Patent ID: 6165395
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
A feedback control method for controlling an apparatus for manufacturing finished thermoplastic tubes from thermoplastic sleeves, said apparatus having an indexing device rotatable about a fixed shaft, a means mounted on said indexing device for supporting sleeves for advancement along a closed path in response to rotation of said indexing device in a predetermined direction, a plurality of manufacturing stations for performing a plurality of different operations on said thermoplastic sleeves to form said finished thermoplastic tubes from said thermoplastic sleeves, and a PLC device, said method comprising:sensing selected information about the quality of said thermoplastic sleeves and formed tubes at a plurality of locations around said closed path corresponding to said plurality of different operations of said plurality of manufacturing stations;generating feedback control signals corresponding to said quality of said thermoplastic sleeves and formed tubes based on said sensed selected information;inputting said feedback control signals to said PLC device; andwith use of said feedback control signals, controlling said plurality of different operations of said plurality of manufacturing stations with said PLC device to thereby control the quality of said finished thermoplastic tubes by identifying, monitoring and tracking defective formed tubes during said plurality of different operations of said plurality of manufacturing stations.