EP1041006B2 - 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 production and packaging system for cigarettes or similar products from manufacturing units, such as cigarette maker, so-called. Maker, packaging machine so-called. Packer, possibly film wrapping machine, possibly packer packer, so-called. Packer and possibly carton packer, so-called cartoner for the manufacture and ready-to-ship packaging of products - cigarettes - of a certain, limited quantity - target quantity. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for carrying out the method.

The production of cigarettes (or cigarillos) increasingly requires a fast, economical adaptation to different products. These differences may affect qualities of cigarettes, different brands, equipment, etc. Often, only limited quantities of a variety or brand or equipment to manufacture.

Until now, the production and packaging plant has only been roughly adapted to the number of cigarette packs to be produced, with overproduction lying in the safe area. This is often not deductible and must ultimately be destroyed.

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

To solve this problem, a method according to the invention has the features of claim 1.

The monitoring of the memory for cigarettes and cigarette packs and the other production units of the "line" is done by known institutions, such as sensors, buttons, counters, etc., so that practically at any time recorded the current production status and then further action can be taken.

The object can be achieved by making available the material required for the desired quantity, in particular packaging material, on the basis of the target quantity to be produced, taking into account the performance of the individual production units, the reject production known as empirical value, and taking into account a current, unexpected, defective production of each production unit ,

The manufacturing process of the entire production and packaging system is evaluated via a common central computer and displayed on a connected screen. The device according to the invention is defined in claim 9.

A further special feature of the method according to the invention is that, before reaching the desired quantity of products - cigarettes / cigarette packs - the material present on each production unit, in particular packaging material, is checked for reusability for the next product type and 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 may correspond to the number of existing tax stamps.

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.

Other features of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

a manufacturing and packaging plant for cigarettes in a schematic plan view,

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of a control device for a system according to Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

a flowchart about the quantity control of the plant,

Fig. 4

a graphic about the functional sequence in the production and packaging of the cigarettes,

Fig. 5

another diagram about the determination of material requirements,

Fig. 6

a diagram of the procedure at Termination of production of a batch,

Fig. 7

an example of a 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 maker, namely a maker 10, a subsequent packaging machine, ie a packer 11, a subsequent film wrapping machine 12, a packaging machine for producing containers from several cigarette packs, ie a packer 13 and a cartoner 14th , which packs the packaging containers, ie cigarette rods, into a shipping carton.

The cigarettes produced by the maker 10 are supplied from a cigarette conveyor 15 with a cigarette storage 16 to the packer 11. This can be, for example, a hinge-lid packer, that is to say a packaging machine for producing folding boxes. The packer 11 is associated with a blank storage 17, ie a device for receiving a larger supply of prefabricated blanks for the folding box. The blank storage 17 also has conveying members 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 foil or plastic blank. Package groups are formed from the finished cigarette packs, which are provided in the area of the rod packer 13 with a container wrapping and thus result in a cigarette rod usually consisting of ten cigarette packs. These cigarette rods are fed to the cartoner 14 by a rod conveyor 19. This passes finished shipping boxes 20 with a plurality of cigarette rods to a discharge conveyor 21. In the area of the package conveyor 18 between the packer 11 and the film wrapping machine 12 is a pack store 22 for receiving a larger number of cigarette packs (without outer wrapper).

The production units described must be supplied with material. The maker 10 is to be supplied with tobacco in sufficient quantity, as well as cigarette paper in the form of wound webs, namely bobbins. Furthermore, the maker 10 is also supplied in the form of bobbins wound filter cake so that the manufactured cigarettes can be supplied in the field of a filter attachment machine 23 with the appropriate material. The other production units packaging material is also delivered in wound webs, so as reels. This applies to the production of a customary in cigarette packs of the folding box type collars, further for an inner wrapper, a so-called inner liner of the cigarette group and for the outer wrapping of foil or cellophane. For this purpose, a central bearing 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, is movable along a conveyor track 27 between the bearing 24 and the individual production units for the delivery of the reel-bed material as required.

In the example shown, the bearing 24 may be constructed such that filter starting paper 28, collar material 29, innerliner material 30, film material 31 and cigarette paper 32 are positioned in the region of the conveyor track 27 for receipt by the material conveyor 26, respectively in favorable relative position to the associated one manufacturing unit.

The sequence of production of the cigarettes until the production of the finished cigarette boxes filled with shipping boxes 20 is monitored continuously and from time to time and recorded. For this purpose is according to Fig. 2 a control unit 33 of each production unit or machine unit is connected to a central line 34. In turn, a central computer 35 is connected to this. In addition, computers are connected in the area of the (material) warehouse 24 and in the area of shipping, namely a storage PC 36 and a shipping PC 37. The latter is located in the area of the cartoner 14 or the removal conveyor 21. The central computer 35 can receive data The control units 33 are associated with 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 respect to a specific production quantity is carried out according to a first embodiment in such a way that a small margin of safety is added to the required production quantity, for example between 5% and 10%, and that the quantity specification so formed - desired quantity - serves as an input variable. The actual production, ie the total production, is greater than the target quantity, taking into account reject productions or defective production of each production unit or each unit. The control shown as an example takes into account on the one hand the expected false production and, moreover, an unexpected false production. This results in an actual false production. The expected faulty production results from the data of the individual production units and aggregates, which are available and stored due to the continuous evaluation of the operation. The unexpected defective productions are determined by monitoring or querying production data of the individual production units and units during production. From the two data, the production demand of the plant is constantly determined taking into account the quantity specification, namely, such that at the end of production and production, the target amount is reached.

The number of cigarettes to be produced results from the target quantity as well as the actual defective productions of the entire line. Cigarette production must therefore be adapted, namely increased or reduced, to the data possibly changing during the manufacturing and packaging process.

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

As indicated by the flow chart in Fig. 3 It is assumed that the quantity specification - target quantity - is 5,000 units, for example 5,000 cigarettes or packs. Due to queries in the area of the production units, the respective additional production demand for units is determined. 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 demands 39 on material is shown in each case. On the opposite side, there is a symbolic representation of the mis-production by means of horizontal stripes, namely in solid line the actual production error, which is composed of the expected false production 40 (dashed line) and the unexpected defective production 41.

It is assumed that the carton packer 14 has delivered as an end machine in the line an actual (total) mis-production of 50 units and that this corresponds to the expected false production 40, that is unexpected unexpected production was not incurred. As a result of the operation of the carton packer, an (expected) additional demand of 50 units has been determined. The upstream rod packer 13 must deliver a usable production of 5,050 units.

For the packer 13, an expected mis-production of 50 units and, in addition, an unexpected mis-production of 100 units is assumed. On the one hand, this means that the preceding production unit, that is to say 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 mis-production of 100 units.

The film wrapping machine 12 has a total mis-production of 60 units in this example. This is offset by an assumed false production 40 of 140 units. Since the preceding manufacturing unit, namely the packer 11, is charged for the actual defective production, the packer 11 has to deliver a quantity of 5,260 units.

For Packer 11, it must also be taken into account that there is a given, assumed false production of 100 units. In addition, an unexpected, so additional false production 41 of 290 units to be considered. This means, on the one hand, that due to the performance of the packer 11, the maker 10 must additionally supply cigarettes for 390 units, ie a total of 5,650 units.

For the subsequent delivery of packaging material to the packer 11 (during the production process), other considerations apply. The additional claim 39 for the packer 11 is determined by the unexpected false production 41, so loaded with 290 units. However, since the subsequent manufacturing unit, namely the film wrapping machine 12, introduces a "material balance" of 40 units, the packer 11 material is subsequently delivered only for 250 units.

The Maker 10 is burdened by the following production units with a production of 5,650 units. It is assumed that an expected mis-production is 40 of 200 units. In addition, however, there are 230 units of unexpected mis-production 41. This means that the production of cigarettes totals 6,080 units in order to take into account the performance of the maker 10 and all subsequent manufacturing units, so that at the end the quantity specification of 5,000 is reached.

Due to the pre-stress of the subsequent production units, the Maker 10 material, namely tobacco and cigarette paper and filter paper for 480 units must be replenished during the manufacturing process.

The block diagrams according to Fig. 4 . Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show the processes during production to determine the demand values and to end the production process.

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

According to box 42, at the beginning of a batch production, the brand to be produced is entered into the central computer 35 as well as the quantity specification, ie the requirement to be produced, including a low safety margin. Then the production program begins.

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

This calculation cycle is repeated several times or constantly during the production of the batch, and this for all production units of this line. In each case, the changes observed are taken into account in relation to the requirements and assumptions. This requires that the manufacturing units be monitored by sensors and other monitoring devices with regard to the production process and, in particular, with regard to the fully or partially finished products in line. In particular, (known) sensors and feeler organs are present 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 quantities produced in full or in part, the present result is again determined by interrogation and calculation according to box 45 after each calculation cycle. It is first determined by query the number of packages in the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the amount of storage of cigarettes in the cigarette memory 16, the amount of packs in the pack memory 22 is detected. Finally, the packages that have left the cartoner 14 and are filled into the shipping carton 20 as "good packs" are also detected.

From this query data, a calculation is made according to field 46, namely the total available production determined from the inquiries according to box 45. The total calculated production is compared to the target quantity according to box 47. If the total production has not (yet) reached the target quantity, the requirement calculation for the individual production units is repeated, according to the specifications given in Fig. 5 illustrated method. If, on the other hand, the quantity specification has been reached or exceeded, the shutdown of the production line is carried out in accordance with Fig. 6 introduced steps.

Out Fig. 5 results in the calculation process for determining the material requirements, in particular packaging material for the individual production units.

According to field 47, machine-specific data is requested, namely the production output of maker 10, packer 11, film wrapping machine 12, bar packer 13 and cartoner 14. Furthermore, the defective production of the aforementioned production units is determined, namely the actual production error from the known (assumed) defective production and the unexpected misproduction. From this data, in accordance with box 47, the consumption of material or packaging material for each manufacturing unit is calculated in accordance with box 48. According to box 49, a comparative calculation is then made, namely the actual consumption of material or packaging material relative to the "good packs" in the area of the cartoner 14, the average consumption of material of the relevant production unit (with the expected defective productions) also the good packs in Area of the cartoner 14 opposite. If the first comparison number is greater than the second, a further calculation is made according to box 50, namely for packaging or other material of the production unit to be requested. For this purpose, the defective productions of the relevant machine, for example the maker 10, and the subsequent production units 11, 12, 13, 14 are added and used to determine the material to be retrieved for the relevant production unit. A corresponding information is given to the warehouse. This calculation is performed one after the other for all production units of the line.

If related because of Fig. 4 displayed queries and calculations the total production is equal to or greater than the quantity specification, the shutdown is in accordance with Fig. 6 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" in terms of production and finally switched off. The maker downstream cigarette storage 16 is emptied while maintaining the operating speed of the subsequent production units. The level of the cigarette memory 16 is constantly polled. When the cigarette memory is emptied, the operating state "empty driving" is initiated for the subsequent packer 11. If due to appropriate query the packer 11 is empty, this production unit is turned off.

The pack memory 22 is drained at full operating speed. Again, there is a monitoring of the filling state. When the pack store 22 is empty, the operating state "empty travel" is initiated for the subsequent film wrapping machine 12.

Thereafter, the filling state of the film wrapping machine 12 is queried. If this manufacturing unit is empty, the shutdown occurs. At the same time, the log packer 13 is switched to the idle mode, and if a query indicates that the cartoner 14 is idle, the end of production is given All production units are shut down Remains of packaging material are automatically removed This is checked by a query. A ready message is given to the central computer 35. This indicates the end of production.

The above-described monitoring of the entire manufacturing and packaging plant in relation to already manufactured products or partially finished products allows another, advantageous control of the production quantity or a target quantity to be produced. It is assumed that the individual production units of the line sufficient material, in particular packaging material for Is available or requested as needed. Instead of a continuous consideration of previously known, expected and unexpected defective productions, an already manufactured quantity of products (cigarette packs / cigarettes), ie an actual quantity, continuously or by cyclical detection - for example at intervals of 10 s. - compared with the mathematical consideration of the material present in the manufacturing and packaging plant or taking into account the wholly or partly finished products. This result is compared with the target quantity. If the actual quantity produced together with the products present in the production and packaging plant yields the target quantity, the shutdown process for the production and packaging plant is initiated, first by shutting down and finally switching off the maker to the last production unit.

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

Finally, there is a peculiarity 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 inventory and type or possible use of the material of a manufacturing unit, namely the packer 11. The information refers to the upcoming bill the type of product, for example a brand change. The packing materials processed in the packer 11 are indicated, namely blanks, film web (for the inner wrapping of the cigarette group) and webs for the production of collar blanks. The screen indicates that the products "blanks" and "inner wrapping" are not suitable for the next brand. When switching off the manufacturing and packaging system, these two packaging materials must therefore be replaced. On the other hand, the material for the collar 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 quantity of the 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 wrong production

41

unexpected misproduction

42

field

43

field

44

field

45

field

46

field

47

field

48

field

49

field

50

field

Claims (9)

1. Process 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 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,

   d) during the production process the total production achieved of completely or partially finished products present in the production process or packaging process as well as of the actual quantity already produced, including the products located in stores, is determined a multiple number of times by queries and calculations and compared with the desired quantity, with the calculation cycles being repeated as long as the total production determined in each case is less than the desired quantity,

   e) the completion of the production process is initiated if, on the basis of queries and calculation, the determined total production is greater than or equal to the desired quantity.
2. Process according to Claim 1, 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.
3. Process according to Claim 1, 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.
4. Process according to Claim 3, 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.
5. Process according to Claim 1 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.
6. Process according to Claim 1 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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 control subassemblies (33) assigned to each production unit and connected to a central computer (35) in order to

   a) determine, based on the quantity to be produced - desired quantity - 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) supply the determined material, in particular packaging material, to every production unit for processing,

   c) set the production and packaging system to a production of the desired quantity, and in addition to that of a safety margin if appropriate, and then turn it off correspondingly,

   d) determine, during the production process, the total production achieved of completely or partially finished products present in the production process or packaging process as well as of the actual quantity already produced, including the products located in stores, a multiple number of times by queries and calculations and compare it with the desired quantity, with the calculation cycles being repeated as long as the total production determined in each case is less than the desired quantity,

   e) initiate the completion of the production process if, on the basis of queries and calculation, the determined total production is greater than or equal to the desired quantity.

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