US 2018/0178407 A1Published application

Line and method for the production of decorated ceramic products

AssigneeSacmi Cooperativa Meccanici Imola Societa' Cooperativa

InventorGildo BOSI

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Abstract

A line for the continuous cycle production of decorated ceramic products includes a feeding machine, a pressing machine and a colouring machine. Further, the line includes a supervision system that includes a line server and, for each machine: (i) a local control panel, connected to the corresponding machine and configured to generate configuration data representing a machine setup; and (ii) a print server, connected to a corresponding local control panel to receive the configuration data of the corresponding machine and process it to generate a machine configuration document representing the machine configuration data formatted according to a predetermined protocol. The line server can be connected to all of the print servers of the line to receive the configuration documents of the machines of the line, and be configured to generate a configuration document of the line, representing the setup of the line in its entirety.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A continuous cycle production line (100) for making decorated ceramic products, comprising:

a feeding machine designed to receive a first drive signal and configured to deposit ceramic powders on a conveyor according to a deposit pattern which is a function of the first drive signal, wherein the feeding machine comprises:
(i) a feeding control panel that generates feeding configuration data representing a setup of the feeding machine, and (ii) a feeding print server that receives the generated feeding configuration data and generates a feeding machine configuration document representing the feeding configuration data formatted according to a predetermine protocol;
a pressing machine that compacts the powders deposited by the feeding machine to make ceramic products having a surface, wherein the pressing machine comprises:
(i) a pressing control panel that generates pressing configuration data representing a setup of the pressing machine, and (ii) a pressing print server that receives the generated pressing configuration data and generates a pressing machine configuration document representing the pressing configuration data formatted according to a predetermine protocol;
a coloring machine, equipped with print heads connected to an ink circuit, designed to receive a second drive signal and configured to apply ink to the surface of the ceramic product according to a coloring pattern which is a function of the second drive signal, wherein the coloring machine comprises:
(i) a coloring control panel that generates coloring configuration data representing a setup of the coloring machine, and (ii) a coloring print server that receives the generated coloring configuration data and generates a coloring machine configuration document representing the coloring configuration data formatted according to a predetermine protocol;
and
a supervision system comprising a line server
in communication with all of the feeding print server, the pressing print server and the coloring print server to generate a line configuration document of the continuous cycle production line, representing a setup of the continuous cycle production line, in its entirety, based on a combination of the feeding machine configuration document, the pressing machine configuration document, and the coloring machine configuration document.

6 more elements

A continuous cycle production method for making decorated ceramic products in a line comprising:

a feeding machine that receives a first drive signal and deposits ceramic powders on a conveyor according to a deposit pattern which is a function of the first drive signal, wherein the feeding machine comprises:
(i) a feeding control panel, and (ii) a feeding print server that generates a feeding machine configuration document representing the feeding configuration data;
a pressing machine that compacts the powders deposited by the feeding machine to make ceramic products having a surface, wherein the wherein the pressing machine comprises:
(i) a pressing control panel, and (ii) a pressing print server that generates a pressing machine configuration document representing the pressing configuration data;
a coloring machine comprising print heads connected to an ink circuit, wherein the coloring machine receives a second drive signal and applies ink to the surface of the ceramic product according to a coloring pattern which is a function of the second drive signal, wherein the coloring machine comprises:
(i) a coloring control panel, and (ii) a coloring print server that generates a coloring machine configuration document representing the coloring configuration data;
and
a supervision system having a line server;
wherein the method comprises:
with the feeding control panel, the pressing control panel, and the coloring control panel, generating configuration data representing a setup of the feeding machine, the pressing machine, and the coloring machine, respectively;
with the feeding print server, the pressing print server, and the coloring print server, receiving the generated configuration data of the feeding machine, the pressing machine, and the coloring machine, and generating separate machine configuration documents for the feeding machine, the pressing machine, and the coloring machine representing the received machine configuration data formatted according to a predetermined protocol;
with the line server, receiving the separate machine configuration documents and generating a composite configuration document of the line, representing a setup of the line in its entirety.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.