Efficient production line for aerosol cans

Abstract

A production line with processing stations processing products with a production speed in products per unit time, the production line comprising a temporarily discontinuously operating processing station; a production line section connected upstream of the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station; a production line section connected downstream from the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station; a first product buffer arranged between the upstream production line section and the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station; and a second product buffer arranged between the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station and the downstream production line section.

1 . A production line with processing stations processing products with a production speed in products per unit time, the production line comprising:
 a temporarily discontinuously operating processing station;   a production line section connected upstream of the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station;   a production line section connected downstream from the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station;   a first product buffer arranged between the upstream production line section and the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station; and   a second product buffer arranged between the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station and the downstream production line section,   wherein the production line is connected with a control controlling the production line,   wherein the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station operates with an increased production speed that is increased relative to the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section after a production interruption of the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station until the initially filled first product buffer is emptied to a predetermined level and/or the initially emptied second product buffer is filled to a predetermined level, and   wherein the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section can continue to produce in case of a production interruption of the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station until the initially emptied first product buffer is filled to a predetermined level and/or the initially filled second product buffer is emptied to a predetermined level.   
     
     
         2 . The production line according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station is a deco station for decorating a product with a respectively replaceable decoration, wherein replacing the decoration requires a retrofit time which causes a respective production interruption of the deco station, and   wherein the production buffers have a buffer capacity which is respectively adjusted to the production speed of the respective upstream production line section and the respective downstream production line section, so that a filling time provided at this production speed for filling the first product buffer and/or an emptying time provided for emptying the second product buffer is greater or equal to the retrofit time.   
     
     
         3 . The production line according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control controls the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section so that   the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section operate at their maximum possible production speeds if the number of products to be processed in a batch is greater or equal to the product of the emptying time of the first product buffer related to this maximum production speed and the maximum possible production speed of the upstream production line section, and   if this condition does not apply,   the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section operate with a production speed that is reduced relative to their maximum possible production speed.   
     
     
         4 . The production line according to  claim 1 , wherein the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section are configured for a maximum production speed of 200 products per minute. 
     
     
         5 . The production line according to  claim 1 , wherein the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section are configured for a maximum production speed of 250 products per minute. 
     
     
         6 . The production line according to  claim 1 , wherein the control controls the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section so that the production speed of the upstream production line section and the production speed of the downstream production line section are equal. 
     
     
         7 . The production line according to  claim 1 , wherein the upstream production line section includes an extrusion press and the downstream production line section includes a folding station. 
     
     
         8 . The production line according to  claim 1 , wherein the upstream production line section includes a drawing device and/or a stretching device or a combined drawing—stretching device. 
     
     
         9 . A method for operating a production line including
 a temporarily discontinuously operating processing station,   a production line section connected upstream of the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station,   a production line section connected downstream from the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station,   a first product buffer arranged between the upstream production line section and the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station, and   a second product buffer arranged between the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station and the downstream production line section,   comprising:   operating the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station with an increased production speed that is increased relative to the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section after a production interruption of the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station until the initially filled first product buffer is emptied to a predetermined level and/or the initially emptied second product buffer is filled to a predetermined level,   wherein the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section can continue to produce in case of a production interruption of the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station until the initially emptied first product buffer is filled to a predetermined level and/or the initially filled second product buffer is emptied to a predetermined level.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 retrofitting the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station,   wherein the temporarily discontinuously operating processing station is a deco station for decorating a product with a respectively replaceable decoration, wherein replacing the decoration requires a retrofit time which causes a respective production interruption of the deco station, and   wherein the production buffers have a buffer capacity which is respectively adjusted to the production speed of the respective upstream production line section and the respective downstream production line section, so that a filling time provided at this production speed for filling the first product buffer and/or an emptying time provided for emptying the second product buffer is greater or equal to the retrofit time.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 operating the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section at their maximum possible production speeds if the number of products to be processed in a batch is greater or equal to the product of the emptying time of the first product buffer related to this maximum production speed and the maximum possible production speed of the upstream production line section, and   if this condition does not apply,   
       reducing the production speed of the upstream production line section and the downstream production line section relative to their maximum possible production speed.