EP1041006B1 - Method and device for monitoring a cigarette making and packaging plant - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves detecting the quantity of finished or partially finished products such as cigarettes or cigarette packet products in stores by continuous or cyclic measurement. The amount to be produced is compared with the amount already produced. the amount already produced reaches a critical amount, the production units are set back in succession, run empty and finally switched off. Any stores are emptied so as to give the desired amount of products. An Independent claim is included for a method of controlling a production and packing line. An apparatus is also claimed.

Description

The invention relates to a method for controlling a manufacturing and packaging system for cigarettes or similar products from manufacturing units, such as cigarette manufacturing machines, so-called makers, packaging machines, so-called packers, possibly film wrapping machines, optionally pack packers, so-called bar packers and possibly carton packers, So-called cartoners for the manufacture and ready to ship packaging of products - cigarettes - a certain, limited quantity - target quantity. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for performing the method.

The manufacture of cigarettes (or cigarillos) increasingly requires a quick, economical adaptation to different products. These differences can affect the quality of the cigarettes, different brands, equipment, etc. Often only a limited amount of a variety or brand or equipment can be produced.

So far, the manufacturing and packaging system has only approximated the number of cigarette packs to be manufactured adjusted, with overproduction in the safe area. This is often not deductible and must ultimately be destroyed.

The invention has for its object to control the complete manufacturing and packaging system for cigarettes in particular so that limited quantities - target quantities - can be produced without the production being associated with excessive overproductions.

• a) die sich im Herstellungs- bzw. Verpackungsprozess befindliche Menge an ganz oder teilweise fertiggestellten Produkten - z.B. Zigaretten und/oder Zigarettenpackungen - werden einschließlich von sich in Speichern befindlichen Produkten - durch permanente oder zyklische Messungen erfasst und mit der zu produzierenden Sollmenge einerseits sowie einer bereits produzierten Istmenge andererseits verglichen, unter Berücksichtigung von an jeder Fertigungseinheit entstehender Fehlproduktion
• b) bei Erreichen einer kritischen Istmenge, die zusammen mit den im Herstellungs- bzw. Verpackungsprozess vorhandenen Produkten die herzustellende Sollmenge ergeben, werden nacheinander die aufeinanderfolgenden Fertigungseinheiten heruntergefahren, leergefahren und schließlich abgeschaltet, wobei etwaige Speicher ebenfalls leergefahren werden, derart, dass bei Stillstand der Fertigungs- und Verpackungsanlage die gewünschte Sollmenge produziert ist.

To achieve this object, a first method according to the invention has the following features:

• a) The amount of fully or partially finished products in the manufacturing or packaging process - e.g. cigarettes and / or cigarette packs - including products in storage - are recorded by permanent or cyclical measurements and with the target quantity to be produced on the one hand and a On the other hand, the actual quantity already produced is compared, taking into account the faulty production that occurs at each production unit
• b) when a critical actual quantity is reached, which together with the products in the manufacturing or packaging process result in the target quantity to be produced, the successive production units are shut down, emptied and finally switched off, with any storage also being emptied, such that when the Manufacturing and packaging system, the desired quantity is produced.

The memory for cigarettes and cigarette packs as well as the other manufacturing units of the "line" are monitored by known bodies, such as sensors, buttons, counters, etc., so that the current production status can be recorded practically at any time and further measures can then be taken.

A second method according to the invention is defined in claim 2. The task can be solved by using the target quantity to be manufactured, taking into account the performance of the individual production units, the reject production known as empirical value and taking into account a current, unexpected faulty production of each production unit, the material required for the target quantity, in particular packaging material, is made available.

The manufacturing process of the entire manufacturing and packaging system is evaluated via a common central computer and displayed on a connected screen. The devices according to the invention are defined in claims 12 and 13.

Another special feature of the method according to the invention is that before the target quantity of products - cigarettes / cigarette packs - has been reached, the material present in each production unit, in particular packaging material, is checked with regard to its reusability for the next product type and is displayed on a screen.

According to the invention, the target quantity to be produced can result from a product-related specification, but alternatively also from an existing stock of certain material, for example tax stamps for cigarette packs. The target quantity can correspond to the number of tax stamps available.

Fig. 1

eine Fertigungs- und Verpackungsanlage für Zigaretten im schematischen Grundriss,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung einer Steuerungseinrichtung für eine Anlage gemäß Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

ein Fließbild über die Mengensteuerung der Anlage,

Fig. 4

eine Grafik über den Funktionsablauf bei der Fertigung und Verpackung der Zigaretten,

Fig. 5

ein weiteres Diagramm über die Ermittlung von Materialbedarf,

Fig. 6

ein Diagramm über den Verfahrensablauf bei Beendigung der Produktion einer Charge,

Fig. 7

ein Beispiel für eine Bildschirmanzeige.

Further special features of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

a manufacturing and packaging system for cigarettes in a schematic floor plan,

Fig. 2

2 shows a schematic illustration of a control device for a system according to FIG. 1,

Fig. 3

a flow diagram about the quantity control of the plant,

Fig. 4

a graphic of the functional sequence in the manufacture and packaging of the cigarettes,

Fig. 5

another diagram about the determination of material requirements,

Fig. 6

a diagram of the process flow when the production of a batch is ended,

Fig. 7

an example of an on-screen display.

The embodiment shown in the drawings relates to a manufacturing plant for cigarettes, that is, a so-called line. This consists of production units, namely, for example, a cigarette manufacturing machine, namely a maker 10, a packaging machine connected to it, i.e. a packer 11, a subsequent film wrapping machine 12, a packaging machine for producing packs from a plurality of cigarette packs, i.e. a carton packer 13 and a cartoner 14 who packs the packaging, i.e. cigarette sticks, in a shipping carton.

The cigarettes manufactured by the maker 10 are fed to the packer 11 by a cigarette conveyor 15 with a cigarette store 16. This can be, for example, a hinge-lid packer, i.e. a packaging machine for manufacturing hinged boxes. A cut storage 17 is assigned to the packer 11, that is to say a device for receiving a larger supply of prefabricated blanks for the hinged box. The blank store 17 also has conveying elements for feeding blank stacks to the packer 11.

The (cigarette) packs produced by the packer 11 are fed to the film wrapping machine 12 via a pack conveyor 18. This has the task of wrapping the cigarette packs in an outer film or plastic blank. Packing groups are formed from the finished cigarette packs, which are provided with a container wrapping in the area of the packer 13 and thus result in a cigarette pack of usually ten packs of cigarettes. These cigarette rods are fed to the cartoner 14 by a rod conveyor 19. This transfers finished shipping cartons 20 with a plurality of cigarette rods to a conveyor 21. In the area of the package conveyor 18 between the packer 11 and the film wrapping machine 12 there is a package store 22 for holding a larger number of cigarette packs (without an outer wrapper).

The manufacturing units described must be supplied with material. A sufficient amount of tobacco is to be supplied to the maker 10, and also cigarette paper in the form of wound webs, namely bobbins. Furthermore, the filter 10 must also be supplied with filter attachment paper wound in the form of bobbins, so that the manufactured cigarettes can be supplied with the appropriate material in the area of a filter attachment machine 23. The other manufacturing units must also be sent packaging material in wound webs, i.e. as bobbins. This applies to the manufacture of a collar customary for cigarette packs of the hinged box type, also for an inner wrapper, a so-called inner liner of the cigarette group, and for the outer wrapper made of film or cellular glass. For this purpose, a central warehouse 24 is provided, in which the bobbins 25 of different materials are stored, for example on pallets. A suitable conveyor device, for example a common material conveyor 26, can be moved along a conveyor path 27 between the bearing 24 and the individual production units for the delivery of the bobbin material as required.

In the example shown, the bearing 24 can be constructed such that filter attachment paper 28, collar material 29, inner liner material 30, film material 31 and cigarette paper 32 are positioned in the region of the conveyor track 27 for takeover by the material conveyor 26, in each case in a favorable relative position to the associated one manufacturing unit.

The process of manufacturing the cigarettes until the finished shipping cartons 20 are filled with cigarette rods is monitored and recorded continuously or from time to time. 2, a control unit 33 of each production unit or machine unit is connected to a central line 34 for this purpose. A central computer 35 is connected to this in turn. In addition, computers in the area of the (material) warehouse 24 and in the shipping area are connected, namely a storage PC 36 and a shipping PC 37. The latter is located in the area of the cartoner 14 and the discharge conveyor 21. The central computer 35 can store data are supplied, in the present case by laptop 38. The control units 33 are assigned to the maker 10, the filter attachment machine 23, the packer 11, the pack store 22, the bar packer 13 and the cartoner 14.

The production control with regard to a specific production quantity is carried out in accordance with a first embodiment in such a way that a small safety margin is added to the required production quantity, for example between 5% and 10% and that the quantity specification thus formed - target quantity - serves as an input variable. The actual production, i.e. the total production, is larger than the target quantity, taking into account the rejects or faulty productions of each production unit or aggregate. The control shown as an example takes into account the expected wrong production and also an unexpected wrong production. This results in an actual faulty production. The expected faulty production results from the data of the individual manufacturing units and aggregates, which are available and saved due to the constant operational evaluation. The unexpected wrong productions are determined by monitoring or querying production data of the individual production units and units during production. The production requirements of the system are continuously determined from the two data, taking into account the quantity specification, namely in such a way that the target quantity is reached when production and production are ended.

The number of cigarettes to be manufactured results from the target quantity and the actual faulty productions of the entire line. The cigarette production must therefore be adapted to the data that may change during the manufacturing and packaging process, namely increased or reduced.

Taking into account the above-mentioned data, namely the target quantity and the expected, that is to say known, faulty production, the required material is made available to each production unit at the start of production. The unexpected incorrect production leads to a change in the provision of material, in particular the subsequent request and subsequent delivery of material for individual production units.

As explained on the basis of the flow diagram in FIG. 3, it is assumed that the quantity specification - target quantity - is 5,000 units, for example 5,000 cigarettes or packs. The respective additional manufacturing requirement for units is determined on the basis of queries in the area of the manufacturing units. The individual production units are shown schematically as rectangles. On the left side of the individual production units 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, a bar symbol for additional requests 39 for material is shown. On the opposite side, the faulty production is shown symbolically on the basis of horizontal stripes, specifically the actual faulty production in a solid line, which is composed of the expected faulty production 40 (dashed line) and the unexpected faulty production 41.

It is assumed that the carton packer 14 has delivered an actual (total) faulty production of 50 units as the end machine in the line and that this corresponds to the expected faulty production 40, that is, unexpected faulty production has not occurred. As a result of the way the carton packer works, an (expected) additional requirement of 50 units has been determined. The upstream bar packer 13 must deliver a usable production of 5,050 units.

For the rod packer 13, an expected incorrect production of 50 units and an unexpected incorrect production of 100 units are assumed. On the one hand, this means that the preceding production unit, i.e. the film wrapping machine 12, must deliver a usable quantity of 5,200 units. In addition, an additional request 39 for packaging material is required for the unexpected faulty production of 100 units.

In this example, the film wrapping machine 12 has a total faulty production of 60 units. This is offset by an assumed incorrect production of 40 out of 140 units. Since the preceding manufacturing unit, namely the packer 11, is loaded after the actual faulty productions, the packer 11 has to deliver a quantity of 5,260 units.

For the packer 11, it must also be taken into account that there is a predetermined, assumed incorrect production of 100 units. In addition, an unexpected, i.e. additional faulty production 41 out of 290 units must be taken into account. On the one hand, this means that the maker 10 has to deliver additional cigarettes for 390 units due to the performance of the packer 11, that is a total of 5,650 units.

Other considerations apply to the subsequent delivery of packaging material to packer 11 (during the production process). The additional demand 39 for the packer 11 is in itself determined by the unexpected faulty production 41, that is to say it is loaded with 290 units. However, since the subsequent production unit, namely the film wrapping machine 12, introduces a "material credit" of 40 units, the packer 11 is only to be subsequently supplied with material for 250 units.

The maker 10 is burdened by the subsequent production units with a production of 5,650 units. It is believed that an expected misproduction is 40 out of 200 units. But there are also 230 units of unexpected incorrect production 41. This means that the production of cigarettes amounts to a total of 6,080 units in order to take into account the performance of the maker 10 and that of all subsequent production units, so that the quantity specification of 5,000 is reached in the end.

Due to the preloads from the subsequent production units, the Maker 10 must be supplied with material, namely tobacco and cigarette paper as well as filter paper for 480 units during the manufacturing process.

The block diagrams according to FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show the processes during production for determining the demand values and for ending the manufacturing process.

4 shows an overview of the production process, the functions or measures being shown in individual fields.

According to field 42, the mark to be produced is entered into the central computer 35 at the start of batch production and the quantity specification, that is to say the need to be produced, including a low safety margin. Then the production program begins.

The (initial) amount of packaging and other material for each manufacturing unit must be provided for production. For this purpose, the stored, average or expected incorrect productions for each production unit or each unit are called up in field 43 in the central computer. In conjunction with the quantity specification, the amount of material, in particular the amount of packaging material, can be calculated in accordance with field 44. Corresponding information is transmitted to the storage PC 36 and the material is made available to the individual production units accordingly.

This calculation cycle is repeated several times or continuously during the production of the batch, for all production units of this line. The changes that have been made are taken into account in relation to the requirements and assumptions. This requires that the production units are monitored by sensors and other monitoring devices with regard to the production process and above all with regard to the fully or partially finished products in the line. In particular, there are (known) sensors and sensing elements in the production units and in the memories, which detect the respective fill level and deliver corresponding data to the central computer 35.

In order to record the fully or partially manufactured quantities, the present result is determined again after each calculation cycle by querying and calculating. The number of packs in the manufacturing process is first determined by querying. Furthermore, the amount of cigarettes stored in the cigarette store 16 and the amount of packs in the pack store 22 are recognized. Finally, the packs that have left the cartoner 14 and are filled into the shipping carton 20 as “good packs” are also recorded.

From this query data, a calculation is carried out in accordance with field 46, namely the present total production is determined from the queries in field 45. The calculated total production is compared with the target quantity in accordance with field 47. If the total production has not (yet) reached the target quantity, the requirement calculation is repeated for the individual production units, specifically in accordance with the method shown in FIG. 5. If, on the other hand, the quantity specification has been reached or exceeded, the shutdown of the production line is initiated in accordance with the steps shown in FIG. 6.

5 shows the calculation sequence for determining the material requirement, in particular packaging material for the individual production units.

According to field 47, machine-specific data are queried, namely the production output of maker 10, packer 11, film wrapping machine 12, bar packer 13 and cartoner 14. Furthermore, the incorrect productions of the aforementioned production units are ascertained, namely the actual incorrect production from the known (assumed) incorrect production and the unexpected wrong production. From this data according to field 47, the consumption of material or packaging material for the individual manufacturing units is calculated according to field 48. According to field 49, a comparative calculation is then made, namely the actual consumption of material or packaging material in relation to the "good packs" in the area of the cartoner 14, the average consumption of material of the production unit concerned (with the expected faulty productions) also the good packs in Area of the cartoner 14 contrasted. If the first comparison number is greater than the second, a further calculation is made in accordance with field 50, namely for packaging or other material of the production unit concerned to be requested. For this purpose, the faulty productions of the machine in question, for example the maker 10, and the subsequent production units 11, 12, 13, 14 are added and the material to be reordered for the production unit in question is determined therefrom. Appropriate information is given to the warehouse. This calculation is carried out successively for all production units in the line.

If, based on the queries and calculations shown in connection with FIG. 4, the total production is equal to or greater than the quantity specification, the shutdown process according to FIG. 6 is initiated.

First, the Maker 10 is shut down. This means that the supply of the material - tobacco, cigarette paper and filter paper - is interrupted and the maker 10 is "emptied" with regard to production and is finally switched off. The cigarette store 16 arranged downstream of the maker is emptied while maintaining the working speed of the subsequent production units. The fill level of the cigarette store 16 is continuously queried. When the cigarette store has been emptied, the "empty run" operating state is initiated for the subsequent packer 11. If the packer 11 is empty due to a corresponding query, this production unit is switched off.

The pack store 22 is driven empty at full operating speed. The fill level is also monitored here. If the pack store 22 has run empty, the operating state "run empty" is initiated for the subsequent film wrapping machine 12.

The filling status of the film wrapping machine 12 is then queried. If this production unit is empty, the shutdown takes place. At the same time, the bar packer 13 is switched to the "empty run" operating state. If a query shows that the cartoner 14 has run empty, the end of production is given. All production units are switched off. Remnants of packaging material are automatically removed. This is checked by a query. A completion message is sent to the central computer 35, which indicates the end of production.

The above-described monitoring of the entire production and packaging system in relation to products that have already been manufactured or to partially finished products enables a different, advantageous control of the production quantity or a target quantity to be produced. It is assumed that sufficient material, in particular packaging material, is available to the individual production units of the line or is requested as required. Instead of continuously taking into account previously known, expected and unexpected incorrect productions, a quantity of products (cigarette packs / cigarettes) that has already been manufactured, i.e. an actual quantity, is continuously or by means of cyclical polling - for example at intervals of 10 s. - juxtaposed, taking into account the material available in the manufacturing and packaging system or taking into account the fully or partially finished products. This result is compared to the target quantity. If the actual quantity produced together with the products in the production and packaging system yields the target quantity, the shutdown process for the production and packaging system is initiated, first by shutting down and finally switching off the maker to the last production unit.

The predetermined target quantity can be determined in different ways, in particular also by the consumption of certain material. In particular, it may be necessary to completely consume pack blanks of certain equipment and / or tax stamps and to place the target quantity to be produced thereon.

Finally, a special feature results from FIG. 7, namely from the representation on a screen connected to the central computer 35, for example the laptop 38. The display provides information about the inventory and type or possible use of the material of a production unit, namely the packer 11 The information relates to the upcoming change of product type, for example to a brand change. The packaging materials processed in the packer 11 are specified, namely blanks, film web (for the inner wrapping of the cigarette group) and material webs for the production of collar blanks. The screen shows that the "Cuts" and "Inner Wrapping" products are not suitable for the next brand. When the production and packaging system is switched off, these two packaging materials must be replaced. In contrast, the material for the Collars can also be used for the next execution of the packs.

The material is always made available to the production units in complete, but smallest possible units, for example by pallets with a predetermined amount of packaging material.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Maker

11

packer

12

Film-wrapping machine

13

rod packer

14

cartoner

15

cigarette conveyor

16

cigarette store

17

blank store

18

pack conveyor

19

bar conveyor

20

shipping container

21

discharge conveyor

22

pack store

23

filter attachment

24

camp

25

reel

26

Materialförderer

27

conveyor track

28

Filteransetzpapier

29

collar material

30

Inner liner material

31

film material

32

cigarette paper

33

control unit

34

Central line

35

mainframe

36

Camp PC

37

Shipping PC

38

Laptop

39

subsequent claim

40

expected misproduction

41

unexpected wrong production

42

field

43

field

44

field

45

field

46

field

47

field

48

field

49

field

50

field

Claims (13)

1. Process for controlling a production and packaging system for cigarettes or similar products, comprising production units such as a cigarette manufacturing machine or so-called maker (10), a packaging machine or so-called packer (11), a film wrapping machine (12) when appropriate, a bundle packaging machine or so-called multipacker (13) when appropriate, and a carton packer or so-called cartoner (14) when appropriate, for the production of products, e.g. cigarettes, in a certain, limited quantity - a so-called desired quantity - and packaging them ready for shipping, characterized by the following features:

   a) the quantity of completely or partially finished products - e.g. cigarettes and/or cigarette packs - present in the production process or packaging process is measured, along with the products located in stores, on a permanent or cyclical basis and, taking into account the waste production arising at each production unit, compared with the desired quantity to be produced, on one hand, and with the actual quantity already produced, on the other hand,

   b) when a critical actual quantity is reached, which together with the products presently in the production or packaging process results in the desired quantity to be produced, the successive production units are run down one after the other, emptied and finally switched off, with any stores also being emptied in such a way that the desired quantity has been produced by the time the production and packaging system comes to a standstill.
2. Process for controlling a production and packaging system for cigarettes or similar products, with a plurality of production units, such as a cigarette manufacturing machine or so-called maker (10), a packaging machine or so-called packer (11), a film wrapping machine (12) when appropriate, a bundle packaging machine or so-called multipacker (13) when appropriate, and a carton packer or so-called cartoner (14) when appropriate, for the production of products, such as cigarettes, in a certain, limited quantity - a so-called desired quantity - and packaging them ready for shipping, characterized by the following features:

   a) based on the quantity to be produced - desired quantity - the material requirement for each production unit is determined, in particular tobacco, cigarette and lining paper for the maker (10), packaging material for the packaging machines (11, 12, 13, 14), by taking into account the waste production arising at each production unit,

   b) the determined material, in particular packaging material, is supplied to every production unit for processing,

   c) the production and packaging system is set to a production of the desired quantity, and in addition to that of a safety margin if appropriate, and then turned off correspondingly.
3. Process according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the desired quantity to be produced is determined on the basis of the material present in the region of a selected production unit, in particular on the basis of blanks.
4. Process according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each production unit of the production and packaging system is provided with material, including packaging material, at the start of the production process on the basis of the known average output of the relevant production unit including the known expected waste production.
5. Process according to Claim 4, characterized in that the actual defective production for each production unit is determined during the production process on a continual or intermittent basis and compared with the predetermined, expected defective production and that in the case of additional unexpected defective production the corresponding material, including packaging material, is additionally provided for the production units.
6. Process according to Claim 2 or one of the further Claims, characterized in that the entire amount of cigarettes to be produced is determined for the maker (10) on the basis of the desired quantity, if necessary including a safety margin, and taking into account the expected defective production of each production unit, and that during the production process changes in the total production of cigarettes are adapted on the basis of any additional, unexpected defective production of the individual production units.
7. Process according to Claim 2 or one of the further Claims, characterized in that during the production process the targeted total production is determined a multiple number of times by queries and calculations of the output of the individual production units and compared with the desired quantity and that the calculation cycles are repeated as long as the total production determined in each case is less than the desired quantity.
8. Process according to Claim 7 or one of the further Claims, characterized in that the completion of the production process is initiated if, on the basis of queries and calculation, the total production is greater than or equal to the desired quantity.
9. Process according to Claim 2 or one of the further Claims, characterized in that when the end of the production process is initiated, the production units are emptied in succession, with any stores also being emptied, and the status of the production units or stores being determined by query, starting with the maker (10), which is run down immediately upon initiation of the end of the production process.
10. Process according to Claim 1 or one of the further Claims, characterized in that packaging material is supplied to a production unit using the smallest possible transport units, in particular in the form of pallets.
11. Process according to Claim 1 or one of the further Claims, characterized in that in case of an impending change of product, in particular a change in cigarette brand, and prior to completion of the desired quantity, the material present in the production and packaging system - residual material - is checked with respect to its usability for the production of the new product or new brand, with the result of this check made visible to an operator by means of a screen display.
12. Apparatus for controlling a production and packaging system for cigarettes or similar products, comprising production units such as a cigarette manufacturing machine or so-called maker (10), a packaging machine or so-called packer (11), a film wrapping machine (12) when appropriate, a bundle packaging machine or so-called multipacker (13) when appropriate, and a carton packer or so-called cartoner (14) when appropriate, for the production of products, e.g. cigarettes, in a certain, limited quantity, a so-called desired quantity, and packaging them ready for shipping, characterized by:

    a control subassembly (33) assigned to each production unit and connected to a central computer (35) in particular by means of a central line (34) in order to

    a) determine the quantity of completely or partially finished products - e.g. cigarettes and/or cigarette packs- present in the production process or packaging process, along with the products located in stores, by taking permanent or cyclical measurements and, taking into account the waste production arising at each production unit, and to make a comparison with the desired quantity to be produced, on one hand, and with the actual quantity already produced, on the other hand,

    b) when a critical actual quantity is reached, which together with the products presently in the production or packaging process results in the desired quantity to be produced, to run down the successive production units one after the other, to empty them and finally switch them off, with any stores also being emptied in such a way that the desired quantity has been produced by the time the production and packaging system comes to a standstill.
13. Apparatus for controlling a production and packaging system for cigarettes or similar products, comprising a plurality of production units, such as a cigarette manufacturing machine or so-called maker (10), a packaging machine or so-called packer (11), a film wrapping machine (12) when appropriate, a bundle packaging machine or so-called multipacker (13) when appropriate, and a carton packer or so-called cartoner (14) when appropriate, for the production of products, e.g. cigarettes, in a certain, limited quantity, a so-called desired quantity, and packaging them ready for shipping, characterized by:

    a control subassembly (33) assigned to each production unit and connected to a central computer (35) in particular by means of a central line (34) in order to

    a) based on the quantity to be produced - desired quantity - to determine the material requirement for each production unit, in particular tobacco, cigarette and lining paper for the maker (10), packaging material for the packaging machines (11, 12, 13, 14), by taking into account the waste production arising at each production unit,

    b) to supply the determined material, in particular packaging material, to every production unit for processing and

    c) to set the production and packaging system to a production of the desired quantity and, if appropriate, an additional safety margin, and then to shut down accordingly.