Glassware forming apparatus with distributed control

For use with an electronic control system for a glassware forming machine, said forming machine including a plurality of machine sections each section having a plurality of machine components operating in phased relationship within a machine cycle for receiving molten glass and molding glassware articles therewith, said control system including at least one section controller for producing timing signals representing actuating and deactuating times of machine components of at least one section of said forming machine, and a machine controller for providing set-up information for said machine components,

• a mechanism controller for a given machine component of a given section of said forming machine, said mechanism controller comprising:
• a processor;
• set-up input port means for receiving set-up parameters sent asynchronously to said machine controller;
• timing input port means for receiving timing signals from said section controller;
• output port means for outputting alarm signals to be sent asynchronously to said machine controller;
• output interface means for outputting control signals to said machine component in response to commands from said processor;
• non-volatile control program memory means for storing a control program for said processor, responsive to at least one of said timing signals and to said set-up parameters, to define control outputs to said machine component,
• said control program being designed to initiate alarm signals from said mechanism controller to said machine controller to indicate predefined alarm conditions or to request downloading of data from said machine controller, and being further designed to interpret set-up parameters downloaded from said machine controller to said mechanism controller.

For use with an electronic control system for a glassware forming machine, said forming machine including a plurality of machine sections each section having a plurality of machine components operating in phased relationship within a machine cycle for receiving molten glass and molding glassware articles therewith, said control system including at least one section controller for producing timing signals representing actuating and deactuating times of machine components of at least one section of said forming machine, and a machine controller for providing a plurality of set-up parameters for said machine components,

• a mechanism controller for a given machine component of a given section of said forming machine, said machine component having an associated sensor for detecting at least one predetermined condition of the machine component and for producing a signal in response thereto, said mechanism controller comprising:
• a processor;
• set-up input port means for receiving set-up parameters sent asynchronously from said machine controller;
• timing input port means for receiving timing signals from said section controller;
• output port means for outputting alarm signals to be sent asynchronously to said machine controller;
• output interface means for outputting control signals to said machine component in response to commands from said processor;
• and
• non-volatile control program memory means for storing a control program for said processor, responsive to at least one of said timing signals and to said set-up parameters, to define control outputs to said machine components, and to initiate alarm signals to said machine controller via said output port means to signal predefined alarm conditions.