EP4170076A1

EP4170076A1 - An electronic device for adjusting operational parameters of a winding machine of a spinning mill and a method for adjusting the same

Info

Publication number: EP4170076A1
Application number: EP21204177.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Adalbert Stephan; Gerard Küsters; Nitin T PATIL
Original assignee: Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG
Current assignee: Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG
Priority date: 2021-10-22
Filing date: 2021-10-22
Publication date: 2023-04-26
Also published as: EP4419743A1; WO2023066544A1; CN118414457A

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an electronic device (10) and a method for adjusting one or more operational parameters (op) of a winding machine (7, 7', 7", ...) of a spinning and winding section (1) of a spinning mill, the spinning and winding section (1) including one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5‴, ...) and one or more winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...), the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5‴, ...) being configured to produce cops (6) with wound yarn, the one or more winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...) being configured to receive cops (61, 63, 65, 68, ...) with wound yarn produced by the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5‴, ...) to produce yarn bobbins (8) with rewound yarn. The electronic device (10) is configured to determine a quality measure (qm) of one or more of the produced cops (6) based on winding parameters (wp) of the one or more winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...) and based on spinning parameters (sp) of the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5‴, ...), to determine adjustment information (ai) related to the quality measure (qm) of the one or more of the produced cops (6), and to adjust one or more operational parameters (op) of at least one of the winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...) based on the adjustment information (ai).

Description

Field of invention

The present disclosure relates to an electronic device for adjusting operational parameters of a winding machine of a spinning mill and to a method for adjusting the same.
More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an electronic device for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine of a spinning and winding section of a spinning mill and to a method for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine of a spinning and winding section of a spinning mill.

Description of related art

Spinning mills include various sections comprising different types of textile machines for converting natural and man-made fibers and their blends into yarns. Spinning mills are designed to produce yarns in a form enabling a proper yarn performance in subsequent manufacturing steps. For this purpose, it is required that the yarn matches predefined quality parameters, and that the yarn is produced in a configuration which is adapted for subsequent manufacturing steps. Quality parameters of yarns may relate to mass, thickness, number of filaments, etc. Configurations of yarns produced by the spinning mill may relate to yarn bobbins, on which a large amount of yarn is wound up for efficient transportation and use.
A spinning and winding section of a spinning mill may include one or more spinning machines and one or more winding machines.
A spinning machine includes a plurality of spinning positions. At the spinning positions, roving bobbins are received from upstream textile machines. At the spinning positions, roving is unwound from the roving bobbins, stretched, twisted (spun) and wound as spun yarn onto a cop. During the production of the cops, spinning parameters may be monitored.
The winding machines are arranged downstream from the spinning machines and receive the cops produced by the spinning machines.
A winding machine typically includes a plurality of winding positions. At the winding positions, cops which were produced by upstream spinning machines are rewound one after the other onto a yarn bobbin with rewound yarn. One purpose of rewinding is to produce large yarn bobbins that can be transported and used efficiently. During the rewinding, properties of the yarn can be monitored and compared with predefined quality criteria. If a quality criterion is not met, the defective part of the yarn can be removed. Socalled yarn clearing systems are known for this purpose, see e.g., WO2012051730 , which enable respective clearing operations.
The yarn bobbins are produced by the winding machines in a configuration which is adapted for subsequent manufacturing steps.
WO2019227241 discloses a method to operate a spinning system which contains a ring spinning machine having a plurality of spinning positions and a winding machine having a plurality of winding positions. Yarn is spun at one of the spinning positions and wound up to a cop. Values of a spinning parameter are determined at different times during the winding of the cop and stored as spinning data. At the winding position, the yarn is rewound from the cop onto a yarn bobbin. Values of a yarn parameter are determined at different times during the rewinding of the cop and stored as yarn data. The spinning data and the yarn data are automatically assigned to each other in such a way that they relate to the same yarn section. Based on the spinning data and yarn data assigned to each other, an intervention is made on the ring spinning machine.
EP3549892A1 discloses an automatic winder which includes a yarn winding unit including a yarn feeder configured to supply yarn and a winding apparatus configured to wind the yarn supplied from the yarn feeder and to form a package, and a receiving unit configured to receive a setting of target quality of the yarn to be wound by the winding apparatus.

Brief summary of the invention

There may be a need for an electronic device for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine of a spinning and winding section of a spinning mill and for a method for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine of a spinning and winding section of a spinning mill which increase performance, which optimize quality and/or which reduce energy consumption.
Such a need may be met by the subject-matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.
An aspect of the invention relates to an electronic device for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine of a spinning and winding section of a spinning mill. The spinning and winding section includes one or more spinning machines and one or more winding machines. The one or more spinning machines are configured to produce cops with wound yarn. The one or more winding machines are configured to receive cops with wound yarn produced by the one or more spinning machines to produce yarn bobbins with rewound yarn. The electronic device is configured: to determine a quality measure of one or more of the produced cops based on winding parameters of the one or more winding machines and based on spinning parameters of the one or more spinning machines; to determine adjustment information related to the quality measure of the one or more of the produced cops; and to adjust one or more operational parameters of at least one of the winding machines based on the adjustment information. Using winding parameters and spinning parameters enables determining a quality measure of produced cops. For example, winding parameters can relate to a hairiness of a cop received at a winding position and spinning parameters can relate to a cop identifier enabling determining a spinning position at which the cop has been produced. For example, determining adjustment information can relate to determining spinning positions of cops currently received at winding positions, thereby enabling estimating a respective quality measure, such as a hairiness. For example, operational parameters of winding units can be adjusted in accordance with the estimated quality measure of cops received in the winding units.
In some embodiments, adjustment information includes customer information. Production of yarn bobbins with rewound yarn can further be adapted to customer information. For example, for a quality measure deviating from a predefined quality measure, such as a hairiness deviating from a predefined hairiness, a predefined production rate, a quality level, an energy consumption, etc. can be adapted according to customer information.
In some embodiments, adjustment information includes one or more of the spinning parameters and the winding parameters. For example, spinning parameters of a cop received at a winding position, and respective winding parameters, for example in order determine whether winding parameters match spinning parameters.
In some embodiments, the electronic device is further configured to repeat adjusting at least one of the one or more operational parameters as long as at least some adjustment information remains within predefined limits. For example, a winding speed can be increased as long as a number of winding errors remains below a predefined threshold.
In some embodiments, the quality measure enables determining a functional disorder at a spinning machine. For example, a number of cut out operations exceeding a predefined threshold can indicate a functional disorder at a spinning unit of a spinning machine.
In some embodiments, one or more spinning parameters relate to performance parameters of the one or more spinning machines, selected from a group comprising a remaining time until the next doffing operation, a total number of cops delivered by at least one spinning machine during the next doffing operation, an expected total number of yarn breaks of all cops delivered by at least one spinning machine during the next doffing, and an information regarding an actual or scheduled downtime of at least one spinning position of at least one spinning machine. For example, adjustment information can include spinning parameters. For example, winding parameters can be adjusted according to e.g. the number of cops delivered during the next doffing operation.
In some embodiments, one or more spinning parameters relate to cop parameters, selected from a group comprising a cop identifier, a yarn thickness, a yarn imperfection index, a yarn hairiness, a yarn length on a cop, a number of yarn breaks on a cop, a position of at least one yarn break on a cop, an indication for the probability of a quality problem of yarn on a cop, an indication for the probability of a quantity problem of yarn on a cop, a number of yarn breaks per unit of time, a number of yarn breaks per unit of yarn length, a variation coefficient of yarn mass, a variation index of yarn diameter, a number of thick places per unit of length, a number of thin places per unit of length, a number of periodic yarn faults per unit of length, a number of yarn count variants per unit of length, a number of foreign materials per unit of length. For example, adjustment information can include spinning parameters. For example, winding parameters can be adjusted according to e.g. a number of yarn breaks per unit of yarn length.
In some embodiment, one or more spinning parameters relate to operational parameters of the one or more spinning machines, selected from a group comprising a a spindle speed, a drafting rate, a mode of movement of a ring bench and/or of a spindle bench, a rotation speed of a spinning pot, a rotation speed of a driven spinning ring, a rotation speed of a controlled rotating spinning ring, a ring traveler speed, an information on whether a yarn compaction module has been applied, a type of a ring traveler, an accumulated service life of a ring traveler, a remaining service life of a ring traveler, a condition score of a ring traveler, an air temperature during production of a cop, and an air humidity during production of a cop. For example, adjustment information can include spinning parameters. For example, winding parameters can be adjusted according to e.g. whether a yarn compaction module has been applied.
In some embodiments, one or more winding parameters relate to performance parameters of the one or more winding machines, selected from a group comprising a consumption of energy, a number of produced yarn bobbins per unit of time, a number of yarn end searches in a cop preparation station, a number of winding errors of at least one winding station, and a pressure distribution and/or a flow rate of a vacuum system. For example, adjustment information can include winding parameters. For example, winding parameters can be adjusted to e.g. a consumption of energy.
In some embodiments, one or more winding parameters relate to yarn bobbin parameters, selected from a group comprising a yarn tension, a number of clearing operations, a yarn imperfection index, and a hairiness. For example, adjustment information can include winding parameters. For example, winding parameters can be adjusted to e.g. a yarn tension.
In some embodiment, one or more operational parameters relate to one or more of a winding speed, a number of active winding positions, a number of active cops preparation stations, a power of a vacuum system, a valve position of a vacuum system, and a speed of a conveyor system for cops and/or for yarn bobbins. Operation of winding machines can be varied according to various aspects.
In some embodiment, the electronic device is further configured to determine a spinning position of a cop received at a winding position of a winding machine and to adjust at least one of the one or more operational parameters depending on the spinning position. For example, for cops produced at spinning position with recent maintenance, different operational parameters can be used than for spinning positions with obsolete maintenance.
In some embodiments, the one or more operational parameters depend on one or more winding positions of the winding machines. For example, different operational parameters can be used for winding positions with recent or obsolete maintenance.
In some embodiments, the electronic device is further configured to determine at least one of the spinning parameters and the winding parameters by accessing at least one of a controller of a spinning machine and a controller of a winding machine and a central database of a mill management system. Spinning parameters and/or winding parameters can related to real time data, to trend data, etc.
In some embodiments, adjusting the one or more operational parameters is based on one or more of a neural network algorithm and a fuzzy logic algorithm. Powerful tools can be used for adjusting operational parameters of winding machines.
The invention also relates to a computer system for putting into practice an electronic device as described above. The computer system comprises one or more computers, the one or more computers preferably comprising a graphical user interface. The invention can be put into practice in the form of distributed devices.
The invention also relates to a method for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine of a spinning and winding section of a spinning mill. The spinning and winding section includes one or more spinning machines and one or more winding machines. The one or more spinning machines are configured to produce cops with wound yarn. The one or more winding machines are configured to receive cops with wound yarn produced by the one or more spinning machines to produce yarn bobbins with rewound yarn. The method includes the steps executed by an electronic device or a computer system of: determining a quality measure of one or more of the produced cops based on winding parameters of the one or more winding machines and based on spinning parameters of the one or more spinning machines; determining adjustment information related to the quality measure of the one or more of the produced cops; and adjusting one or more operational parameters of at least one of the winding machines based on the adjustment information.
In some embodiments, adjustment information includes customer information.
In some embodiments, adjustment information includes one or more of the spinning parameters and the winding parameters.
In some embodiments, the method further includes the step of repeating adjusting at least one of the one or more operational parameters as long as at least some adjustment information remains within predefined limits.

Brief description of drawings

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description of an embodiment given by way of example an illustrated by the figures, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates schematically an electronic device for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine of an exemplary spinning and winding section of a spinning mill having arranged a spinning machine and the winding machine;
Fig. 2 illustrates schematically an electronic device for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine of an exemplary spinning and winding section of a spinning mill having arranged a plurality of spinning machines and a plurality of winding machines;
Fig. 3 illustrates schematically possible method steps of a method for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine of a spinning and winding section of a spinning mill.

Detailed Description of the invention

Fig. 1 illustrates schematically an electronic device 10 for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine 7 of an exemplary spinning and winding section 1 of a spinning mill having arranged a spinning machine 5 and the winding machine 7. In typical spinning mills, the spinning and winding section 1 includes a plurality of spinning machines and a plurality of winding machines (not illustrated in Fig. 1).
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the spinning machine 5 is arranged upstream from the winding machine 7. Correspondingly, the winding machine 7 is arranged downstream from the spinning machine 5. In spinning and winding sections of typical spinning mills, a plurality of spinning machines and a plurality of winding machines are arranged respectively.
The spinning machine 5 may relate to a ring spinning machine. The spinning machine 5 can also relate to another type of spinning machine producing yarn sections with a relatively limited length, which are then to be rewound by a winding machine to form bobbins comprising yarn of sufficient length. For example, the spinning machine 5 may also be a pot spinning machine.
The spinning machine 5 receives roving 4, which was produced by an upstream roving machine 3 (typically, a plurality of roving machines is arranged), and produces relatively small yarn supply bobbins having spun yarn wound on a tube, also known as cops 6. The spinning machine 5 produces a plurality of cops 6. The spinning machine 5 includes a plurality of spinning positions 51, 52, 53. At each spinning position 51, 52, 53, roving 41, 42, 43 is received. For example, roving 41, 42, 43 may be arranged on bobbins or another type of carrier, such as containers, of specific dimensions. Each spinning position 51, 52, 53 includes a spinning unit 511, 521, 531. Each spinning unit 511, 521, 531 can include a drafting device and a twisting device, wherein the drafting device is configured to draft the roving and the twisting device is configured to spin the drafted roving into spun yarn and to wind the spun yarn to produce a cop. At each spinning position 51, 52, 53, cops 61, 62, 63 are produced which each have wound up a specific amount of spun yarn. Typically, at specific times, the cops 61, 62, 63 are doffed from the spinning positions 51, 52, 53 for subsequent processing.
The winding machine 7 receives cops 6, which were produced by the upstream spinning machine 5 (typically, a plurality of upstream spinning machines is arranged), and produces yarn bobbins 8 with rewound yarn, also known as packages. Various types of carriers are known in the prior art for providing yarn bobbins 8 with rewound yarn. Yarn bobbins 8 can relate to flanged bobbins, cross-wound bobbins, etc. The winding machine 7 includes a plurality of winding positions 71, 72. At each winding position 71, 72, cops 61, 65, 63, 68 are received. Each winding position includes a winding unit 711, 721. Each winding unit 711, 721 may include a winding device, a tension applying device, a yarn monitoring device, an upper yarn catching device, a lower yarn catching device, a splicing device, a clearing system for removing yarn not matching a predefined quality criterion, etc. At each winding position 71, 72, one or more cops 61, 65, 63, 69 can be received. In the example illustrated in Fig. 1, at each winding position 71, 72 two cops 61, 65, 63, 68 are received. However, more or less cops can be received at winding positions of a winding machine. At each winding position 71, 72, yarn is unwound from cops 61, 65, 63, 68 and rewound on yarn bobbins 81, 82. Thus, each winding position 71, 72 is configured to produce yarn bobbins 81, 82 with rewound yarn from cops 61, 65, 63, 69 received at the winding positions 71, 72. At specific times, the yarn bobbins 8 are unloaded from the winding positions 71, 72 for subsequent manufacturing steps.
Typically, the number of spinning positions 51, 52, 53 of a spinning machine 5 and the number of winding positions 71, 72 of a winding machine 7 are large and strongly exceed the small number of positions schematically illustrated in Fig. 1.
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the spinning machine 5 includes a spinning controller 50 for controlling operation of the spinning machine 5. The spinning controller 50 is connected via signal line 5s with control units 510, 520, 530 of the spinning units 511, 521, 531 arranged at the spinning positions 51, 52, 53. The control units 510, 520, 530 receive from the spinning controller 50 control signals via the signal line 5s for controlling operation of the spinning units 511, 521, 531 for producing cops 61, 62, 63 of a desired specification from roving 41, 42, 43. The desired specification of the cops 61, 62, 63 may relate to a quality of yarn, a quantity of yarn, a number of produced cops 61, 62, 63 per unit of time, etc.
Control signals enable adjusting operational parameters of the spinning units 511, 512, 513, such as a spindle speed, a drafting rate, a mode of movement of a ring bench and/or of a spindle bench, a rotation speed of a spinning pot, a rotation speed of a driven spinning ring, a rotation speed of a controlled rotating spinning ring, a ring traveler speed, an information on whether a yarn compaction module has been applied, a type of a ring traveler, an accumulated service life of a ring traveler, a remaining service life of a ring traveler, a condition score of a ring traveler, etc. Control signals can also be used to control an auxiliary module of a spinning machine. For example, an auxiliary module may be a spindle monitor of a spinning machine or a service robot of a spinning machine. For example, by means of a control signal, a service robot can be instructed to drive to a specific spinning position and carry out a more detailed analysis of the spinning position and/or carry out certain maintenance actions (e.g. replace a ring traveler or clean the rollers of a drafting system, etc.).
The control units 510, 520, 530 transmit monitor signals to the spinning controller 50 via the signal line 5s. Monitor signals may relate to the spinning units 511, 521, 531 (e.g. signals related to spindle speed, ring traveler speed, drafting rate, etc.), to the roving 41, 42, 43 (e.g. signals related to the presence and/or amount of roving at a specific spinning position (e.g. spindle position of a ring spinning machine, identifier of a roving carrier, etc.), to the yarn spun in the spinning units 511, 521, 531 (e.g. signals related to yarn imperfection index, hairiness, etc.), to the cops 61, 62, 63 (e.g. identifier of a yarn carrier), etc. Monitor signals may be based on or derived from signals generated by respective sensors. Monitor signals may relate to a cop identifier (cf. further description below), an imperfection index, a hairiness, a spinning position, a doffing time (time remaining until next doffing), a spindle speed, a number of yarn breaks per unit of time, a ring traveler speed, a rotation speed of a spinning pot, a rotation speed of a driven spinning ring, a rotation speed of a controlled rotating spinning ring, a number of yarn breaks per unit of time, a number of yarn breaks per unit of yarn length, an air temperature, an air humidity, etc.
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the winding machine 7 includes a winding controller 70 for controlling operation of the winding machine 7. The winding controller 70 is connected via signal line 7s with control units 710, 720 of the winding units 711, 721 arranged at the winding positions 71, 72. The control units 710, 720 receive from the winding controller 70 control signals via the signal line 7s for controlling operation of the winding units 711, 721 for producing yarn bobbins 81, 82 of a desired specification from cops 61, 65, 63, 68. The desired specification of the yarn bobbins 81, 82 may relate to a quantity of yarn per yarn bobbin 81, 82, a number of produced yarn bobbins 81, 82 per unit of time, an amount of energy required for producing a yarn bobbin 81, 82, etc. Control signals enable adjusting operational parameters of the winding units 711, 721, 731, such as a winding speed, a number of active winding positions, a power of a vacuum system, a number of active cops (bobbin) preparation stations, etc. The control units 710, 720 transmit monitor signals to the winding controller 70 via the signal line 7s. Monitor signals may relate to the winding units 711, 721, to the cops 61, 65, 63, 68, to the yarn unwound from the cops 61, 65, 63, 68 and wound onto the yarn bobbins 81, 82, to the yarn bobbins 81, 82, etc. Monitor signals may be based or derived from signals generated by respective sensors, in particular of a yarn clearer or of multiple yarn clearers (e.g. different types of yarn clearers). Monitor signals may relate to cop identifiers of cops received in the winding units (cf. further description below), a yarn tension, a number of clearing operations performed by a clearing system, a consumption of energy, a number of produced yarn bobbins per unit of time, etc. Monitor signals provided by or derived from one yarn clearer or multiple yarn clearers may relate to yarn count, thick places, thin places, twist level, yarn strength, yarn elongation properties, tenacity, twist and count, yarn hairiness, yarn imperfection index, yarn color and others.
A cop 6 can include an identifier unit, such as an RFID tag (RFID: Radio Frequency Identifier), a barcode, etc., having stored a cop identifier in the form of a unique identification number, for example. At the spinning positions 51, 52, 53 of the spinning machine 5 and at the winding positions 71, 72 of the winding machine 7, reader units, such as an RFID reader, a barcode reader, etc., can be arranged for determining cop identifiers of cops 6 arranged at the spinning positions 51, 52, 53 respectively at the winding positions 71, 72 by reading the unique identification number from the identifier unit attached to the respective cop 6.
As indicated in Fig. 1 by respective reference numerals, the spinning machine 5 produces cops with reference numerals 61, 62, 63, while the winding machine 7 has received cops having different reference numerals 61, 65, 63, 68. The difference in the reference numerals illustrates that the cops received in the winding machine may relate to cops which were produced at various spinning positions of various upstream spinning machines. For example, on the basis of the identifier unit of cops 61, 62, 63, the spinning position 51, 52 can be recorded in an electronic device 10 as described below, and for cops 61, 65, 63, 68 received in winding units 71, 72 the spinning position of these cops 61, 65, 63, 68 can be determined on the basis of recorded data.
As illustrated in Fig. 1, an electronic device 10 is arranged. The electronic device 10 is connected via signal line 1s to the spinning controller 50 of the spinning machine 5 and to the winding controller 70 of the winding machine 7. Typically, the electronic device 10 is connected to a plurality of spinning machines and to a plurality of winding machines. As indicated in Fig. 1, the electronic device 10 may be connected via signal line 1s to further upstream machines, such as the roving machine 3.
The electronic device 10, the spinning controller 50, the winding controller 70, the signal lines 1s, 5s, 7s, etc. may relate to computerized devices and computerized networks. The computerized networks may relate to wired computer networks, wireless computer networks, etc. The computerized networks enable transmission of control signals, monitor signals, etc. between respective devices, controllers, units, etc. The computerized devices may relate to microcontrollers, computers, etc. The computerized devices may include one or more processors and program instructions stored in a memory, which program instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, provide the functions as described in the present disclosure. The devices, controllers, units, etc. may include user interfaces such as graphical user interfaces (GUI) for enabling displaying status information to an operator, for enabling receiving commands from an operator, etc. For example, the electronic device 10 may relate to a control and monitoring device of a spinning mill.
The roving 4 respectively the cops 6 may be transported automatically, semi-automatically or manually from the roving machine 3 to the spinning machine 5 (or a plurality of spinning machines) respectively from the spinning machine 5 to the winding machine 7 (or a plurality of winding machines). The yarn bobbins 8 may be transported away from the winding machine 7 automatically, semi-automatically or manually.
The electronic device 10 is configured to determine one or more spinning parameters related to the production of cops 6 with spun yarn (or similar type of package comprising spun yarn) by the spinning machine 5. For this purpose, the spinning controller 50 transmits spinning parameters to the electronic device 10, for example, upon request by the electronic device 10, by accessing respective information of the control units 510, 520, 530 of the spinning units 511, 521, 531. Spinning parameters sp may relate to performance parameters of the spinning machine 5, to cop parameters of produced cops 6, to operational parameters of the spinning machine 5, etc.
The electronic device 10 is configured to determine one or more winding parameters wp of the winding machine 7 related to the production of yarn bobbins 8 with rewound yarn from cops 6 by the winding machine 7. For this purpose, the winding controller 70 transmits winding parameters to the electronic device 10, for example, upon request by the electronic device 10, by accessing respective information of the control units 710, 720 of the winding units 711, 721. Winding parameters wp may relate to performance parameters of the winding machine 7, to yarn bobbin parameters of produced yarn bobbins 8, to operational parameters of the winding machine 7, etc.
The electronic device 10 is configured to determine a quality measure qm of one or more of the produced cops 6 based on winding parameters wp and based on spinning parameters sp. For example, the quality measure qm may relate to an imperfection index, to a hairiness, to a number of yarn breaks on a cop, etc. For example, winding parameters wp may be used to determine a hairiness, and on the basis of a respective cop identifier and spinning parameters, the spinning position can be determined which produced the respective cop 6. Thus, it may be concluded that cops 6 produced at that spinning position have a specific quality measure qm as regards a specific hairiness.
For example, winding parameters wp may indicate an anomality regarding the number of winding errors at one or more winding position 71, 72, .... While the winding parameters may indicate proper operation of respective winding positions 71, 72, ..., the spinning parameters, e.g. cop identifiers which enable determining the spinning position, may indicate that the anomality regarding the number of winding errors is caused by cops 6 which were produced at a particular spinning position 51, 52, 53, .... Thus, the quality measure qm may relate to spinning positions producing cops 6 which effect an anomality regarding the number of winding errors when rewound at winding positions.
The quality measure qm can relate to a classification determined by labels such as "high quality", "normal quality", "low quality", "functional disorder", etc. For example, on the basis of winding parameters wp such as winding errors, etc., and spinning parameters sp, such as a cop identifier, a spindle speed, etc., respective labels can be assigned to the cops 6.
Optionally, the electronic device 10 is configured to transmit, after determining the quality measure qm, a signal related to the quality measure qm, such as a signal requesting to resolve a functional disorder, which signal is transmitted, for example, to the spinning controller 50, to a display of a mobile device of a shift worker, etc. Response to the signal related to the quality measure qm, such as a signal for resolving a functional disorder, may occur automatically, semi-automatically, or manually. For example, signals for resolving a functional disorder automatically may be transmitted to the controller 50. For example, signals for resolving a functional disorder manually may relate to signals transmitted to a display assigned to a shift worker for displaying respective information to the shift worker.
The electronic device 10 is configured to determine adjustment information al related to the quality measure qm of the cops 6. For example, the adjustment information al may include spinning parameters such as cops build information, such as number and position of cuts, doffing time, spindle position. For example, the adjustment information al may include winding parameters, such as number and kind of cuts per cop, number and kind of additional events like tension breaks, a yarn tension profile when unwinding, efficiency of bobbin preparation, data determined at a clearer, such as a yarn imperfection index, a hairiness, kind and position of faults in the yarn which were not cut out, etc. Spinning parameters, winding parameters may relate to real time data, trend data, etc.
Adjustment information al may include customer information, such as a priority as regards the production throughput, quality, energy consumption, etc., limits as regards a yarn imperfection index, a hairiness, etc.
The electronic device 10 is configured to adjust one or more operational parameters of the winding machine 7 based on the adjustment information al. For this purpose, the electronic device 10 determines from the adjustment information al one or more operational parameter, such as a winding speed, and transmits respective control signals to the winding controller 70. The winding controller 70 adjusts respective operational parameters of the winding units 711, 721 by transmitting respective control signals to the control units 710, 720 of the winding units 711, 721. For example, adjusting a control parameter may relate to reducing a winding speed at winding positions 71, 72, ... which have received cops 6 having a particular quality measure qm. For example, the operational parameter can be adjusted as long as the adjustment information al remains within predefined limits, for example a winding speed may be increased as long as a yarn imperfection index, a hairiness, etc. remains within limits (e.g. according to customer information), or as long as additional events such as tension breaks do not increase disproportionally, or as long as a yarn tension is adapted for a higher speed, etc.
Fig. 2 illustrates schematically an electronic device 10 for adjusting one or more operational parameters of a winding machine 7, 7', 7", ... of an exemplary spinning and winding section of a spinning mill having arranged a plurality of spinning machines 5, 5', 5", 5"', ... and a plurality of winding machines 7, 7', 7", .... Upstream from the spinning machines 5, 5', 5", 5"', ..., a plurality of roving machines 3, 3', ... can be arranged for producing roving 4. Roving 4 is received at the spinning machines 5, 5', 5", 5"', ... for producing cops 6 with wound yarn. Cops 6 with wound yarn is received at the winding machines 7, 7', 7", ... for producing yarn bobbins 8.
As described above, the electronic device 10 is configured to determine spinning parameters sp of the one or more spinning machines 5, 5', 5", 5"', ... producing cops 6. For example, the electronic device 10 can be configured to store for each cop 6 respective spinning parameters. For example, each cop 6 can include an identifier unit having stored a cop identifier as described above and the spinning parameters can be stored together with the cop identifier.
During production of a cop 6, the electronic device 10 can store spinning parameters after lapse of a predefined time interval, after production of a predefined amount of yarn, etc. The time interval, amount of yarn, etc. may be variable. For example, during a first phase of the production of a cop 6, a different time interval, amount of yarn, etc. may be selected than during a second phase. For example, during an initial phase of the production of a cop 6, a smaller time interval may be selected than during an end phase of the production of a cop 6. For example, in accordance with the yarn wound on a cop 6, the electronic device 10 can have stored different imperfection indices, hairiness values, etc. for different sections of the yarn wound on the cop 6. Thus, for each produced cop 6, the electronic device 10 can have stored spinning parameters assigned to yarn and/or sections of yarn wound on the cop 6, together with the cop identifier of the cop 6. The spinning parameters can include an identification of the spinning machine 5, 5', 5", 5"', ..., an identification of the spinning position 51, 52, 51', 52', ..., etc.
Accordingly, when cops 6 are received in winding machines 7, 7', 7", ..., for each winding position, the electronic device 10 can determine spinning parameters of the cops 6 received in the winding position.
The electronic device 10 is configured to determine winding parameters wp of the one or more spinning machines 7, 7', 7", ... For this purpose, for example, the electronic device 10 accesses the winding controllers 70 of the winding machine 7, 7', 7", ... for receiving respective information from the control units 710, 720 of the winding positions 711, 721 of the winding machines 7, 7', 7", 7"', ....
As described above, the electronic device 10 is configured to determine a quality measure qm of the produced cops 6 based on winding parameters wp of the one or more winding machines 7, 7', 7", ... and based on spinning parameters sp of the one or more spinning machines 5, 5', 5", 5"', .... For example, winding parameters wp may indicate an excessive number of winding errors at particular windings positions, and the spinning parameters may indicate that the winding errors occur when cops 6 produced at a particular spinning position of a spinning machine 5a are received in a respective winding position. For example, the quality measure qm can relate to a hairiness and a yarn imperfection index being each at uncritical levels, but in combination effect an excessive number of winding errors.
Optionally, the electronic device 10 is configured to transmit, after determining the quality measure qm, a signal related to the quality measure qm as described above.
The electronic device 10 is configured to determine adjustment information al related to the quality measure qm. Adjustment information al may include information as described above and in particular relates to the spinning machines 5, 5', 5", 5"', ..., the winding machines 7, 7', 7", ..., etc.
The electronic device 10 is configured to adjust one or more operational parameters of the one or more winding machines 7, 7', 7", ... based on adjustment information. For example, adjustment information may relate to cops 6 being produced at a particular spinning position, and having a hairiness above or below a predefined level, or having assigned labels such as "high quality", "normal quality", "low quality", "functional disorder", as described above. For example, adjusting one or more operational parameters may relate to adjusting a winding speed. Adjusting the winding speed may relate to an increase or a decrease of the winding speed. For example, for cops 6 having a hairiness above a predefined level, the winding speed may be decreased. For example, for cops 6 having a hairiness below a predefined level, the winding speed may be increased.
For example, adjusting one or more operational parameters may relate to adjusting a number of active winding positions. At an active winding position, production of yarn bobbins 8 from cops 6 is enabled. At an inactive winding position, production is disabled. For example, the number of winding positions may be decreased for enabling a reduced energy consumption. For example, the number of winding positions may be increased for enabling an increased production throughput. Reducing energy consumption, increasing production throughput may be in accordance with customer information ci.
For example, adjustment information al may relate to spinning parameters of sections of yarn wound on a cop 61 having a hairiness which is above a predefined limit requiring a reduced winding speed for producing the yarn bobbin 8. The hairiness may be an actual measured hairiness or an estimated hairiness - for example, depending on the operating parameters (e.g. with or without compaction module) with which the yarn was processed at a particular spinning position. Adjustment information al may further relate to winding parameters of a particular winding speed at the winding position 71, 72 having received the cop 61. Accordingly, the electronic device can adjust the winding speed of the respective winding unit 711, 721 of the winding machine 7, 7', 7", ... which has received the cop 61 with yarn above a predefined hairiness.
For example, adjustment information may relate to spinning parameters of particular spinning positions 52 of a particular spinning machine 5, and to winding parameters indicating the occurrence of winding failures, such as an increased number of clearings of a yarn clearing system in case a cop 6 produced at the particular spinning position 52 of the particular spinning machine 5 is received in a winding position 71, 72 of a winding machine 7, 7', 7", .... The electronic device 10 can adjust the winding speed of winding positions 71, 72 of winding machines 7, 7', 7", ... which have received cops produced at the particular spinning position 52 of the particular spinning machine 5 for reducing the occurrences of winding failures, such as for reducing the number of clearings of a yarn clearing system, thereby increasing the number of produced yarn bobbins 8 per unit of time, because, for example, a lower winding speed with a smaller number of clearings and thereby smaller total clearing time can increase the number of produced yarn bobbins with respect to a higher winding speed with a larger number of clearings and thereby a larger total clearing time.
For example, adjustment information may relate to spinning parameters of yarn wound on cops 6 having a thickness which is above a predefined limit, thereby enabling a wide range of possible winding speeds. The cops may be arranged in a large number of active winding positions and a slower winding speed may be selected for enabling yarn bobbins 8 of a high quality, or the cops may be arranged in a small number of active winding positions and a slower winding speed may be selected for enabling reduced energy consumption.
The electronic device 10 may include neural network algorithms, fuzzy logic algorithms, etc. for determining the quality measure based on spinning parameters and winding parameters, for determining adjustment information al related to the the quality measure qm, and for adjusting operational parameters based on adjustment information.
For example, determining the quality measure qm enables classifying each cop 6 into classes such as "high quality", "normal quality", etc. For example, determining adjustment information ai enables locating winding positions having received cops 6 of a particular class such as "high quality, "normal quality", etc. For example, adjusting one or more operational parameters op of winding machines enables adapting winding units in accordance with the particular class such as "high quality", "normal quality", etc. of the cops received in the winding units. For example, winding units having received cops 6 of a "high quality", winding units having received cops 6 of a "normal quality", etc. can be operated using operational parameters in accordance with the classification of the received cops 6, such as a "high winding speed", a "normal winding speed", etc.
Fig. 3 illustrates schematically possible method steps of a method for adjusting a winding parameter of a winding machine of a spinning and winding section of a spinning mill. At step S1, a quality measure qm of one or more of the produced cops 6 is determined based on winding parameters wp of one or more winding machines 7, 7', 7", ... and based on spinning parameters sp of one or more spinning machines 5, 5', 5", 5"', .... At step S2 adjustment information ai related to the quality measure qm of the one or more of the produced cops 6 is determined. At step S3, one or more operational parameters op of at least one of the winding machines 7, 7', 7", ... is adjusted based on the adjustment information ai.

Reference numerals/signs

1: spinning and winding section of a spinning mill
10: electronic device
1s, 5s, 7s: signal lines
id: identifier unit of roving, cops, yarn bobbins
3, 3': roving machines
4, 41, 42, 43: roving
5, 5', 5", 5'": spinning machines
50: spinning controller
51, 52, 53: spinning positions
511, 521, 531: spinning units
510, 520, 530: control units of spinning units
6, 61, 62, 63, 65, 68: cops with wound yarn
7, 7', 7", 7'": winding machines
70: winding controller
71, 72, 73: winding positions
711, 721, 731: winding units
710, 720, 730: control units of winding units
8, 81, 82: yarn bobbins
sp: spinning parameters
wp: winding parameters
al: adjustment information
op: operational parameters
cl: customer information

Claims

An electronic device (10) for adjusting one or more operational parameters (op) of a winding machine (7, 7', 7", ...) of a spinning and winding section (1) of a spinning mill, the spinning and winding section (1) including one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5"', ...) and one or more winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...), the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5"', ...) being configured to produce cops (6) with wound yarn, the one or more winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...) being configured to receive cops (61, 63, 65, 68, ...) with wound yarn produced by the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5"', ...) to produce yarn bobbins (8) with rewound yarn, the electronic device (10) being configured to:
determine a quality measure (qm) of one or more of the produced cops (6) based on winding parameters (wp) of the one or more winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...) and based on spinning parameters (sp) of the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5'", ...),

determine adjustment information (ai) related to the quality measure (qm) of the one or more of the produced cops (6),

adjust one or more operational parameters (op) of at least one of the winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...) based on the adjustment information (ai).
The electronic device (10) of claim 1, wherein adjustment information (ai) includes customer information (ci).
The electronic device (10) of claim 1 or 2, wherein adjustment information (ai) includes one or more of the spinning parameters (sp) and the winding parameters (wp).
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 3, further configured to repeat adjusting at least one of the one or more operational parameters (op) as long as at least some adjustment information (ai) remains within predefined limits.
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the quality measure (qm) enables determining a functional disorder at a spinning machine (5a).
The electronic device (10) of one of claims claim 1 to 5, wherein one or more spinning parameters (sp) relate to performance parameters of the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5"', ...), selected from a group comprising a remaining time until the next doffing operation, a total number of cops delivered by at least one spinning machine during the next doffing operation, an expected total number of yarn breaks of all cops delivered by at least one spinning machine during the next doffing, and an information regarding an actual or scheduled downtime of at least one spinning position of at least one spinning machine.
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 6, wherein one or more spinning parameters (sp) relate to cop parameters, selected from a group comprising a cop identifier, a yarn thickness, a yarn imperfection index, a yarn hairiness, a yarn length on a cop, a number of yarn breaks on a cop, a position of at least one yarn break on a cop, an indication for the probability of a quality problem of yarn on a cop, an indication for the probability of a quantity problem of yarn on a cop, a number of yarn breaks per unit of time, a number of yarn breaks per unit of yarn length, a variation coefficient of yarn mass, a variation index of yarn diameter, a number of thick places per unit of length, a number of thin places per unit of length, a number of periodic yarn faults per unit of length, a number of yarn count variants per unit of length, a number of foreign materials per unit of length.
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 7, wherein one or more spinning parameters (sp) relate to operational parameters of the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5"', ...), selected from a group comprising a a spindle speed, a drafting rate, a mode of movement of a ring bench and/or of a spindle bench, a rotation speed of a spinning pot, a rotation speed of a driven spinning ring, a rotation speed of a controlled rotating spinning ring, a ring traveler speed, an information on whether a yarn compaction module has been applied, a type of a ring traveler, an accumulated service life of a ring traveler, a remaining service life of a ring traveler, a condition score of a ring traveler, an air temperature during production of a cop, and an air humidity during production of a cop.
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 8, wherein one or more winding parameters (wp) relate to performance parameters of the one or more winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...), selected from a group comprising a consumption of energy, a number of produced yarn bobbins per unit of time, a number of yarn end searches in a cop preparation station, a number of winding errors of at least one winding station, and a pressure distribution and/or a flow rate of a vacuum system.
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 9, wherein one or more winding parameters (wp) relate to yarn bobbin parameters, selected from a group comprising a yarn tension, a number of clearing operations, a yarn imperfection index, and a hairiness.
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 10, wherein one or more operational parameters (op) relate to one or more of a winding speed, a number of active winding positions, a number of active cops preparation stations, a power of a vacuum system, a valve position of a vacuum system, and a speed of a conveyor system for cops and/or for yarn bobbins.
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 11, further configured to determine a spinning position of a cop (6) received at a winding position of a winding machine (7, 7', 7", ...) and to adjust at least one of the one or more operational parameters (op) depending on the spinning position.
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the one or more operational parameters (op) depend on one or more winding positions of the winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...).
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 13, further configured to determine at least one of the spinning parameters (sp) and the winding parameters (wp) by accessing at least one of a controller (50) of a spinning machine (5, 5', 5", 5"', ...) and a controller (70) of a winding machine (7, 7', 7", ...) and a central database of a mill management system.
The electronic device (10) of one of claims 1 to 14, wherein adjusting the one or more operational parameters (op) is based on one or more of a neural network algorithm and a fuzzy logic algorithm.
A computer system for putting into practice an electronic device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 15, the computer system comprising one or more computers, the one or more computers preferably comprising a graphical user interface.
A method for adjusting one or more operational parameters (op) of a winding machine (7, 7', 7", ...) of a spinning and winding section (1) of a spinning mill, the spinning and winding section (1) including one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5"', ...) and one or more winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...), the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5"', ...) being configured to produce cops (6) with wound yarn, the one or more winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...) being configured to receive cops (61, 63, 65, 68, ...) with wound yarn produced by the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5"', ...) to produce yarn bobbins (8) with rewound yarn, wherein the method includes the steps executed by an electronic device (10) or a computer system of:
determining a quality measure (qm) of one or more of the produced cops (6) based on winding parameters (wp) of the one or more winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...) and based on spinning parameters (sp) of the one or more spinning machines (5, 5', 5", 5"', ...),

determining adjustment information (ai) related to the quality measure (qm) of the one or more of the produced cops (6),

adjusting one or more operational parameters (op) of at least one of the winding machines (7, 7', 7", ...) based on the adjustment information (ai).
The method of claim 17, wherein adjustment information (ai) includes customer information (ci).
The method of claim 17 or 18, wherein adjustment information (ai) includes one or more of the spinning parameters (sp) and the winding parameters (wp).
The method of one of claims 17 to 19, further including the step of repeating adjusting at least one of the one or more operational parameters (op) as long as at least some adjustment information (ai) remains within predefined limits.