Method and system for decorator component identification and selected adjustment thereof

A method for controlling printing patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical containers comprising:

• printing a pattern on a peripheral surface of individual cylindrical containers carried by mandrels of a mandrel wheel, the printing of containers occurring at production speed in excess of 900 containers per minute;
• using a camera-based imaging inspection system comprising multiple cameras positioned around a periphery of an individual cylindrical container being imaged and a circularly symmetrical lighting module mounted to be above the individual container being imaged to prevent specular reflections to obtain images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of the individual container, inspecting the images for faults or variations in a printed pattern on the individual cylindrical container;
• identifying, by the inspection system, an individual mandrel which carried an individual cylindrical container or a corresponding print blanket that printed on the individual cylindrical container;
• generating fault or variation information, by the inspection system, based on detected faults or variations and the identifying;
• processing the fault or variation information, by a control system, to facilitate correction of the system, wherein the control system is operative to provide suggestions for corrective adjustment of the printing based on the fault or variation information, wherein the corrective adjustments are correlated to the individual mandrel or the corresponding print blanket;
• and,
• maintaining in at least one database or module correlation information which correlates information on process variation, drift, anomalies, color accuracy and the fault or variation information to each individual print blanket and a log of at least one of fault or variation information, warnings issued, statistical trending indications, time stamps for variations, suggestions for adjustment, verifications that suggestions were followed and automatic adjustments effected.

A method for controlling and optimizing the printing of patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical can bodies by a can decorator machine which is integrally connected to an automated camera-based inspection system comprising multiple cameras to inspect the complete circumference of the periphery of each can at production speed soon after printing and a circularly symmetrical lighting module mounted to be above the individual can body being imaged to prevent specular reflections, the method comprising:

• printing a pattern on the peripheral surface of each individual can carried by a mandrel of a mandrel wheel by making rolling contact with a print blanket which is carried on a speed synchronized print blanket wheel, the printing of the can bodies occurring at production speed in excess of 900 can bodies per minute;
• inspecting and obtaining images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of each individual can by the multiple cameras of the automated camera-based inspection system during strobing of the lighting module to inspect for visual faults or variations in the printed pattern on each individual can body;
• identifying at least one of the individual mandrel, print blanket, colors, and other machine components which were in contact with each individual can in the decorator machine;
• generating and associating fault or variation information related to specific machine component adjustments that may be needed to further optimize or correct the decorating process, wherein the specific machine component adjustments are correlated to the individual mandrel, the corresponding print blanket, or the other machine components;
• sending electrical signals to a control system operative to automatically make the recommended adjustments to the specific machine components in need of adjustment and
• maintaining in at least one database or module correlation information which correlates information on process variation, drift, anomalies, color accuracy and the fault or variation information to each individual print blanket and a log of at least one of fault or variation information, warnings issued, statistical trending indications, time stamps for variations, suggestions for adjustment, verifications that suggestions were followed and automatic adjustments effected.

An inspection and control system used with a printing system for printing patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical containers, the printing system having a mandrel wheel having a plurality of mandrels disposed thereon, each mandrel being operative to carry an individual cylindrical container around a periphery of the mandrel wheel and a print blanket wheel having a plurality of print blankets disposed thereon, the print blanket wheel being adjustable, each print blanket being operative to print a pattern on a peripheral surface of the individual cylindrical container carried by one of the mandrels of the mandrel wheel, the printing of containers occurring at production speed in excess of 900 containers per minute, the inspection and control system comprising:

• an automated camera-based inspection system comprising multiple cameras positioned around a periphery of the individual container being imaged and a circularly symmetrical lighting module mounted to be above the individual container being imaged to prevent specular reflections to obtain images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of the individual container and being operative to inspect the images for faults or variations in the printed pattern on the individual cylindrical container, the automated inspection system being operative to identify the individual mandrel which carried an individual cylindrical container and a corresponding print blanket that printed on the individual cylindrical container, and operative to generate fault or variation information;
• a control system operative to receive the fault or variation information to facilitate correction of the printing system, wherein the control system is operative to provide suggestions for corrective adjustment of the printing system based on the fault or variation information, wherein the corrective adjustments are correlated to the individual mandrel, the corresponding print blanket, or the print blanket wheel;
• and,
• a storage module or database configured to maintain correlation information which correlates information on process variation, drift, anomalies, color accuracy and the fault or variation information to each individual print blanket and a log of at least one of fault or variation information, warnings issued, statistical trending indications, time stamps for variations, suggestions for adjustment, verifications that suggestions were followed and automatic adjustments effected.

A method for controlling printing patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical containers carried by mandrels of a mandrel wheel, the printing of containers occurring at production speed in excess of 900 containers per minute, the method comprising:

• using an automated camera-based inspection system comprising multiple cameras positioned around a periphery of an individual cylindrical container being imaged and a circularly symmetrical lighting module mounted to be above the individual container being imaged to prevent specular reflections to obtain images of the complete circumference of the individual cylindrical container, and inspecting the images for faults or variations in a printed pattern on individual cylindrical container;
• identifying, by the automated inspection system, an individual mandrel which carried an individual cylindrical container or a corresponding print blanket that printed on the individual cylindrical container;
• generating fault or variation information, by the automated inspection system, based on detected faults or variations and the identifying;
• processing the fault or variation information, by a control system, to facilitate correction of the pattern printing, wherein the control system is operative to provide suggestions for corrective adjustment of the pattern printing based on the fault or variation information, wherein the corrective adjustments are correlated to the individual mandrel or the corresponding print blanket;
• and
• maintaining in at least one database or module correlation information which correlates information on process variation, drift, anomalies, color accuracy and the fault or variation information to each individual print blanket and a log of at least one of fault or variation information, warnings issued, statistical trending indications, time stamps for variations, suggestions for adjustment, verifications that suggestions were followed and automatic adjustments effected.

A system for printing patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical containers comprising:

• a mandrel wheel having a plurality of mandrels disposed thereon, each mandrel being operative to carry an individual cylindrical container around a periphery of the mandrel wheel;
• a print blanket wheel having a plurality of print blankets disposed thereon, the print blanket wheel being adjustable, each print blanket being operative to print a pattern on a peripheral surface of the individual cylindrical container carried by each mandrel of the mandrel wheel, the printing of containers occurring at production speed in excess of 900 containers per minute;
• a camera-based imaging inspection system comprising multiple cameras to position around a periphery of the individual container being imaged and a circularly symmetrical lighting module mounted to be above the individual container being imaged so as to prevent specular reflections to obtain images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of the individual container, wherein the images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of the individual container are at least one of color images, stitched images, and reassembled images, and being operative to inspect the images for faults or variations in the printed pattern on the individual cylindrical containers, the inspection system being operative to identify the individual mandrel which carried an individual cylindrical container and a corresponding print blanket that printed on the individual cylindrical container, and operative to generate fault or variation information;
• and,
• a control system operative to receive the fault or variation information to facilitate correction of the system, wherein the control system is operative to provide suggestions for corrective adjustment of the system based on the fault or variation information, wherein the corrective adjustments are correlated to the individual mandrel, the corresponding print blanket, or the print blanket wheel;
• and,
• a database configured to maintain correlation information which correlates information on process variation, drift, anomalies, color accuracy and the fault or variation information to each individual print blanket and a log of at least one of fault or variation information, warnings issued, statistical trending indications, time stamps for variations, suggestions for adjustment, verifications that suggestions were followed and automatic adjustments effected.

A method for controlling printing patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical containers comprising:

• printing a pattern on a peripheral surface of individual cylindrical containers carried by each of plural mandrels of the mandrel wheel, the printing of containers occurring at production speed in excess of 900 containers per minute;
• using a camera-based imaging inspection system comprising multiple cameras positioned around a periphery of an individual cylindrical container being imaged and a circularly symmetrical lighting module mounted to be above the individual container being imaged so as to prevent specular reflections to obtain images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of the individual container, wherein the images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of the individual container are at least one of color images, stitched images, and reassembled images, inspecting the images for faults or variations in the printed pattern on the individual cylindrical containers by an inspection system;
• identifying the individual mandrel which carried an individual cylindrical container or a corresponding print blanket that printed on the individual cylindrical container by the inspection system;
• generating fault or variation information based on detected faults or variations and the identifying by the inspection system;
• and, processing the fault or variation information to facilitate correction of the printing by a control system, wherein the control system is operative to provide suggestions for corrective adjustment of the printing based on the fault or variation information, wherein the corrective adjustments are correlated to the individual mandrel or the corresponding print blanket;
• and,
• maintaining at least one database which correlates information on process variation, drift, anomalies, color accuracy and the fault or variation information to each individual print blanket and a log of at least one of fault or variation information, warnings issued, statistical trending indications, time stamps for variations, suggestions for adjustment, verifications that suggestions were followed and automatic adjustments effected.

A method for controlling and optimizing the printing of patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical can bodies comprising:

• integrally connecting a can decorator machine to an automated camera-based inspection system comprising multiple cameras to inspect the complete circumference of the periphery of each can at production speed soon after printing and a circularly symmetrical lighting module mounted to be above the individual can being imaged so as to prevent specular reflections;
• printing a pattern on the peripheral surface of each individual can carried by each of plural mandrels of the mandrel wheel by making rolling contact with a print blanket which is carried on a speed synchronized print blanket wheel, the printing of can bodies occurring at production speed in excess of 900 cans per minute;
• obtaining images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of each individual can body by the multiple cameras of the automated camera-based inspection system during strobing of the lighting module and inspecting the images for visual faults or variations in the printed pattern on each individual can body by the automated camera-based inspection system, wherein the images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of the individual can body are at least one of color images, stitched images, and reassembled images;
• identifying at least one of the individual mandrel, print blanket, colors, and other machine components which were in contact with each individual can in the can decorator machine;
• generating and associating fault or variation information related to specific machine component adjustments that may be needed to further optimize or correct the decorating process, wherein the specific machine component adjustments are correlated to the individual mandrel, the corresponding print blanket, or the other machine components;
• sending electrical signals to a control system operative to automatically make the recommended adjustments to the specific machine components in need of adjustment;
• and
• maintaining at least one database which correlates information on process variation, drift, anomalies, color accuracy and the fault or variation information to each individual print blanket and a log of at least one of fault or variation information, warnings issued, statistical trending indications, time stamps for variations, suggestions for adjustment, verifications that suggestions were followed and automatic adjustments effected.

An inspection and control system used with a printing system for printing patterns on peripheral surfaces of cylindrical containers, the printing system having a mandrel wheel having a plurality of mandrels disposed thereon, each mandrel being operative to carry an individual cylindrical container around a periphery of the mandrel wheel and

• a print blanket wheel having a plurality of print blankets disposed thereon, the print blanket wheel being adjustable, each print blanket being operative to print a pattern on a peripheral surface of the individual cylindrical container carried by one of the mandrels of the mandrel wheel, the printing of containers occurring at production speed in excess of 900 containers per minute, the inspection and control system comprising:
• an automated camera-based inspection system comprising multiple cameras to position around a periphery of the individual container being imaged and a circularly symmetrical lighting module mounted to be above the individual container being imaged so as to prevent specular reflections to obtain images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of the individual container, wherein the images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of the individual container are at least one of color images, stitched images, and reassembled images, and being operative to image-inspect the cylindrical containers for faults or variations in the printed pattern on the individual cylindrical containers, the automated camera-based inspection system being operative to identify the individual mandrel which carried an individual cylindrical container and a corresponding print blanket that printed on the individual cylindrical container, and operative to generate fault or variation information;
• a control system operative to receive the fault or variation information to facilitate correction of the printing system, wherein the control system is operative to provide suggestions for corrective adjustment of the printing system based on the fault or variation information, wherein the corrective adjustments are correlated to the individual mandrel, the corresponding print blanket, or the print blanket wheel;
• and,
• a database which correlates information on process variation, drift, anomalies, color accuracy and the fault or variation information to each individual print blanket and a log of at least one of fault or variation information, warnings issued, statistical trending indications, time stamps for variations, suggestions for adjustment, verifications that suggestions were followed and automatic adjustments effected.

A method for controlling printing patterns on peripheral surfaces of individual cylindrical containers carried by each of plural mandrels of a mandrel wheel, the printing of containers occurring at production speed in excess of 900 containers per minute, the method comprising:

• image-inspecting, by an automated camera-based inspection system comprising multiple cameras positioned around a periphery of an individual cylindrical container being imaged and a circularly symmetrical lighting module mounted to be above the individual container being imaged so as to prevent specular reflections to obtain images of the complete circumference of the individual cylindrical container, wherein the images of the complete circumference of the peripheral surface of the individual container are at least one of color images, stitched images, and reassembled images, the cylindrical containers for faults or variations in a printed pattern on individual cylindrical containers;
• identifying, by the automated camera-based inspection system, an individual mandrel which carried an individual cylindrical container or a corresponding print blanket that printed on the individual cylindrical container;
• generating fault or variation information, by the automated camera-based inspection system, based on detected faults or variations and the identifying;
• processing the fault or variation information, by a control system, to facilitate correction of the pattern printing, wherein the control system is operative to provide suggestions for corrective adjustment of the pattern printing based on the fault or variation information, wherein the corrective adjustments are correlated to the individual mandrel or the corresponding print blanket;
• and
• maintaining at least one database which correlates information on process variation, drift, anomalies, color accuracy and the fault or variation information to each individual print blanket and a log of at least one of fault or variation information, warnings issued, statistical trending indications, time stamps for variations, suggestions for adjustment, verifications that suggestions were followed and automatic adjustments effected.