Brand control method for an automatic tobacco article processing machine

A brand control method for an automatic tobacco article processing machine, the method including the steps of: defining a number of end product brands that can be produced on the automatic machine; creating a number of configurations, each associated with a respective brand and having a set of values of control parameters controlling electrically controlled operating parts to produce the brand; selecting a desired end product brand; loading the configuration corresponding to the desired end product brand onto a control unit to commence production of the desired brand; defining a number of sections, each having a set of control parameters and independent of the other sections; defining a number of recipes by assigning each section at least one respective set of values of the corresponding control parameters, so each recipe corresponds to a respective section and contains the values of the control parameters in that particular section; and defining each configuration by combining a number of compatible recipes, so that each recipe may potentially form part of a number of different configurations.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a brand control method for an automatic tobacco article processing machine.

The present invention may be used to advantage on an automatic packing machine for producing packets of cigarettes, to which the following description refers purely by way of example.

BACKGROUND ART

At one time, a cigarette packing line produced packets of cigarettes of one brand with no changes over a prolonged period of time. More recently, attempts have been made to adopt a so-called “just in time” practice, whereby the brand produced on a given cigarette packing line is changed frequently to real-time adapt to market demand and so reduce storage. As a result, automatic packing machines producing packets of cigarettes now undergo increasingly frequent brand changes.

Brand changing on an automatic packing machine producing packets of cigarettes normally comprises two types of intervention: “mechanical” or “hardware” changes, which consist in physically adjusting the component parts of the packing machine and/or changing component parts incompatible with the new brand; and “logic” or “software” changes, which consist in replacing the old-brand configuration with that of the new brand in the control unit of the packing machine. Brand configurations are the values of the parameters controlling the electrically controlled operating parts of the packing machine to produce the brand. In other words, the packing machine comprises various electric/electronic operating parts (i.e. electrically controlled parts, such as servovalves, electric actuators, sensors, heating resistors), each controlled by a control algorithm implemented by the control unit and which employs control parameters whose values may vary depending on the brand for production (e.g. the sealing temperature of a heating resistor may vary depending on the packing material used, or the movement of an electric actuator may vary depending on the size of the packet of cigarettes for packing, or the characteristics of the packing materials). To produce a given brand, the control unit must therefore be given the corresponding configuration, i.e. the corresponding values of the parameters controlling the electrically controlled operating parts of the packing machine.

On currently marketed automatic packing machines, all the producible brand configurations are memorized in a bulk storage memory of the control unit, in which each configuration is memorized and controlled as a single, indivisible database containing all the parameter values controlling the electrically controlled operating parts. And the most common way of creating a new configuration, for example, is to duplicate (i.e. “copy & paste”) the existing configuration most closely resembling the new one, and then alter certain parts of the duplicate.

The above configuration control method has the advantage of being extremely straightforward and intuitive, but is not very efficient, on account of the configurations being completely unrelated and independent, regardless of the resemblance between them. That is, if two only slightly different configurations, e.g. 3 out of 500 values, are required, two separate, almost identical databases must still be created in the control unit bulk storage memory. And if either of the configurations is updated slightly at a later date to improve the production process (as frequently occurs in the case of packing processes), it is desirable that the same updates also be copied in the other configuration. Otherwise, the benefits of the improvement are not extended to all the configurations, and, more importantly, the configurations operate differently, thus seriously complicating maintenance, adjustment, and production process improvement. At each configuration update, the operator should therefore determine whether the same also applies to the other configurations. But since this is a long, painstaking job (especially when numerous configurations are involved) and potentially subject to error, very often it is not done.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a brand control method for an automatic tobacco article processing machine, that is cheap and easy to implement and provides for eliminating the aforementioned drawbacks.

According to the present invention, there is provided a brand control method for an automatic tobacco article processing machine, as claimed in the attached Claims.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Number1inFIG. 1indicates as a whole a known automatic packing machine (in particular, a G.D. model C800 cellophaning machine) for overwrapping packets2of cigarettes in respective sheets3of transparent plastic wrapping. In other words, automatic machine1comprises a production line, along which a number of materials (i.e. packets2of cigarettes and sheets3of wrapping, normally with respective tear tapes not shown in detail) are fed and processed to produce an end product, i.e. overwrapped packets2of cigarettes.

Automatic machine1comprises an input spider4, which transfers packets2to a belt conveyor5, which feeds packets2, together with respective sheets3, to a packing wheel6, on which tubular wrappings are formed from sheets3about respective packets2and stabilized laterally. The tubular wrappings are transferred from wheel6to a belt conveyor7, along the path of which, sheets3are finish-folded about respective packets2and stabilized by heat sealing the ends. Packets2, overwrapped in respective sheets3, are transferred from belt conveyor7to a conveyor8and fed to an automatic cartoning machine (not shown inFIG. 1).

Automatic machine1comprises a control unit9for supervising operation of automatic machine1, and which is connected to an interface (so-called HMI) device10enabling the operator to interact with control unit9. Interface device10comprises an industrial personal computer11; an input device12(typically a keyboard and/or pointing device) by which the operator enters commands on control unit9; and a screen13, on which information is displayed by control unit9. In a preferred embodiment, screen13also features a “touch-screen” device to simplify command entry by the operator, as an alternative to input device12.

Machine1comprises a number of known electric/electronic operating parts14(shown schematically) distributed along the production line and for performing respective functions when activated by control unit9. For example, electric/electronic operating parts14comprise electric motors14a, solenoid valves14b, sensors14c(shown schematically inFIG. 1purely by way of example), and heating resistors. In a preferred embodiment, electric/electronic operating parts14are connected to one another, and are connected to control unit9over a FieldBus control network, whereas interface device10and control unit9are connected over a computer, e.g. Ethernet, network.

Each electric/electronic (i.e. electrically controlled) operating part14is controlled by a respective control algorithm implemented in control unit9, and which uses control parameters15(shown schematically inFIG. 2) whose values16(shown schematically inFIG. 3) may vary depending on the brand being produced (e.g. the sealing temperature of a heating resistor may vary depending on the packing material used, or the movement of an electric actuator may vary depending on the size of packets2of cigarettes for packing, or the characteristics of the packing material). It is important to note that values16in general may be alphanumeric, e.g. may be numeric or logic (e.g. YES/NO) values.

Machine1is potentially capable of producing numerous brands of packets2of cigarettes, and, to produce a given brand, must be adapted accordingly by means of a brand change. In other words, a brand change serves to adapt machine1to the manufacture of a given brand of packet2of cigarettes, and, on machine1, comprises two types of intervention: “mechanical” or “hardware” changes, which consist in physically adjusting the component parts of machine1and/or changing component parts incompatible with the new brand; and “logic” or “software” changes, which consist in replacing the old-brand configuration17with the new-brand configuration17in the automatic packing machine control unit. A brand configuration17is composed of a set of values16of the parameters15controlling electrically controlled operating parts14to produce the brand. In other words, for packing machine1to produce a given brand, control unit9must be given the corresponding configuration17, i.e. the corresponding set of values16of parameters15controlling electrically controlled operating parts14.

To begin with, a number of brands of packets2of cigarettes (i.e. of the end product) producible on automatic machine1are determined; and a number of configurations17are then created, each associated with a respective brand of packet2of cigarettes, and, as stated, each comprising a set of values16of parameters15controlling electrically controlled operating parts14to produce the brand. Configurations17are typically memorized in a bulk storage memory of control unit9or a bulk storage memory of interface device10for fast retrieval, so that, when a given brand of packet2of cigarettes (i.e. end product) is selected in control unit9(in particular, in a RAM memory of control unit9), the configuration17corresponding to the selected brand of packet2of cigarettes (i.e. end product) is loaded to start production of the selected brand.

As shown inFIG. 4, a number of sections18(indicated1,2,3,4. . . N inFIG. 4by way of example) are defined, each comprising a set of control parameters15, and each independent of the other sections18. Control parameters15in the same section18are preferably related. More specifically, control parameters15in the same section18relate to operating parts14in the same section18of machine1(spatial relationship) or to operating parts14performing the same function (functional relationship). For example, section18indicated “Film” may comprise all the parameters15controlling supply of sheets3of wrapping cut off a continuous reel-fed web; and section18indicated “Heaters” may comprise all the parameters15controlling the heat sealing devices for heat sealing the folded sheets3of wrapping. By way of example,FIG. 2shows, schematically, the “Film” section18, which comprises N parameters15controlling supply of sheets3of wrapping.

As shown inFIG. 4, once sections18are defined (at the design stage of machine1), a number of recipes19(tagged1.A,1.B,1.C . . . ) are determined by assigning each section18at least one set of values16of corresponding control parameters15, so that each recipe19corresponds to a respective section18and contains the values16of control parameters15in the same section18. In other words, and as shown more clearly inFIG. 3, at least one recipe19, comprising the set of values16of control parameters15in the same section18, is created for each section18.

It is important to note that sections18are defined at the design stage of machine1and are not normally changed (unless structural changes are made to machine1), whereas recipes19may be continually added, deleted or modified, depending on the production demands of machine1and improvements to operation of machine1.

As shown inFIG. 5, each configuration17is defined by a combination of several compatible recipes19, so each recipe19may potentially form part of a number of different configurations17. InFIG. 5, for example, recipe2.A forms part of three different configurations (AAA, BBB, DDD), and recipe4.A of two different configurations (AAA, BBB), whereas recipe4.E does not form part of any of the four configurations inFIG. 5.

Each recipe19is preferably identified by a respective identification tag (1.A,1.B,1.C . . . inFIG. 4), so each configuration17may be defined by a list of identification tags of the corresponding recipes19. In other words, configuration AAA inFIG. 5may be defined by simply assigning it the following list of identification tags:1.A,2.A,3.B,4.A . . . N.B.

In a preferred embodiment, each configuration17is assigned a control object20containing a list of the sections18in configuration17. To complete each configuration17, each section18in configuration17must be assigned a corresponding recipe19to ensure each configuration17contains all and only the corresponding sections18. For example, a section18containing parameters15controlling application of a revenue strip is necessary to produce packets2of cigarettes fitted with revenue strips, but not for producing packets2of cigarettes with no revenue strips. Obviously, some sections18may be optional, whereas others, such as section18containing parameters15controlling supply of sheets3of wrapping, must always be present.

It is important to note that a configuration17may contain sections18that are not actually used in production and are disabled by a logic parameter in control object20.

In a further embodiment shown inFIG. 2, each section18is assigned a congruence object21, which indicates the other sections18that must form part of a configuration17comprising that particular section18, and/or indicates the sections18that cannot form part of a configuration17comprising that particular section18.

It should be noted that configurations17are normally composed dynamically: only a few configurations17are ready-made when installing automatic machine1. Switching over to a new brand, i.e. creating a new configuration17, often simply involves loading into the memory of control unit9the recipes19differing from the current configuration17of the previous brand. Saving the new configuration17therefore simply amounts to saving the modified recipes19and the new control object20, which is identified by a new configuration17name, thus greatly speeding up the brand-change process.

Finally, to produce a new brand never produced before, a new configuration17can be created using a combination of existing recipes19not adopted before in an existing configuration17. In which case, only the new control object20need be saved in the control unit9memory or in a bulk storage memory of interface device10.

The brand control method described has numerous advantages, by being quick and easy to implement, and, above all, enabling highly efficient control of configurations17. That is, as opposed to configurations17being totally unrelated and independent of one another, regardless of the similarity between them, each configuration17may share numerous components (i.e. recipes19) with similar configurations17. One configuration17may even differ from another by only one recipe19. As such, updating one recipe19to improve the production process is automatically applied to all the configurations17containing that particular recipe19. Consequently, the benefits of improving one recipe19are automatically also extended to all the configurations17containing that particular recipe19, so configurations17all operate the same way, thus greatly simplifying maintenance, adjustments, and production process improvements.

Obviously, the brand control method described relative to a machine for cellophaning packets of cigarettes may be applied to advantage to any tobacco article processing machine, such as a cigarette maker, a filter maker, a cigarette filter assembly machine, a packing machine for producing packets of cigarettes, or a cartoning machine for producing cartons of packets of cigarettes.