EP1547952A1 - Control system for the collation of felixible products - Google Patents

Abstract

A stream of fault/faultless collection (20) of flexible products (10, 10.1-10.5) gathered from supplying stream, are conveyed to a processing which determines that the collection is faultless when the collection satisfies predetermined quantity of individual products. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) computer program system for controlling installation for gathering flexible individual products; (2) data carrier for storing installation control program for gathering flexible individual products; and (3) control system for controlling installation for gathering flexible individual products.

Description

The invention relates to the field of conveying and handling objects, in particular printed products and additional products. It refers to a Method, a computer program system and a control device for control a device for collecting flexible individual products according to the Generic term of the corresponding independent patent claims.

When collecting products in the printing industry, one each given selection of products to a collection united and these Collection further processed. For example, there are saddle stitchers for Magazines, newspaper drums and other gathering machines used in bookbinding. For example, a collection consists of the the following individual products: a magazine, several advertising brochures, one flat packaged toy insert and an individualized address sheet. The others Processing is for example a foliation of the collections.

The individual products or partial products are typically flexible, flat and / or thin, and are fed by associated feeding means into a collator and it is there, for example, by stacking the individual products on a clocked product stream a collection formed. According to the state of Technique is a flawless working of the supply of great importance, so that all collections have the correct composition, i. all required partial products. To ensure this, for example monitors whether a particular delivery device is working properly, especially if it is in a specific clock is actually a single product in the collection brings. If this is not the case, the incomplete collection will be released before Further processing eliminated or eliminated. If several Individual products will not be delivered repeatedly, may be the Gathering machine stopped and reset. Alternatively, to a primary delivery means with important or critical individual products as well Backup supply means may be provided, which in the event of temporary failure of the primary delivery means introduces the missing individual product. It will be a high Quality of the collections ensured, however, this requires a high mechanical Effort, a slowed down production, or a high effort to Processing of rejected collections.

For non-critical individual products can be dispensed with a control. there But it is accepted that one or more individual products in one unknown and uncontrollable number of collections are absent.

It is therefore an object of the invention, a method, a computer program system and a controller for controlling a device for gathering of flexible individual products of the type mentioned, which the fixes the above disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a way around the Production of collections as flexible and accurate as possible Adjust quality requirements. It should also the technical effort, and An additional work effort optimally adapted to the quality requirements be.

This task is solved by a method, a computer program system and a Control device for controlling a device for collating flexible individual products with the characteristics of the corresponding independent Claims.

• Ein Zuführungsfehler bezüglich eines Einzelprodukttyps tritt auf, wenn ein Zuführmittel für diesen Einzelprodukttyp ein fehlerhaftes Einzelprodukt liefert. "Fehlerhaft" bedeutet beispielsweise ein fehlendes, ein mehrfach geliefertes oder ein schadhaft geliefertes Einzelprodukt. Ein Zuführungsfehler wird vorzugsweise am entsprechenden Zuführmittel detektiert, kann im Prinzip aber auch durch geeignete Erfassungsmittel an einer stromabwärts liegenden Stelle an einer teilweise oder ganz zusammengestellten Kollektion bestimmt werden. Ein Zuführungsfehler wird vorzugsweise einer bestimmten mitlaufenden Position im getakteten Produktestrom und damit auch einer Kollektion zugeordnet. Eine Kollektion kann auch mehrere Zuführungsfehler entsprechend mehreren fehlerhaften Einzelprodukten der Kollektion aufweisen respektive zugeordnet haben.
• Eine fehlerfreie Kollektion weist keinen Zuführungsfehler auf.
• Eine fehlerhafte Kollektion weist mindestens einen Zuführungsfehler auf, ist also bezüglich mindestens eines Einzelprodukttyps fehlerhaft.
• Eine tolerierte fehlerhafte Kollektion ist fehlerhaft, wird jedoch behandelt wie wenn sie fehlerfrei wäre. Das heisst, sie wird in der weiteren Verarbeitung wie eine fehlerfreie Kollektion verarbeitet.
• Eine nichttolerierte fehlerhafte Kollektion ist fehlerhaft und wird einer Fehlerbehandlung zugeführt. Das heisst, sie wird in der weiteren Verarbeitung beispielsweise ausgeschleust, zerlegt, markiert oder ergänzt.
• Die gesamte Menge der fehlerfreien Kollektionen und der tolerierten fehlerhaften Kollektionen wird als Menge der als fehlerfrei betrachteten Kollektionen bezeichnet.

In the context of the invention, the following terms are used:

• A feed error with respect to a single product type occurs when a feed means for that single product type provides a faulty single product. "Defective" means, for example, a missing, a multiple delivered or a defective delivered individual product. A feed error is preferably detected at the corresponding feed means, but in principle may also be determined by suitable detection means at a downstream location on a partially or fully assembled collection. A feed error is preferably associated with a particular tracking position in the timed product stream and thus also a collection. A collection may also have multiple supply errors corresponding to several defective individual products of the collection, respectively associated with them.
• An error-free collection has no feed error .
• A faulty collection has at least one feeder error , ie it is faulty with regard to at least one single product type.
• A tolerated defective collection is flawed, but treated as if it were flawless. This means that it is processed in the further processing like a flawless collection.
• A non-tolerated defective collection is faulty and is subjected to error handling. This means, for example, that it is removed, disassembled, marked or supplemented during further processing.
• The total quantity of the faultless collections and the tolerated faulty collections are referred to as the set of collections considered faultless .

So it is controlled a collator, in which supplied from For each type of individual product, a stream of collections flows and flows a downstream downstream processing is fed. A collection each consists of a predetermined amount of individual products of different types, each usually a copy of a type in the Collection is included. This will be faulty collections, in which There is a feed error with respect to one or more individual products how to treat flawless collections. They are preferably only then one Error handling supplied when a proportion of faulty collections a exceeds certain reference mass.

This percentage is either an absolute error number or relative to a total amount of individual products or collections. The reference measure is for example, by an operator or is in the controller It can also be changed dynamically during production. A single product from the point of view of the collation described above can itself be a collection from an earlier gathering.

The invention has the advantage that it allows a given maximum Proportion of faulty collections or feed errors in advance determine, and if necessary, to change during operation. It can with regard to each individual product type or even specific error combinations maximum error rate or a maximum error rate are guaranteed.

Another advantage is that this fraction of error can be fully exploited, whereby the net output of the plant is maximized. Only if the actual Fault rate has reached the predetermined level, finds for faulty collections an error handling takes place. From that point on, only actually will flawless collections also treated like flawless.

The further processing corresponds to a desired normal operation and is for example, a foil, stapling, binding, stacking, strapping or other Packaging.

The error handling causes a faulty collection immediately after collecting or at another point in further processing is processed separately. For this a collection can be marked. This can physically done by affixing a mark, or computationally by For example, a data record associated with the collection, a Having information regarding one or more feed errors of the collection. It may also be downstream after a detected feed error Extraction be triggered with a corresponding delay.

The separate processing is preferably a discharge and / or a Complete faulty collections and / or a return of faulty Collections into the collating apparatus. For example faulty collections are discharged into a slower running conveyor, manually supplemented respectively corrected and then back into the main stream introduced. Or it will be ejected collections at the beginning of Gathering machine and in this automatically a missing Single product added. For this purpose, it is registered in a control system, where and in which Composition is every collection, and the plant accordingly controlled. Alternatively, rejected collections can return to theirs Single products disassembled and these individual products into a store of the respective supply means are introduced.

In general, the predetermined amount of the individual product types for a variety of successively produced collections the same. This amount is one Subset of deliverable individual product types, or the entire amount of all Individual product types. But it is also possible that the amount during a Production run or order is changed, for example, if certain Advertising leaflets of a partial edition of a magazine or newspaper in dependence of a delivery area.

1. erste Betriebsart: keine Fehlererfassung ("ausgeschaltet"): es wird keine Erfassung von Zuführungsfehlem durchgeführt, oder entsprechende Sensorsignale werden auf der vorliegenden Verarbeitungsstufe ignoriert. Damit ist es beispielsweise möglich, defekte Sensoren zu ignorieren, so dass die Produktion nicht aufgehalten werden muss.

2. zweite Betriebsart: keine Fehlerkorrektur ("nicht überwacht"): Zuführungsfehler werden detektiert und gezählt. Fehler in den Kollektionen werden zugelassen, fehlerhafte Kollektionen werden als korrekt respektive fehlerfrei betrachtet und entsprechend weiterverarbeitet. Dies schliesst jedoch nicht aus, dass Sensorsignale auf einer anderen Verarbeitungsstufe sehr wohl verwendet werden: Beispielsweise können mehrere aufeinanderfolgende Zuführungsfehler in einer Zuführeinheit zu einem Alarmsignal bezüglich dieser Zuführeinheit führen und/oder einen Stopp der Produktion auslösen.

3. dritte Betriebsart: mit Fehlerkorrektur ("überwacht"): fehlerhafte Kollektionen, werden nicht als korrekt respektive fehlerfrei betrachtet und der Fehlerbehandlung zugeführt.

If, as will be described below, an actual error pass exceeds a reference error pass or if an error rate exceeds a threshold, the production is automatically switched to another mode. This happens depending on a given monitoring level. Overall, the following operating modes are used:

1. first mode: no error detection ("off"): no detection of supply error is performed, or corresponding sensor signals are ignored at the present processing stage. This makes it possible, for example, to ignore defective sensors, so that the production does not have to be stopped.

2. second mode: no error correction ("not monitored"): feed errors are detected and counted. Errors in the collections are allowed, faulty collections are considered correct or error-free and further processed accordingly. However, this does not rule out that sensor signals are very well used at a different processing stage: For example, several successive feed errors in a feed unit may result in an alarm signal with respect to that feed unit and / or trigger a stop to production.

3. third mode: with error correction ("monitored"): faulty collections, are not considered correct or error-free and fed to the error handling.

Stufe 0:

dauernd in der ersten Betriebsart.

Stufe 1:

dauernd in der zweiten Betriebsart.

Stufe 2:

automatische Umschaltung und Wechsel zwischen der zweiten und dritten Betriebsart: Dazu werden fehlerhafte Einzelprodukte detektiert und gezählt. Es wird, wie weiter unten beschrieben, die Fehlerzahl mit einem Schwellwert in Beziehung gesetzt. Solange keine Schwellwertüberschreitung respektive Referenz-Mass-Überschreitung stattfindet, wird gemäss der zweiten Betriebsart verfahren. Bei einer Überschreitung wird in die dritte Betriebsart umgeschaltet.

Stufe 3:

dauernd in der dritten Betriebsart.

These operating modes are activated according to the following monitoring levels:

Level 0:

permanently in the first operating mode.

Step 1:

permanently in the second mode.

Level 2:

Automatic switching and change between the second and third operating modes: For this purpose, faulty individual products are detected and counted. As will be described below, the error number is related to a threshold. As long as there is no exceeding of the threshold value or reference mass overrun, the procedure is repeated according to the second operating mode. If exceeded, the system switches to the third operating mode.

Level 3:

permanently in the third mode.

• für einen ersten Einzelprodukttyp ein erster Schwellwert (entsprechend der oben definierten Fehlerquote) von 5%;
• für einen zweites Einzelprodukttyp ein zweiter Schwellwert von 10%; und
• für einen dritten Einzelprodukttyp eine vollständige Fehlerkorrektur (gleichbedeutend einem Schwellwert von Null) vorgegeben werden kann; und
• für einen vierten Einzelprodukttyp keine Fehler erfasst werden. Somit kann sich das System bezüglich verschiedenen Einzelprodukttypen auf verschiedenen Überwachungsstufen und in verschiedenen Betriebsarten befinden. Im obigen Beispiel befindet sich das System bezüglich des vierten Einzelprodukttyps dauernd in der ersten Betriebsart, bezüglich des dritten Einzelprodukttyps dauernd in der dritten Betriebsart, und kann bezüglich des ersten und - unabhängig davon - des zweiten Einzelprodukttyps jeweils zwischen der zweiten und der dritten Betriebsart wechseln.

The above-described determination specification of the monitoring level, the proportion of faulty collections, the changeover of the operating mode, etc ... done in a preferred variant of the invention individually, in parallel and independently for each individual product type. That means, for example

• for a first single product type, a first threshold (corresponding to the error rate defined above) of 5%;
• for a second single product type, a second threshold of 10%; and
• for a third individual product type, a complete error correction (equivalent to a threshold value of zero) can be specified; and
• no errors are detected for a fourth single product type. Thus, the system may be at different levels of monitoring and operating modes with respect to different types of individual products. In the above example, the system is permanently in the first mode with respect to the fourth single product type, and always in the third mode with respect to the third single product type, and can switch between the second and third modes with respect to the first and, independently, the second single product type.

For determination of the share of faulty collections and the reference mass exist a variety of ways. The share is, if one, one absolute number of errors in the feeder or downstream Post-processing collections, or a relative error count, i.e. based on a total number of generated or forwarded collections. It is preferably a measure of a measured number of errors, or an actual error measure, according to a continuous determined during production Number of defective individual products, calculated continuously and with one predetermined reference mass compared.

• alle als fehlerfrei betrachteten Kollektionen, also auch diejenigen, bei denen ein fehlerhaftes Einzelprodukt toleriert wurde ("Auftragszähler"), oder
• nur diejenigen als fehlerfrei betrachteten Kollektionen, die tatsächlich das bestimmte Einzelprodukt ohne Zuführungsfehler aufweisen ("Einzelproduktzähler") .

In a first preferred variant of the invention, the actual error measure is a number of the collections considered to be free of defects with a feed error with respect to a specific individual product type, and the reference mass is proportional to a number of previously produced collections; is thus calculated continuously. The number of previously produced collections includes either

• all collections regarded as faultless, including those for which a faulty individual product was tolerated ("order counter"), or
• only those collections considered as faultless that actually have the particular single product without feed errors ("single product counter").

Mathematically equivalent to the comparison with the reference mass is continuously one Error rate or a quotient of (number of considered as error-free Collections with a feeder error regarding a particular Single product type) / (number of previously produced collections) to calculate, and compare this quotient with a threshold.

This first variant causes errors in a mediocre working Distribute the machine over a production run or order. With good running Machine can build up a stock of allowable errors, possibly against the End of production allows a high number of close successive errors.

In a second preferred variant of the invention, the actual error pass is a Number of collections considered faultless with a feed error with respect to a particular type of individual product, and the reference measure is one constant number of permissible errors. This causes at the beginning of a Production run a high number of errors is allowed. This can be done by Be an advantage, since at the beginning of the machines may not run optimally, and Nevertheless, a high production capacity is possible. Whether the accumulation of errors too Starting production is a disadvantage or can be tolerated depends on the nature of the product.

In a modification of the second preferred variant becomes a reference Fehlerass specified with respect to a subset of a total order quantity and the actual error metric also adds up only for a subset. For example if errors in a running time window are counted ("moving average"), or an error counter for the number of defective copies periodically becomes zero set, which is a sequence of time windows, each with a separate error count equivalent. This causes faulty collections evenly over the entire order quantity to be distributed.

In a further preferred variant of the invention are not only errors with regard to individual individual product types independent of others Single product types captured and used to control the plant, but it Predefined, combined errors are also recorded. For example, can be predefined that of two supplements respectively individual product types respectively one can be faulty (in the context of one for each individual product type individually defined reference mass), but that in no case both be faulty allowed to. A higher-level controller records the error messages displayed by the individual delivery means relating to each collection. If one impermissible combination of faulty individual products occurs, the Collection removed. This type of definition and capture of combined Errors can be related to one of the different types of error analysis Operating mode, reference mass, etc. are connected.

In another variant of such an overall view of a collection, if a particular individual product is missing, a second individual product intentionally not attached to the collection. This is conceivable if the individual products are not mandatory must be present, but complement each other in content and make sense only if both are present. It requires, of course, that the second single product of Collection downstream of the first is supplied.

At the same time but essentially independent of the previously described method can be used methods for monitoring a single feed. For example, recurring delivery errors or a jam to a Switching off the supply means and / or the entire gathering device to lead. Equally applicable are methods and arrangements in which a Single product type is supplied alternately by two feeders ("split"), and / or in the case of a fault of a first supply means, a downstream one second feed means for the same single product type "backup". from From the point of view of the inventive method, the two feed means can be considered to be one single delivery means are considered.

In the previous description was mainly on the production of collections received, all of which have the same nominal composition. With According to defined actual and reference parameters, the invention is also a Production with individualized collections applicable. The predetermined amount of individual products of different types is thus for each collection individually predetermined and variable. The only requirement is that for at least a single product type a certain number of errors is allowed. Only if or as long as an actual number of errors detected is a threshold exceeds, an error handling or correction is activated respectively allows separate processing.

The control device preferably has storage means with stored therein Computer program code means which describe a computer program, and data processing means for executing the computer program, the Execution of the computer program for carrying out the method according to Invention leads.

A computer program system for controlling a device for Gathering of flexible individual products according to the invention comprises or several computer programs, each in an internal memory one or several digital data processing units of the control device are loadable, and computer program code means which, when stored in a digital format Data processing unit to be executed, this for the execution of the bring the inventive method. In a preferred embodiment of Invention, a computer program product comprises a data carrier, respectively computer readable medium on which the computer program code means are stored.

Further preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims out.

Figur 1

schematisch eine Struktur einer Einrichtung zum Zusammentragen mit daran angeschlossenen Einrichtungen;

Figuren 2 bis 6

verschiedene Verläufe von charakteristischen Variablen der Steuerung gemäss der Erfindung; und

Figur 7

ein Beispiel für eine graphische Ausgabe von charakteristischen Werten der Steuerung.

In the following, the subject invention will be explained in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1

schematically a structure of a device for collating with devices connected thereto;

FIGS. 2 to 6

different courses of characteristic variables of the control according to the invention; and

FIG. 7

an example of a graphical output of characteristic values of the controller.

The reference numerals used in the drawings and their meaning are in the list of reference numbers summarized listed. Basically, in the Figures the same parts with the same reference numerals.

Figure 1 shows schematically a structure of a device for collating with devices connected thereto. In the following, a combination of a collecting means 4 with a discharge 5 and a plurality of feeding means or feeding means 7 - referred to in detail by 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4 and 7.5 - considered as a device for gathering 1. The collecting means 4 is a conveyor for collections, such as a drum or a linear system such as a gathering chain or collection line 4, which are formed by gathering, inserting, collecting, etc. The feeders 7 are arranged to introduce individual products into the collecting means 4 and have, among other things each sensors with associated evaluation means for error detection 8, in detail denoted by 8.1 to 8.5. Results of the error detections 8 can be transmitted to a control unit 9 via communication links 91, for example a field bus. This transmission can be done directly or via a local control device of the respective feed device 7. The control unit 9 is set up, inter alia, for controlling 92 of the discharge 5, and optionally also for controlling 93 of the feeders 7. This activation 93 can be done physically via the same fieldbus as the transmission of the error detection. The control unit 9 has a graphical user interface 94 for inputting operating parameters and for displaying and monitoring characteristic values of the control during a production run. One or more graphical user interfaces 94 are implemented at an operating device of the control unit 9 or in a remote computer. The control unit may be internally structured and have a plurality of spatially distributed units 95, 96. By the control unit 9 or by the evaluation of the sensors 8 alarm means are controlled.

By means of the feeders 7 are individual products 10, with reference to the respective feeding device 7.1, ... 7.5 respectively denoted by 10.1, .. 10.5, on the Collection means 4 merged into collections 20. Optionally, the Collection means 4 by an upstream supply of a Basic product or main product 2, for example, a printing press, already a first individual product 10.0 supplied. The finished collections will be 20 downstream to a further processing 3, for example a foliation, Packaging, plug-in device etc. delivered.

The discharge 5 leads discharged products or collections 20 to a separate processing 6, in which the collections 20, for example manually replenished or disassembled again into individual products 10. Excavated collections 20 are non-tolerated faulty collections, ie those that are considered "incorrect". The further processing 3 fed are tolerated defective collection, so are considered "correct" even if they are faulty. Instead of the discharge of Non-tolerant faulty collections may be in another embodiment the invention also an error treatment in the course of further processing. 3 to step.

FIG. 1 shows by way of example for each of the feed devices 7 an associated indication of a tolerated percentage of error in percent. For the first single product type 10.1 from the first feeder 7.1 an error rate of 3% is specified. The second and third feeders 7.2, 7.3 provide the same single product type and operate in split and / or backup mode. For the second individual product type 10.2 and the thus identical third individual product type 10.3, a common error proportion of 0% is specified, ie no errors are tolerated. No value is specified for the fourth individual product type 10.4, ie the number of errors is either only detected or even the acquisition is switched off.

1.

erste Betriebsart: keine Fehlererfassung, respektive ausgeschaltete Fehlererfassung.

2.

zweite Betriebsart: keine Fehlerkorrektur ("nicht überwacht"): fehlerhafte Einzelprodukte werden detektiert und gezählt, Fehler aber ignoriert.

3.

dritte Betriebsart: mit Fehlerkorrektur ("überwacht"): Kollektionen, bei denen ein Einzelprodukt fehlt, werden gesondert verarbeitet.

Accordingly, each of the feed devices 7 or their control has one of the following operating states or operating modes:

1.

first operating mode: no error detection or fault detection switched off.

Second

second mode: no error correction ("not monitored"): faulty individual products are detected and counted, but errors are ignored.

Third

third operating mode: with error correction ("monitored"): Collections in which a single product is missing are processed separately.

Stufe 0:

dauernd in der ersten Betriebsart.

Stufe 1:

dauernd in der zweiten Betriebsart.

Stufe 2:

entsprechend einer automatischen Umschaltung in der zweiten oder dritten Betriebsart: Dazu werden fehlerhafte Einzelprodukte detektiert und gezählt und die Fehlerzahl mit einem Schwellwert in Beziehung gesetzt. Dementsprechend wird zwischen der zweiten und dritten Betriebsart umgeschaltet.

Stufe 3:

dauernd in der dritten Betriebsart.

The operating states are activated according to a preset monitoring level: The control is located at ...

Level 0:

permanently in the first operating mode.

Step 1:

permanently in the second mode.

Level 2:

according to an automatic switchover in the second or third operating mode: For this purpose, faulty individual products are detected and counted and the error number is related to a threshold value. Accordingly, switching is made between the second and third modes.

Level 3:

permanently in the third mode.

Figures 2 to 6 show to explain the inventive method different courses of characteristic variables of the control at the monitoring stage 2. Figure 2 shows , for a particular feeder 7 for a single product type the course of different counters over the time t and a clock sequence k along the horizontal Axis.

• In der dritten Betriebsart ("überwacht") muss ein Einzelprodukt 10 fehlerfrei vorhanden sein, damit die Kollektion 20 als korrekt behandelt wird.
• In den anderen Betriebsarten wird eine Kollektion 20 auch als korrekt betrachtet, wenn das Einzelprodukt 10 fehlerhaft ist, insbesondere wenn es fehlt.
• Pro Einzelprodukttyp wird ein Einzelproduktzähler Ze geführt. Der Einzelproduktzähler Ze wird mit jedem fehlerfreien Einzelprodukt 10, das in einer korrekten Kollektion 20 vorhanden ist, um eins hoch gezählt (dies bedeutet u.a., dass der Einzelproduktzähler Ze bei einer Kollektion 20, die wegen eines Fehlers bezüglich eines anderen Einzelprodukttyps nicht korrekt ist, nicht hochgezählt wird),
• Pro Einzelprodukttyp wird ein Fehlerzähler Zf geführt. Mit jedem Einzelprodukt 10, das in einer korrekten Kollektion 20 fehlerhaft ist, wird der Fehlerzähler Zf um eins hoch gezählt.

Several meters are run for each individual product type and updated according to the operating mode and based on measurements of the assigned error detection 8:

• In the third mode ("supervised"), a single product 10 must be present without error in order for the collection 20 to be treated as correct.
• In the other modes, a collection 20 is also considered correct if the individual product 10 is faulty, especially if it is missing.
• For each individual product type, a single product counter Ze is led. The individual product counter Ze is counted up by one with each defect-free individual product 10 present in a correct collection 20 (this means, inter alia, that the individual product counter Ze is not in a collection 20 that is incorrect due to a defect with respect to another single product type is counted up),
• For each individual product type, an error counter Zf is maintained. With each individual product 10 that is faulty in a correct collection 20, the error counter Zf is counted up by one.

So long as the number of errors according to a given criterion tolerable is also collections 20, in which the individual product 10 is defective, Not discharged, but considered correct and the further processing 3 supplied, and an order counter Za is incremented. Only if a collection considered incorrect and fed to error handling, ie For example, if rejected (indicated by X), the job counter Za not incremented and falls behind the production cycle. The respective Mode B is indicated in the figure 2 with II and III respectively.

FIG. 3 illustrates the error analysis with an absolute error threshold rising during production. Along the horizontal axis, the value of the individual product counter Ze is plotted. Corresponding to Ze, an absolute threshold value 11, that is to say a threshold value which relates to an absolute number of errors Zf, runs according to the permissible error component. By way of example, a course for an error component or an error rate of 2% with respect to Ze is shown. At the beginning of production, the counters for Ze and Zf are zeroed. The threshold value 11 is adjusted in proportion to Ze. As long as the error counter Zf is below the threshold 11, according to the second operating mode, collections 20 with defective individual products 10 are not rejected. As soon as Zf exceeds the threshold 11, according to the third operating mode, such collections 20 are discharged. With rising Ze Zf will again fall below the threshold and will be switched back to the second mode. This switching between the second and third modes can be done several times during production.

In this course of absolute threshold 11 proportional to Single product counter Ze can happen that the permissible error proportion is not is exhausted, since experience has shown that errors accumulate at the beginning of production occur. Since the threshold 11 is low at the beginning, these errors will be discharged. In the remaining production and with good running machine u the error counter u.U. always below the threshold 11 back. The Net output over the entire production is thus - in favor of avoidance an excess of errors at the beginning of production - not maximum.

In another variant of the invention according to Figure 3, the threshold proportional to the job counter Za instead of the single product counter Ze defined. If errors are average for the individual product 10, the distribution is Error evenly on the whole order. If the number of errors is low at the beginning is, builds up towards the end of production a large permissible "defect stock", the u.U. can be exploited in one piece.

FIG. 4 illustrates the error analysis for a constant threshold during production. The absolute threshold value 11 is a maximum permissible number of faulty collections tolerated for the entire production run or order. In the second mode is started and the error counter Zf is tracked. When exceeding the constant threshold 11 is switched to the third mode and this third mode for the rest of the production maintained. Alternatively, if this or another threshold is exceeded, the production can be interrupted, after which the machines are readjusted and then the production is restarted.

At the beginning of production, the entire amount of permissible errors is therefore entitled to Available. This can cause errors to accumulate at the beginning. The error pool can too Start of production are exhausted. This is at the beginning of a achieved higher production performance, compared with one of the variants according to FIG 3. For this, the errors are distributed irregularly over the production. If these Properties are advantageous or disadvantageous, depends on the Characteristics of the product.

The absolute threshold value 11 can be specified by a user default as an absolute default for the error counter Zf. The absolute threshold 11 can also from a user default for a maximum error share automatically be calculated. For example, a percentage of the Order size, or a percentage of a number of specimens of the individual product 10, which during a part of a Production run must be delivered.

Figure 5 illustrates the error analysis for a constant during production threshold with periodic reset of the absolute error number Zf respectively of the corresponding counter to zero. An order is considered to consist of several sections, each with a partial copy number, and each section is assigned a maximum number of errors. This results in a stepwise progression of the absolute threshold value 11. At the beginning of each section, the error counter Zf is zeroed and changed to the second operating mode, if this is not already activated. If the error counter Zf exceeds the absolute threshold value 11, the system switches to the third operating mode for the remainder of the section. As a result, the number of errors in each section is limited to the corresponding predetermined maximum number of errors.

The maximum number of errors can thus vary over the different sections of a Order can be selectively specified. It can be the same for all sections (FIG. 5a), or it can decrease monotonically (FIG. 5b), or else it varies freely be (Figure 5c). The variant according to Figure 5b allows a higher, but controlled fraction of error at the start of production. The variant according to Figure 5c allows to produce individual sequences of sections, each with adapted quality. This is expedient, for example, if one of the feeders 7 a Product change takes place during a production run.

FIG. 6 illustrates a further preferred variant of the invention, in which an error component is specified as a relative threshold value 12 or threshold value for the error rate as a function of the value of the individual product counter Ze or the job counter Za. The relative threshold value 12 is, in analogy to the previously described embodiments of the invention, compared with a relative error number 13, whereby the switching between the second and third operating mode is controlled. The relative error number 13 is calculated, for example, as an error component or error rate in a step-by-step shifted section of the production, ie in the sense of a "moving average" or low-pass filter. This variant corresponds to a quasi-continuous implementation of the variant described with reference to FIG. Similarly, the predetermined relative threshold 12 may be constant, monotonically decreasing, or alternately decreasing and increasing.

Figure 7 shows an example of a graphical output of characteristic values of the controller. In a bar graph or an equivalent diagram, the number of errors Zf, a maximum number of errors Zfmax permissible for the whole production and the progress of the individual product counter Ze or the order counter Za relative to the predetermined number of individual products Zemax or of the order Zamax are displayed for each of the feeders. In the figure, an exemplary display for two designated by A and B of several feeders 7 is shown schematically.

A graphical display can also represent according to one or more of FIGS. 3 to 6. This is during a production run preferably the threshold value profile 11, 12 is shown across the production, and the representation of the actual error number Zf or the error rate 13 becomes continuously tracked. The threshold for the error rate can also be used with a learning or adaptive control based on measured or tracked estimated machine parameters.

A user interface for inputting control parameters for the inventive Method allows for each individual product to enter the monitoring level and, for the second monitoring level, an input of the maximum allowable Error component. This error share can be either as absolute number, or as Relative value, for example in percent, with respect to the number of individual products or with regard to the overall order.

• die Zuführeinrichtungen 7 durch einen gemeinsamen Steuerrechner 95 mit einer eigenen Benutzerschnittstelle, und die
• Sammelstrecke 4 mit der Ausschleusung 5 durch einen weiteren Steuerrechner 96 überwacht und gesteuert werden. Beispielsweise wird an der Benutzerschnittstelle der Zuführeinrichtungen 7 jeweils definiert, welches der Einzelprodukte 10 welcher Zuführeinrichtung 7 oder, bei Split/Backup-Betrieb mehreren Zuführeinrichtungen 7 zugeordnet ist, und werden die jeweiligen Steuerparameter eingegeben. Die Fehlerüberwachung und Betriebsartumschaltung wird durch den gemeinsamen Rechner 95 der Zuführeinrichtungen 7 vorgenommen. Steuerbefehle bezüglich eines unvollständigen Produkts respektive zur Aktivierung der Ausschleusung 7 werden über einen Kommunikationsbus dem Steuerrechner 96 für die Sammelstrecke 4 übermittelt.

A control device according to the invention is produced by implementing the method according to the invention on a structured control system of any kind. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit 9 is internally structured in such a way and spatially distributed that

• the feeders 7 by a common control computer 95 with its own user interface, and the
• Collection line 4 with the discharge 5 monitored by a further control computer 96 and controlled. For example, at the user interface of the feeders 7, it is defined in each case which of the individual products 10 is assigned to which feed device 7 or, in the case of split / backup operation, several feed devices 7, and the respective control parameters are entered. Error monitoring and mode switching is performed by the common computer 95 of the feeders 7. Control commands relating to an incomplete product or for activating the discharge 7 are transmitted via a communication bus to the control computer 96 for the collection line 4.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Apparatus for gathering

2

Supply of a main product

3

Further processing

4

mopping-up

5

discharge

6

separate processing

7.1, ..., 7.5

Feeder, feeder with feeder

8.1, ..., 8.5

fault detection

9

control unit

91

communication link

92

Control of the discharge

93

Control of feeders

94

graphical user interface

95

common control computer of the feeders

96

Control computer for the collection line

10.0, .., 10.5

Single products

11

absolute threshold

12

relative threshold

13

relative error number

20

collection

Claims (13)

Method for controlling a device for collating (1) of flexible individual products (10, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5), in particular printed products, in which collation of supplied streams of a single product type one stream of collections (20) formed and another Processing (3) is supplied, wherein a collection (20) each consists of a predetermined amount of individual products (10; 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5),
characterized in that erroneous collections (20) conditionally as error-free collections (20) are treated. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that as long as a proportion of the faulty collections does not exceed a certain reference size, the faulty collections (20) are regarded as faultless collections and how faultless collections are treated, and as soon as the proportion of defective collections (20) exceeds the determined reference level, error handling takes place. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the error handling comprises at least one of marking or rejecting (5) or supplementing faulty collections, or returning defective collections in the collating apparatus (1). A method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the method comprises a repeated execution of the following steps: Providing at least one reference measure for feed errors in a collection; Detecting whether a collection (20) has at least one feed error, and then computing at least one actual error measure to describe a proportion of erroneous collections; and if the at least one actual error measure does not exceed an assigned reference measure, treating erroneous collections (20) such as healthy collections (20); or if the at least one actual error measure exceeds the assigned reference measure, performing error handling for erroneous collections (20). Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the proportion of faulty collections for each particular product type corresponding to a number of considered as faultless collections with a supply error with respect to this single product type, based on a number of regarded as flawless collections without a feed error calculated with respect to this single product type. A method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the proportion of faulty collections is calculated in each case for a particular individual product type corresponding to a number of considered as flawless collections with a supply error with respect to this single product type, based on a total number considered as flawless collections , Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the proportion of faulty collections is in each case for a particular type of individual product of a number of considered as faultless collections with a feed error with respect to this single product type. Method according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the number of feeding errors is counted only within a section of a production order. Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the proportion of faulty collections is determined in each case from a number of collections which have a predetermined combination of two or more feeding errors. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a warning message is generated and / or the production is interrupted if an error characteristic with respect to a specific individual product type (10; 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5) fulfills a predetermined condition. A computer program system for controlling a device (1) for collecting flexible individual products (10, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5), comprising one or more computer programs which can be loaded and executed on one or more data processing units and which Execute method according to one or more of claims 1 to 10. A data carrier containing a computer program of the computer program system according to claim 11. Control means (9) for controlling an installation for gathering (1) flexible individual products (10; 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5), in which apparatus from supplied streams of one individual product type, a stream of collections (20) can be formed and a further Processing (3) can be supplied, wherein a collection (20) each consists of a predetermined amount of the individual products (10; 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5), wherein the control device (9) means for carrying out the method according to one or more of claims 1 to 10.

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