Multivariable vertical glass distribution control using soft sensor and methods

A method of controlling the vertical glass distribution in a stream of glass containers exiting a blow mold, the method comprising:

• providing the blow mold and receiving, in the blow mold, a stream of parisons from a blank mold that forms the parisons from a stream of gobs of glass;
• measuring a parison actual temperature of the parisons after the parisons exit the blank mold, wherein measuring a parison actual temperature occurs periodically such that less than all of the parisons that exit the blank mold are measured;
• taking a thermal image of each glass container after the glass container exits the blow mold;
• extracting a vertical glass distribution signature indicative of actual vertical glass distribution of each glass container from the thermal image of each glass container;
• estimating, with an estimator, a parison estimated temperature for each vertical glass distribution signature that has been extracted based on the vertical glass distribution signature, and further based on a most recently measured parison actual temperature and a parison stretch time, the parison stretch time being the amount of time each parison is permitted to stretch prior to being formed into a glass container;
• comparing the parison estimated temperature to a parison set point temperature to determine a parison temperature error;
• and
• controlling a blank mold contact time based on the parison temperature error, the blank mold contact time being an amount of time each parison remains in contact with the blank mold.