Patent Publication Number: US-2022212826-A1

Title: Control and/or identification method in an automatic machine for the production or the packaging of consumer products, in particular of the tobacco industry

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This Patent Application claims priority from Italian Patent Applications No. 102019000008247 filed on Jun. 6, 2019, and No. 102019000008250 filed on Jun. 6, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a control and/or identification method in an automatic machine for the production or the packaging of consumer products. 
     The present invention finds advantageous application in the tobacco industry, to which the following disclosure will refer without losing its generality. 
     PRIOR ART 
     An automatic machine for the production or the packaging of products in the tobacco industry comprises at least one processing line which is formed by a plurality of operating members and feeds and combines, with one another, at least two different materials that are used to manufacture the consumer products (e.g. cigarettes, packets, cartons, etc.). 
     Currently an automatic machine for the production or the packaging of products in the tobacco industry has a plurality of detection units, comprising linear position, angular position, temperature, humidity, optical, microwave, X-ray detection units, in order to try to keep under control both the operational members, the materials and the semi-finished or finished products. 
     However, keeping all the processing aspects under control requires a large number and a wide variety of detection units and consequently involves very high costs (both for the purchase of the detection units, and for the assembly and wiring of the detection units), large dimension problems, and considerable time expenditure for the calibration of the detection units. 
     Furthermore, known detection units are not always able to effectively verify whether a product complies with the specifications and, hence, is acceptable or whether the consumer product does not comply with the specifications and, hence, needs to be rejected; in particular, known detection units can lose efficacy when they have to investigate internal features of a product that are not directly accessible from the outside. 
     Patent application US2018100810A1 describes a method for detecting the presence of foreign material within a flow of agricultural products which is illuminated with light and is then scanned to acquire a hyperspectral image; the hyperspectral image is analyzed to obtain measured spectrum data which is then compared with predetermined spectrum data (sample) in order to determine whether the measured spectrum data is indicative of the presence of foreign material. 
     Patent application US2019137979A1 describes a balancing method of a production line which provides the generation of recommendations to move one or more procedures from one station to another station in order to reduce the overall cycle time. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a control and/or identification method in an automatic machine for the production or the packaging of consumer products, in particular of the tobacco industry, which allows to keep the processing under control in an effective, efficient manner and with relatively low costs. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a control and/or identification method in an automatic machine for the production or the packaging of consumer products, in particular of the tobacco industry, which allows to identify and keep under control the components of the machine, and the operating members thereof, in an effective, efficient manner and with relatively low costs. 
     According to the present invention, a control and/or identification method is provided in an automatic machine for the production or the packaging of consumer products, in particular of the tobacco industry, according to what is claimed in the attached claims. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a control method to control a consumer product in an automatic machine for the production or the packaging of consumer products, in particular of the tobacco industry, which allows to control the consumer product in an effective, efficient manner and with relatively low costs. 
     According to the present invention, a control method to control a consumer product is also provided in an automatic machine for the production or the packaging of consumer products, in particular in the tobacco industry, according to what is claimed in the appended claims. 
     The appended claims also form an integral part of the present description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate some non-limiting examples of embodiments, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic front view of a packaging machine which produces rigid packets of cigarettes and is controlled according to the control and/or identification method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified block diagram of the control and/or identification method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front and schematic view of a double machine for the production of filters which is controlled according to the control and/or identification method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a portion of a filter rod made by the machine of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a packaging machine which produces single-dose cartridges for electronic cigarettes; and 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a three-dimensional detection unit used by the control and/or identification method of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     In  FIG. 1  number  1  denotes as a whole an automatic packaging machine for producing a rigid packet of cigarettes  2 , which comprises an outer container that is made of cardboard or rigid paperboard, is cup-shaped, houses an inner wrap containing a group  3  of cigarettes, and is provided with a hinged lid. 
     The automatic packaging machine  1  comprises a frame  4  which rests on the floor and supports a processing line  5  along which the processing (i.e. the packaging) of the cigarettes is performed. Along the processing line  5  there are arranged: a forming unit  6  in which the groups  3  of cigarettes are formed in succession, a wrapping unit  7  in which a wrapping sheet (typically metallized paper) is folded around each group  3  of cigarettes so as to form the corresponding inner wrap, and a wrapping unit  8  in which a blank (typically of cardboard and already provided with pre-weakened folding lines) is folded around each inner wrap to form the corresponding outer container provided with the hinged lid. A feeding unit  9  is coupled to the wrapping unit  7 , which feeds the wrapping sheets in succession to form the inner wraps, while a feeding unit  10  is coupled to a wrapping unit  8 , which feeds the blanks in succession to form the outer containers  2 . 
     The automatic packaging machine  1  comprises a plurality of operating members (for example linear conveyors, rotating conveyors, gumming units, fixed folders, mobile folders, control members, support heads, pulleys, belts, pushers, pockets for groups  4  of cigarettes, electronic boards, electric motors, electric actuators, pneumatic valves . . . ), which are distributed along the processing line  5  in order to form the processing line (i.e. to form the various units  6 - 11  which make up the processing line  5 ). In other words, the processing line  5  is provided with a plurality of operating members and feeds and combines the materials (cigarettes, wrapping sheets, blanks of paper or cardboard, glue) used by the automatic packaging machine  1  to make the consumer products, or to make packs  2  of cigarettes. 
     Furthermore, the automatic packaging machine  1  comprises a control unit  11  which supervises the operation of the automatic packaging machine  1  and therefore of the processing line  5 . The control unit  11  is connected to one or more hyperspectral detection units  12  (better described in the following), which are mounted near the automatic packaging machine  1  (not necessarily onto the frame  4  of the automatic packaging machine  1 ). Each hyperspectral detection unit  12  is designed to carry out a three-dimensional detection within its own operating volume (region of the space that can be examined by the hyperspectral detection unit  12 ) containing a corresponding part of the automatic packaging machine  1 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , three hyperspectral detection units  12  are provided, each performs a detection inside its own operating volume which contains approximately one third of the automatic packaging machine  1 ; according to other embodiments not illustrated, the total number of hyperspectral detection units  12  varies from a minimum of one to a maximum of a few dozen depending on the size of the automatic packaging machine  1  and according to the control objectives. 
     It is important to emphasize that the hyperspectral detection units  12  can investigate the entire automatic packaging machine (i.e. the sum of the operating volumes of the individual hyperspectral detection units  12  contains the entire automatic packaging machine  1 ), or the hyperspectral detection units  12  can investigate only one or more parts of the automatic packaging machine  1  (i.e. the sum of the operating volumes of the hyperspectral detection units  12  does not contain the entire automatic packaging machine  1 ). 
     A hyperspectral detection unit  12  is a device comprising a plurality of detection unit elements capable of detecting the presence of radiation in a multiplicity of adjacent frequency bands (also partially overlapping) of the electromagnetic spectrum. 
     The radiation is detected in a portion of the environment defined as the operating volume, that is, in the volume reached by the sensitivity of the device since the radiation coming from inside this volume has sufficient energy to be detected by the device. 
     A high number of detection unit elements (even thousands or millions of detection unit elements) give the device the ability to detect very narrow adjacent bands of an electromagnetic spectrum in high definition, which can be extended between zero and a few hundred GHz (for example 300 GHz). This degree of definition can be reached by means of the use of innovative nanomaterials, such as those described in patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,963,265, 9,899,547 and 10,256,306. 
     The presence of alterations in natural magnetic fields, due to the presence of objects inside said operating volume, causes weak variations in the lines of the detected electromagnetic spectrum: therefore, in order to be able to effectively distinguish the variations of the spectrum lines, the device must be able to clearly distinguish very narrow frequency bands by means of a large number of detection unit elements. It is clear that, in the analysis of the spectrum lines highlighted by the detection unit  12 , it is also necessary to consider the perturbations of natural magnetic fields due to the presence of artificial environmental electromagnetic sources. 
     The device can also perform a directional detection of radiation sources, that is, it can be able to provide information regarding the direction of origin of a given radiation by means of a different geometric arrangement of the detection unit elements, that is, the device allows a “stereoscopic” detection of the electromagnetic spectrum. 
     According to what is illustrated in  FIG. 6 , each detection unit  12  comprises a stack  13  formed by a plurality of sensitive layers  14  on top of one another; the sensitive layers  14  are made of nanomaterials (in particular graphene) and are deposited on respective inert substrates  15 . According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , each sensitive layer  14  is formed by a two-dimensional honeycomb made of carbon atoms. In other words, each sensitive layer  14  is a graphene nano tape, with a two-dimensional honeycomb made of carbon atoms, which allows a very high sensitivity. For example, each sensitive layer  14  can be made by means of a three-dimensional molecular printer which applies the nanomaterials on a substrate  15 . Nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, molybdenum disulfide and others, have interesting physical properties: they are highly sensitive and stable in extreme conditions, they are also light, hardened against radiation and require relatively little energy. 
     Each detection unit  12  comprises an electric generator  16  which is adapted to apply a time-varying electrical voltage to the ends of the stack  13  to energize the detection unit  12  and a measuring device  17  which detects variations in the electrical voltage at the ends of the stack  13  and/or in the electric current that passes through the stack  13 . The variations in the electric voltage at the ends of the stack  13  and/or in the electric current that passes through the stack  13  made up raw data  18  (schematically illustrated in  FIG. 2 ) that form, as output, (the measurement) of the detection unit  12  and which is processed as described in the following. In other words, each detection unit  12  is excited by applying electrical voltage to the ends of the stack  13  of the detection unit  12  and the raw data  18  is determined by detecting variations in the electrical voltage at the ends of the stack  13  of the detection unit and/or in the electric current passing through the stack  13  of the detection unit  12 . 
     Sensitive elements can be made, for example, by means of a “molecular” three-dimensional printer which applies the nanomaterials on a substrate and arranges the detection unit elements (suitably treated to differentiate the same) by successive layers. 
     Each detection unit  12  performs a hyperspectral detection of the alterations of the magnetic or electromagnetic fields produced by all the objects present inside the operating volume, and is provided with a digital interface which provide, as output, a set of raw data  18  (schematically illustrated in  FIG. 2 ) corresponding to the hyperspectral detections of the individual detection unit elements. The raw data  18  provided at the output of each detection unit  12  depend on the geometry and nature of all the objects present inside the operating volume of the detection unit  12 . 
     In particular, each hyperspectral detection unit  12  arranged in the automatic packaging machine  1  provide, as output, a set of raw data  18  concerning the dimensions and/or position and/or shape and/or physical structure and/or chemical composition feature of all the objects present inside the operating volume of the detection unit  12 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the raw data  18  provided by each hyperspectral detection unit  12  is filtered so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning at least one single object present inside the operating volume of the detection unit  12 , and the information  19  related to the single object are used by the control unit  11  to perform a control and/or identification operation. 
     A preliminary filtering operation may regard the elimination of all alterations of the electromagnetic field caused by the outer environment in which the automatic packaging machine  1  is located (for example walls, structures, accessory equipment, computers, etc. of the manufacturing site); i.e. the raw data  18  provided by each hyperspectral detection unit  12  is acquired in the absence of the automatic packaging machine  1  (i.e. caused only by the environment in which the automatic packaging machine  1  will be placed) to determine the electromagnetic field alterations caused by the outer environment and these alterations of the electromagnetic field caused by the outer environment are “subtracted” (eliminated, purified) from the raw data  18  provided by each hyperspectral detection unit  12  in the presence of the automatic packaging machine  1 . This operation is therefore configured as an actual tare (calibration) performed with respect to the outer environment (to the automatic packaging machine  1 ). 
     To focus only on the information concerning the materials (cigarettes, wrapping sheets, blanks of paper or cardboard, glue) with which consumer products are made, it is possible to carry out a preliminary filtering operation to eliminate all the alterations of the electromagnetic field caused by the empty automatic packaging machine  1  (i.e. devoid of all materials) and stopped; i.e. the raw data  18  acquired by each hyperspectral detection unit  12  is acquired when the automatic packaging machine  1  is empty (i.e. devoid of all materials) and stopped to determine all the alterations of the electromagnetic field caused by the automatic packaging machine  1  empty (i.e. devoid of all the materials) and stopped and said alterations of the electromagnetic field caused by the empty automatic packaging machine  1  (i.e. devoid of all the materials) and stopped are “subtracted” (eliminated, purified) from the raw data  18  provided by each hyperspectral detection unit  12  in the presence of a full automatic packaging machine  1  (i.e. provided with materials) and in motion. This operation is therefore configured as a real tare (calibration) performed with respect to the empty automatic packaging machine  1  (i.e. devoid of all the materials) and obviously also with respect to the outer environment in which the automatic packaging machine  1  is located. 
     The isolation and extraction of information  19  concerning at least one single object present inside the operating volume of the detection unit  12  can follow or precede one or more classification operations (and possible subclassification) of the multitude of raw data  18 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the raw data  18  provided massively by the hyperspectral detection unit  12  can be assimilated to a set of “big data” and is filtered by means of an artificial intelligence algorithm  20  so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning at least one single object inside the operating volume. In particular, the artificial intelligence algorithm  20  comprises an artificial neural network that was trained to isolate and extract information  19  concerning at least one single object present inside the operating volume of the hyperspectral detection unit  12 ; i.e. the raw data  18  provided by each hyperspectral detection unit  12  is filtered by means of the artificial neural network which was trained to isolate and extract information  19  concerning at least one single object present inside the operating volume of the detection unit  12 . 
     According to a possible embodiment, the raw data  18  provided by at least one hyperspectral detection unit  12  is processed so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning at least one component of the automatic packaging machine  1 , and the information  19  concerning the component of the automatic packaging machine  1  are used by the control unit  11  to identify the component. 
     In particular, the control unit  11  comprises a database of all possible components of the automatic packaging machine  1  and compares the information  19  obtained from the raw data  18  and concerning the component of the automatic packaging machine  1  to be identified with the information contained in all the possible components of the automatic packaging machine  1 ; in other words, the control unit  11  identifies the component by finding in the database, if present, the component that most corresponds to the information  19  obtained from the raw data  18  and concerning the component to be identified. In this embodiment, preferably but not necessarily, the overall operating volume of the hyperspectral detection units  12  (i.e. the set of operating volumes of the individual hyperspectral detection units  12 ) contains the entire automatic packaging machine  1 , the raw data  18  provided by the hyperspectral detection units  12  is processed so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning all components of the automatic packaging machine  1  which are in the global operating volume, and the control unit  11  uses the information  19  obtained from the raw data  18  and concerning each component of the automatic packaging machine  1  to identify the component; in this way, the control unit  11  using the identification of all the components of the automatic packaging machine  1  determines the configuration of the automatic packaging machine  1 . 
     According to a possible embodiment, the raw data  18  provided by at least one hyperspectral detection unit  12  is processed so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning at least one material, and therefore the control unit  11  uses the information  19  concerning the material and obtained from raw data  18  to establish whether the material complies with corresponding nominal specifications or not (therefore to check whether the materials fed to the automatic packaging machine  1  are of good quality). 
     According to a possible embodiment, the raw data  18  provided by at least one hyperspectral detection unit  12  is processed so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning at least one material, and therefore the control unit  11  uses the information  19  concerning the material and obtained from the raw data  18  to identify the material (therefore also to check whether the materials fed to the automatic packaging machine  1  are correct). 
     According to a possible embodiment, the raw data  18  provided by at least one hyperspectral detection unit  12  is processed so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning at least one semi-finished or finished product present in a predetermined position of the processing line  5 , and therefore the control unit  11  uses the information  19  concerning the semi-finished or finished product and obtained from the raw data  18  to establish whether the semi-finished or finished product complies with corresponding nominal specifications or not (therefore whether need to be rejected or not). In other words, the control unit  11  uses the information  19  concerning at least one feature of a semi-finished or finished product to determine whether the semi-finished or finished product complies with the specifications and therefore is acceptable or if the semi-finished or finished product does not complies with the specifications and, hence, needs to be rejected. 
     From the above it is clear that the information  19  concerning the single object (a component of the automatic packaging machine  1 , a material, a semi-finished or finished product) and obtained from the raw data  18  can be used by the control unit  11  to control at least an operating member of the automatic packaging machine  1 . 
     The raw data  18  provided, as output, from each detection unit  12  are interpreted as a function of the Zeeman effect. The Zeeman effect is a phenomenon which consists in the separation of the spectral lines due to an outer magnetic field: it is observed that each line of the outer magnetic field splits into several very close lines, due to the interaction of the magnetic field with the angular and spin momenta of the electrons. In other words, the Zeeman effect is the division of a spectral line due to a magnetic field, that is, if a 300 nm atomic spectral line was considered under normal conditions, in a strong magnetic field, due to the Zeeman effect, the spectral line would be divided to produce a more energetic line and a less energetic line, in addition to the original line at 300 nm. The reason for the Zeeman effect is that in a magnetic field the quantum state of the angular momentum can undergo a shift from degeneration. For example, the orbital has three possible angular quantum states of the momentum that have degenerated (of the same energy) under normal circumstances. However, each quantum state of the angular momentum has a magnetic dipole momentum associated thereto, so the effect of a magnetic field is to separate the three states into three different energy levels. One state rises in energy, one lowers in energy and one remains at the same energy. The separation of these quantum states into three different energy levels causes three different states of excitation with slightly different energies that give rise to three slightly different spectral lines of energy (one with the same energy as the original spectral line, one more energetic and one less energetic) to the relaxation of the atom. This is the simplest case of the Zeeman effect, known as the normal Zeeman effect. The direct consequence of this effect is that some fields will be reflected by matter, others will be absorbed and others partially reflected and partially absorbed. 
     The geometric arrangement of the molecules will influence the way in which the fields will be reflected and all other chemical and physical parameters will influence the way in which the spectrum is partially or totally absorbed. Knowing how “something” acts in the presence of a magnetic field allows to determine all the parameters that characterize matter when the alteration (or disturbance) is observed. Examples of parameters are: temperature, chemical composition, chemical bonds, radiation, electric charge. Basically, anything that can be described by chemistry and physics is a parameter. 
     It is important to note that each hyperspectral detection unit  12  is completely passive, that is, it does not emit any form of energy (typically in the form of a mechanical or electromagnetic wave) which in some way affects (“illuminates”) the automatic packaging machine  1  or part of it or the materials/products present in the automatic packaging machine  1  (and obviously each detection unit  12  is not coupled to any emitting device which can emit a wave which in some way affects the automatic packaging machine  1  or the materials/products present in the automatic packaging machine  1 ). In other words, each hyperspectral detection unit  12  is not based on the principle of emitting mechanical or electromagnetic waves that effects (“illuminate”) the object to be investigated to detect the mechanical or electromagnetic waves reflected by the object. Each detection unit  12  in fact exploits a passive structure based on graphene and this technology based on graphene allows to detect small alterations of the natural EMF, MF and EM waves involved in the large spectrum of the analysis without emitting new radiation. In other words, each detection unit  12  detects changes in the electromagnetic energy already present in the detection volume without requiring the emission of any additional electromagnetic energy in the detection volume. Therefore, each detection unit  12  does not acquire “images” as a result of a “light” that lights up on the detection volume, but “listens” to the (ambient) background noise naturally present in the detection volume in a manner completely independent from the detection unit  12 . 
     Each atom inserted in a magnetic or electromagnetic field produces an alteration. When the technology used by the hyperspectral detection units  12  is completely passive, it is important to understand which electromagnetic sources are involved in the detection. A first electromagnetic source involved in the detection is the magnetic field that extends from inside the Earth towards the space, where it encounters the solar wind, a flow of charged particles that emanate from the Sun. Its size on the Earth&#39;s surface varies from 25 to 65 microtesla (0.25 to 0.65 gauss). A second electromagnetic source involved in the detection are cosmic rays, that is, the high energy radiation that hits the Earth from space. Some of them have ultra-high energies in the 100-1000 TeV range. The peak of the energy distribution is around 0.3 GeV. A third electromagnetic source involved in the detection are artificial energy sources: most telecommunication systems base their operation on the electromagnetic field (Wi-Fi systems and 3G, 4G, 5G systems can diffuse radiation in a very large area). A fourth electromagnetic source involved in the detection is the environment: almost every form of matter emits a sort of electromagnetic field. In our environment things like the light bulb, the electronic circuit boards or the sun itself emit a large amount of energy in a wide spectral range. 
     Each detection unit  12  is able to detect the spectrum between 0 and 300 GHz due to the graphene-based detection unit which is a stack of multiple layers each made up of an array of multiple cells. Each cell is made up of monatomic graphene layers doped with specific materials that allow accurate and precise detection in a specific area of the spectrum. In this way it is possible to detect not only the perturbations of the electromagnetic field but also their spatial origin. 
     All the detected electromagnetic perturbations are then collected and stored in the raw data  18  which substantially contain all the alterations made by all the atoms in a specific volume. As mentioned above, the data is analyzed with an artificial neural network that allows to use classification and identification to detect a part of the analyzed spectrum useful for extracting the necessary output or for filtering the output in an intelligent manner. 
     By having a scan of every single atom and therefore of every single molecule it is possible to extract and analyze every object inserted in the detection volume. When a part of the spectrum crosses the matter, it is also possible to analyze invisible objects and extract: a three-dimensional model (it is possible to extract a three-dimensional model of everything inside the volume with an accuracy of up to half of a hydrogen atom), chemical data (it is possible to perform a complete chemical analysis of everything inside the volume also of organic matter extracting DNA and bacterial information as well), physical data (it is possible to extract physical data such as electrical parameters, electrical flow, temperatures, heat, brightness or having in real time a trace of particles of a fusion process), and quantum data (almost all the parameters that characterize an universe in terms of phenomena related to space-time such as the behavior of light). 
     In  FIG. 3 , number  21  denotes as a whole an automatic double processing machine for the production of filters for cigarettes provided with a double processing line along which the processing (production) of the filters is carried out. The automatic processing machine  21  comprises a plurality of operating members (for example rotating drums, gumming devices, conveyors, control members, support heads, pulleys, belts, pushers, electronic boards, electric motors, electric actuators, pneumatic valves . . . ), which are distributed along the processing line to form the processing line. In other words, the processing line is formed by a plurality of operating members and feeds and combines the materials (filtering material, paper tapes, glue, etc.) which make up the consumer products used by the automatic processing machine  21 , i.e. forming the filters. 
     The machine  21  comprises two beams  22  (only one of which is illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) for the formation of two respective continuous filter rods  23  (only one of which is illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) and, for each beam  22 , a respective feeding line  24  to feed filtering material (only one of which is illustrated in  FIG. 3 ). The feeding lines  24  are designed to receive, in turn, the filtering material from a conveying line  25 , which is part of the machine  21  and extends between an input station  26  of the feeding lines  4  and a holding bin  27 , in which two bales  28  of filtering material are contained (only one of which is illustrated in  FIG. 3 ). 
     From the bales  28  respective rods  29  having a circular section are unwound, which are fed along the conveying line  25  due to the effect of the traction imparted to the rods  29  by a roller traction group  30  arranged in the input station  6 . 
     The conveying line  25  comprises a guide device  31  for the rods  29  arranged above the bales  28  and an expanding device  32 , which is arranged in the area of the input station  26  immediately upstream of the traction group  30  and is designed for widening transversally the rods  29  having a circular section by means of compressed air blows to form respective strips  33  having a flattened section (only one of which is illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) which are then fed to the roller traction group  30   a.    
     Downstream of the traction group  30   a,  the two strips  33  are fed, along the respective feeding lines  24  and in a substantially horizontal direction  34 , through an ironing unit  35 , which is formed by two roller traction groups  30   b  and  30   c  analogous to group  30   a.  Subsequently, the two strips  33  are fed, along the respective feeding lines  24  in the direction  34 , through a dilator device  36 , which is designed to blow air inside the strips  33  to increase the volume of the strips  33  themselves, and then through a treatment unit  37 , in which the strips  33  are admixed with chemical substances (typically triacetin) suitable to impart aroma and plasticity to the filtering material. Finally, the two strips  33  are fed, along the respective feeding lines  24  in the direction  34 , and through a roller traction group  30   d,  which is analogous to the groups  30  and  30   b,    30   c  and defines an output portion of the feeding lines  24 . 
     The feeding lines  24  are connected to the forming beams  22  by means of a conveying assembly  38 . In each beam  22  the filtering material is fed over a previously gummed paper tape  39  in a gumming station  40  and subsequently wound transversely around the filtering material itself to conform and obtain a continuous cylindrical filter rod  23 . 
     Finally, at the exit of the forming beams  2  and  2   b  a control station  41  to control the density of the filter rods  13  and a cutting head  42 , which is adapted to cut transversely the rods  13  to obtain respective successions of filter portions  43  (illustrated in  FIG. 4 ) are arranged. 
     In the area of the group  18  a feeding unit  44  is arranged to feed additive elements  45  (illustrated in  FIG. 4 ) formed by spherical capsules which contain aromatizing substances (such as, for example, menthol) and which can be broken by crushing to release the aromatizing substances. The feeding unit  44  inserts the additive elements  45  into the filtering material with a step dependent on the feeding speed of the filtering material so that each filter portion  43  contains two uniformly distributed additive elements  45  (each filter portion  43  is subsequently used to form two different cigarettes and therefore is further divided into two identical halves). 
     According to a different embodiment not illustrated, the additive elements  45  can have a different shape (i.e. a shape different from the spherical shape). According to a further embodiment not illustrated, the additive elements  45  are formed by parallelepiped or cylindrical tablets of aromatizing substances. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the automatic machine  1  is a filter processing machine which produces filter portions  43  in each of which a breakable capsule  45  containing a liquid is inserted; according to a possible embodiment, the control unit  11  processes the raw data  18  provided by at least one hyperspectral detection unit  12  so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning the breakable capsule  45  contained in each piece  43  of the filter. In particular, the raw data  18  provided by at least one hyperspectral detection unit  12  is processed so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning the composition and/or the quantity of liquid contained in each breakable capsule  45 . 
     In  FIG. 5  number  46  denotes as a whole an automatic processing machine for the production of disposable cartridges  47  for electronic cigarettes provided with a multiple processing line along which the processing (production) of the disposable cartridges  47  is performed. The automatic processing machine  46  comprises a plurality of operating members (for example rotating drums, gumming devices, conveyors, control members, support heads, pulleys, belts, pushers, electronic boards, electric motors, electric actuators, pneumatic valves . . . ), which are distributed along the production line to form the processing line. In other words, the processing line is formed by a plurality of operating members and feeds and combines the materials (casings, tobacco, filtering material, locking rings . . . ) which make up the consumer products used by the automatic processing machine  46 , that make up the disposable cartridges  47 . 
     Each disposable cartridge  47  comprises a tubular plastic casing having a micro-perforated bottom wall and a substantially cylindrical side wall; inside the tubular casing a dose of tobacco powder  48  is enclosed (in contact with the back wall) surmounted by a pad of filtering material. 
     The processing machine  46  has an intermittent movement, i.e. its conveyors cyclically alternate motion steps and stop steps. The processing machine  46  comprises a processing drum  49  which is arranged horizontally and is mounted rotatably around a vertical rotation axis. The processing drum  49  supports twelve groups of seats, each of which is designed to receive and contain a corresponding tubular casing. The processing machine  8  comprises a further processing drum  50  which is arranged horizontally alongside the processing drum  49  and is mounted rotatably around a vertical rotation axis; the processing drum  50  supports twelve groups of seats, each adapted to receive and contain a corresponding tubular casing. The tubular casings are transferred axially from the seats of a group of the processing drum  49  to the seats of a group of the processing drum  50  in a transfer station  51  in which the two processing drums  49  and  50  are partially overlapped. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the automatic machine  1  is a processing machine for the production of disposable cartridges  47  for electronic cigarettes each containing a dose  48  of an aromatic substance in the liquid state or in the solid state (for example, powdered tobacco); according to a possible embodiment, the control unit  11  processes the raw data  18  provided by at least one hyperspectral detection unit  12  so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning the dose  48  of an aromatic substance contained in a disposable cartridge  47 . In particular, the raw data  18  provided by at least one hyperspectral detection unit  12  is processed so as to isolate and extract information  19  concerning the composition and/or the quantity of aromatic substance contained in a disposable cartridge  47 . 
     In particular, possible applications of the method described above concern the control of the position and integrity of aromatizing capsules arranged in cigarette filters (for example in the presence of two different capsules at a short distance from one another in a filter portion, so that the smoker can choose which to break in order to aromatize the aerosol, it is necessary to check: presence, position, geometry, type of content and quality of both capsules), the dimensional control of combined multisegmented filters and pieces of cigarette of the type “Heat Not Burn”, to check the weight measurement of tobacco derivatives (mixed in rolled tape or granules) or liquids in plastic or metal cartridges for electronic cigarettes, determining the position and geometric features of heating elements arranged in new smoking articles, to check the degree of humidity and the percentage of glycerine in treated tobacco used in new smoking articles, to check for the presence and position of spots or patterns of glue in the packaged product, to check the completeness of the carton of packs of cigarettes and of the boxes of cartons of cigarettes. 
     The automatic machines  1 ,  21  and  46  described above are related to the tobacco industry, but it is clear that the control and/or identification method described above can be implemented in automatic machines for the production or the packaging of consumer products of other fields such as the foodstuff field, the cosmetics field, the pharmaceutical field, or the healthcare field. 
     The embodiments described herein can be combined with each other without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     The control and/or identification method described above has numerous advantages. 
     First of all, the control and/or identification method described above allows to keep under control the processing of the automatic machines  1 ,  21  and  46  in an effective and efficient manner. 
     Furthermore, the control and/or identification method described above can be easily implemented in an already existing automatic machine  1 ,  21  or  46 , since the hyperspectral detection units  12  have a small size and a sufficiently large operating volume (up to a few cubic meters); consequently, the assembly of the hyperspectral detection units  12  in an already existing automatic machine  1 ,  21  or  46 , is always very easy. 
     Finally, the control and/or identification method described above is inexpensive to implement because despite the refined technology of the hyperspectral detection units  12 , their production cost is not particularly high thanks to the use of three-dimensional molecular printers. 
     Scanning the lowest possible level is a challenge: tackling this challenge allows hyperspectral detection units  12  to take from one single detection a multitude of parameters in different physical domains: chemical parameters of the entire volume being object of detection, three-dimensional geometric parameters (outer and inner features) of each object inside the volume subject to detection, physical parameters such as temperature, heat and so on, dynamic and kinetic parameters such as flow rate and linear movements. 
     The hyperspectral detection units  12  are not affected by dust, light or other types of EM and EMF disturbance and there are no special conditions that must be guaranteed for good results. 
     For the hyperspectral detection units  12  there are no limits of shape or materials in terms of detection capability; every object in every material inside the volume object of the detection can be investigated without any kind of preprocessing. 
     For the hyperspectral detection units  12  it is possible to obtain good detection results regardless of the quantity of objects being analyzed and whether the objects being analyzed are moving.