Method and machine for controlling a forming method

2- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, for determining the position of the three-dimensional digital model (M) with respect to the position of the sample container (2) in the mold reference frame, the method consists in referencing a referencing relief (R) on the sample container and resting the sample container on the sample holder (31) in such a way that its referencing relief (R) is positioned with respect to a visual or mechanical referencing device of the sample holder.

3- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that for determining the position of the three-dimensional digital model (M) with respect to the position of the sample container in the mold reference frame, the method consists in:

• choosing an referencing relief (R) on the sample container, the position of which is known in the mold reference frame;
• locating on the three-dimensional digital model (M) the virtual referencing relief (Rv) corresponding to the chosen referencing relief (R);
• and determining the position of the virtual referencing relief in the virtual reference frame to deduce from it the position of the three-dimensional digital model (M) in the mold reference frame.

4- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists in constructing the three-dimensional digital model (M) taking into account the sample holder (31) in such a way as to have a virtual vertical axis extending perpendicularly with respect to the virtual resting plane (Pr) of the sample container on the sample holder and in providing a relative rotation about the virtual vertical axis, of the three-dimensional digital model (M) in order to bring the virtual referencing relief (Rv) into a position corresponding to the position of the referencing relief in the mold reference frame.

5- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists in identifying the preform mold (13) and/or the finishing mold (14) from which the extracted sample container has come by a mold or location number and in making this mold number or this location number available in relation to the quality indicator of the sample container.

6- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that for identifying the preform mold (13) and/or the finishing mold (14) from which the sample container has come, bearing a relief which indicates the mold or location number in the form of a code or alphanumerically, the method consists in:

• providing the reading of the relief borne by the sample container and communicating the number read to the computer (38);
• or analyzing the three-dimensional digital model (M) of the sample container (2), by searching for the location of a virtual relief corresponding to the relief of the sample container, and reading this virtual relief to make it available to the computer (38).

7- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists in extracting the sample container (2) at the latest before entry into the annealing lehr of the facility.

9- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists in determining as a quality indicator (A) of the sample container (2) the distribution of the glass of the sample container.

10- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists in determining as a quality indicator (A) of the sample container at least one volume measurement of the sample container taken from among the capacity (Cry) of the sample container, the volume of the envelope of the sample container and the glass volume of the sample container.

11- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists in determining as a quality indicator (A) of the sample container the rendering of reliefs (B) fashioned on the sample container.

12- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists in determining as a quality indicator (A) of the sample container the internal geometry of the neck of the sample container.

13- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists in determining as a quality indicator (A) of the sample container the planarity of the ring surface of the sample container.

14- The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists in determining as a quality indicator (A) of the sample container, a number of external diameters of the body of the sample container.

15- The method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that it consists, for determining the glass distribution as a quality indicator (A) of the sample container, in determining the position of the center of mass (Gv) of the three-dimensional digital model (M) or of a portion of said model, and by comparing this position to a reference position (Gr).

16- The method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that it consists, for determining the glass distribution as a quality indicator (A) of the sample container, in determining the thickness of the glass wall over at least one region of the sample container (2), searching in this region for the position of an area with a thickness greater than a predefined value and/or a thickness less than a predefined value, where applicable by determining the extent of said area, and/or searching for the presence and the position of the place in the wall exhibiting the minimum or the maximum thickness in said region.

17- The method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that it consists for determining the glass distribution as a quality indicator of the sample container, in:

• determining the volume of glass contained in at least two regions of the three-dimensional digital model divided either by a plane of vertical section containing the virtual vertical axis of the three-dimensional digital model or by a plane of horizontal section perpendicular to said virtual vertical axis;
• and in comparing said volumes with values of reference volume and/or between several regions of one and the same sample container, and/or between several sample containers.

22- The method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that it consists, for determining the capacity (Cn) of the sample container as a quality indicator of the sample container, in:

• determining the internal surface (Sf) of the three-dimensional digital model (M) of the sample container;
• determining a filling level plane (Pn) on the three-dimensional digital model of the sample container, the filling level (Pn) being either the surface plane of the virtual ring (Pr) or a nominal filling level plane;
• and measuring by computation the internal volume of the three-dimensional digital model of the sample container delimited by the internal surface (Sf) and the filling level plane, this measurement being the capacity (Cn) of the sample container.

23- The method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that it consists, for determining the volume of the envelope of the sample container as a quality indicator of the sample container, in:

• determining the external surface (Se) of the three-dimensional digital model of the sample container;
• determining a volume enclosing plane (Pf) as being the ring surface plane or the lower plane of the ring mold seam;
• and measuring by computation the internal volume delimited by the external surface and the enclosing plane as being the volume of the envelope of the sample container.

24- The method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that it consists, for determining the volume of the envelope of the sample container as a quality indicator (A) of the sample container, in determining the volume of the wall of the three-dimensional digital model of the sample container.

25- The method as claimed in the claim 1, characterized in that it consists in analyzing the three-dimensional digital model (M) by searching for bubbles corresponding to material lacks between the internal surface (Sf) and the external surface (Se), and in measuring the volumes of said bubbles, which are then subtracted from the volume of the wall of the three-dimensional digital model (M), determined between the internal surface (Sf) and the external surface (Se), with a view to obtaining a volume corresponding to the volume of glass of the gob loaded into the identified preform mold, the blank of which has been transferred into the finishing mold from which the sample container (2) has come.

27- The method as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that it consists, for determining the geometry of the neck of the sample container as a quality indicator of the sample container, in:

• determining on the three-dimensional digital model (M) the internal surface corresponding at least to that of the neck;
• positioning at least one section plane (Pg) parallel to a virtual resting plane (Pr);
• measuring in this plane several diameters of the internal surface and determining the minimum and/or the maximum in the section plane.

28- The method as claimed in claim 27, characterized in that it consists in determining as a quality indicator of the neck:

• the diameter at the opening;
• and/or the broaching diameter;
• and/or the internal profile of the sample container.

29- The method as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that it consists, for determining the planarity of the ring surface of the sample container as a quality indicator of the sample container, in:

• determining on the basis of the three-dimensional digital model (M), a closed three-dimensional curve or an annular surface representative of the ring surface;
• positioning a reference plane of the ring surface in relation to the closed three-dimensional curve or to the annular surface;
• and measuring the separations between the reference plane and the closed three-dimensional curve or the annular surface.

30- The method as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that it consists, for determining the external diameters of the body of the sample container as a quality indicator of the sample container, in:

• determining on the basis of the three-dimensional digital model (M), the external surface (Se) corresponding to at least the part of the sample container for which an external diameter is to be measured;
• positioning a section plane (Pd) parallel to the virtual resting plane (Pr) of the model along at least one height of the container;
• measuring several diameters in this section plane with respect to the external surface and comparing these measurements with reference values.

32- The machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the system (41) for delivering at least the quality indicator of the sample container in relation to at least one region of the sample container includes a display system (42) for the quality indicator in relation to the identity of the finishing mold.

33- The machine as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the system (41) for delivering at least the quality indicator of the sample container in relation to at least one region of the sample container includes a connection (43) for sending to a control system (23) of the forming facility, the quality indicator (A) in relation to the identity of the finishing mold.

34- The machine as claimed in claim 31, characterized in that it includes a system (40) supplying to the computer (38) the mold or location number of the sample container (2).

35- A facility for forming glass containers including several separate forming sections (12) in each of which at least one gob of molten glass (18) is firstly formed into a blank in at least one preform mold (13), then secondly given its final form in at least one finishing mold (14) characterized in that it includes a machine (21) as claimed in claim 31, arranged at the exit of the finishing molds.