clock signal can be generated. The computing means can comprise one or more computers.

According to this system, the simulation of the material flow in the computing means can be provided. For example, a model of the

Plant or the funding are formed in the computer. To For this purpose, the generation of a corresponding "mark" in the computing means can be provided for each material unit. The propagation of the mark by the (simulated) computing model corresponds to the movement of the material unit (or parts thereof) in reality. The mark can then be propagated on the basis of the generated location and time coordinates.

The coordinates can be saved by log-like saving. Different logbooks or files can be assigned to different sensors or sections or positions. In principle, an Lcc book or a date could be used instead. for each unit of matter, e.g. the assignment of this unit to a unit or to units of the previous or subsequent level (beyond a conversion point) is recorded.

What is important is not the type of holding on, but the

Possibility to find the coordinates again if necessary and to link them together. The aDzuspeicherernαen data are preferably organized in 'log book' or files, whereby in the text "log book can always be used" file. In principle, any data organization system can be used, which is an orderly filing (orderly recording and

How to find) enables.

 For example, Series of coordinates corresponding to the

Movements of the material are formed.

The system according to the invention is particularly advantageous when used in combination with a process control system. Such a system for the spinning mill's front end is shown in our PCT patent application No. PCT / CH91 / 00140 dated June 25, 1991. The aforementioned PCT patent application No. PCT / CH91 / 00140 is included in its entirety by this reference in the present application. An extended process control system is shown in our Swiss patent application No. 189/91 dated January 23, 1991 and this application was published in the VDI conference "Automation in Textile Operations vcm 30 and 31/1/1991. The present invention relates to a method for determining the material flow in a textile processing plant, in particular in a spinning mill, in which the material is processed by and to and from a plurality of processing machines

Processing machines are transported via transport systems and, if necessary, are stored at at least one storage location of a warehouse, the processing machines being made up of several individual ones

Processing sites can exist and an apparatus for performing this method.

Monitoring and managing a spinning process across several linked process stages is a very demanding task. It is based on the simultaneous consideration of the quality of the process parameters and the material flow. Even with manual process control, a representation of the material flow is an essential aid for diagnosis and

Intervention decision. For a future automatic

This will be litigation without constant human supervision

Tracking the material flow and its regulation across the various process stages as a precondition. There are already some suggestions for determining the material flow in partial areas of a spinning process line. For example, a proposal has been made by Murata that the

Material flow between the ring spinning machine and one of these winder connected by marking and identification of the individual spinning heads.

According to the methods known today, the detection of the material flow can generally only be achieved by labeling and identifying the containers (sleeves), although the

Do not let material flow in the blow room be tracked. The identification of the containers, i.e. the material carriers that can be found in the different stages of the process, requires several different ones because of the variety of such containers (cans / winding sleeves / flyer sleeves / copsules / coil sleeves) and the large number of these containers (hundreds to thousands per type) System for labeling and reading the license plates. The effort to realize such an identification of the containers would be enormous.

With the direct marking of containers, there are essentially two options for material flow tracking: a) If the containers are marked directly and cannot be changed easily, all containers must be marked (e.g. to

 number) and additionally the fillings stored in the containers are to be managed so that a material unit is unique via the container marking and the filling number

 can be identified. b) If, on the other hand, writable markings are used, then

 the material fillings can now be numbered directly, with a writing device at each filling station

 must be provided. To be confused and incorrect

 To rule out assignments, consecutive markings (numbers) must be issued so that the

 actual stock of possible markings is quickly exhausted. If the marking is output cyclically, i.e. become the same after a certain number of marking steps

 Markings reused, there is always a risk of incorrect material assignment.

Beruncen both on a direct marking of the container

Procedures result in large amounts of data and it is always with

Expect problems related to deterioration in the readability of the marker. The object of the present invention is to propose a method or a device in which the

Tracking of the material flow or the containers follows a simple, uniform and self-checking concept without special markings on the containers

must be attached, and without technically complex sensors are required.

It should also be possible to track the material flow in the blow room using a modified but related method that can be compatible with and coupled with the exact material flow tracking in the fore and spinning mill.

To solve this problem, it is proposed according to the invention in a method of the type mentioned at the outset that transport processes taking place in at least one transport system by means of.

Sensors without physical marking of material units are recorded and time-coded in a computer and linked with location information.This creates a first file that contains at least information on the transport processes that have taken place from the material transfer location to the material transfer location and that the material flow is determined from a material transfer location in the transport system , for example from a storage location of a processing machine upstream of the transport system to a material transfer location of the transport system, for example a template location of the processing machine downstream of the transport system by examining the information contained in this file, and / or that at least one processing machine which the

Transport system is upstream or downstream and has at least one template space and at least one storage space that Material flow between these places without physical

Marking of the material units from a transport system to a processing point or vice versa by temporally and locally marking and registering all changes from

Material units are stored in these places in one or the computer and a second file is thereby formed, and that the determination of the material flow from a template plate of the processing point to a storage location thereof

Processing point is carried out by examining the information contained in this second file, and that the material flow is determined, if necessary, by linking the time and location information in the first and second files, the first file and / or the second file, if desired, in each case can consist of several individual files.

According to the invention, the material flow determination or tracking is therefore carried out by means of one computer or several computers, a distinction being first made between two different types of system elements. These are once transport systems and once processing machines, the latter either having multiple processing points, for example a ring spinning machine, or only one or two processing points, for example a draw frame or belt winder.

The solution according to the invention also expresses that the system is, in principle, constructed in a modular manner. In the simplest case, the material flow can only be determined within one

Transport system or take place within a processing machine.

In the case of a transport system, material units are finally moved from a material transfer location to the beginning of the transport system a material transfer location at the exit of the transport system, wherein, as will be explained in more detail later, each transport system according to the invention as a combination of

Transport channels and switches are considered. There can be multiple material transfer locations and multiple material transfer locations in a transport system. It will be clear that very useful informatics can be obtained even when using the method according to the invention for material flow determination in a transport system. If, for example, the transport system is used between a ring spinning machine and a winding machine, checking the files enables frequent cleaning cuts at a work station (material transfer location) of the winding machine to be linked to the production of one or more spinning stations of the ring spinning machine (material transfer locations) so that these spinning stations can be specifically examined to determine whether they are working properly or are in need of repair.

However, the method according to the invention can also be used on only one

Processing machine are used and also provide very useful information. In such a case, the individual processing machine also forms a "basic module" of the

inventive method. To give an example here, too, one can consider a route as a processing machine.

It is known that several card slivers are made on the route

Jugs removed, folded, (duplicated) and stretched into a single ribbon. By analyzing the properties of the stretched strip, which is done, for example, in the laboratory, various errors can be discovered and based on the inventive

Track material flow to determine which cans the defective tape was made from. If these cans are not in the original position of the line, ie if the cans are still to be produced, then for example the delays in the line can be deliberately throttled in order to get the errors under control, provided, of course, that it is the errors are errors that can be influenced by a change in the delay of the route. It is also possible to use a forward-looking approach and to process the stretched tape on the

Select the setting of this machine on the following machine so that the effects of the detected errors are corrected.

However, the material tracking system according to the invention is

This is particularly advantageous if it is used for several elements (i.e. transport systems and / or processing machines) of a spinning process line. By linking the time and location information in the various files, it is possible to get a complete picture of the material flow.

The system according to the invention is very powerful and can also be used for material tracking in warehouses,

For example, in a can deposit between the cards and the lines or in a reel position, etc. According to the invention, an existing warehouse is viewed as a transport system in which the transport time corresponds to the time spent in the warehouse, with a separate file being created for the warehouse, which is made up of several individual files, for example one file per

Depository can exist.

Material flow tracking in the spinning hall is particularly useful, for example, when processing machines in the form of ring spinning machines with other processing machines,

For example, a Konditiorαeranlage or rewinding machines are connected via transport systems.

An example of the application of the method according to the invention in the spinning room can be found in claim 3, where a

Processing machine in the form of a spinning machine over a

Transport system with another processing machine is connected, whereby a separate file is also created for this further processing machine with information corresponding to that of the second file.

For example, if the other processing machine has a

If the faults or unfavorable properties of the yarn processed by the rewinding machine occur frequently, it is possible to determine not only from which spinning positions of the ring spinning machine the corresponding yarn bobbins originated, but also from which of the ones in the template positions of the ring spinning machine

the flyer spools the material comes. Not only can spinning points in need of repair be identified, but it is also possible to determine whether the

errors that occurred may be due to a faulty

Flyer coil are attributable.

For example, according to claim 4, the material flow method can be designed so that another transport system of

Spinning machine is connected upstream and connects this with a suitable processing machine, for example with a flyer or a route, with separate files also being created for the further transport system and the latter processing machine, with respective information corresponding to that of the first and second files.

The material flow tracking system can also be extended further back up to and including the bale removal machine (s) and, if desired, even further into the bale store.

However, for material flow tracking in the area in front of the card, it is necessary to use a modified method, since the material is no longer available in the form of discrete containers but in the form of a stream of flakes. To also in the area To achieve a material flow tracking before the card that is fully compatible with the material flow after the card, it is provided according to the invention that the concrete design of at least part of the system is simulated in a computer that the time course of the bale removal with assignment of the relative position of the Removal device and the bale is determined at the time of removal; that information on the flow rates in flowed through machines and on the content of flake-storing devices of the machine is determined via sensors and is entered into the computer for the purpose of synchronizing the simulation with reality; that the operating state of the individual machines and transponder systems is determined and a model of the dynamic behavior of the material flow is created in the computer, and that with the help of this dynamic model a log book or several log books or files is or are created, in or in which the temporal assignment of the processed material to the incoming material is recorded.

The logbooks thus created for the blowroom, including the cards, together with the files that are established for the area after the carding machine, are used for the complete documentation of the material flow through the entire spinning mill. For example, it is possible to determine from which specific bales the spinning mill's end product, i.e. Yarn has been produced.

All other links between certain ones

Intermediate products and the bales or other intermediate products from which they are formed are possible with the system according to the invention. For example, it can be determined from which card slivers the yarn packages on certain spinning bobbins

emerged or from which group of bales was selected

Flyer spools were created. The material flow tracking according to the invention also enables a foresighted consideration of the material flow, in the sense that one can determine in advance the point in time at which a certain starting product (bale or intermediate product) arrives and is processed by a certain machine.

Further developments of the method according to the invention in the area in front of the card are specified in the further patent claims 11 to 15.

Particular advantages of the method according to the invention can be seen therein: a) The necessary capacity of the data networks and computers

 humble because only those essential to the task

 Events are recorded and saved. The explicit

 Description of the material flow can be derived from the few stored data at any time if required. b) It enables a clear representation of the transport processes by means of functionally separated, divided into individual sections of the material flow and thus supports the rapid elimination of faults in the material flow. c) It enables interventions in the process parameters

 (Machine settings) due to an exact

 History, not based on guesswork.

Interventions that are carried out are stored so that the machine status can be reconstructed at any time. d) In the event of a localized fault, the material affected by it can be determined, checked and, if necessary, replaced. This can massively limit the impact of a malfunction. In addition, planning becomes a forward-looking one Stienmusterplanung supported. e) Process stages that have no material flow sensors, such as the blow room, can be simulated by the

 Material flow in the computer can still be monitored and controlled. f) The material flow tracking forms the basis for a

 automatic production and quality control since the

 The cause of a fault can be identified with this system and interventions can be heard in a targeted manner. g) In the future, the system will allow the step from automatic monitoring to fully automatic control of the spinning process

In summary, the method according to the invention can therefore be used; so imagine that for a selected processing machine or for multiple selected processing machines

selected transport system or several selected

Transport systems and possibly also for a selected material store or several selected material stores logbooks or files about the material flow processes that have taken place are written and stored in one computer or in several computers without direct marking of the material or possibly

existing structures are made for the material, and that the researcher or the researcher determines the material flow by linking the data contained in the individual files and, if necessary, uses it with other operating data for a forward-looking view of the expected material flow or

apply.

The invention also includes devices for carrying out the method according to the invention, preferred embodiments of these devices being contained in claims 17 to 20. To explain the invention, some will now be described

Exemplary embodiments explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows the basic principles of material flow tracking in one

 Transport system consisting of transport channels and switches, the

Fig. 1A explains the definition of a transport channel and the

1B shows the simulation of the transpcrt channel in the computer,

Fig. 1C the definition of a switch in the Transpertpert system

 explained, and

1D explains the simulation of the switch in the computer,

Fig. 2 log book, where

2A shows the logbook for a transponder system from route to flyer,

Fig. 2B the log of a transport system from the flyer

 Ring spinning machine shows

2C shows an example of a logbook for a route with two

 Heads and

2D shows an example of a logbook for a flyer,

2E shows an example of a log book of a warehouse,

Fig. 2 shows the use of the system for diagnosis in eggs

Combing machine, 4 shows the computer system for tracking the material flow, a computer assigned to the blow room communicating with an area assigned to the front work area,

5 shows an example of a transport system,

5A is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 5,

Fig. 6 is the replica of the transport system of Fig. 5 in

 Computer,

Fig. 7 is a consideration of a transport system in the form of a

 Hang Railway,

8 shows a consideration of the material flow tracking at a

 Flyer, for example in a spinning machine,

9 is a consideration of material flow tracking from one

 Card to a stretch and

10 is a view of the material flow availability of one

 Bale opener up to a mixer.

1. Detailed description of material flow tracking:

The explanations in Sections 1.1 to 1.7 reflect the basic ideas for tracking the flow of materials. This procedure is particularly useful for tracking the flow of materials in the barbican and in the spinning mill (spinning room). The blow room is dealt with in section 1.7.

1.1 Founders' Zip: Every spinning machine, every transport system and every warehouse in the spinning mill has its own logbook in which all changes to the machine settings, malfunctions, the data describing the material flow and other process-related data such as quality characteristics or references to quality samples are entered.

 The logbook corresponds to a file in the permanent memory (e.g. hard disk) of the computer that simulates the material flow.

All locations of a certain material unit are determined by the associated locations and the time of the

Arrival of the material unit at the location and the time of leaving the stand by the material unit described.

Material units are e.g. Bales, fillings from cans, the cotton wool on a wrap, the roving on a roving spool, the yarn on a bobbin or on a spool. Also a lot of such material units, e.g. is transported as a whole again forms a material unit, e.g. a train consisting of several coupled coils in a suspension track.

The whereabouts can, for example, jugs in the template or

in the filing of a spinning machine, winding formation places, changing place places, spinning positions, places in the bobbin preparation station or places in the winding positions.

It is assumed that there can never be more than one material unit in the same place at the same time.

 To ensure this, it is defined that a location can only accommodate one material unit.

The transport of material is determined by the associated change of location and the pick-up time, which is the material transfer time is drawn at the starting location and the delivery time, which is referred to as material transfer time, is described at the target location.

It is important that the following applies to a transport process T from the starting location A to the destination location B, at which the material unit M is transported:

The pick-up time of the transport process T is the same

 the time of leaving the starting location A for the material unit M.

The delivery time of the transport process T is the same as the time of arrival of the material unit M

 at destination location B.

If the locations, times and changes of location mentioned are known, the material flow can be followed, as described in detail in 1.5 and 1.6.

Sections 1.2 to 1.4 describe how the for a transponder system, for a general spinning machine resp. For a warehouse, the data required to track the material flow can be automatically received and saved.

Section 1.7 describes the material tracking in the blow room and Section 1.8 the coupling with the material tracking in the fore and spinning mill.

2 Material tracking using a transport system:

A transport system connects a number of material transfer locations A ₁ , ..., A _n to the

Material transfer locations B ₁ , ..., B _m . Examples of transport systems are, for example, a monorail that takes over the roving bobbins on the flyer and transports them to the ring spinning machine, or a floor conveyor vehicle that transports cans from the cans of the cards (material transfer location) to the cans of the route template (material transfer location.

All data relating to the transport system and the material flow through the transport system are stored in the log book of the transport system, as described below.

1.2.1 basic idea:

The transport of the material units from the material take-off location A ₁ to the target location Bj takes place via a physical route, for example in the rails of a monorail. The possible transport routes from the locations A ₁ , .., A _n to the locations B ₁ , .., B _m are in

 Transport channels and switches divided, with sensors for

Material flow tracking can be provided. These sensors report the passage of a material unit on the computer, which simulates the material flow. Know for this function e.g. known elements such as Photoelectric sensors, contact sensors etc. can be used. In the case of a monorail, the unbranched rail sections are the transport channels and the branches here in reality are also called switches, are the switches.

The transport system therefore consists of one

Arrangement of transport channels and switches via which all transport processes from A ₁ , ..., A _n to B ₁ , ..., B _m can be carried out. An example of a transport system consisting of transport channels and switches is shown in FIG. 1. It can be seen from this that the transport system extends from material transfer locations to material transfer locations. The entrances and exits of transport channels are included

Squares and the entrances and exits of turnouts with Octagons marked. The individual elements are explained in more detail later with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1C.

Each material transfer location A ₁ , ..., A _n is the entrance of a transport channel or one of the entrances of a switch. Each material transfer location B ₁ , .., B _n is the exit of a transport channel or one of the exits of a switch.

A computer contains a replica of the transport system consisting of transport channels and switches.

The structure of the transport system, consisting of transport channels and soft, is known to the computer at all times and results from the mutual position of the transport elements, which, if they can be changed (e.g. shifting bridges on a suspension rail), by sensors (e.g. contact switches) is recorded and made available to the computer.

The flow of materials is described by passing on brands, with each brand corresponding to exactly one transport. Each brand bears the identification of its place of origin (e.g. the number or name), which is the same as the material transfer location of the transport, the time of its creation, which is the same as the pick-up time, and the transport number. The forwarding of the transport number is facultatively simplified, the evaluation of the log book or files.

The information belonging to a brand is stored in a memory area of the memory of the computer with which the transport system is simulated. This information is accessed, for example, via the brand number, which is referred to as the virtual container number.

The sensor signals of the real transport system that the

Passing through a material unit at the sensor location are fed to the computer model.

1.2.2 Definition of the transport element transport channel:

The definition of a transport channel and a switch is clarified with reference to FIG. 1A.

A transport channel 10 is a connection between two locations, to which no connections from other locations flow and from which no branches branch off to other locations. It therefore has only one entrance 12 and only one exit 14. The material units move in it only in one direction 16 and the order in which it enters the transport channel is the same as the order in which it exits the transport channel, i.e. there is no exchange of material units and no overtaking.

There can be any number of material units in it

 stop, but their maximum number is limited, i.e. must not be infinite.

 When the system starts, there is a known number of material units in the transport channel.

It has a simple sensor E or A at its input and at its output, which reports the passage of a material unit. This sensor signal is the

 Computational model that replicates the material flow provided.

An existing, i.e.

object transport route that has the above properties understood.

Examples of transport channels are unbranched rails pieces of a transport track (e.g. suspension track) or a conveyor belt on which the material is not mixed up, both at the beginning of the rail or. of the band as well as at the end of a simple sensor described above, which the

Passing a material unit reports.

1.2.3 The simulation of the transport channel in the computer is shown in Fig. 1B:

At the beginning of the transport system, a brand generator 18 is opened. It can generate the data structure of a brand, e.g. a dynamic record, and therein the

 Save the information of the brand.

If the sensor signal of the input sensor E of the transport channel arrives, a mark 20 is generated if the transport channel is at the beginning of the transport system (the location is then the same as the material transfer location of the transport). otherwise the mark that is present at the entrance of the transport channel is transferred to the mark memory 22 of the transport channel. A brand memory corresponds to an area of the computer's memory in which a number of brands, i.e. Information units can be saved. The management of such a memory can e.g. by managing the list in which all brand numbers, the brands that are in the brand memory, are noted.

This brand memory 22 is organized according to the FIFO (first in first out) principle.

If the sensor signal of the output sensor A of the transport channel arrives, then the mark 20, which has been in the memory for the longest time, becomes the next transport element (Transport channel or switch) passed on or, if the end of the transport system is reached, put back in the brand memory, the information of the transport that has taken place being stored before the mark is put back

(see Saving a Transport Process 1.2.6).

Condition monitoring 26 controls and reports the number of material units located in the transport channel. If an attempt is made to store a further mark when the memory is full or to remove a mark from an empty memory, a warning signal is generated and the corresponding attempt is blocked. This status message can be used to check the material tracking function

 (see section 3).

The time monitor 28 controls the residence times of the stamps in the transport channel. If this exceeds a given value, a warning is issued. This enables malfunctions to be identified (see section 3).

1.2.4 Definition of the switch element:

As shown in Fig. 1C, a switch connects 32 n

 Entries with m exits. According to the example in FIG. 1C, two inputs and one output are present.

The switch can contain a maximum of one material unit.

It connects different transport channels or switches.

Each input and each output has a sensor that

passing a material unit reports. The input sensors are labeled E ₁ , ..., E _n and the output sensors are labeled A ₁ , ..., A _m . (In Fig. 1C are the sensors E ₁ , E ₂ and A present). These sensor signals are

 fed to the computer that simulates the material flow.

The material units only move through the switch in one direction.

Examples of switches are branches of the rails in a transport path (e.g. suspension rail) or branches of the cop system in a winder.

1.2.5 Simulation of a turnout in the computer:

The replica is shown in Fig. 1D.

 The comments made during the replication of a transpork channel, which relate to the brands and the brand stores, also apply here.

If the sensor signal of an input sensor E _{i arrives} in the specific example E ₁ or E _{2 of} the switch, a mark 23 is generated by the mark generator 34 or 36 if the switch is at the beginning of the transport system (the location is then the material transfer location of the transport ) otherwise the mark that is present at the input E _{i of} the switch is transferred to the mark memory 36 of the switch.

If the sensor signal of the output sensor A _{j of} the transport channel arrives, in the specific example the sensor signal of the output sensor A of FIG. 1C, the label is passed on to the transport element (transport channel or switch) coupled to the output A _j or, if the end of the

 Transport system is reached in the brand store

covered, the information of the transport that has taken place being stored before the brand is put back (see storing a transport operation 1.2.6). The status monitor 40 controls and reports the number of material units located in the switch.

 If an attempt is made to store a further mark when the memory is occupied or to remove a mark from an empty memory, a warning signal is generated and the corresponding attempt is blocked. This message can be used to check the material tracking function (see section 3).

The time monitor 42 controls the time of stay of the mark in the switch. If this exceeds a given value, a warning is issued. This enables malfunctions to be identified (see section 3).

1.2.6 Saving a transport process:

If a mark 20 reaches the end of the transport system, the transport number, the material transfer location, the takeover time, the material transfer location and the transfer time are related in the logbook (file) of the transport system, e.g. on one line, saved.

 All times are unique, i.e. with date and time. The storage of the transport number is optional and insignificant for the functioning of the material flow procedure, but can facilitate the evaluation of the logbooks or files.

 The first three pieces of information were transported with the brand, i.e. the mark consists of this information and the last two pieces of information are the location and the time when the mark reaches the end of the transport system.

Examples of log books are shown in Fig. 2, wherein

2A shows the logbook of a transponder system extending from a route to a flyer, and FIG. 2B shows the Logbook of a transport system extending from the flyer to a ring spinning machine.

With this information, the material flow can be tracked, as will be described in detail later in 1.4, 1.5.

In Fig. 2A it can be seen that the transport no. 12345 means that a jug left the storage position 1 on route (Masch) 1 on March 3, 1990 at 11:15 pm and on the same day at 23:18 at position 4 of the flyer (Masch ) 3 has arrived. This jug can be regarded as number 12345 without the need to mark the jug with this number. The other entries are to be understood accordingly.

The logbook of FIG. 2B is to be understood in a similar way, but here blocks of 48 roving bobbins each become one from the flyer

corresponding number of spinning positions of the ring spinning machine. For example, the transport 102 indicates that 48 flyer spools were transferred from the spinning positions 1-48 of the flyer (Masch) 1 a, 3.3.90 at 12.05 to the spinning positions 97-144 of the ring spinning machine (Masch) 3 on the same day at 12.15. The assumption is made here that the information directly relating to the transport is not of particular interest. So they are not written to the logbook, which increases clarity.

1.2.7 Coincidence of physical sensors:

What is important is the property that each output sensor of a transport element that is not located at a material transfer point coincides with an input sensor of a transport element connected to it. It is therefore sufficient to provide only one objective sensor at such points, the signal of which is conveyed by the two transport elements

Computer simulation is made available. The arrival of such a sensor signal causes the first transport element to be passed on. At the same time, the transport element connected to the corresponding exit is requested to accept this mark.

1.2.8 Distribution of brands in the transport system replica:

A mark can be accessed via a number, which is referred to as a virtual container number. If the information about the brand is saved just after it has been removed, and access is via the virtual container number, then it is sufficient to pass on the number of the brand. The disclosure of such brands, i.e. H . of objects carrying information, of a transport element, i.e. from one brand store to the next is easy to implement with computer technology. Most of the time the information of the brand is saved when it is created and is accessed via the brand number. This brand number is then entered and unloaded in the lists that the brand savers manage according to their movement. It can also be specified that the last entry in such a list is the newest, so that an excessive information of the time must be saved, ca the order of the brands is clearly recorded in the list.

The number of such virtual container numbers that is necessary to clearly write all possible transport processes is finite.

A transport system with k transport processes, each with a

Burst only needs

 virtual numbers.

1.2.9 Time control and condition monitoring of the transpcrt stage:

A time control and a status control, analogous to the control (26, 28, 40, 42), can also be introduced for the entire transport stage, or for parts thereof, for the transponder channel 10 or the switch 32. Time monitoring

 monitors the time for the considered transport. It thus ensures that no transport can be lost (see section 3).

 The condition control reports and monitors the number of transports in the system under consideration. Time control and condition monitoring have memory areas and files for managing the required information.

1.2.10 Consideration of transports with vehicles:

When transporting with human-operated vehicles or with giant vehicles, the transport route is described very simply by the driving order. Such a driving order corresponds to a point-point connection and can be described by a transport channel 10, which connects the starting point with the destination. A travel order defined where the material unit was picked up and where it was going

 must be transported and can be stored on a file or in the working memory.

Automated and manual transports can be separated: a) With automated transport:

The transport system usually has a host computer and each transport vehicle has its own vehicle computer. The master computer determines the driving order, saves it, passes it on to the vehicle and monitors its execution.

 This master computer uses a signal line to report the material transfer and material transfer location at the time of the start of the transport (material transfer) and the material transfer location at the time of the end of the transport (material transfer) to the computer of the transport system simulation.

 The master computer thus provides the information about the location of the transport channel representing the transport and the same signals as an actual transport channel which connects the starting point with the destination of the transport.

b) With manual transport:

The operator has the travel order, the beginning of the

 Transportes as well as the material handover location

 notify the handover time. This can be done, for example, using a keyboard, whereby the material transfer and material transfer can be detected by sensors (e.g. by light barriers), so that only the travel order needs to be communicated to the system before it is processed.

When the material is handed over (sensor signal or signal from the Master computer), the information from the transport order can be transferred directly to the log of the transport process. If several transport orders are carried out in one trip, the corresponding transfer order and thus the transfer location can be easily determined via the transfer location.

1.3 Material tracking by a spinning machine:

1.3. 1 General spinning machine:

A general spinning machine consists of a or

several production units, e.g. B. Spinning positions. each

Production unit has one or more template spaces and one or more storage spaces. S i e takes from the material units that are on the template places

Material, transforms it and places it in the storage spaces, resp. in the containers inside.

1.3.2 Logbook of the spinning machine:

Examples of the logbooks (files) of a route and a flyer are given in FIGS. 2C and 2D. Before a concrete description of these figures, some general explanations are appropriate.

 All data relating to the spinning machine and the material flow through the machine are stored in the machine's logbook. An entry can affect either the entire machine or individual production units.

In particular, the following information is stored:

- Basic setting and change of machine on Positions (process parameters).

 All machine starts, whereby a distinction is made between automatic and manual start. An operator identification (name) can also be stored

 become.

 All machine stops. With indication of the reason resp.

 Operator identification.

 Process malfunctions (e.g. winding)

 Time and place of a quality control. The label (number) of the quality control is also saved.

The data relating to the material flow through the machine are also stored in the log book of the spinning machine. The material flow from the template of the spinning machine to the filing is described as follows:

Each change in the template is saved with the time of the change and the identification (name, number) of the affected template in the log book of the spinning machine.

Every change in the filing system is made with the time of

 Change and the identification (name, number) of the affected storage location are saved in the log of the spinning machine.

In order to illustrate the creation of logbooks more clearly, two examples are now given with reference to FIGS. 2C and 2D.

2C relates to the logbook of a line with two heads, the cans which hold the product of the line being ejected into a full-can store which has its own logbook. All entries concern day 3.6.90. The first event took place at 5 a.m. Here Mr. Muller sets the basic setting 1 for the route. As shown, this basic setting 1 is a speed of 600 m / min with delay equal to 8 and an eightfold duplication in positions 1-8 for head 1 and 9-16 for head 2. The data for the

 Basic settings were then saved in a first auxiliary file.

A minute later, at 5 January, Mr. Muller started route 1, which route was manually stopped by Ms. Huber at 5 May because she wanted to carry out a quality control. This took place a minute later at 05.06 and the measured values after the quality control were written into a second help file. This inspection took place at the one output _A1. Another minute later, Ms. Huber started the route again, ie at 05.07. To 5.11 a pot is full and it is ejected at the output A ₁ and therefore goes into the

Full can storage, although it is not specified here, because, as noted above, the full can storage has its own log book. The jug at the second exit A is full three minutes later at 05.14 and is ejected.

At 05.15 a wrap forms around head 1, which is registered and corrected. This then leads to a change in the

Operating parameters by Mr. Muller, because at 5.30 he sets the delivery speed to a lower value of

400 m / min from. This change in setting is reflected in the

corresponding help file noted. At 05.35 the Strecxe is started again manually and had to be stopped again at 05.36 due to a band break at position v ₅ (band number 5 at head 1, 8 bands are being doubled together). After the band break has been rectified, the route is started again for your Mr. Muller, at 05.40. It then takes place at 05.44 another can output at output A and at 05.50 another corresponding can output at output A ₂ . A band broke again three minutes later at 05.53, this time at position V ₈ , which is why the route is stopped again. It turned out that the belt at position V _{8 had} actually ended and at 06.00 a new pot of belt was replaced at position V ₈ . This was again done by Mr. Müller. At 6 January, Mr. Müller was able to start the route again. Shortly afterwards at 06.04 another jug was ejected at exit A1. The magazine of the full cans warehouse then became full, so that the production of the line had to be stopped, which took place around July 6th. After removing full cans from the full cans warehouse, the route could be started again at 06.15, which was done automatically and it did

simultaneously ejected a pot at the output of _A2.

2D shows the logbook of a flyer. All times refer to day 3.6.90. At 6 a.m., Mr. Weber sets the basic setting 1 for Flyer 1. This is a delivery of 80 m / min with a tenfold delay. This basic setting 1 has been saved in an auxiliary file of the corresponding computer. At 06.05. Mr. Weber’s flyer could be started manually. At 06.29 the roving bobbins are full, so that a stop process occurs automatically and is followed a minute later, at 06.30, by a doffing process at positions 1-48. Afterwards Mr. Weber was able to start the flyer manually again at 06.40. At 07.40 a change of jug at position 46 had to be made, followed three minutes later by a change of jug at position 23. Mr. Kurz took over the care of the flyer and stopped it manually at 07.50 to change the

Basic setting to make the delivery

70 m / min. to use. This parameter change took place around 07.55. At 8:00 a.m. Mr. Kurz started the flyer again. The material flow through a spinning machine can be followed exactly from this stored information, as described in more detail in chapters 1.5 and 1.6 below.

1.4 Material flow in warehouses:

Each warehouse in the spinning mill also has a log book. If the warehouse is organized according to the "First In First Out" (FIFO) principle, then it can be viewed as a transport channel with a given capacity.

 If the warehouse is organized according to the "Last In First Out" (LIFO) principle with an input and an output that can coincide, it can be simulated in the computer in the same way as a transport channel, but with the arrival of the signal from the output sensor the brand that was the shortest in the brand store. If the warehouse has n spaces and each space can be accessed individually, this corresponds to n parallel transport channels, each with a storage capacity of one material unit. These n transparent channels can be filled with a switch from one input and emptied with another switch via an output.

These n transport channels can manage n log book or a common log book.

The structure of the logbook of a warehouse thus corresponds to that of a transport system, which is why it is not shown separately. The

The logbook contains the warehouse order number (optional), the time of receipt, the place of receipt

(Indicator) as well as the time of the warehouse exit and the location of the warehouse exit (indicator) for a stored and later picked up material unit.

All described in connection with transport systems

This means that processes can also be used in stock. 1.5 Determining the origin of a given unit of material:

This section explains how, based on the logbooks of all spinning machines, transport systems and warehouses, as well as on the known list, i.e. the order in which the material units can pass through the individual spinning machine stages, the material flow for a given material unit backwards, i.e. from the current machine in the direction of the upstream machines.

1.5.1 Starting point:

The material unit M of interest is given by its location s ₀ , described by the machine identifier m and the position on the machine p ₀ , at a specific time t ₀ . The machine m ₀ is in the stage n ₀ . The corresponding machine logbook can be accessed through the machine identification m ₀ .

1.5.2 Backward tracking by the spinning machine:

If the material unit M is in the storage area of the machine, the material flow through the machine must be determined. All to the position p _n associated template positions pv _1, ..., pv _n, the fixed or changeable the position p ₀ are allocated, the allocation are determined from the structure of the machine and the said accumulated changes. The time interval that was available for the production of the material unit M at position p ₀ is [t _-1 , t ₀ ], where t _{-1 is} the time of the previous filing change or the start of production and the time t0 is equal to the time of examination or the time of leaving the storage location. The material units involved in the creation of the material unit M.

Mv ₁ , ..., Mv _m are determined as follows: For all template positions pv ₁ , ..., pv _n all

Changes in submissions are recorded which lead to publishers' downtimes which overlap with the interval [t _-1 , t ₀ ].

Action:

1) Examine the template position pv for a template change:

Starting from time t ₀ , find the template change closest to the past.

2) Is the change in time / all (t _-1 , t ₀ )?

 If so, then save the change time together with the change location.

If no, then save the change time together with the change location and cancel the investigation for pv ₁ .

Go to 4. (Note: first change outside the time interval (t _-1 , t ₀ ) was found).

3) Are there any further changes in the template for the template location pv ₁ ?

 If so, look for this template change and go to 1.

 If no, go to 4.

4) Repeat 1 to 4 for the next Veriagort until the

Place pv _{n is} examined.

Result: All relevant template changes in the material template positions pv ₁ , ..., pv _n are saved with the corresponding template location and the change time. They describe the while creating the

 Material unit M involved material units

Mv ₁ , ..., Mv _m complete, given their location and the time of their arrival (change of submission;

are. If the material unit of interest M in the template of the machine m. then the last one can be taken directly from the logbook. Template change can be determined for the position p, the change time is less than or equal to t ₀ . The place of submission and the time of change is also known.

This information is now used for material flow tracking by the transport system upstream of the spinning machine.

1.5.3 Backward tracking by the transport system:

The installation of the machines shows which one

Transport system (or which transport systems) the machine m ₀ can supply with material. The corresponding logbook (the corresponding logbooks) can thus be accessed.

The reference material units relevant for the creation of the material unit M on the machine m ₀ are Mv ₁ , ..., Mv _m , described by their location and the time of arrival at this location (see previous section).

Each of these material units has been delivered to their original location by the transport system at a given time, which corresponds to the time of the original change. The transport for the material unit Mv _i is referred to as T _i . For such a material unit Mv _i , the corresponding entry (or the corresponding entry) can be taken from its location, which is the same as the material transfer location of the transport T _i , and from the time of its arrival at the location, which is the same as the delivery time of the transport T _i Line) can be determined in the log of the transport system (Bern.: Both the location and the time must match, this is clear). If several transport systems are to be considered, all logbooks must be closed search .

 From this follows the material transfer location, which corresponds to a material deposition position of the upstream machine level or a warehouse starting point, as well as the pick-up time, which corresponds to the corresponding storage change point in this stage or corresponds to the warehouse issue date.

This is repeated for all considered material units Mv ₁ , ..., Mv _m .

Result: The result is the production values on the machines of the upstream machine level n _-1 resp.

 the inventory levels and the times of leaving

 of these locations.

1.5.4 Backward tracking by a warehouse:

Since the logbook of a warehouse is structured identically to the logbook of a transport system, the material inventory by a warehouse is identical to the tracking by a transport system.Use of the warehouse can be optional, i.e. The transport from the upstream to the machine level under consideration can either take place directly for each material unit or via a warehouse.

 In this case, the material transfer location of the transport system shows whether the warehouse was used for the transport under consideration. In this case, material tracking through the warehouse and transport system continues from the previous stage to the warehouse.

1.5. 5 Tracking through a machine level, determining the

Product conditions: Starting from the current level n ₀ , all relevant material units Mv ₁ , ..., Mv _m are transported and

Bearing tracked according to 4.5.3 and 4.5.4 up to level n.

The production locations and the times of leaving these locations for all relevant material units Mv ₁ , ..., Mv _m are thus obtained.

With the logbooks of the upstream machine level, the time intervals during which the material units Mv ₁ , ..., Mv _m were produced can be determined. These time intervals are the intervals between leaving the storage crate through the previous one and leaving through the current material unit and correspond to the interval [t _-1 , t ₀ ] for the material unit M.

Result: By combining all the time intervals belonging to one machine de: upstream machine level

 is the production period of the material unit M.

 this upstream machine determined. About the

 The machine's logbook can be used during this period

 valid operating conditions (machine classifications,

 Malfunctions, operator interventions etc.) as well as those already

 quality controls are easily determined

 become.

Thus the production times, production machines and the production conditions of the last examined level (n _-1 ) for the material units are the

 to manufacture the unit of interest

 M were used.

1.5.6 Continuation of material tracking:

Is the transport of the material units Mv ₁ , ..., Mv _m by the

Level n _{0 is} tracked to level n _-1 , with multiple transport Systems and warehouses can be run through, you get their production locations as well as the times of leaving

of these locations in level n _-1 .

The production locations and the times of leaving these locations (time of storage change) for all material units Mv ₁ , ..., Mv _m on the upstream machine level n _-1 correspond exactly to the details of the starting position for the material package M on the machine mo in the output stage n ₀ .

The path of each of these material units Mv _{i is} now identical to

Determination of the path of the material unit M through the stage n _-1 -> n ₀ just examined for the subsequent stage n _-2 -> n _-1 . The procedure remains unchanged, ie includes the template determination in accordance with the section "Backward tracking by the spinning machine", the material tracking of the relevant template material packages in accordance with "Backward tracking by the transport system" and in accordance with "Backward tracking by a warehouse" and ends at one level back or at the beginning the spinning mill (e.g. bale storage).

1.5.7 Result of the backward registration:

The path of the material package M to be examined is determined by tracking the paths of all material packages Mv ₁ , ..., Mv _m . This corresponds to the backward verification of the material flow through one step (1.5.2-1.5.5).

This procedure can be applied successively to all previous levels (1.5.6)

The material tracking can be interrupted at any stage that can be preset or when the start of the spinning mill (eg bale store) is reached. The result is the production times and the production machines of the material particles that are included in the material unit M for all the stages examined.

With the logbooks of these machines, the parameters, malfunctions, interventions etc. that influenced the production of the material unit M can now be easily accessed over the production time. This is a very effective diagnostic support for the operator and is explained using an example in Section 2.

The coupling provided for quality control is important, so that in the event of an error, all quality controls that have already been carried out on the material concerned are readily available.

1.6 Determining the path of a given unit of material:

This section explains how, based on the logbooks of all spinning machines, transport systems and warehouses, as well as the known list, i.e. the order in which the material units can pass through the individual spinning machine stages, the material flow for a given material unit forward, i.e. from the current machine in the direction of the material flow.

1.6.1 Starting point:

The material unit M of interest is described by its location s ₀ , described by the machine identification m ₀ and the position on the machine p ₀ , and by the time t ₀ at which it arrived at this location. The machine m ₀ is in the stage n ₀ . The corresponding machine logbook can be accessed through the machine identification m ₀ . 1.6.2 Forward tracking by the spinning machine:

If the material unit M is in the template of the machine, the material flow through the machine must be determined. All to the position p ₀ associated storage positions pa _1, ..., _n pa, the fixed or changeable the position p ₀ are allocated, the allocation are determined from the structure of the machine and the said accumulated changes. Usually, only one storage location is assigned to a template. The time interval during which the material unit M was available for production is [t ₀ , t ₁ ], where t _{1 is} the time of the next template change for location s ₀ or the examination time and t ₀ is the time of the last template change. The material units created from the material unit M.

Ma ₁ , ..., Ma _m are determined as follows:

For all filing positions pa ₁ , ..., pa _m, all filing boxes that lead to production intervals of the material units in the filing system that overlap with the interval [t ₀ , t ₁ ] must be recorded.

Action:

1) Examine the storage position pa for a change of storage:

Find the next storage change in the future, starting from time t ₀ .

2) Is the storage change in the time interval (t ₀ , t ₁ )?

 If so, then save the change time together with the change location.

If not, then save the change time together with the change location and cancel the examination for pa ₁ . Go to 4. (Note: first change outside the time interval (t ₀ , t ₁ ) was found, this change time corresponds to a material package that was partly still produced from the material package M under consideration).

3) Are there any other changes of storage for storage location pa ₁ , which are at longer times?

 If so, look for this filing change and go to 2. If no, go to 4.

4) Repeat 1 to 4 for the next storage location until the

Storage location pan is examined.

Result: All relevant storage changes in the material storage positions pa ₁ , ..., pa _n are with the corresponding

Storage location and the change time saved. They describe the material units Ma ₁ , ..., Ma _m produced during the consumption of the material unit M.

 completely because of their location and the time of their

 Leaving the storage location.

If the material unit of interest M is in the storage of the machine m, then the time of leaving the storage can be determined directly from the log book as the time of the next storage change with a change time greater than or equal to t ₀ .

This information is now used for material flow tracking by the transport system.

1.6.3 Forward tracking by the transport system: The installation of the machines shows which transport system (or which transport systems) material on the machine m. can pick up. This allows access to the corresponding log book (the corresponding log books).

The storage material units created from the material unit M are Ma ₁ , ..., Ma _m , described by their storage location and the time of leaving this location (see previous section).

Each of these material units has been requested by the transport system at its next location, usually a warehouse, at a given time, which corresponds to the time of the change of storage. The transport for the material unit May is called T _i . For such a material unit Ma _i , from its location, which is the same as the material transfer location of the transport T _i , and from the time of leaving the location, which is the same as the pick-up time of the transport T _i ,

the corresponding entry (e.g. line) must be determined in the log of the transport system (Bern .: both the location and the time must agree, this is clear). If several transport systems are to be considered, then all logbooks must be searched.

 From this follows the material transfer location, which corresponds to the corresponding material template position of the following machine level or. corresponds to the corresponding incoming material, as well as the delivery time, which corresponds to the corresponding change of template in the following stage or corresponds to the time of receipt of the warehouse.

This is repeated for all considered material units Ma ₁ , ..., Ma _m .

Result: The result are the locations of use on the machines of the following machine level n _-1 , resp.

the warehouse locations and the times of arrival at these locations.

1.6.4 Forward tracking by a warehouse:

Since the logbook of a warehouse is identical to the logbook of a transport system, material tracking is by

Warehouse identical to tracking by a transportation system. The use of the camp can be optional, i.e. The transport from the considered machine level to the next can be done for each material unit either directly or via a warehouse.

In this case, the material transfer location of the transport system shows whether the warehouse was used for the transport under consideration. In this case, material tracking continues through the warehouse and through the transportation system from the warehouse to the next stage.

1.6.5 Tracking through a machine level, determining the

 Conditions of use:

With the log books of the upstream machine level, the time intervals during which the material units Ma ₁ , ..., Ma _{m were} used can be determined. These time intervals are the intervals between the arrival at the template location of the current and next material unit and correspond to the interval [t ₀ , t ₁ ] for the material unit M.

Result: By combining all the time intervals belonging to a machine in the upstream machine level

 the usage period of the material unit M is

this following machine. About the logbook the machine can be valid during this period

 Operating conditions (machine settings, malfunctions, operator interventions, etc.) and the quality controls that have already been carried out can be easily determined.

This means the times of use, places of use and

 the production conditions during use in

the last examined stage (n ₁ ) for the material units that were produced from the material unit M of interest.

1.6.6 Continuation of material tapping:

We transport the material units Ma ₁ ,, ..., Ma _m from the

Level n _{0 followed} to level n ₁ , whereby several transport systems and warehouses can be run through, you get their locations of use and the times of arrival at these locations in level n ₁ .

The locations of use and the times of arrival at these locations for all material units Ma ₁ , ..., Ma _m on the following machine level correspond exactly to the starting position for the material package M on the machine m _o in the output stage.

The path of each of these material units may now be determined identically to the path of the material unit M duren the stage just examined for the following stage. The procedure remains unchanged, ie includes the template determination according to the section "Forward tracking by the spinning machine", the material tracking of the generated storage material packages according to "Forward tracking of your transport system" and "Forward tracking by a warehouse". If the material can no longer be tracked because it has not yet been used in the following processes, you have the choice between two options:

You can examine the material that is now identified and remove it from the process if necessary, or you can transfer the production data of the entire spinning mill to a computer model that simulates the material flow of a spinning mill and thus calculate when this material will be used on which machines if you didn't remove it from the material flow. This projection is e.g. interesting if there is uncertainty about the impact of the error. In this case, extrapolation allows for forward-looking sample planning, which can be used to ensure that there are no unacceptable quality deviations.

The forward tracking can be stopped at any machine level and ends at the end of the spinning mill (e.g. at the packaging).

1.6.7 Result:

The path of the material package M to be examined is determined by tracking the paths of all material packages Ma ₁ , ..., Ma _m . This corresponds to the forward tracking of the material flow through a stage (1.6.2-1.6.5).

This procedure can be applied successively to all subsequent levels (4.6.7)

This can take place through all stages, up to the end of the spinning mill, or up to a predefinable stage. If the place of use of the material is reached, it can be checked and if necessary can be replaced or the operator can determine the future locations of use and the operating times by extrapolating the future material flow. With this information, the sampling can be planned in advance.

The result is the times of use of the material particles, which are included in the material unit M, on the affected machines at all examined levels.

With the logbooks of these machines, the parameters, malfunctions, interventions etc. that influenced the use of the material unit M can now be easily accessed over the period of use. This is very effective diagnostic support for the operator and is explained in section 2 for an example.

The coupling provided for quality control is important, so that in the event of an error, all quality controls that have already been carried out on the material concerned are readily available.

1.7 Material flow tracking in the blow room:

In the blow room, the material is not transported in containers. but as a continuous flow of material. The fiber material cannot be marked directly because these marks had to be removable without leaving any residue, but still had to have the same transport properties as the fiber stream.

1.7.1 Principle:

The material flow in the blow room can still be monitored and monitored as described below. Every blowroom machine and every transport system in the blowroom (piping) has its logbook. The entries correspond to the entries as described for the general spinning machine. The logbook also corresponds to a file in the computer with which the material flow is simulated, resp. a file in the computer that simulates the dynamic behavior of the blow room. These two computers are connected by signal lines.

The material flow in the blow room can be modeled as a dynamic, continuous, discrete / continuous or discrete system. A dynamic blowroom simulation, which includes all processes relevant to the material flow, is implemented in a computer in which its temporal behavior is described with mathematical equations and expressions and a rule for processing and resolving these expressions is specified. Conventional simulation languages are used for this. This model receives the measured machine conditions of the blowroom machines as input signals.

A machine status completely describes the relevant networking of the machine. It can include the following information, which can be measured as follows:

- Material flow on entry, measured e.g. by elements such as capacitive sensors, pressure loss through

Nozzle, force measurement on elbows.

- Content of the fiber material storage, measured e.g.

by pressure sensors, light barrier rakes, ultrasonic sensors (full height) or by trolleys.

- Material flow at the exit, measured, for example, like mass flow when entering or by measuring the Take-off roller speed (tachogenerator. Incremental encoder) with possibly non-linear correction or yours

Measuring the take-off roller speed and the weight per

Unit of length of the stripped tape.

- machine runs / stops, measured e.g. by

Speed measurement, voltage measurement on motors, etc.

 - The speeds of the drives (conveyor belts, take-off rolls, feed rolls, cleaning rolls, needle bar cloths) with

known elements such as incremental or absolute encoders, tachometer etc.

- Conveying speed in a pipe, measured e.g. by determining the demand time depending on the

Fan speed and measurement of this speed or

by cross-correlation analysis of the signals of two, in

Direction of transport offset against each other, sensors

(e.g. optical, acoustic sensors).

The model calculates on-line, i.e. synchronized with the real time, the unmeasured material flow. The blowroom model therefore has the task of an observer.

Literature on observers:

- Computer Controlled Systems, Theory and Design, K.J. Astrom, E. Wittenmark, Prentice-Hall 1984.

 - Control engineering I + II, H. Unbehauen, Vieweg 1987.

This idea of Beccacter can be transferred to other process stages that are not directly observable. 1.7.2 Example of material flow tracking in the blow room:

Assuming that changes in the type (quality, provenance, etc.) of the material do not occur continuously, but only at discrete times (e.g. when changing the removed balls), the change in the type of material in the blow room can be viewed as a propagation of brands . Each brand therefore corresponds to a change in the type of material (quality, provenance, etc.).

The dynamic model of the blow room reproduces the reproduction of these brands on the computer as follows:

Those made in the replica of the transport systems

 Comments on the creation, forwarding and administration of trademarks also apply here.

1) The position of the bale opener and the removal chute as well as the structure of the bale template shows which bale is in engagement.

2) If the bale remover (e.g. a "Uinfloc" machine of the present applicant) carries a new bale

 a mark is generated in the computer mode, which contains the mark of the ball that is being removed and possibly further information, such as the position of the ablation organ with respect to the balls. The time and place of leaving the machine and the information given to the brand are stored in the log of the removal machine.

3) This brand is in a model of the transport pipe z. B. a dead time member resp. Brand memory). she is only transported if the corresponding existing conveyor system (pipeline) is in operation.

When leaving the transport pipe model, the brand number, the time of entry, the place of entry, the time of exit and the place of exit of the brand are stored in the pipe logbook (e.g. on one line).

The next blowroom machine receives the brand.

If it does not contain any fiber material storage (e.g. mono-roller cleaner), your computer model corresponds to the

Principle of a pipeline.

If it contains a fiber material memory, then the computer model has a brand memory. The time spent in this memory depends on the amount of material stored at the time of arrival of the brand and on the amount of material removed from the time of arrival of the brand. These sizes can either be measured, estimated, or determined from other measurements (e.g.

Observer, your control theory) or they are fixed.

There are additional transport presses in the machine, e.g. duplication in the Unimix, which are also modeled (e.g. as dead time, conveyor belt). In the case of branching, a brand can be divided into a corresponding number n of identical brands (e.g. in the Unimix), the represented amount of material ("weight") of a brand thus created being 1 / n.

If the brand leaves the machine, then the brands number, the time of entry, the place of entry, the time of exit and the place of exit of the brand are stored together in the logbook of the machine (e.g. on one line). The logbook of a blowroom machine is identical to the logbook of a transport system in terms of material flow information.

If the brand was divided into n identical brands in the machine, each of these brands created in this way is treated as an independent brand when it leaves the machine and thus leads to an entry in the logbook, with all n entries having the same entry time and the same entry location.

5) The mark is passed on until it reaches the card after the appropriate path has been covered. The brand number and the location as well as the time of arrival are saved in the log of the corresponding card.

Bern .: The storage of the brand number is optional and not essential for the functioning of the process.

The made in the transport system simulation

Comments on brand transfer apply here analogously.

It is important that the distribution of

 Marks in the computer depends on the processes occurring in the existing blow room. The time in the computer model runs synchronously with the real time, in contrast to the projection, where the time in the computer model leads the real time.

Modern simulation languages, such as ACSL, SIMSCRIPT II.5, MODSIM, support the concepts outlined above.

1.8 Coupling the material flow tracking in the blow room with the material flow tracking in the front and in the spinning mill:

The logbook of a blowroom machine corresponds to the logbook of a transport system as far as the information from material flow tracking is concerned.

In the case of backward forwarding, the following situation arises when the card is reached. The material unit under consideration (here the can was produced in the storage position in the time interval [t _-1 , t ₀ ]. From this, with the log of the card, all of these can be stored

Marks Mk ₁ to Mk _n arriving at time intervals can be determined.

The time of arrival at the card is now known for each of these brands Mk _i . This achieves a situation that has already occurred in the case of backward dispatching by a transport system, and the material backward backward tracking takes place according to the method described there.

In the case of forward tracking, the procedure described in "forward tracking by a transport system" is used until the card is reached. The time of arrival of the brand at the card is t ₁ . Now the material unit is determined in the log book of the relevant Karαe so that the time t ₁ lies in its production interval. By knowing this material unit, its production location and the time of leaving this location, the procedure described in Chapter 1.6 can be used to further monitor the material flow.

This method is particularly suitable for determining the propagation of a change of assortment.

Ernal says that not all blowroom machines are interested in detail the corresponding machines resp. Pipelines are not a log book, whereby the entries in the log books of the other machines and pipelines cover the machines not considered. For example, only the bale opener (Unifloc) and the mixer

 (Unimix) be of interest, since only in them longer processes, such as duplication, take place. Then all machines up to the mixer are slammed into the bale opener, i.e. the brand only leaves the bale opener when it arrives at the mixer. The machines from the mixer to the card are then added to the mixer in the same way as in the previous procedure.

2. Diagnostic support:

Material flow tracking mainly serves the following

Purposes:

- Clear representation of the transport operations, even in process stages that have no direct material flow sensors (e.g. blow room).

 - Assistance in finding sources of error

 (Localization, identification of defective product units).

 - Identification of those affected by an error

 Materials (damage limitation).

 - Assistance with sample planning to control the effects of tolerated deviations.

The diagnosis can be of interest to both an individual

 Material unit as well as for a whole group of material units (e.g. all cops that have been wound on a spool.

The following applies to a typical spinning mill: If you consider the material flow backwards, starting with the spinning machine, it usually does not split up to route 2, passage or subsequent route. A cop is typically made up of (possibly two) roving bobbins and these in turn typically come from a jug in the flyer template. Errors, the cause of which in the flyer or the spinning machine, have a direct effect on the cops. To locate it, backward tracking of a cop or fewer cops is sufficient.

From the route, the material flow divides several times. Due to the duplication made, a can on one section of the 2nd passage or subsequent section was created from several cans in the template. These, in turn, come from combed yarns

are produced from several wraps, which in turn come from several cans that were produced on a route of the 1st passage. Such a jug in the filing of a section of the 1st passage comes from several jugs in the template that have been produced on different cards. The

Material packages from the individual bales are through the

Mixing processes in the blow room have been thoroughly mixed until they reach the card.

If you want to localize faults that do not have their cause in the operating conditions of the 2nd passage section, the flyer or the spinning machine, then it is generally not sufficient to have a single material unit (cop) backward, and many faulty material units are traced backwards. The results are summarized and shown for each machine (production process). This allows the fault to be localized despite the material being mixed.

An example of a typical diagnostic support based on material flow tracking for tracking a material unit is given in FIG. 3. Here is an example of a diagnostic procedure: If there are any wraps on the combing machine, the operator, possibly alarmed by a monitoring system, requests

Support for troubleshooting.

1) The material flow tracking system, as described in 1.5 to 1.7, tracks the material flow backwards to the bale opening machine. The production times of the examined

Materials are prepared and presented to the operator graphically or as text information (screens 1 and 2).

At the same time, an extrapolation can also be carried out which shows the times at which the material would probably arrive on which machines (screen 1).

2) The operator selects the graphical representation for the

 "Line 1, Machine 1" (screen 2). The material unit in

The combing machine's outlet is made of different ones

 Machines "Line 1, Machine 1" and "Line 1, Machine 2" produced, material units were created - since one

 Duplication has taken place. He realizes that at the

 Production of the relevant material units on "Line 1, Machine 1" many machine downtimes have occurred due to winding formation.

3) He can display the logbook of "route 1, machine 1". Assumption: wrong material in the inlet (screen 3).

4) It can show the origin of the route template and

detects a jug from card 6, which is wrong (screen 4) 5) Starting from this can, he follows the material flow forward, beyond the chamber, and discovers the resulting cans on the 2nd passage section (screen 5).

6) He has these cans, the wraps on the affected combing machines and the wrong can removed at "section 1, machine 1".

This example is only intended to illustrate the possibilities of a diagnostic system based on material flow tracking and not to describe all properties of such a system.

3. Investigation of fault behavior:

A disadvantage of the material tracking presented is that parts of the information are destroyed or false statements are made in the event of hidden interventions or if the computer crashes. A number of measures are planned to avoid this or to limit the effects.

3.1 Possible malfunctions:

There are two main disorders:

- Hidden human intervention without notice

 Interference with the computer, which simulates the flow of material. The material flow can no longer be correct

 are tracked because the assignment of the material units simulated in the computer to the existing material units is no longer correct.

- Crash of the computer for material flow simulation.

All not permanently saved data as well the status in the program run will be lost.

3.2 Principle of fault detection and remedy:

3.2.1 In the case of hidden interventions:

In principle, any hidden intervention that takes place without a corresponding message to the computer is prohibited.

The structure of the spinning machines, the transport systems and the warehouse means that the hidden possibilities of intervention in the system should be restricted as much as possible.

With modern spinning machines, this is relatively easy to achieve, since all manipulations are carried out via the machine control. If the shelf (e.g. can shelf) is equipped with sensors or can only be operated via the machine control, the transfer to the transport system can also be checked. The real weaknesses are the transport systems and warehouses, from which a container can simply be removed, exchanged, or a container added.

If all transport processes within the spinning mill are connected to material tracking, it is sufficient to detect the unauthorized removal of material units, as each

Material unit added somewhere has also been removed elsewhere.

In the event of permissible interventions in the system, care must be taken to ensure that they are only permitted after the message that reports their execution to the computer has been properly processed. Remaining interventions can be identified in three ways:

1) Detect the removal of material units:

The removal of material units can be recognized as follows: a) By time control:

If a unit of material is removed and not delivered, the length of stay of the mark assigned to it in the replica of the transport system exceeds a given value.

 The time monitoring of the transport system resp. of the transport element issues a corresponding warning (see 1.2.3 and 1.2.5). b) With the error message from the condition monitoring:

If a material unit is removed, the replica in the computer has a higher level of material units than the one that was just transported

 Reality on. If the storage capacity of the existing transport system has just not been reached, it can accept another transport.

 The replica tries to add another brand to an already filled transport system. Condition monitoring triggers a warning and blocks the corresponding process (see 1.2.3 and 1.2.5). c) With condition monitoring:

The condition monitoring shows the number of sicn in the Replica of the transport system or transport processes (brands) of the transport element. The number of transport processes in the replica is thus known at all times and can be compared with the effective number.

2) Detect the addition of a material unit:

As mentioned above, the detection of the removal of a material unit can suffice. The addition of material units can be recognized as follows: a) With the error message from the condition monitoring:

If a material unit is added, then the replica in the computer has a lower level of material units that have just been transported than the reality. If the in number of transports

(Marks) has reached zero in the replica, you can still try to add another material unit or. To take the brand. The condition monitoring triggers a warning and blocks the corresponding process

(see 1.2.3 and 1.2.5). b) With condition monitoring:

The procedure is the same as that described for the detection of the removal.

3) Detecting the exchange of material units: If the removal is not recognized, a hidden swap cannot be recognized. In this case, hidden means that the material transport that leads to the exchange is not reported to the material flow tracking system and therefore cannot be registered.

There is a simple procedure for testing the sensors, in which all sensors are operated manually or automatically in the given order. This makes it possible to decide whether the sensors have also caused the fault.

3.2.2 If the computer crashes:

If the computer crashes, all data that is not permanently saved is lost. This enables the computer simulation of the material flow to provide information about what is currently taking place

Losing processes.

This can be avoided in several ways:

1) Any change in the system state of the replica in

 The computer is saved on a permanent data carrier (referred to as a "file"). This can be either for the entire material tracking system or for all of its subsystems, i.e. for the corresponding memory areas.

Starting position:

 The system state of the simulation in the computer should be changed (e.g. a material unit should be

be included in a transport system). Action:

 - The transmitter sends its information (e.g. light barrier signal) to the computer.

 - The computer uses this to calculate the system status change and saves it in a buffer and still

not in the final storage area.

 - Overwrite the information in the "File" with the new information.

 - Calculation of the checksum from the new system status

 - Write the checksum. This can later result in an incomplete or incorrect write process

be recognized.

 - Transfer the information from the buffer to the final memory area.

 - Acknowledge the change in the system status. This tells the sender of the information that

the processing was successful and it ended

sending the information.

 - Continue working.

This procedure largely prevents the loss of information and enables the detection of an error (checksum) in the remaining cases. If you want to enable automatic continuation of operation after a fault in these cases as well, not only the last but also the penultimate system state must be saved, as described in 2). However, the process has some disadvantages:

- A bidirectional connection must exist between the sender of the message (e.g. sensor) and the computer.

 - Because every change of state has to be saved and because access to permanent data carriers is slow

is, this process becomes quite slow. 2) All information describing the system status of the material tracking system is saved directly in non-volatile memories (eg Non Volatile RAM).

The current and the last system status are always saved.

The receipt of each message (sensor signals) before its use and its proper processing after its use are permanently stored in a log. This saving takes place only after the new system status has been saved.

 The messages are processed sequentially, i.e. the next message cannot be processed until the previous message has been processed. For parallel processes, the following explanations apply to each sequential branch.

Action:

 - Message arrives.

 - Make note of the receipt of the message in the log, stating the identification of the message.

 - Calculate changes in the system status and perform the corresponding actions.

 - Overwrite the older of the two saved system states with the new system state.

 - Make a note of the correct processing of the message, stating the identification of the message in the log or deleting the entry regarding receipt of the

Report.

- Continue working. The log shows whether all messages could be processed properly before the malfunction. If this is the case, you can continue with the last system status after a computer crash. If this is not the case, after a computer crash, the older one of the stored system states is continued, with the message which could not be processed properly being automatically generated and processed again, ie in the computer itself.

This second method points towards the first

 The following advantages:

- There are no bidirectional connections between the senders of a message (e.g. sensors) and the

 Calculator needed.

 - The log can either be saved to a file or also in non-volatile RAM

 are saved, in which case only

 the arrival and the proper processing

 the last message is saved (memory requirement).

 - Operation can continue automatically after a fault.

 - This variant is significantly faster.

3.3 Diagnostic support in the event of material flow disruptions

 tracking system:

If method no. 2) is used, operation can continue automatically after a fault.

If a warning by the time or through the state Monitoring is issued, the user is supported in the localization of the error by displaying the system status of the material flow tracking system, the corresponding log book and all warnings.

4. Specific description of device examples

 4 to 10 of the invention

As a rule, the data for material flow tracking is not stored on a single computer, which would also be possible in principle, but in several individual computers that are responsible for different areas of the spinning mill.

In particular, the computers that are used here can correspond to the system of the German patent application

P 39 24 779.1, i.e. a computer is provided for each of the areas of bale position, blowroom, pre-work, spinning and spool position, the computer for the area

"Bale position" with the computer for the "blowroom" area and the computer for the "reel position" area with the computer for the "spinning" area can coincide easily, i.e. in the specific case can be formed by a computer. A Laber computer can also be provided and with the individual

Area computers. All

Area computers, which are to be regarded as process computers, are also in a higher level with an operations control computer

hierarchical level, the

Material tracking can be done either from the operations control computer or from each of the combined process control computers.

The exact design of the individual computers and their connections with one another is not shown here, since they are at will

can be executed and the interconnection of several linked computers is a frequently encountered task of the achmann in this area and therefore good for himself known .

4 only shows an example of how the area computer 100 for the blow room works together with the area computer 102 for the Vorwerk area, in which case the area computer for the Vorwerk area also for

Spinning is responsible.

As can be seen, the computer 100 of the blow room area is connected to the sensors and / or the computers of the blow room machines and the cards, as indicated by box 104. The computers of the individual blowroom machines and the card are usually computers which are intended to control or regulate the individual machines and cards.

The signals from the sensors or the connected computers are sent via a bus, for example 106 to an IO unit 108, i.e. applied to an interface which is connected to a microprocessor 110 of the computer 100, the microprocessor communicating with a memory area 112 via further bus lines (not shown). This memory area 112 contains

ROM memory, which contains the programs for the mathematical simulation of the material flow in the blow room, and RAM memory for recording the data coming from the sensors or connected computers. In addition, permanent storage in the form of "non-volatile RAMs" and mass storage in the form of a hard disk, a floppy disk drive or a magnetic tape can be provided. The bus can be connected to other bus lines (not shown)

Microprocessor having a screen 114 communicating with a keyboard 116 and with a printer 118. The programs stored in the ROM area of the memory 112 are like this

designed to provide the required logs of the

Create blowroom machines and the card and the data entered on the bus 106 and on the keyboard 116, the

Logbooks are visually identified by reference number 120 are shown. In fact, these log files are in the

Memory that can be viewed on the screen and printed out via the printer 118.

As mentioned at the beginning, the computer 102 for the Vorwerk area is also responsible for the spinning area. It is designed in exactly the same way as the computer 100, so that the individual parts need not be described twice. It can be said here that the computer 102 also contains data from the sensors or computers of the spinning machines and transport systems in the plant or in the spinning mill, as indicated by box 122, these data being provided via a bus 124 and an I / O Unit (interface) 125 are fed into the microprocessor 126 and processed by means of the programs stored in the memory area 128 and stored in the respective memory. Here, too

necessary logbooks are created, they are symbolically designated by 130.

According to the computer 100, the computer 102 also has a screen 132, a keyboard 134 and one

Printer 136, whereby the stored and recorded data or the log book or commands entered on the keyboard etc. can be printed out.

Finally, line 138 clarifies that the two computers 100, 102, which are connected via a bus 140

communicate, can also be summarized in a single computer. Not shown here are the options for more

To connect computers to computers 100 and 102, but this is also done via interfaces 108 and 125. This applies both to computers of the same process control level and to the operations control computer.

FIG. 5 shows in more detail a transport system that extends from material transfer locations 150 to material transfer locations 152

extends. In this example, empty containers are transported from a distribution point 154 to the material transfer locations and filled there with material, which is indicated by the arrows 156. The full containers then go through the transport system according to the black arrows 158, which is depicted in the box 160, using the same type of drawing as in FIG. 1. It is immediately apparent that the transport system consists of transport channels and switches

is constructed. At the end of the transport system, the full containers are transported to the material transfer stations, which is indicated by the arrows 162. Here, the material is removed from the full containers and, according to arrows 164, either to a subsequent process step (one or more

Processing machines) or to another

 Transfer transport system. The now empty containers go to a container collecting point 166, are then processed (cleaned, thread remnants removed, etc.) checked and sent to the

Transfer distributor 154 for containers. In this example, the return transport of the empty containers is not recorded as a transport, since it is basically irrelevant for material flow tracking. However, one could also record this return transport, for example if one wanted to make sure that there was never a shortage of empty containers.

As described at the beginning, the transport system is simulated in the computer for transport between the

Material transfer locations and the material transfer locations created a log book, which is shown in the upper part of the figure at 170.

The replica of the material flow in the transport system, which leads to the creation of the logbook 170, is shown schematically in box 172, the box 172 framed by a dotted line at the top right in FIG. 5 an enlarged representation of the same numbered box in the middle of the figure. 5. This box 172, as shown at the top right, is in a larger one Scale shown in Fig. 5A, the replica using the computer in Fig. 6 is shown in more detail.

First of all, it should be clarified that the transport system composed of transport channels and switches is possible

Processes reflected in the actual transport system. That the transport system has two entrances 150 and two exits 152 (two material transfer locations and two material transfer locations). In

Considered the direction of flow of the transport system

Transport system two transport channels 10, the two

Connect material transfer locations 150 to the two inputs of a switch 21, the output of this switch coinciding with the input of a further transport channel 10. The exit of the switch 32 is at the entrance to a further switch 32, which here has only one input but two outputs, each

Exit in turn leads to a respective transport channel 10. The outputs of the two last-mentioned transport channels 10 form respective material transfer locations 152.

To determine the material flow, i.e. the movement

physical containers along the transport system

Various sensors are provided, and the individual use dotted lines to indicate the locations where a sensor in the

Transport channel is available and how the output signal of the sensor is used for the simulation in the computer.

It is immediately apparent that the simulation in the computer is composed of the simulation schemes shown in FIGS. 1B and 1D, which is why the illustration is not explained in more detail here. It is also essential that some sensors

coincide, such as, for example, the sensors at the output end of the first (left) transport channels 10 and the sensors at the inputs of the first (left) switch 32

coincide, are circled in the drawing of FIG. 6 with a dotted line. Fig. 7 shows how the sensors in one

 Suspension belt transport system can be placed, which is from a material transfer point at the exit of a

Comb preparation machine (Rieter Unilap) into one

Material transfer station at the template places of a comber leads.

The product of a comb preparation machine is a

so-called wrap, i.e. that in this system each container has the shape of a winding tube.

Here individual coils are generated at the storage place of the combing preparation machine, their takeover at one

Material transfer location of the transport system coincides, so that only one sensor (here marked with S) is required to detect the transfer. In this monorail system, four windings are formed into a train, which then continues along the monorail system. Since four windings are formed into one train, an additional sensor S2 in the course of the is now sufficient

Transport system from left to right to record the passage of the train.

After this further sensor S2 there is a switch, ie the train can either move to the left or to the right, which is detected by the respective sensors S3 and S4. The train then moves along the subsequent transport channels and leaves these transport channels at a further switch, further sensors S5 and S6 being provided at the two inputs of the switch in order to determine which train is now entering the switch from which transport channel. Leaving the switch by the train is detected by the further sensor S7. A single transport channel 10 then follows again. At the end of this transport channel there is another switch 32, this time with three exits, which represent respective combing machines. The entrance of the train into the Switch 33 is detected with sensor S8 and the further sensors S9 to S11 determine whether and where the train has emerged from the switch. At the three outputs of the switch there are then three further transport channels 10, with sensors S12 to S14 on the output side, which at the same time are the sensors at the template positions

 of the three combing machines. This transport system is simulated via the computer 180, which is connected to the sensors via a bus 182. This computer 180 performs a replication similar to that of FIG. 6 and establishes logbooks whose files are similar to those of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

The computer 180 has an IO unit (interface, 186, a memory 188 and possibly a keyboard and one

Display 190. Computer 180 continues to communicate via bus 192 with a material flow simulation computer 194, the

can be formed for example by the operations control computer.

Fig. 8 shows the material flow simulation in a spinning machine, for example in a flyer or another type of

Spinning machine.

From the sketch it can be seen that the material present in band form 200 will be removed from containers in the form of cans 202 and will be spun by the spinning machine 204 into a roving 206. If machine 204 is an open-end spinning machine, then of course not roving but yarn is created. It can thus be said that the can 202 is at a template location of the

Processing machine 204 stands and that the product, here the

Roving bobbin 206, in the storage position of the spinning machine

is arranged.

A sensor S15 may possibly be provided for monitoring the template item, but is not absolutely necessary if before a transport system is arranged in the processing machine, since the sensors at the outputs of the transport system can replace the sensors for monitoring the template positions or these sensors can coincide.

Additional sensors S16 to S19 are provided to detect the

Machine condition to be determined. These are known sensors for determining coils, tape breaks,

Delivery speeds, doff times, etc.

The signals from the sensors S15 are fed via the dotted bus 210 to the computer for the simulation of the transport system arranged in front of the flyer and are simultaneously fed via the bus 220 to the computer 222 for the simulation of the material flow on the flyer, this computer simultaneously serving Control of the flyer is used.

As usual, this computer 222 has a microprocessor 224, an IO unit 226, a memory 228 and optionally also a keyboard and a display device 230. The signals from the sensors S16 to S19 are also fed via the bus 220 to the computer 222 and the Computer 222 then creates a logbook 232 for the flyer according to the example of FIG. 2D.

The data and files contained in the memory of the computer 222, i.e. including the logbook 232 can also be called up here from the operations control computer 194, this computer communicating with the computer 222 via the bus 234.

The reference symbol 236 indicates a further bus which connects the computer 222 to a further computer, for example to a computer which is responsible for the coil storage area.

9 now shows the material flow tracking from the card 240 via the full-can bearing 242 and an automatic one Can transport system 244 to route 246.

The card 240 processes flakes filled in a full shaft 248 into a card sliver which is placed in cans 250.

Known sensors for determining the machine condition are attached to the card itself, for example sensors for determining fiber sliver breaks, delivery speed, flake supply, etc.

These sensors are provided here with S23 for monitoring the storage position at the exit of the card. This can be, for example, a light barrier or a contact sensor. The sensor signals from the card, i.e. The sensors S20 to S23 lead to a computer 252, specifically via buses or dedicated lines 254, which computer can be, for example, a computer for controlling the card or the card, or else a process control computer for the entire area of the blow room. In accordance with the previous examples, this computer has a microprocessor and an I / O unit 254 and a memory 256 and can optionally also be equipped with a keyboard and a display, which is indicated by the reference symbol 258. The

The microprocessor then carries out a simulation of the processes in the card, as mentioned earlier, and forms in the process

Logbook about the material flow processes in the card. The stored data and files determined in this way can be downloaded from

Operations control computer 194 can be called up at any time via bus 260.

The cans 250 produced by the card 240 are first transferred to the full cans store 242, whereby, as already explained. the warehouse is regarded as a transport system and a file about the movements of the cans into the warehouse and out of the warehouse is formed via the associated computer 262. The corresponding logbook or file is 264 specified. The log book can, for example, be kept in accordance with FIG. 2E.

The sensor S23 at the output of the card can also

 Form the input sensor of the full-can bearing, which will normally be the case, which is why the corresponding sensor is provided with the same reference number.

There is also a sensor S24 on the output side of the full cans store and the signals from the two sensors S23 and S24 as well as from other, possibly existing sensors, especially if the store has several transport channels (and / or switches), are via signal lines (buses) 266 connected to the computer 262.

 The basic design of the computer 262 corresponds to the computer 180 of FIG. 7 and is also connected to the operations control computer 194 via a bus 268. At the material transfer location, at the exit of the full can warehouse, the cans are loaded in pairs onto a can transport vehicle 270 and transported to the route 246. The vehicle 270 has sensors, for example S25, for determining the operating state of the

Vehicle, for example battery charge level, via sensors such as S26 for monitoring the operations relating to the cans

 Loading with a certain number of cans) and a displacement sensor S27 to determine the distance traveled. As previously, the signals from these sensors are routed to a computer via signal lines, here 272, identified here as a vehicle computer, and a file is produced here about the transport processes that have taken place. The vehicle computer is also designed to control the function of the vehicle.

According to the automatic transport system, the cans 250 are transferred to the route, the template positions of the route being monitored by appropriate sensors, here S28 to S31. The route also has known sensors for detection of the machine state, for example via sensors

Determination of coils, tape breaks, delivery speeds, tape weight etc., which are shown with sensors S32 to S35. Finally, at the exit of the route, i.e. at the storage position, further sensors, for example S36 for monitoring the storage positions. Here, too, the signals from the sensors are led via signal lines, here 276, to a computer 278, which maps the material flow processes in the route and establishes a log book 280, for example according to the pattern in FIG. 2C.

The computer 278 is also connected to the via a bus 282

Operations control computer 194 connected.

The computers 262, 274 and 278 and possibly also 252 can finally be replaced by a computer, for example by the process control computer for the Vorwerk area. However, it is also possible to provide individual computers and these are then expediently connected to a higher-level transport system computer 286 via corresponding buses 288, 290 and 292. Computer 286 then establishes logbooks for the whole

Transport system. Instead of the data on the done

To receive transport processes from the computers 262 and 278, the computer 286 can be connected via corresponding buses 292 and 294 directly to the output sensors of the full-can store and the sensors for monitoring the can-template positions on the route. Finally, the computer 286 communicates with the

Operations control computer 194 via bus 296.

Fig. 10 finally shows the material flow tracking from the bale opening to mixing.

The sketch shows a bale removal machine at 300, a fan at 302, a material flow sensor at 304 and a mixer at 206. The in the template position the bale removal machine 300 bales 308 are from the

Opening roller 310 removed, a sensor S37 measures the speed of the opening roller. Another sensor S38 determines the just removed bale template (left or right template), while position sensors S39 and S40 determine the location of the

Determine the bale removal device in the horizontal and vertical directions. These sensors are connected to the signal lines 312, if necessary after conversion into digital signals

Microprocessor 314 created that controls the functions of the tape opener. The data from the sensor signals are here

Operations control computer 194 is available, which communicates with the microprocessor 314 via the bus 316.

The flakes released by the bale opener are sucked through a pipe 320 due to the suction effect of a fan 318 and fed to the mixer 306 by means of a further transport line 322 via a material flow sensor.

A sensor S 41 is located on the fan 318, for example

Speed measurement, e.g. a tachometer generator, comment generator etc. attached and the signals of this sensor are via a

Signal line 326 transferred to the computer 194, possibly via an intermediate computer, for example the area computer for the

Blowroom.

The material flow sensor 324 has two separate sensors S41 and S43, which flow through the flake mass in kg / min. determine. This can be done, for example, by capacitive determination of the mass in the sensor and speed measurement by cross-correlation analysis of the signals from two measuring points shifted by a distance s (optical or acoustic sensors). The signals from these sensors are also fed to the operations control computer 194 via signal lines 328, the signals here also being able to be routed via the area computer for the blow room. In the mixer itself, the flake stream is divided into six

Shafts stored and there is a measurement of the amount of material in the respective filling chutes. This can be done, for example, by measuring the fill level and calculating the stored quantity using light barriers, pressure measurements, ultrasound measurements or by weighing the contents of the memory. For this are

Corresponding sensors are provided.

The flakes present in the filling chutes are deposited in a known manner on a conveyor belt 330, the running speed of which is determined by the speed of the drive roller, which is determined by means of the sensor S44. At the end of

Conveyor belt 330 is a revolving needle slat 332, which loosens flakes from the flake fleece conveyed by conveyor belt 330 and places them in a full shaft 334, which leads to an opening roller 336, which further loosens the flakes, cleans them at the same time and finally feeds them into line 338 from the flake stream . This line 338 then leads to the carding machine via blow room machines. At the top of the

Needle laths are provided with stripping and cleaning rollers as indicated at 340.

Various other sensors determine the thickness of the fleece in front of the needle slat, the speed of the cleaning roller 340, the full height of the shaft 334, the speed of the feed rollers at the lower end of the filling shaft 334, the size of the material flow from the full shaft 334 and the speed of the opening roller 336. The signals from all of these sensors are applied via signal lines 34, for example a bus line, to a computer 324 which controls or regulates the functions of the mixer. This microprocessor, like the microprocessor 314, can also be used by

Process control computers for the blow room are formed. These signals can then be called up by the operations control computer 194 via a bus 344, so that the latter can emulate the material flow in the blow room in the manner that is already described in section 1.7.2. 7, 8, 9 and 10, the computer 194 is specified as the operations control computer, it is also entirely possible to provide a separate computer for material flow tracking, which is arranged in a hierarchy level below the operations control computer, ie a separate computer, who is mainly or exclusively responsible for material flow tracking.

Claims

P a t e n t a n s r u c h e

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Method for determining the flow of material in a textile processing plant, in particular in a spinning mill, in which the material is processed by a plurality of processing machines and transported to and from the processing machines via transport systems and, if appropriate, is stored at at least one storage location in a warehouse, the processing machines being composed of several individual units Processing points can exist, characterized in that in at least one transport system, transport processes taking place by means of sensors without physical Marking of material units recorded and time-marked in a computer and linked with location information and thereby a first file is created, which contains at least information about what has taken place

Contains transport processes from the material transfer location to the material transfer location, and that the determination of the material flow from a material transfer location of the transport system, for example from a storage location of a processing machine upstream of the transport system to a material transfer location of the transport system, for example a template location of the processing machine downstream of the transport system by examining the information contained in this file takes place, and / or that at least one processing machine, which is upstream or downstream of the transport system and at least one template and at least one

Storage location, the material flow between these locations without physical marking of the material units from a transport system to a processing point or vice versa by temporal and local

Identification and registration of all bills of exchange

Units of material are stored in these places in a computer, and a second file is thereby formed, and the material flow is determined from a template location of the processing point to a storage location of this processing point by examining the information contained in this second file, and that, if necessary, the material flow is determined by linking the temporal and spatial information in the first and the second file, the first File and / or the second file, if desired, can consist of several individual files.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that an existing warehouse is considered as a transport system in which the transport time corresponds to the time in the warehouse, with a separate file being created for the warehouse, which consists of several individual files, for example one file per storage location can exist.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

 characterized in that one of the processing machines is a spinning machine, and that the transport system is connected downstream of this, and connects it to a suitable further processing machine or bobbin dyeing or rewinding machine, with further ones for this

 Processing machine a separate file is created, with information corresponding to that of the second file.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a further transport system is connected upstream of the spinning machine and connects it with a suitable processing machine, for example with a flyer or a line, with separate files also being created for the further transport system and the latter processing machine with the respective information corresponding to that of the first and second files.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that the processing machines, for example one or more combing machines, one or more further sections or combing preparation machines Machines, cards, mixing machines, cleaning machines and bale removal machines as well as other intermediate transport systems, such as industrial trucks, overhead conveyors, conveyor belts and possibly manually operated transport systems, which each have corresponding files on the respective machine or the respective transport system.

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a transport system in the

Computer is simulated as interconnected transport channels and switches, the interpretation of which

corresponds to the physical structure of the transport system, a transport channel being subject to the conditions: a) it is a connection between two locations, namely one

 Entrance and an exit, b) on it no connections from other places

 open out or go to other places, c) the material units in it only in one

 Move direction,

 among the material units /

d) no swapping and no overtaking takes place, e) that any number of

 Units of material can be, their

maximum number is limited, with the result that the order of the inputs is the same as the order of the outputs and a switch is subject to the conditions. f) it can contain a maximum of one or no material unit, g) it connects different transport channels or

 Turnouts, h) has any number of inputs and outputs, i) the material units only move from one

 Entrance to an exit and that at every material transfer location at the beginning of the transport system and at every material transfer location at the end of the transport system and at every transition between

 Transport channels, between switches and transport channels and between switches, the passage of a material unit is communicated to the assigned computer by means of a simple sensor.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,

 characterized in that all changes on the template spaces and / or storage spaces of a processing machine are monitored by at least one sensor.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein as a processing machine at least one ring spinning machine and at least one winding machine are provided and connected by a transport system, characterized in that the doffing and plugging the cops onto a conveyor belt in the first file by a sensor in the ring spinning machine of the transport system and, if applicable, in the second file of the ring spinning machine, that the transfer of the individual heads from the conveyor belt to the conveyor belt is recorded by a second sensor

Entry position of the bobbin preparation station machine is recorded and with the second takeover that is stored via sensors running along the

 Transport channels and switches of the winder are arranged, the further path of the bobbin is followed until it has passed through the bobbin preparation station, after which, when further banned, it arrives at a bobbin station either directly or via a manual preparation station and from there, possibly after having repeated the loop of the bobbin The bobbin preparation station, if necessary the manual preparation station of the winding machine leaves it empty or almost empty (thread residue that cannot be unwound), possibly after the thread residue has been removed.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of ring spinning machines and a plurality of cop preparation stations are provided, characterized in that a first

 Transport system is provided, which leads the cops of the ring spinning machines to the cop preparation stations without a fixed assignment between individual ring spinning machines and individual cop preparation stations, that a second transport system is provided which leads from the cop preparation stations to the template positions of the winding machines, even without a fixed assignment between the individual cop preparation stations and the template places of the winder or the winder, and that a third transport system is provided which the partially unwound cops to the

 Cop preparation stations returns, also here without a fixed assignment and an empty or almost empty spool (thread reel that cannot be unwound) possibly after deduction of the

 Thread rest to a head collection point or to the

 Returns the spinning positions of the ring spinning machines.

10. Method for determining the material flow in a textile processing plant, in particular in a spinning mill, hot who processes the material from a plurality of processing machines and transports it to and from the processing machines via transport systems and, if necessary, stores it at at least one storage location in a warehouse, the processing machines being able to consist of several individual processing locations, characterized in that a flocculation stream is removed by

 Fiber bale is generated and opened, cleaned and mixed using cleaning machines and / or mixing machines, so that a fiber structure is formed; that the concrete design of at least part of the system is simulated in a computer, that the time course of the

 Bale removal with assignment of the relative position of the removal member and the bale at the time of

 Removal is determined; that information on the flow rates in flowed through machines and on the content of flake-storing devices of the machine are determined via sensors and are entered into the computer for the purpose of synchronizing the simulation with reality; that the operating state of the individual machines and transport systems is determined and a model of the dynamic behavior of the material flow is created in the computer, and that with the help of this

 dynamic log, a log book or several log books is or are created in which the chronological assignment of the processed material to the incoming material is recorded.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that marks are generated during bale removal, for example when changing from one bale to the next when removing these bales, or with each pass of a bale removal machine, or at predeterminable time intervals, which mark the time Bale removal and an assignment to the individual bales enables the propagation of these brands to be determined in accordance with the replication of the material flow in the dynamic model and this propagation information is used to create the log book or log books that contain the minimum information on the brand transport that took place from the place of brand takeover (place of origin) to the place of brand transfer

 (Release location) contains or contain.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that a mark a) time and place of creation of the material package that it represents and / or b) an identification of the bale that was removed at the time the brand was created and

 for example details of the part of the bale from which it was made and / or c) information on the mass of the material package that it

 represent assigned.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 10 to

12, characterized in that when dividing

 Flakes, for example between individual shafts or at branches, the brand is divided according to the number of flowing material flows and possibly according to the respective material flow conditions.

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 10 to

13, characterized in that in a process line consisting of a bale removal machine, a mixing machine and cards for the bale removal machine machine, a respective log book is written for the mixing machine and for each card.

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 10 to 14, characterized in that in a process line consisting of bale removal machines, cleaning machines, opening machines, mixing machines and several cards, connected by transport system such as pipes, possibly with their own blowers, for each machine and each Transport system a separate logbook is written or saved as a file.

16. A method for determining the flow of material in a textile processing plant, in particular in a spinning mill, in which the material is processed by a plurality of processing machines and transported to and from the processing machines via transport systems and, if appropriate, is stored at at least one storage location in a warehouse, the processing machines being off Several individual processing points can exist, characterized in that for a selected processing machine or for several selected processing machines as well as for a selected transport system or several selected transport systems and possibly also for a selected material store or several selected material stores logbooks or files about the material flow processes that have taken place in a computer or can be written and saved in several computers without direct marking of the material or any existing containers for the material rd, and that the computer (s) determine the material flow by linking the data contained in the individual files and, if applicable, apply it with other operating data for a forward-looking view of the expected material flow.

17. Device for carrying out the method according to one or more of the preceding claims,

 characterized in that in a transport system at each material transfer location and at each material transfer location and at every intermediate transition between a transport channel and a subsequent transport channel, between a transport channel and a switch, between a switch and a transport channel and

 a sensor is provided between a switch and a subsequent switch, that all sensors are connected to a computer that is responsible for the transport system, and that the computer contains a program that creates a log book or several log books in the form of a file, in which or which contain information on the transport processes that have taken place between the material transfer and material transfer locations.

18. Device for performing the method according to a

 or more of the preceding method claims, characterized in that sensors for monitoring the temporal and local in each processing machine or in each selected processing machine

 Changes at the template places and storage spaces are provided, where applicable only one template space and one

Storage space must be available; that these sensors are connected to the computer responsible for this processing machine, that this computer additionally has at least one input via which information about changes in the machine state can be fed into the computer, the sensors present at the template and storage locations possibly being replaced by those sensors can be that at the material transfer locations or material transfer locations of the transport system upstream of the processing machine or the processing machine ne downstream transport systems are provided, and that the computer contains a program that creates a log book or several log books or files in or in which the material flow between them

 Burst due to temporal and local labeling and

 Registration of all changes of material units on these places can be held.

19. Device for performing the method according to a

 of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that one or more sensors is or are provided in the bale removal machine, which are connected to one for the

 Computers responsible for the blow room are connected so that the computer has inputs for information on the fiber quantities in the memories, the fiber material flow, the operating state and the speed of the individual machines in the blow room and a program that enables the creation of a log book or more Logbooks or files in which the chronological assignment of the material processed in these machines to the incoming material can be recorded.

20. Device according to one of the preceding claims 17,

 18 and 19, characterized in that in the presence of several individual computers, these are connected to one another and possibly also to a master computer via bus lines in order to track the material flow

Link the information in the various logbooks and files.

21. A system for material flow tracking characterized by means for generating mutually assigned time and location coordinates for the material to be tracked and means for maintaining such coordinates that they can be found again when required.

22. A system for emulating a material flow in a computing model characterized in that the material can be divided into material units, a mark can be generated in the model for each unit, and smocks are provided to reproduce the mark in the model the movements of the unit or to adjust parts of it.