BR-112021016909-B1 - CONTROL METHOD FOR A CONVERSION LINE AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A CONVERSION LINE

BR112021016909B1BR 112021016909 B1BR112021016909 B1BR 112021016909B1BR-112021016909-B1

Abstract

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR REWINDING MACHINES. A converting line includes a rewinding machine for winding the weft material onto a cylinder. For time points during a cylinder winding cycle, predictive information representative of a cylinder being wound is generated and stored in a memory of a rewinding machine control. An image capture device is enabled to capture a plurality of images of the log being wound onto the winding nest at the plurality of corresponding time points during the time period. Cylinder image capture information is generated based on the plurality of captured images and corresponding time points during the time period. The cylinder image capture information is compared with the generated predictive cylinder image information to determine a difference in the cylinder image. The revised predictive cylinder image information is generated based, at least in part, on a difference in the cylinder image capture information relative to the predictive cylinder image information.

Inventors

Stefano Spinelli

Assignees

BW CONVERTING, INC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260317
Application Date: 20200228
Priority Date: 20190301

Claims (15)

1. A method for controlling a converting line (12), wherein the converting line (12) includes a rewinding machine (18) configured to wind a cylinder (22) of twisted weft material (W) in a winding manner (24) onto a winding nest (24) of the rewinding machine (18), the method comprising: for a period of time during a winding cycle, generating representative predictive information related to an image of a cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24), wherein the information related to the predictive cylinder image comprises information corresponding to: (a) a plurality of cylinder (22) diameters to be wound onto the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period, storing a plurality of data structures in a memory (30) of a controller (26) of a control system (10) associated with the rewinding machine (18), wherein the data structures comprise a plurality of interconnected data items that are representative of the information related to the generated predictive cylinder image; enable an image capture device (20) to capture a plurality of images of a cylinder (22) being wound into the winding nest (24) at the plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; generate cylinder image capture information based on the plurality of captured images and corresponding time points during the time period; compare the cylinder image capture information with the generated predictive cylinder image-related information to determine a difference in the cylinder image; generate revised predictive cylinder image-related information based, at least in part, on a difference in the cylinder image capture information relative to the predictive cylinder image-related information; and allow the controller (26) to generate signals to control the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on information related to the revised predictive cylinder image for the subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12); characterized in that the representative predictive information related to an image of a cylinder to be wound onto the winding nest (24) further comprises: (b) at least one of: (i) a plurality of vibration frequencies of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period, and (ii) a plurality of vibration amplitudes of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; the representative predictive information related to an image of a cylinder to be wound onto the winding nest further comprises: (c) at least one of: (i) a plurality of the positions of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period, and (ii) predictive information representative of a gauge of the weft material of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24), wherein the predictive weft gauge information comprises a plurality of weft gauge measurements of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; and the cylinder image capture information includes (d) captured cylinder diameter information, (e) at least one of (i) captured cylinder vibration frequency information, and (ii) captured cylinder vibration amplitude information, and (f) at least one of (i) captured cylinder position information and (ii) captured weft gauge information.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: measuring the weft gauge to generate measured weft gauge information at the corresponding plurality of time points during the time period; comparing the measured weft gauge information with the generated predictive weft gauge information to determine a difference in weft gauge; generating revised predictive cylinder weft gauge information based, at least in part, on a difference in the measured weft gauge information relative to the predictive weft gauge information; and allowing the controller (26) to generate signals to control the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on the revised predictive weft gauge information for the subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12).
3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: generating predictive information representative of a quantity of weft material to be wound around the cylinder (22) to be wound in the winding nest (24), wherein the predictive wound weft quantity information comprises a plurality of measurements of quantities of weft to be wound around the cylinder (22) to be wound in the winding nest (24) at the plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; structuring the plurality of data structures stored in the memory (30) of the controller (26) of the control system (10) for the conversion line (12) with data representative of the generated predictive wound weft quantity information; measuring quantities of weft wound around the cylinder to generate measured wound weft quantity information at the corresponding plurality of time points during the time period; comparing the measured wound weft quantity information with the generated predictive wound weft quantity information to determine a difference in the amount of weft wound; generate revised predictive weft wound information based, at least in part, on a difference in measured weft wound information relative to predictive weft wound information; and allow the controller (26) to generate signals to control the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on the revised predictive weft quantity information for the subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12).
4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: generating predictive information representative of the speed of the weft material of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24), wherein the predictive weft speed information comprises a plurality of measurements of the weft speed of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; structuring the plurality of data structures stored in the memory (30) of the controller (26) of the control system (10) for the conversion line (12) with data representative of the generated predictive weft speed information; measuring the weft speed to generate measured weft speed information at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; comparing the measured weft speed information with the generated predictive weft speed information to determine a difference in weft speed; generating revised predictive weft speed information based, at least in part, on a difference in measured weft speed information compared to predictive weft speed information; and allow the controller (26) to generate signals to control the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on revised predictive weft speed information for subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12).
5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: generating predictive information representative of a rotational speed of a cylinder (22) to be wound on the winding nest (24), wherein the predictive rotational speed information of the cylinder (22) comprises a plurality of measurements of the rotational speed of the cylinder (22) to be wound on the winding nest (24) at the plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; structuring the plurality of data structures stored in the memory (30) of the controller (26) of the control system (10) for the conversion line (12) with data representative of the generated predictive cylinder rotational speed information; measuring the cylinder rotational speed to generate measured cylinder rotational speed information at the corresponding plurality of time points during the time period; comparing the measured cylinder rotational speed with the generated predictive cylinder rotational speed information to determine a difference in cylinder rotational speed; generate revised predictive cylinder rotation speed information based, at least in part, on a difference in measured cylinder rotation speed information relative to predictive cylinder rotation speed information; and allow the controller (26) to generate signals to control the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on the revised predictive cylinder rotation speed information for the subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12).
6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: generating predictive information representative of the rotational speed of a cylinder core (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24), wherein the predictive rotational speed information of the cylinder core comprises a plurality of measurements of the rotational speed of the center of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; structuring the plurality of data structures stored in the memory (30) of the control system controller (26) for the conversion line with data representative of the generated predictive cylinder core rotational speed information; measuring the rotational speed of the cylinder core to generate measured cylinder core rotational speed information at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; comparing the measured cylinder core rotational speed with the generated predictive cylinder core rotational speed information to determine a difference in the rotational speed of the cylinder core. cylinder; generate revised predictive cylinder core rotation speed information based, at least in part, on a difference in measured cylinder core rotation speed information relative to predictive cylinder core rotation speed information; and allow the controller (26) to generate signals to control the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on the revised predictive cylinder core rotation speed information for the subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12).
7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that: the step of storing the plurality of data structures in the memory (30) of the controller (26) of the control system (10) for the conversion line (12) includes data structures associated with the manufacture of the weft material (W) to be wound around the cylinder (22); and the step of enabling the controller (26) includes enabling the controller (26) to send signals to the equipment on the conversion line (12) to make adjustments to the operation of the conversion line equipment based, at least in part, on the data structures associated with the manufacture of the weft material (W).
8. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that: the step of storing the plurality of data structures in the memory (30) of the controller (26) of the control system (10) includes data structures representing the image capture information of the cylinder during the time period from other cylinders (22) previously processed in the conversion line (12); and the step of enabling the controller (26) includes enabling the controller (26) to send signals to the equipment in the conversion line (12) to make adjustments to the operation of the equipment in the conversion line based, at least in part, on the data structures representing the image capture information of the cylinder during the time period from other cylinders (22) previously processed in the conversion line (12).
9. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: generating predictive lifecycle information for at least one component of the conversion line (12); and generating revised predictive lifecycle information for at least one component of the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on the difference in cylinder image capture information relative to predictive cylinder image-related information.
10. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: generating predictive maintenance information for at least one component of the conversion line (12); and generating revised predictive maintenance information for at least one component of the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on the difference in cylinder image capture information in relation to predictive cylinder image-related information.
11. Control system (10) for a converting line, the control system (10) comprising: at least one image capture device (20) adapted and configured to capture images of a cylinder (22) being convolutely wound with weft material (W) in a winding nest (24) of a rewinding machine (18) at a plurality of time points during a time period; a controller (26) including a processor (28) and memory (30), the controller being adapted and configured to: (i) process predictive information representative of and relating to an image of a cylinder being wound in the winding nest at a plurality of time points during the time period, wherein the predictive information comprises information corresponding to: (a) a plurality of diameters of a cylinder (22) being wound in the winding nest (24) at a plurality of time points during a time period; (ii) store a plurality of data structures in the memory (30) of the controller. (26) of the control system (10) associated with the rewinding machine (18), wherein the data structures comprise a plurality of associated data items that are representative of the information related to the generated predictive image; (iii) receive from the image capture device (20) representative information of the cylinder (22) being wound onto the winding nest (24) at the plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; (iv) generate cylinder image capture information from the information received from the image capture device (20) based on the captured images and the plurality of time points during the time period; (v) compare the cylinder image capture information with the generated predictive cylinder image-related information to determine a difference in the cylinder image; (vi) generate revised predictive cylinder image-related information based, at least in part, on a difference in the cylinder image capture information relative to the predictive cylinder image-related information; (vii) allow the controller (26) to generate signals to control the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on information relating to the revised predictive cylinder image for the subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12); characterized in that the representative predictive information relating to an image of a cylinder to be wound on the winding nest further comprises: (b) at least one of: (1) a plurality of vibration frequencies of the cylinder (22) to be wound on the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period, and (2) a plurality of vibration amplitudes of the cylinder (22) to be wound on the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; and the representative predictive information relating to an image of a cylinder to be wound onto the winding nest further comprises (c) at least one of: (1) a plurality of positions of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period, and (2) representative information of a gauge of the weft material of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24), wherein the predictive weft gauge information comprises a plurality of weft gauge measurements of the cylinder (22) to be wound onto the winding nest (24) at a plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; The cylinder image capture information includes (d) captured cylinder diameter information, (e) at least one of: (1) captured cylinder vibration frequency information and (2) captured cylinder vibration amplitude information, and (f) at least one of: (1) captured cylinder position information and (2) captured frame gauge information.
12. Control system (10), according to claim 11, characterized in that the controller is adapted and configured to: (viii) determine a gauge of the weft being wound around the cylinder (22) at the corresponding plurality of time points during the time period; (ix) compare the gauge determination with the predictive gauge information to determine a difference in gauge; and (x) generate revised weft gauge information based, at least in part, on a difference in the measured weft gauge information relative to the predictive weft gauge information; and (xi) generate signals to control the conversion line based (12), at least in part, on the revised predictive weft gauge information for the subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12).
13. Control system (10), according to claim 11, characterized in that the controller is adapted and configured to: (viii) process predictive information related to an amount of weft material (W) to be wound around the cylinder (22) to be wound, wherein the predictive wound weft quantity comprises a plurality of measurements of quantities of weft to be wound around the cylinder (22) to be wound in the winding nest (24) at the plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; (ix) store a plurality of data structures in the memory (30) of the controller (26) that include representative data of the predictive wound weft quantity information; (x) determine an amount of weft material (W) being wound around the cylinder (22) at the corresponding plurality of time points during the time period; (xi) compare the determined wound weft quantity with the predictive wound weft quantity information to determine a difference in the wound weft quantity; (xii) generate revised predictive wound weft quantity information based, at least in part, on a difference in measured wound weft quantity information relative to predictive wound weft quantity information; and (xiii) generate signals to control the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on revised predictive wound weft information for subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12).
14. Control system (10), according to claim 11, characterized in that the controller (26) is adapted and configured to: (viii) process predictive information related to a speed of the weft material (W) to be wound around the cylinder (22) to be wound, wherein the predictive weft speed information comprises a plurality of measurements of the speed of the weft (W) to be wound around the cylinder (22) to be wound in the winding nest (24) at the plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; (ix) store a plurality of data structures in the memory (30) of the controller (26) that include representative data of the predictive weft speed information; (x) determine a weft speed at the corresponding plurality of time points during the time period; (xi) compare the determined weft speed with the predictive weft speed information to determine a difference in weft speed; (xii) generate revised predictive web speed information based, at least in part, on a difference in measured web speed information relative to predictive web speed information; and (xiii) generate signals to control the conversion line (12) based, at least in part, on revised predictive web speed information for subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12).
15. Control system (10), according to claim 11, characterized in that the controller (26) is adapted and configured to: (viii) process predictive information related to a rotational speed of the cylinder (22) to be wound, wherein the predictive information of the cylinder rotational speed comprises a plurality of measurements of the rotational speed of the cylinder (22) to be wound in the winding nest (24) at the plurality of corresponding time points during the time period; (ix) store a plurality of data structures in the controller's memory that include representative data of the predictive cylinder rotational speed information; (x) determine a cylinder rotational speed at the corresponding plurality of time points during the time period; (xi) compare the determined cylinder rotational speed with the predictive cylinder rotational speed information to determine a difference in the cylinder rotational speed; (xii) generate revised predictive cylinder rotational speed information based at least in part on a difference in measured cylinder rotational speed information relative to predictive cylinder rotational speed information; and (xiii) generate signals to control the conversion line (12) based at least in part on revised predictive cylinder rotational speed information for subsequent winding of another cylinder (22) to be processed on the conversion line (12).

Description

ORDER-RELATED DATA [001] This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application no. US 62/812,467, filed March 1, 2019, disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. FUNDAMENTALS [002] A method and apparatus for evaluating the formation of a cylinder being wound on a surface, hybrid, or central winder, and other methods and apparatus for converting line controls based on such cylinder formation evaluations, are disclosed in more detail below. As will become evident in the discussion that follows, the systems and methods described in this document enable converting machines to be less complex to operate, reduce commissioning time for new converting lines, simplify product changeovers, maximize uptime, and reduce costs. The systems and methods described in this document seek to limit the effects of variability in winding processes, thus optimizing uptime and minimizing operator intervention while increasing processing speeds. The systems and methods disclosed in this document allow for the precise determination of events in the cylinder winding cycle that are partly caused by winding speed, changes in weft conditions, master roll condition, and other upstream processes. [003] Conventionally, these variabilities are handled manually by the equipment operators. Often, immediate adjustments are made as the operator observes the process, or pre-programmed adjustments are made based on assumed criteria and visual observation. For example, excessive vibration of a cylinder during winding is visible to the naked eye only when it has reached a relatively high amplitude level and most likely after the cylinder has already begun to lose some of its desired properties (loss of gauge or volume, distortion of the embossed pattern) and residues are generated. The result is that the operator often takes conservative measures to avoid process or quality problems, for example, operating the rewinder line at a "safe speed" that is significantly lower (up to 30% lower) than the nominal or desired speed for a given product application, with obvious consequences for machine productivity and finished cylinder specifications (e.g., diameter, gauge, etc.). Concerns may arise when winding low-firmness cylinders that are especially susceptible to vibration, such as toilet paper (BRT) or household towel (HHT). Processing speeds for such low-firmness product applications are often limited to reduce the onset of unacceptable conditions on the winding cylinder. Generally, all these methods impair overall machine efficiency because they require time and interaction from the operator, or the adjustments are based on general assumptions that may be inapplicable to a specific condition or cause. [004] Using the systems and methods described in this document, data indicative of cylinder formation, e.g., cylinder position, cylinder geometry, cylinder displacement, and cylinder vibration, can be captured for improved converting line performance, production, and/or material utilization. The disclosure, which may be applicable to any surface, hybrid, or central winder, describes the use of high-speed image capture equipment to detect cylinder formation in relation to cylinder position, geometry, displacement, and vibration during the winding process to provide more accurate feedback and adaptive and predictive controls and machine learning strategies that can reduce operator intervention and other inefficiencies. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [005] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a control system for a conversion line, showing the various components of the conversion line that can be controlled by means of the control system. [006] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a winding nest layout of a rewinding machine and an image capture system positioned relative to the winding nest to capture images of a cylinder to be wound. [007] Figure 3 illustrates a progression of images captured by the image capture system from a moment when the lower roller encounters the product or initial cylinder winding (LRMP), the compressor roller encounters the product (RRMP), the product moves to a position generally on top of the lower roller, and the compressor roller moves through successive positions as the cylinder diameter increases and is discharged from the winding nest. [008] Figure 4 is an illustrative decision tree diagram showing the steps used by a controller to process cylinder vibration information based on captured images and generate corresponding conversion line control signals. [009] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a process flow for a machine learning system embedded in the control system for the conversion line. [010] Figure 6 is a graph showing a method for correlating the frame gauge with the cylinder diameter, based on a K-nearest neighbor (k-nn) machine learning algorithm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [011] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a control system 10 for a converting line 12 and the various comp