EP1528866B1 - Method for operating a tobacco industry production or packaging machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for operation of a cigarette manufacturing and packing machine that has at least one drive organ, especially a blower wheel, whereby the operating characteristics of the drive organ are measured and recorded. Recording is continuous or as triggered by a trigger event. An independent claim is made for a method for operating a blower wheel in a tobacco processing machine wherein a torque dependent and or a torque independent characterizing value for the wheel is measured, the difference between the measured and design values is determined, and the wear resulting from the difference is determined.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a manufacturing or packaging machine of the tobacco processing industry with at least one drive member.

Blower wheels are used in the manufacture of cigarettes to generate suction streams. By means of the suction streams endless cigarette strands are formed, for example, from a tobacco shower. In addition, the fans are used in filter attachment machines, wherein by means of the generated negative pressure cigarette components, in particular filters and double-length cigarettes are held. A fan for machines of the tobacco processing industry is disclosed, for example, in the published patent application DE-A-37 00 230.

The wheels are subject to concomitant abrasive Particles in the suction air a steady, permanent wear. Due to the continuously conveyed particles, the material of the blades of the impeller is continuously removed. To solve this problem, DE-A-37 00 230 proposes to provide the fan blades with a wear-resistant surface coating.

Moreover, for the operation of a machine of the tobacco processing industry, it is necessary that the condition of the wheels must be checked regularly to prevent damage by impeller particles possibly flying around in the fan. The inspection is usually done visually, so that the connection opening must be exposed for the visual inspection of the wheels. Overall, the cost of controlling the wheels is considerable.

Furthermore, the assessment of the wear of the fan blades is at the discretion of a surveyor who must recognize the abrasions and washouts that are barely visible. For proper operation, the fans must be checked at regular and short intervals (approximately every 300 hours of operation). In addition, the wear limit is not clearly determined by the visual assessment and depends very much on the experience of the operating personnel.

Moreover, US-A-2001/0007204 describes a method for monitoring the wear of a drive device of a tobacco processing industry machine. For this purpose, the drive device has a driving element. In addition, the drive device has a driven element, which is driven by the driving element. In this case, a first value, which is a measure of the drive of the driving element, is recorded. Further, a two value, which is a measure of the drive of the driven element, is included, so that a comparison of the first value of the driving element with the value of the driven element is performed. The drive values of the driving element and the driven element are passed on to a signal processing device in which the output signals are continuously compared with nominal values.

Starting from the cited prior art, it is an object of the present invention to improve the operation of a machine of the tobacco processing industry and in particular to simplify the monitoring of the wear of Gebläselaufrädern in a machine of the tobacco processing industry.

The object is achieved by a method for operating a manufacturing or packaging machine of the tobacco processing industry with at least one working organ, which is further developed by the fact that several and different drive characteristics of at least one working organ are detected and recorded and by means of the drive characteristics characteristic data of at least one component and / or an assembly and / or machine component are determined. By recording operating characteristics, such as servo drives, it is possible that operating conditions of the machine are permanently recorded and accessible to the operating personnel. By recording the operating personnel can receive information about the operation of the machine directly or at a later date, so that, for example, a better maintenance and adjustment of the machine is guaranteed. Servo drives are also understood to mean servo drives in which the operating speed, the torque, the bearing reference difference (lag error), the position setpoint values, the actual position values and the motor temperature can be detected. According to the invention, a plurality of operating features can be detected simultaneously. Due to the availability of data on the drive elements or the drive systems preventive maintenance of the machine or the work organs and early wear detection are possible. Overall, the maintenance management for the machine or individual machine components is improved. Another particular advantage is the monitoring and compliance with predetermined operating parameters, so that overall control of the machine is increased.

For example, changes in the states of components, assemblies or machine components can be documented from the detected operating characteristics of the drive elements. Due to the drive characteristics of these devices, it is possible to gain knowledge about this. The operating characteristics of the drive members can be used to determine whether the component, assembly or component is operating within the specified limits of intervals. The limits and working intervals are e.g. stored in controllers or programmable logic controllers (PLC) and stored.

It is also advantageous if the recording of the operating characteristics takes place continuously or after a trigger event. Recording or saving is started by triggering, in particular, a selectable trigger condition. This trigger condition can be an event, eg the triggering of a sensor or the reaching of limit values of a measuring signal. When this trigger event occurs, the selected data is recorded. This makes it possible to record data of the machine or of the drive member at the time of the occurrence of an error in order to then be able to evaluate it for analysis purposes. Another advantage of this function is that in case of failure, the machine does not have to be repeatedly approached, so that the service personnel can understand the machine error. In this case, the data is already present when the service personnel is called to troubleshoot. This results in material and time savings, so that the analysis or diagnosis can be carried out immediately.

A pre-trigger function is achieved when a recording, preferably for a predetermined period of time, takes place before the trigger event. This makes it possible to store the data of the drive system or drive member before the event occurs and to evaluate at a later time for analysis purposes. The time saved before the event is predetermined or configurable. The pre-trigger function can be set so that the recording of the fault time is always documented. The events and conditions prior to the triggering signal are e.g. detected by a sensor and can be prepared and analyzed for diagnostic purposes.

If, for example, the drive characteristics of a servo drive, such as torque and Lageregeldifferenz monitored, eg mechanical disturbances can be detected. This case can be diagnosed when the torque of the drive increases before the value of the position difference increases. The drive tries to maintain the given speed, but is forced to produce a higher torque to compensate for the mechanical locking or locking. But if the torque of the drive goes into the limit, then the drive can no longer follow its target value and there is a Lageregeldifferenz (lag error). Here, a specific value of the Lageregeldifferenz can be determined as a trigger event, so that the awards of the drive data or operating characteristics begins when the set Threshold of storage reserve difference is exceeded. The pre-trigger functions then record the data or operating characteristics for a specific time prior to the occurrence of the event.

The trigger event is advantageously triggered in the drive member and / or a control device and / or a machine center. As a result, the hierarchy of a machine control system in the various levels is utilized, and according to the invention it is also possible for the various machine hierarchies to communicate and communicate with one another.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it is provided that the machine is stopped after an error event or stop event. An error event may be, for example, a fault in the production process of the machine. Furthermore, an error event is also understood to mean a faulty function of a component or an assembly of the machine. Without a malfunction of the machine or any of its components, a stop event may occur automatically or by manual intervention of the operator.

In order to fully utilize the hierarchy of the machine, the recording of the operating characteristics and / or the characteristics in the drive member and / or the control device and / or machine center takes place.

In order to limit the amount of data, it is sufficient if the operating characteristics and / or the characteristic data are stored in, preferably predetermined, in particular cyclic, time intervals. By storing the collected and determined data about drive systems or equipment of the machine changes can be noticed. In addition, the condition of the facilities documented. For example, the data obtained can be recorded in tables or lists.

In order to be able to carry out an analysis, the operating characteristics and / or the characteristic data are advantageously compared with reference values. As a result, conclusions can be drawn and drawn on wear, a defect or other mechanical changes to the drive elements or other machine devices. For this thresholds and / or intervals for the data can be specified.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that historical data and / or initial data of the drive element and / or the component and / or the module and / or the machine component be used as reference values. As historical data is understood data on operating characteristics or machine devices, which were preferably recorded and stored in a fixed time grid, which can be accessed at any time. For example, according to the invention, a current torque characteristic of a particular drive element can be compared with a torque characteristic of the same drive element after delivery (historical data). Thus, it is possible to diagnose the wear, defects or other mechanical changes based on the comparison made between the current and the historical data. As initial data, the recorded and stored data from unused, ie new facilities can be stored. While the historical data document the time course of parameters, the initial data for each device of the machine must be determined and stored only once. Regardless of the changes in the parameters, these data document the original state of the corresponding data Facility.

Moreover, it is advantageous if the wear and / or the service life of the drive element and / or the component and / or the module and / or the machine component is determined by means of the operating characteristics and / or the characteristics and / or their comparison with reference values. Based on the comparisons carried out, a trend evaluation can be carried out and the expected end of life of a component, an assembly or a component can be determined. This calculation determines when the current trend trend reaches the limits that describe the end of life of the particular device. Furthermore, it is also possible to record the characteristic data of a module or other devices during commissioning after a successful maintenance in the system and to compare it with historical data. The advantage is that it can be determined immediately after a maintenance, a conversion or a repair, whether the assembly, the component or the component has been installed correctly. If this has been assembled incorrectly, the characteristic data will deviate from the historical or initial data. Thus, a direct quality control after installation, modification or repair is possible. For example, the criterion "stiffness" can be used as a quality criterion by analyzing the operating characteristics or characteristic data.

Preferably, a message and / or a warning message is generated or displayed. By means of the corresponding messages, the operating conditions of the machine can be communicated to the operating personnel. In particular, depending on the analysis and diagnosis, the notification may be made that the machine is no longer functioning properly due to an operational error of a facility works and produces. This information may be made available to the machine operator via a visualization, ie display, and also reported to a higher level preventive maintenance host system. This can be done via a warning message, which indicates within which time a maintenance on the component, the module or the component has to be made. The warning is given early so that the maintenance or repair to be performed can be included in the maintenance schedule without having to shut down the machine outside of a cyclic maintenance interval for repair or maintenance.

It is further provided that after a maintenance operation, the operating characteristics and / or the characteristic data are compared with reference values. This has the advantage, for example, that the component, the assembly or the component are always operated under the same environmental conditions. A programmed maintenance function may be performed to cycle through a maintenance mode or to be started by interaction by the operator. In this case, the operating characteristics of the drive members are recorded and stored, while they pass through certain speeds or position ranges. This can also be done without the use of materials processed on the machine. Another possibility is to design the environmental conditions for a device such that only the drive or functional characteristics have an influence on the operating characteristics. In a blower, this environmental condition is achieved in that shut-off valves or butterfly valves separate the blower from the supply air, so that no circulating rolling work is to be done by the drive. In this case, a programmed maintenance function can close the butterfly valves and, for example, start the fan drive for 10 seconds during which the drive characteristics / operating characteristics are recorded and stored. By means of an appropriately programmed software, the measured data obtained are compared with those of older date and / or carried out a trend evaluation. The programmed or programmable maintenance functions of the machines can be processed sequentially or simultaneously. In addition, the maintenance functions can also be carried out during the standstill of a production machine. Furthermore, maintenance functions for components, assemblies or components can also be triggered during operation. This can be done automatically, for example.

By the subject matter of the invention it is possible to perform an analysis and data processing of operating characteristics and characteristics, which can be done in the drives and / or the controller and / or the machine center of a machine. The analysis can be carried out cyclically at fixed intervals and in the event of an error. Both the acquisition and storage of measured values as well as the definition of trigger conditions can take place in the drives and / or the control and / or the machine center.

According to one embodiment of the method, it is provided that by means of the method the operation of a blower impeller in a machine of the tobacco-processing industry takes place with the method steps: detecting at least one actual torque value and one speed-dependent actual value of the blower impeller, determining at least one deviation of the actual speed. Value of at least one torque-dependent desired value and a speed-dependent desired value of the blower impeller and determination of the wear of the blower impeller in dependence the deviation.

By means of the method according to the invention, it is possible to continuously monitor wear-related changes in the running behavior of the blower. The wear on the wheels reduces the mass of the impeller and / or changes the geometrical dimensions of the impeller. A change in the mass can be determined from the ratio of a required torque on the drive axle of the impeller to the acceleration of the impeller. Experience has shown that the wear increases towards the outer diameter of the impeller. By changing the geometric dimensions, the capacity of the impeller is reduced, in addition, the reduced power also affects the torque. The changes in the geometric dimensions can be determined from the ratio of flow rate and speed of the impeller.

The running behavior of an impeller is noticeably influenced by the wear, whereby the wear affects the measurable drive or performance data of the blower. By measuring and recording these data or actual values of the fan impeller, the wear can be monitored without requiring visual inspection by the operating personnel.

If a wear limit is established, it is advantageous if, after exceeding or falling below a limit value of the deviation, preferably the upper limit or the lower limit value, the blower impeller is stopped and / or a message is generated. It is thus prevented that produced by a reduced capacity of the impeller cigarettes with a lower quality. Once the blower fan wear is detected, rather than at the next optical inspection, production can start immediately and be automatically interrupted and the Gebläselaufrad then be replaced.

An improvement in the assessment of wear is achieved when the deviation, in particular in time, is integrated. As a result, the sensitivity of a measuring system can be increased. By integrating or adding up the deviation values, it is possible to determine a criterion or measure of wear more accurately.

Moreover, it is advantageous if, after determination of the deviation and / or as a function of the deviation, the drive of the blower impeller is regulated. By means of the trained control circuit, the negative pressure generated by the fan can be kept constant at the suction side in the machine. Depending on the wear and the deviation increases the required for the negative pressure speed of the impeller.

In particular, it is advantageous if the torque and / or the delivery rate and / or the rotational speed and / or the acceleration of the fan impeller are detected as a torque-dependent and / or rpm-dependent actual value and / or desired value.

In order to obtain reference values or setpoint values for the wear monitoring, at least one actual value of a new, in particular unused fan impeller is detected as the reference or desired value. The torque-dependent and / or speed-dependent reference values only need to be determined once for a fan type. Subsequently, these reference values can be used constantly for this one particular type of blower. Thus, the reference for a blower type can only be determined once. Also this wear limit is for the blower type to be given only once.

Furthermore, the desired value is advantageously determined as the mean value of a plurality of, at least two, actual values. For example, this allows the values determined for a new impeller to be stored as reference values.

According to a preferred development of the invention, it is provided that the determination of the deviation takes place during the start of operation and / or during operation of the fan impeller. This makes it possible to detect and monitor the wear of the impeller at the beginning of the acceleration phase. This can also be done during continuous operation of the impeller.

In addition, the service life of the blower impeller, in particular simultaneously, is advantageously detected. Thus, with an integrated operating hours counter, the wear can be calculated in advance as a function of the operating hours.

In addition, the operating hours can be calculated and displayed until a wear limit is reached. In addition, an advance notice of a maintenance of the machine to be performed is possible, for example by an adjustable number of operating hours before the due date. A wear limit is understood to be a defined or determinable value at which proper operation of a worn running wheel is still possible.

Advantageously, the deviation and / or the operating time of the fan impeller is displayed.

The monitoring of the wear of the impeller can be further increased if at least two different torque-dependent and speed-dependent actual values are detected. The simultaneous combination of two measurements or evaluations makes it possible to achieve very reliable results on the running behavior of a fan impeller.

Also favorable is the use of a blower impeller in a machine of the tobacco-processing industry, wherein the blower impeller can be operated by means of a method described above. By monitoring the wear of a fan impeller is not a time-consuming visual Control more needed. In addition, a wear limit for the impeller is set so that early or timely a worn impeller can be replaced. By means of the invention it is also possible to make optimum use of a fan impeller up to the actual, established wear limit. Overall, the use of the blower according to the invention makes it possible to produce articles of the tobacco-processing industry with a consistently high quality, for example cigarettes.

Fig. 1 a bis 1 d

Diagramme von drehzahlabhängigen Größen des Gebläselaufrades;

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf eine Filteransetzmaschine

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung einer Strangmaschine;

Fig. 4

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Antriebs eines Messerträgers einer Strangmaschine und

Fig. 5a, Fig. 5b

Zeitdiagramme des Drehmoments eines Zahnriemens an einem Messerträger einer Strangmaschine.

The invention will now be described by way of example without description of the general inventive concept using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, which are expressly referred to in the rest with respect to the disclosure of all unspecified in the text details of the invention. Show it:

Fig. 1 a to 1 d

Diagrams of speed-dependent sizes of the fan impeller;

Fig. 2

a plan view of a Filteransetzmaschine

Fig. 3

a schematic representation of a stranding machine;

Fig. 4

a perspective view of the drive of a knife carrier of a stranding machine and

Fig. 5a, Fig. 5b

Timing diagrams of the torque of a toothed belt on a knife carrier of a stranding machine.

In the diagrams 1a to 1d are time courses of sizes the fan impeller shown. In Fig. 1 a, the speed specification of an impeller is shown in time. The speed of the Gebläselaufrads is powered up after switching on with a constant ramp or slope until the time t ₀ and then assumes a constant speed in continuous operation. In Fig. 1 b, the influence of the mass of the impeller on the torque M1 during the acceleration of the impeller is shown in time. An unused, new impeller NL has a higher torque during the acceleration phase of the impeller, since this new impeller NL still has no losses in the mass due to wear. A worn impeller VL has a torque lower by M1 due to wear and loss of mass.

The deviation M1 is a measure for the mass removal and thus for the wear of the impeller during the acceleration phase. At time t ₀ , the acceleration phase is completed.

In Fig. 1c, the temporal behavior of the load-dependent torque M2 is shown. The torque M2 depends on the transported air and thus on the capacity of the impeller. During the initial acceleration phase, the deviation of the torque of a worn wheel VL from a fresh new wheel NL is small. Only at constant speed in continuous operation of the impeller a deviation M2 can be detected.

In Fig. 1d, the sum of the torques M1 and M2 over the time t is plotted. The temporal behavior of a new impeller NL serves as a reference for the impeller in the machine. During operation of the impeller or the machine, the torque of the wearing wheel VL decreases.

The reference values (target values) can be determined by determining several acceleration processes of a new fan impeller NL. The determined values are stored for the new impeller NL. According to the wear of the impeller, the entire torque changes. The current values (actual values) can be compared with the reference. The difference between the torque curves at the beginning and during the acceleration phase (M1) is a measure of the reduced or eroded mass. The mass influence is detected selectively and does not depend on the ambient conditions in the air system. The difference after reaching the final speed (M2) is a measure of the reduced load (reduced capacity).

As a measure of the wear phenomena, the area between the curves calculated for a speed range (n) or for the time range (t) can also be used. This increases the measuring sensitivity.

In addition, a wear limit may be provided according to the invention. When falling below an actual value, i. if the predefined value of the total torque deviates too much from the reference value, the machine is stopped and the excessive wear of the impeller is indicated.

In an alternative embodiment, the torque run can be controlled and the wear-dependent shortening of the acceleration time can be used as a measure of the wear of the impeller. The vacuum generated by the blower on the suction side is regulated and kept constant. The required for the negative pressure speed of a new impeller is stored as a reference value. According to the wear increases the speed required for the negative pressure. The current Speed values (actual values) are measured and compared with the reference value. The deviation is a measure of the wear of the impeller.

The prerequisite for monitoring the running behavior of a fan impeller is the use of an evaluable drive, e.g. Servo drive. With this servo drive, the torque or the acceleration of the drive can be detected and monitored.

In a further development of the concept of the invention, it is also possible to combine a plurality of wear monitoring types with each other. In the context of the invention it is provided to use fans, which are operated in the manner described above, in machines of the tobacco processing industry. Such a machine is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively.

In Fig. 2 is a front view of a filter attachment machine of the type MAX is shown. In the filter attachment machine, an infeed drum 1 transfers the cigarettes produced on a cigarette manufacturing machine to two relay drums 2, which decaffeinate the staggered cigarettes and transfer them to an assembly drum 3 in rows of two each with a space between the cigarettes. The filter rods pass from a magazine 4 to a cutting drum 6, where they are cut to a filter plug of double-length use lengths, staggered on a staggering drum 7, aligned by a sliding drum 8 to a series of successive plugs and an acceleration drum 9 in the spaces between the cigarette rows on the compilation drum 3 filed.

The Cigarette Filter Cigarette Group are pushed together and taken over by a transfer drum 11. A covering paper strip 12 drawn off from a tipping paper bobbin 13 is glued by a gluing device 14 and then cut by a knife 16 on a cutting drum 17 by the knives of a knife drum 18 into tipping plates.

The separated tiles are adhered to the cigarette filter-cigarette group on the transfer drum 11 and rolled on a roll drum 19 around the cigarette filter groups. The finished double-filter cigarettes are fed via a drying drum 21 to a cutting drum 22 and assembled into single-filter cigarettes by means of central cutting through the filter plugs.

A turning device 23 applies a row of cigarettes and at the same time transfers them into the continuous unswept series of filter cigarettes. Via a test drum 24, the filter cigarettes reach an ejection drum 26. A discharge drum 28 cooperating with a brake drum 27 places the filter cigarettes on a depositing belt 29.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a grinding apparatus 30 which sharpens the circular blade 31 arranged on the conveyor drum 22 during operation of the machine. When the machine or the grinding apparatus 30 is put into operation, the grinding wheel of the grinding apparatus 30 is moved from a rest position in the direction of the rotating circular knife 31 driven by a servo motor until the grinding wheel contacts the circular blade 31. For grinding the circular blade 31, the circular blade 31 is rotated by means of a servo drive. In the rest position of the grinding wheel, the circular blade 31 is moved by the servo drive with a low torque. Upon contact of the circular blade 31 with the grinding wheel the circular blade 31 stops due to the pinching friction between the circular blade 31 and the grinding wheel and due to the low mass of the circular blade 31 and the limited torque of the servo drive. As a result, the speed of the circular blade and the servo drive as a rotary encoder is abruptly lowered. With a complete deceleration of the circular blade 31, the rotational speed of the circular blade is lowered to 0 revolutions per minute. The speed or the speed reduction of the servomotor are detected and evaluated within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, it is determined whether a speed reduction has taken place, so that the linear movement of the grinding wheel of the grinding apparatus is stopped immediately. Then the grinding wheel is retracted a few millimeters. By detecting and determining the rotational speeds or their change, the basic position of the grinding apparatus or a grinding device for grinding a circular blade is exactly determined. This position of the grinding apparatus or the basic position of the grinding device is set manually in the machines of the tobacco processing industry after a blade change so far.

By detecting the speed of the servomotor and lowering it as the grinding wheel approaches, the automatic detection and adjustment of the ground grinding position of the grinding wheel is achieved. As a result, an example, central control a grinding device or the grinding machine automatically drive in a basic position for grinding a circular blade.

In a further embodiment of the invention on the filter attachment machine, the torque of the servo-driven glue rollers is detected at a glue device, which is provided in Fig. 2 by the reference numeral 14. Dried glue as well Remaining glue residues on the glue rollers of a filter attachment machine increase the resistance and thus the required drive torque of the glue rollers. By the operation of the filter attachment splashes accumulate in the vicinity of the roller, so that the drive torque of the roller does not change noticeably. It has been found that the axis of the glue roller is added by glue spatter and therefore is quite sensitive. To determine whether the glue rollers are dirty, the drive torque or torque of the glue rollers is recorded as a characteristic of the glue rollers. If, for example, after commissioning, the torque of a glue roller exceeds a predetermined limit, the contamination of the glue rollers is indicated as an error event.

To detect the torque of the glue roller, the drive torque is sent to the programmable controller on request by a programmable logic controller (PLC) of the filter attachment machine. The controller evaluates the measured values of the torque and generates a warning in the event of a deviation from a specifiable setpoint value before a following error occurs and thus a process fault on a filter attachment machine.

In addition, it is possible to detect the contamination of conveyor drums on a filter attachment machine. For this purpose, the filter attachment machine has individual drives on the drums, so that the torques of the conveyor drums driven by servomotors are detected. By flying dust and tobacco particles occur soiling between the drum body and the control body, so that there is an increased friction between the drum body and the control body. By recording the torques of the individual drives, a diagnosis is made the operating state of the conveyor drums possible, so that bearing damage can be detected. Based on the detected friction due to the increasing contamination of the drums, the cleaning and maintenance of a drum is displayed when a certain value of a parameter, for example torque, is exceeded. After cleaning the drums, bearing damage can be determined if, after cleaning a conveyor drum, the torque does not return to a value which the conveyor drum had when the machine was put into operation. As a result, the startup behavior of a conveyor drum can be determined.

In addition, blowers according to the invention can also be used and used in a cigarette rod machine, as shown schematically in FIG. In the case of the cigarette rod making machine, a pre-distributor 102 is charged in portions with tobacco from a lock 101. A removal drum 103 of the pre-distributor 102 supplements controlled a storage container 104 with tobacco, from which a strand conveyor 105 takes tobacco and fed a stowage 106 controlled.

From the storage shaft 106 takes a pin roller 107 a uniform tobacco rod, which is knocked out by a rollover roller 108 of the pins of the pin roller 107 and spun on a circulating at a constant speed spreading cloth 109. A tobacco fleece formed on the spreading cloth 109 is thrown into a sighting device 111 which consists essentially of an air curtain, the larger or heavier tobacco particles pass, while all other tobacco particles from the air in one of a pin roller 112 and a wall 113 formed funnel 114th be steered.

From the pin roller 112, the tobacco is thrown into a tobacco channel 116 against a strand conveyor 117, in which the tobacco held by sucked into a vacuum chamber 118 air and a tobacco rod is aufauert. An equalizer 119 removes excess tobacco from the tobacco rod, which is then placed on a synchronized cigarette paper strip 121. The cigarette paper strip 121 is withdrawn from a bobbin 122, passed through a printing unit 123 and placed on a driven format belt 124.

The format belt 124 transports the tobacco rod and the cigarette paper strip 121 through a format 126, in which the cigarette paper strand 121 is folded around the tobacco rod, so that an edge still sticks, which is glued in a known manner by a Glimapparat, not shown here. Then the seam is closed and dried by a Tandemnahtplätte 127. A thus formed cigarette rod 128 passes through a strand density meter 129 which controls the leveling device 119 and is cut by a knife apparatus 131 into double-length cigarettes 132. The double-length cigarettes 132 are transferred from a transfer arm 134, which has a controlled arm 133, to a transfer drum 136 of a filter attachment machine 137 (see FIG. 2), onto the cutting drum 138 of which they are divided by a circular knife into single cigarettes. The conveyor belts 139, 141 convey excess tobacco into a container 142 arranged below the storage container 104, from which the recycled tobacco is removed again from the strand conveyor 105.

In a filter attachment machine (FIG. 2) and in a filter rod machine (FIG. 3) blowers are required which pressurize individual assemblies of the machines with negative pressure. For example. must they Filter components or cigarette components are held on suction drums by means of the suction air. In addition, suction air is needed to form a tobacco rod in a stranding machine.

4 shows a perspective view of a cutting device of a cigarette rod machine (FIG. 3). Such a cutting device is described for example in DE-A-199 61 254, which is fully incorporated into the present application.

To guide a cigarette rod moved along a longitudinal axis, a strand guide 40 is provided, which has tubes for the cigarette rod. The strand guide 40 is fastened by means of a tube holder at the lower end of a rocker, which has three leaf springs 41, 42, 43. The leaf spring 41 is the leaf springs 42, 43 arranged opposite. Between the leaf springs 42, 43 engages a connecting rod 44 for the tubes in the strand conveying 40. All leaf springs are attached at their end facing away from the tube holder to a leaf spring holder.

The crank rod 44 of the crank mechanism 45 is mounted with its other end on a crank pin of a crank. The crankpin is arranged eccentrically to a drive shaft driven by a motor 50. Below the strand guide 40, a knife carrier 60 is arranged with two knives, which separate per section double-length tobacco sticks from the respective cigarette rod. The knife carrier 60 is mounted rotatably by means of a bearing 61 and is driven by means of a gear 62. The transmission 62 is connected to a pulley 63 by means of a shaft. By means of a belt 63 engaging and rotating drive belt 70, which is guided over the drive shaft for the cam drive 45, the transmission 62 is driven. This is the Drive shaft for the cam drive 45 and the gear 62 for the blade carrier 60 coupled together. The strand guide 40 is driven to the blade carrier 60 in particular synchronized. The mode of operation of the device is described in detail in DE-A-199 61 254, to which reference is expressly made.

As a result of wear, the torque profile changes when the knife carrier 60 starts up when the drive belt 70 is loosened or worn out. According to the invention, the torque of the drive member or the blade carrier 60 is detected and monitored. Due to the continuous torque measurement, a torque change is monitored and detected when wear of the belt 70 occurs. As a result, the torque starting profiles are stored and evaluated by an evaluation.

FIGS. 5a, 5b show time profiles of the torque of the axis of the knife carrier servo drive. In Fig. 5a, the time course of the torque is shown in a non-worn belt. Fig. 5b shows the time course in a worn belt.

When the toothed belt is not used up, after a startup phase, the torque settles at a constant speed to a constant value (FIG. 5a). This constant value is superimposed by the drive play of the mechanical drive train of timing belt and gear vibration, so that the torque varies over time in a narrow range .DELTA.M1. With increasing wear, the amplitude ΔM2 of this oscillation increases (FIG. 5b). The wear also increases the torque oscillation measurable for the servo drive.

The resulting torque curves or relevant torque values During the start-up phase and in continuous operation, read-out of the drive data of the servo drive is recorded and saved. According to the scatter, the measured values can be averaged for several consecutive measurements. The averaged values for an example new gear or a new belt are stored as a reference. Depending on the wear, the course of the torque changes. The respective current torque values can be compared with a, in particular averaged, reference.

In the context of the invention, it is also possible to detect clogged glue nozzles in a cigarette rod machine, since the glue nozzles clog by creeping clogging with glue. For this purpose, the torque of the pumps is detected and evaluated. With a clogged glue nozzle, a higher torque of the pump is required. If the pump torque of reference values is too large or too large, a warning is issued that the glue nozzle is blocked before the process would be disturbed.

By means of the invention, the operating characteristics of servo drives are measured and stored. These include, for example, the torque, the speed and the current consumption. The measurement can be done by the control electronics of the drives. Comparisons with stored data after commissioning enable fault limit monitoring. A feasible trend analysis of the data enables dynamic monitoring. The measurement of the data under defined conditions eg machine without material excludes an influence of the material. In addition, a measurement of operating characteristics after a new installation or maintenance of a unit allows the detection of assembly errors.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

infeed drum

2

staggering drum

3

Assembly drum

4

magazine

6

cutting drum

7

staggering drum

8th

pushing drum

9

accelerating drum

11

Transfer drum

12

Covering paper strip

13

Belagpapierbobine

14

gluing device

16

cutter

17

cutting drum

18

cutterhead

19

rolling drum

21

dry drum

22

cutting drum

23

turning device

24

testing drum

26

Auswerftrommel

27

brake drum

28

offshoot drum

29

offshoot band

30

sharpener

31

cutting wheel

40

strand guide

41

leaf spring

42

leaf spring

43

leaf spring

44

cam bar

45

cam drive

50

engine

60

blade carrier

61

camp

62

transmission

63

pulley

70

belts

101

lock

102

preliminary distributor

103

out roller

104

reservoir

105

line conveyor

106

accumulating shaft

107

pin roll

108

picker roller

109

stray cloth

111

OverviewAmenitiesPicture

112

pin roll

113

wall

114

funnel

116

tobacco channel

117

line conveyor

118

Vacuum chamber

119

Egalisator

121

Cigarette paper strip

122

reel

123

printing unit

124

format tape

126

format

127

Tandemnahtplätte

128

cigarette rod

129

Strand density meter

131

knife apparatus

132

double-length cigarettes

133

poor

134

Transfer device

136

Transfer drum

137

filter attachment

138

cutting drum

139

conveyor belt

141

conveyor belt

142

container

n

rotation speed

t

Time

M1

Torque (acceleration)

M2

Torque (load, conveyed air)

NL

new impeller (reference)

VL

worn impeller

Claims (25)

1. Method for operating a production or packaging machine of the tobacco-processing industry, comprising at least one drive member, characterised in that a plurality of, and different, drive characteristics of the at least one drive member is acquired and recorded, and in that characteristics of at least one component and/or assembly and/or machine component are determined by means of the drive characteristics.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that recording takes place continuously or following a trigger event.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that recording takes place, preferably for a predetermined period, before the trigger event.
4. Method according to claim 3, characterised in that the trigger event is triggered in the drive member and/or in a controller and/or machine control centre.
5. Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the trigger event is determined by a fault event or stop event.
6. Method according to claim 5, characterised in that the machine is halted following a fault event or stop event.
7. Method according to any one of more of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the drive characteristics and/or characteristics are recorded in the drive member and/or the controller and/or machine control centre.
8. Method according to any one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the drive characteristics and/or characteristics are stored at, preferably predetermined, in particular cyclic, time intervals.
9. Method according to any one of more of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the drive characteristics and/or the characteristics are compared with reference values.
10. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that historic data and/or initial data of the drive member and/or component and or assembly and/or the machine components is used as the reference values.
11. Method according to either of claims 9 or 10, characterised in that the life of the drive member and/or the component and/or the assembly and/or the machine component is determined by means of the drive characteristics and/or characteristics and/or their comparison with wear reference values.
12. Method according to any one or more of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that a message and/or warning signal is/are generated and/or displayed.
13. Method according to any one or more of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the drive characteristics and/or characteristics are compared with reference values after a maintenance procedure.
14. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the following steps are executed to operate a blower wheel in a machine of the tobacco-processing industry:

    - acquisition of at least one torque-dependent and speed-dependent actual value of the blower wheel and

    - determination of at least one difference in the actual value from at least one torque-dependent and speed-dependent desired value of the blower wheel and

    - determination of the blower wheel wear as a function of the difference.
15. Method according to claim 14, characterised in that after exceeding or falling below a, preferably upper or lower, difference limit value, the blower wheel is halted and/or a notification is generated.
16. Method according to claim 14 or 15, characterised in that the difference is integrated, in particular over time.
17. Method according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterised in that the blower wheel drive is regulated after determining the difference and/or as a function of the difference.
18. Method according to any one or more of claims 15 to 17, characterised in that the torque and/or the conveying capacity and/or the speed and/or the acceleration of the blower wheel is/are acquired as the torque-dependent and/or speed-dependent actual value and/or desired value.
19. Method according to any one or more of claims 14 to 18, characterised in that at least one actual value of a new blower wheel is acquired as the desired value.
20. Method according to any one or more of claims 14 to 19, characterised in that the desired value is determined as an average of a plurality of, and at least two, actual values.
21. Method according to any one or more of claims 14 to 20, characterised in that a desired value is associated with each actual value.
22. Method according to any one or more of claims 14 to 21, characterised in that the difference is determined during the start of operation and/or during operation of the blower wheel.
23. Method according to any one of more of claims 14 to 22, characterised in that the operation period of the blower wheel is acquired, in particular is simultaneously acquired.
24. Method according to any one or more of claims 14 to 23, characterised in that the difference and/or the operation period of the blower wheel is/are displayed.
25. Method according to any one of more of claims 14 to 24, characterised in that at least two different, in particular torque-dependent and speed-dependent, actual values are acquired.

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