US 11,786,956 B2
System and method for automated low-speed positioning of a can necking machine
Ian Kenneth Scholey, Barnsley (GB); Stephen Dane Christensen, Highlands Ranch, CO (US); Jonathan Scott Saunders, Jr., Englewood, CO (US); and Andrew Christopher Hyde, Carlisle (GB)
Assigned to Stolle Machinery Company, LLC, Centennial, CO (US)
Filed by Stolle Machinery Company, LLC, Centennial, CO (US)
Filed on May 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/320,672.
Prior Publication US 2022/0362832 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G05B 19/04 (2006.01); B21D 51/26 (2006.01); G05B 19/10 (2006.01); G05B 19/048 (2006.01)
CPC B21D 51/2638 (2013.01) [B21D 51/2692 (2013.01); G05B 19/0405 (2013.01); G05B 19/0415 (2013.01); G05B 19/108 (2013.01); G05B 19/048 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for performing necking operations on a can body, the system comprising:
a necker machine comprising:
a frame,
a processing arrangement having a plurality of components movable relative to the frame, the processing arrangement structured to perform the necking operations on the can body, and
a drive motor having a shaft operatively coupled to the processing arrangement for moving the processing arrangement relative to the frame; and
a positioning system comprising:
an encoder associated with the drive motor for monitoring a rotational displacement of the shaft; and
a controller in communication with the encoder and the drive motor, wherein the controller is structured and programmed to:
receive an input from a user, the input being indicative of a desired movement of the processing arrangement relative to the frame, and
operate the drive motor using feedback from the encoder such that the desired movement of the processing arrangement is achieved, wherein:
the encoder comprises a first encoder,
the positioning system further comprise a second encoder associated with a first component of the processing arrangement for monitoring a rotational position of the first component with respect to the frame,
the second encoder is in communication with the controller for communicating the rotational position of the first component to the controller,
the controller is structured and programmed to determine the rotational position of other components of the processing arraignment from the rotational position of the first component of the processing arrangement,
the desired movement of the processing arrangement corresponds to a desired final rotational positioning of a particular component of the processing arrangement relative to the frame, and
the controller is further programmed to:
determine an initial rotational position of the particular component from the rotational position of the first component provided by the second encoder,
determine a rotational displacement between the desired rotational positioning of the particular component and the initial rotational position of the particular component, and
operate the drive motor using the feedback from the first encoder until the rotational displacement has been achieved according tot eh feedback from the first encoder.