Method for monitoring a production process, method for indirectly deducing a systematic dependency, method for adapting quality, method for starting a production process, method for producing an extrusion product and system for producing an extrusion product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12377597-B2
Application number	US-201716340524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2017
Priority date	Oct 18, 2016
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

The invention relates to various aspects in the production of extrusion products. The properties of extruded articles are dependent significantly, in addition to their formulation, also on the setting variables and in particular on the thus resulting process variables. The setting variables and in particular the process variables thus represent a state of the extrusion process characterized as “fingerprint”. The thus claimed invention takes into account these facts and supports the operator of a production plant to detect earlier changes in quality and to systematically counteract a deterioration in the quality.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring a production process for an extrusion product by means of a production facility, the method comprising:
measuring a current value of a process variable of the production process with a sensor;
comparing the measured process value to a predefined desired process value;
determining an actual value of a setting parameter of the production facility from a production of the extrusion product; and
comparing the determined actual value of the setting parameter to a predefined desired value of the setting parameter,
wherein a deviation of the determined actual value of the setting parameter from the desired value of the setting parameter and/or of the measured process value from the desired process value is indicated, and
wherein by means of existing comparative data for an extrusion product defined by requirements on at least one property of the extrusion product performing a sensitivity analysis by:
receiving a fingerprint that represents a combination of actual values of setting parameters and process variables recorded during production of the extrusion product;
analyzing the fingerprint to identify normal operating ranges for the setting parameters and process variables that yield acceptable product properties;
establishing warning ranges and alarm ranges around the normal operating ranges, wherein the warning range is larger than the normal range and the alarm range is larger than the warning range;
evaluating Pareto fronts between individual influencing values to determine how the individual influencing values condition and interact with one another while simultaneously optimizing multiple quality criteria; and
determining correlations between deviations from the normal operating ranges and resulting changes in product properties, and the actual values of the setting parameters, the measured process value, a property value, or a desired value of the setting parameter is stored in a data processing and evaluation unit or a database, and

determining the sensitivity of the production process to a desired fingerprint and the current value of the fingerprint, and proactively intervening in the production process based on the determined sensitivity and the current value of the fingerprint by adapting process parameters when measured values deviate from the normal range but remain within the warning range to enable timely operator action that returns the process to the normal range before measured values enter the alarm range, wherein the adaptation is based on both (i) the determined correlations between range deviations and property changes and (ii) analysis of the Pareto fronts that quantifies interdependencies between variables while maintaining multiple quality criteria within specified ranges.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the setting parameter desired value and/or the desired value of the measured value are defined in dependence on a production process development parameter.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the setting parameter desired value and/or the desired value of the measured value for a stationary or quasi-stationary production process are defined and/or the setting parameter desired value or the desired value of the measured value are defined during the production process at a time after startup of the production process.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein indication of the deviation of at least the setting parameter actual value from the setting parameter desired value and/or of the measured value from the desired value of the measured value correspond to ranges of the setting parameter desired value and/or of the desired value of the measured value, with a normal state being indicated if the setting parameter actual value and/or the measured actual value lie within the normal range, a warning state being indicated if the setting parameter actual value and/or the measured actual value lie within the warning range and outside the normal range, and an alarm state being indicated if the setting parameter actual value and/or the measured actual value lie within the alarm range and outside the warning range.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the setting parameter desired value and/or a deviating desired value of the measured value are predefined during the production process by an operator of a machine.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the setting parameter desired value and/or a deviating desired value of the measured value are predefined by the data processing and evaluation unit.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the setting parameter desired value and/or a deviating desired value of the measured value are selected using a formulation of the extrusion product.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
storing at least one of the setting parameter actual value, the measured value, a property value, a setting parameter desired value, a desired value of the measured value, a property desired value, a normal range of a setting parameter desired value, for a range of a desired value of the measured value, of a property desired value, a warning range of a setting parameter desired value, for the range of a desired value of the measured value, of a property desired value, an alarm range of a setting parameter desired value, and for the range of a desired value of the measured value and/or of a property desired value, in the database, wherein an existing database is expanded continuously.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
storing at least one of the setting parameter actual value, the measured value, a property value, a setting parameter desired value, a desired value of the measured value, a property desired value, a normal range of a setting parameter desired value, a range of a desired value of the measured value, of a property desired value, a warning range of a setting parameter desired value, for the range of a desired value of the measured value, of a property desired value, an alarm range of a setting parameter desired value, and for the range of a desired value of the measured value and/or of a property desired value, in the database, the database containing only data of a specific production facility for producing one extrusion product.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
storing at least one of the setting parameter actual value, the measured value, a property value, a setting parameter desired value, a desired value of the measured value, a property desired value, a normal range of a setting parameter desired value, for a range of a desired value of the measured value, of a property desired value, a warning range of a setting parameter desired value, for the range of a desired value of the measured value, of a property desired value, an alarm range of a setting parameter desired value, and for the range of a desired value of the measured value and/or of a property desired value, in the database, the database containing data from a plurality of production facilities for producing an extrusion product of identical kind.

11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
storing at least one of the setting parameter actual value, the measured value, a property value, a setting parameter desired value, a desired value of the measured value, a property desired value, a normal range of a setting parameter desired value, for a range of a desired value of the measured value, of a property desired value, a warning range of a setting parameter desired value, for the range of a desired value of the measured value, of a property desired value, an alarm range of a setting parameter desired value, and for the

Assignees

• Reifenhaeuser Masch

Inventors

• Lettowsky Christoph
• Fett Thomas
• Hilgers Mark
• Mager Jens
• Rösner Andreas B
• Stelter Christian
• Vodencarevic Asmir
• Walach Paul
• Geus Hans-Georg
• Nitschke Michael
• Neuenhofer Martin

Classifications

• G05B2219/32179

  Quality control, monitor production tool with multiple sensors · CPC title

• G05B19/41875

  characterised by quality surveillance of production · CPC title

• B29C48/08

  flexible, e.g. films · CPC title

• B29C2948/92114

  Dimensions · CPC title

• B29C2948/92247

  Optical properties · CPC title