US 11,807,464 B2
Method and system of fault prediction in a packaging machine
Davide Borghi, Modena (IT); Luca Capelli, Novellara Reggio Emilia (IT); Jacopo Cavalaglio Camargo Molano, Solomeo di Corciano (IT); and Marco Cocconcelli, Reggio Emilia (IT)
Assigned to Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully (CH)
Appl. No. 17/280,815
Filed by Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully (CH)
PCT Filed Sep. 20, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/075296
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 26, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/064533, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18197031 (EP), filed on Sep. 27, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0403246 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. G06F 11/30 (2006.01); B65G 43/02 (2006.01); B65B 57/04 (2006.01); B65G 54/02 (2006.01); G01M 99/00 (2011.01)
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
OG exemplary drawing
 
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.