CPC B65G 43/02 (2013.01) [B65B 57/04 (2013.01); B65G 54/02 (2013.01); G01M 99/005 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0283 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. A method of fault prediction in a packaging machine comprising independently movable objects configured to manipulate packaging containers, the independently movable objects communicating with a control unit configured to control positions of the independently movable objects along a track, the method comprising:
by one or more sensors, registering data values associated with a motion of the independently movable objects along the track,
determining a distribution of said data values,
calculating a measure of central tendency of the data values in the distribution,
calculating a quantified measure of a shape of the distribution,
associating the measure of central tendency with said quantified measure of the shape as a coupled set of condition parameters,
determining a degree of dispersion of a plurality of coupled sets of condition parameters associated with a plurality of motion cycles of the independently movable objects,
comparing the degree of dispersion with a dispersion threshold value, or determining a trend of the degree of dispersion over time, for said fault prediction, and
indicating a fault in the packaging machine and causing repair of the packaging machine in response to:
determining that the degree of dispersion satisfies the dispersion threshold value, or
determining that the degree of dispersion at first time is smaller than the degree of dispersion at a second time subsequent to the first time.
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