Method to control stores for a processing line for containers that were pre-dosed with fluid products

An automated method for controlling stores for a processing line for at least one container of a plurality of containers:

• the plurality of containers are pre-dosed with fluid products having different volumes and compositions corresponding to one or more production orders of one or more desired products received from one or more customers and carried out by the processing line, wherein a desired product of the one or more desired products is prepared by processing a pre-dosed fluid product of the pre-dosed fluid products contained inside the at least one container of the plurality of containers;
• the stores comprising the at least one container and first moving devices within the store, wherein the at least one container is closed, wherein the first moving devices are configured to pick up, internally move, and position the at least one container;
• controlling the processing line using a control system, wherein the automated method is adapted to be carried out by the control system, wherein the control system is adapted to control the processing line;
• applying identifying code to each of the at least one container of the plurality of containers, wherein the identifying code describes a set of identifying information relating to the corresponding at least one container;
• the method comprising following consecutive steps:
• a) determining the identifying code of each of the at least one container of the plurality of containers entering the processing line;
• b) checking, whether the at least one container entered the processing line is necessary for a production order of the one or more production orders based on the identifying code of the corresponding at least one container that entered the processing line;
• c) introducing the at least one container to a first store from the processing line if the identifying code reveals that the corresponding at least one container is necessary to complete the production order;
• d) cyclically repeating the preceding steps a) through c) for the each of the at least one container entering the processing line, and at the same time, proceeding with following steps;
• e) recording a first recorded quantity of the at least one container comprised in the first store and recording the identifying code of each of the corresponding at least one container comprised in the first store;
• f) checking, if there are additional ones of the one or more production orders that are waiting to be started, and processing a plurality of data resulting from the preceding steps;
• g) picking up the at least one container from the first store by the first moving devices, sending the at least one picked up container from the first store towards a processing station in the processing line if the first recorded quantity of the at least one container in the first store, having the identifying code capable of fulfilling the production order, is sufficient to complete the production order;
• h) cyclically repeating the preceding steps e) through g) for the each of the at least one container introduced into the first store, and at the same time, proceeding with following steps;
• i) performing a quality control inspection on the at least one container comprising the desired product entering a checking station to assess compliance of the desired product;
• j) introducing the at least one container from the checking station to a control line if the quality control inspection produces a first result that indicates that the desired product inside the at least one container is non-compliant;
• k) if the quality control inspection produces a second result that indicates that the desired product inside the at least one container is compliant, performing at least one of a following step:
• i. sending the at least one container directly to a packaging station in the processing line to fulfill the production order when the second store has been excluded from the processing line because the second store is not active, or
• ii. introducing the at least one container from the checking station to a second store when it is determined that the second store is not full, or
• iii. sending the at least one container directly to the packaging station in the processing line to fulfill the production order when it is determined that the second store is already full;
• l) recording within the second store, a second recorded quantity of the at least one container in the second store having the desired product inside;
• m) sending the at least one container from the second store towards a packaging station if the second recorded quantity of the at least one container in the second store having the desired product inside is sufficient to fulfill the production order;
• n) cyclically repeating the preceding steps i) through m) for the each of the at least one container entering the checking station, and at the same time, carrying out the one or more production orders in the processing line.