JPH0822755B2 - Glassware manufacturing apparatus and glassware production management method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a glassware manufacturing apparatus and a glassware production management method suitable for the manufacture of glassware which emphasizes the design of tableware and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 shows a general apparatus for manufacturing glassware. Raw materials are melted in a glass melting furnace 30 and a molding mechanism 31 is used.
Then, it is molded into the shape of the glass container G, is gradually cooled by the slow cooling mechanism 32, and then is inspected by the inspection mechanism 33. After the inspection, the glassware is further transferred to a packaging step or a secondary processing step.

A glass product forming mechanism usually has a plurality of sections or molds, and each section or mold produces glassware of exactly the same shape. When defects occur in the glassware in the inspection process, if it is possible to know which section or the glassware produced in the mold has the defects, it becomes possible to quickly correct the defects, and the quality can be improved. Can be improved and the yield can be improved. However, the produced products have exactly the same shape, and it is impossible to know the section produced from the shape.

[0004] Techniques for recognizing the model number of a product, ie, the section number of the molding machine that manufactured the product, are already used in production lines for glass bottles. In the conventional technique, a mold number is represented by engraving a symbol similar to a barcode on a bottom mold for molding a glass bottle. By using an image processing device and reading the data in the inspection process, the user recognizes which mold the product was produced from.

[0005]

The engraving of the model number mark on glassware, such as glass tableware, vases, and ashtrays, which is a sales point where design is more important, impairs the design of the product. Already used methods are not available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to improve the quality of a glass product and the yield by performing production management by marking a model number mark on a product by a method that does not affect the design.

[0007]

The present invention provides a glassware manufacturing apparatus having a glassware forming mechanism having a plurality of sections, a slow cooling mechanism, an inspection mechanism, and a transfer mechanism in or between these mechanisms. A glassware manufacturing apparatus characterized by having a model number printing means near the end of the slow cooling mechanism, and a model number recognition means for reading the model number printed by the model number printing means in the inspection mechanism, and slow cooling of the glassware. A glass having a model number printing step at the final stage or immediately after the step, reading the model number printed in the printing step in the inspection step, and recognizing the read model number and general inspection result as related information. It is a production management method for vessels.

As the printing means of the present invention, silk printing,
Although various stamps and the like are conceivable, they are excellent in that an ink jet printer can print free characters and symbols by one print head without contact. As an ink used for printing, ultraviolet fluorescent ink is excellent because it is hardly visible under visible light and can be easily washed off with water. However, it is not limited to these.

[0009]

The products molded by the molding mechanism are put into the lehr, which is the lehr, in the order of molding, so that the product arrangement in the lehr becomes regular. Usually, since the annealing furnace is transferred in the same number of rows as the number of sections of the molding machine, as shown in FIG. 2, one row has glassware G molded in the same section. Therefore, at the exit of the slow cooling furnace, it is possible to know in which section the glassware was produced depending on which row the glassware was in. Since the section number and the model number are used in the same meaning in the tableware manufacturing line, the section number is hereinafter referred to as the model number.

Near the exit of the slow cooling furnace, that is, immediately before or after the exit of the slow cooling furnace, the model number printing means prints the model number corresponding to each row on the glassware and, if necessary, data such as time and line name as a model number mark. To be done. Characters, barcodes, symbols, and the like can be used as the data representation method. The place to print is the bottom or body of the glassware,
It is possible to print on the inside of glassware such as ashtray that is not tableware. The marking of the model number mark has almost no effect on the design of the glass device because ink of inconspicuous color or ultraviolet fluorescent ink can be used.

The printed glass container is sent to the inspection mechanism by a transfer mechanism such as a conveyor, and the transfer at this time can be performed randomly without considering the order of products. In the inspection mechanism, the printed model number mark is read by the model number recognition means. In addition, general inspections for defects such as top inclination, poor cutting, cracks, wrinkles, and falling powder are also performed.

Since the model number mark is read by the inspection mechanism, when a defect in the glassware is found, it is possible to know in which section the product is molded by comparing with the general inspection result. When the control unit sets the model number mark read by the inspection mechanism and the general inspection result as a set, when a defect in the glassware is found, it can be dealt with more swiftly and appropriately. For example, the information from the inspection mechanism is sent to the control unit,
In some cases, it is sent to a higher-level computer, information processing is performed based on model number information and inspection machine information, and the production yield, serious defects, etc. are swiftly and accurately generated at the manufacturing site, inspection line, etc. You can inform the operator. The control unit consists of a microcomputer, its peripheral devices and software.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An apparatus of the present invention and a glassware production management method of the present invention using the apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings showing an apparatus for manufacturing a glassware according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the printing of the model number mark will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 1 is an annealing furnace which is an annealing mechanism. Reference numeral 2 is a take-out device such as one reversing machine of the transfer mechanism, which is installed at the exit of the annealing furnace. Reference numeral 3 is one inspection conveyor of the transfer mechanism, which has a slit 22 in the center. Reference numeral 4 denotes a product detection sensor, which is installed so that a take-out device such as a reversing machine detects the glassware G dispensed on the inspection conveyor. Although five are drawn in FIG. 4, the number of rows of products in the annealing furnace is actually arranged . Reference numeral 5 is an inkjet printer main body. Reference numeral 6 denotes a print head of the inkjet printer, which is installed so as to print from the bottom through the slit 22 of the inspection conveyor 3. A print timing confirmation sensor 7 is installed upstream of the print head. Reference numeral 8 is an encoder which is an angle sensor and is attached to the drive shaft of the inspection conveyor 3. A guide 9 is mounted on the inspection conveyor between the product detection sensor 4 and the print head 6. A variable cam 19 is an angle sensor and is attached to the drive shaft of the inspection conveyor 3.

First, in the slow cooling furnace 1, the products are placed with their mouths facing downward in the arrangement shown in FIG. In each of the product groups a to f, all glassware belonging to the same product group is a product molded in the same section. When the glassware reaches the outlet of the annealing furnace 1, a take-out device 2 such as a reversing machine
Is discharged onto the inspection conveyor 3 so that the mouth portion is on top. Since the model number is determined by the row, when the product detection sensor 4 confirms that the glassware has been dispensed, a signal is sent to the control unit and tracked by the variable cam 24. The position of the product on the inspection conveyor is recognized, and the control unit 23 sends information on the model number to be printed to the inkjet printer.

As the glassware passes through the guide 9, the printing positioning is performed in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the conveyor. The glassware then reaches the top of the print head 6. At this time, the arrival of the glassware is detected by the print timing confirmation sensor 7, the speed of the inspection conveyor is detected by the encoder 8, and the print positioning in the traveling direction of the inspection conveyor is performed by these two sensors.

The data such as the model number, the manufacturing date and time, the manufacturing line name, etc. tracked by the variable cam 24 at the bottom center of the product by the print head 6 is printed as a model number mark using alphanumeric characters. The model number mark is not limited to alphanumeric characters,
Of course, various character symbols can be used.

Next, the reading of the model number mark by the inspection mechanism 10 will be described with reference to FIG. Inspection mechanism 1
At 0, the glassware is transported by indexing using the star wheel 12 of the handling device for the inspection machine. Reference numeral 11 is an entrance conveyor of the handling device for the inspection machine. Reference numeral 13 is an exit conveyor of the handling device for the inspection machine. Reference numeral 14 is a CCD camera of the image processing apparatus. It is installed in the No. 5 station of the handling equipment for inspection machines so as to aim at the center of the bottom of the product from bottom to top. 15
Is the main body of the image processing apparatus. 16 is a black light. It is installed in No. 5 station so as to illuminate the center of the bottom of the glassware. 21 is a No. 5 station of the handling device for the inspection machine. 17 to 20 are No1 to No
There are four stations, various inspection machines are attached, and various inspections are performed when a product passes through this station.

The glass container G having the model number mark printed at the outlet of the annealing furnace is carried by the inspection conveyor 3 and is carried into the inspection machine handling device 10 by the entrance conveyor 11. Further, the glassware is conveyed by the star wheel 12 from the No. 1 station 17 to the No. 5 station 21 in order. Various inspection machines are attached to No1 to No4 stations 17 to 20 to inspect products. Inspection machines installed here perform inspections for defects such as top tilt, poor cutout, cracks, wrinkles, and powder falling. Since the model number mark is printed with ultraviolet fluorescent ink, it is almost colorless and transparent under visible light, and the model number mark is not recognized as a defect. When the product reaches the No. 5 station 21, the model number mark on the bottom of the product is illuminated with ultraviolet light by the black light 16 to emit fluorescence, and the product can be read. CC
The data of the model number mark is read by the D camera 14 and the image processing device 15. Control unit is No1 ~ N
The inspection result information is received from the inspection machines installed in the o4 stations 17 to 20, collated with the model number information from the image processing apparatus 15, and sent to the host computer C.

In addition, the display device such as the graphic display D connected to the control unit promptly and accurately displays the information obtained by this system such as the yield and the occurrence of serious defects on the manufacturing site and the inspection line.

In this embodiment, the print head of the ink jet printer is installed under the inspection conveyor 3 downstream of the slow cooling furnace, but it can be installed immediately before the exit of the slow cooling furnace or a take-out device such as a reversing machine. is there. In this case, since it is irrational to provide the print heads in the same number as the product rows, it is desirable that one slide head be movable by the slide device so that one print head can print in all the rows. . When the printing process is performed before the exit of the annealing furnace, it is a condition that the glass device is cooled to a printable state.

[0022]

According to the present invention, the model number has not been recognized at all in the production line of tableware and the like, but the present invention allows the model number to be recognized. As a result, when a defect occurs in the product, the section or the mold in which the defect has occurred is immediately known, so that the defect can be quickly corrected, and the quality and the yield can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing process of a glass container.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a product arrangement in a slow cooling furnace.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a glassware manufacturing apparatus A according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a glassware manufacturing apparatus A.

5 is an explanatory view of an inspection mechanism of the glassware manufacturing apparatus A. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Annealing furnace 2 Extracting device 3 Inspection conveyor 4 Product detection sensor 5 Inkjet printer 6 Printing head 7 Printing timing confirmation sensor 8 Encoder 9 Guide 10 Inspection mechanism 11 Conveyor 12 Star wheel 13 Conveyor 14 CCD camera 15 Image processing device 16 Blacklight 17 Station 18 Station 19 Station 20 Station 21 Station 22 Slit 23 Control part 24 Varicam A Glassware manufacturing device C Upper computer D Graphic display G Glassware

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A glassware manufacturing apparatus having a glassware forming mechanism having a plurality of sections, a slow cooling mechanism, an inspection mechanism, and a transfer mechanism in or between these mechanisms,
A glassware manufacturing apparatus having a model number printing means near the end of the slow cooling mechanism, and a model number recognition means for reading the model number printed by the model number printing means in the inspection mechanism. 2. The glassware manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the model number printing means is an ink jet printer. 3. The glassware manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing by the model number printing means is performed with ultraviolet fluorescent ink. 4. A model number printing step is provided at the final stage or immediately after the slow cooling step of the glassware, the model number printed in the printing step is read in the inspection step, and the read model number is associated with a general inspection result. Production management method of glassware characterized by being recognized as information 5. The glassware production management method according to claim 1, wherein the model number printing step is performed by an ink jet printer. 6. The production control method for a glass container according to claim 1, wherein the printing in the model number printing step is performed using ultraviolet fluorescent ink.