METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING ONE OR MORE TEXTILE MACHINES IN A PLANT AND EDITING THE OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TEXTILE MACHINES

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of application

The present invention relates to a method and a system for uniquely identifying one or more textile machines in a plant and for controlling and editing the operational parameters associated with such textile machines .

Prior art

Technological progress in the textile machine field allowed achieving high levels of electronic management of the machines and operational parameters of sensors and/or textile yarn feeding devices installed on the machines themselves. This allowed providing a large amount of data, detectable in real time, on the operation of such sensors and/or feeding devices.

The data acquired in digital format have the advantage of being appropriately sorted and reprocessed with computer systems in order to provide a series of useful indications in a very short time.

In less recent textile machines of known type, such data are conveyed towards an electronic control unit connected to the sensors and/or textile yarn feeding devices installed in the machine itself. An appropriate machine management software associated with such a control unit is configured to reprocess the data provided by the sensors and/or feeding devices, allowing an operator to know the operating state of each of the devices which populate the machine as well as to enter or select various operational modes of such sensors and/or feeding devices by interacting with a display and a keyboard connected to the electronic control unit.

More recently, a main plant processing unit, in particular a server unit, connected to each of the control units of the textile machines and equipped with related machine management software for collecting data representative of the quality and efficiency of the processes performed by all textile machines, has been provided with a view to the optimization of time and cost connected to the operational management of multiple textile machines present within a textile plant.

In particular, the management software of the plant server unit is configured to identify, e.g., by means of an IP address, all the machines present in the plant and send programmed operating instructions to each machine, e.g., by setting working parameters for each sensor and/or textile yarn feeding device installed in the machine. Such management software is further configured to collect data on the efficiency and quality of the processes performed, e.g., the total number of socks produced by each machine, the number of good socks produced, and the number of scrap socks.

However, such a management solution by means of the plant server unit software has some limitations.

Indeed, in order to access data representative of the quality and efficiency of the processes performed by each of the machines present in the plant, contained in a database connected to the server unit, an operator is required to go to the specific place where there is a terminal for accessing such a database and the related management software.

Moreover, with reference to the example of a textile machine for making socks, it can be the case that during an on-board inspection of such a machine, an operator notices that due to some malfunction, such as a faulty needle or a dirty sock, for example, which cannot be detected by the management software, the data representative of the quality of the processes performed by the machine and sent to the server unit do not correspond to the actual operating state of the machine. If so, the "good" sock counter present in the management software needs to be changed to update the actual numbers of socks to be counted as "good".

In order to perform such an update operation, at present, the operator is required to go to the place in which the terminal for accessing the database and the related management software is located. Therefore, if malfunctions affect more than one textile machine present in the plant, the related operations to update the counters of each machine can be uneasy and time- consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to devise and provide a method for identifying one or more textile machines in a plant and editing operational parameters associated with said textile machines which allows at least partially overcoming the drawbacks described above in connection with software solutions of a known type related to the operational management of multiple textile machines present in a textile plant.

Such an object is achieved by a method for identifying one or more textile machines in a plant and editing the operational parameters associated with the textile machines according to claim 1.

In particular, the present invention provides a mode for uniquely identifying each textile machine in the plant, by associating each machine with a unique identification code readable by an operator's portable electronic device, such as a smartphone or tablet.

Based on the detection of such a unique identification code, which takes the form of a linear barcode, a two-dimensional code or QR code, or a radio- frequency identification (RFID) code, the software application of the invention allows the operator to establish a wireless communication with the main server unit of the plant already on board the machine, i.e., without needing to move away from the textile machine, to perform updating/changing operations of the counters and data in the main server associated with the textile machine identified by the unique code detected.

Preferred embodiments of such a method are described in dependent claims 2-8.

The present invention also relates to a system implementing the method for identifying one or more textile machines in a plant and editing operational parameters associated with said textile machines according to claim 9.

Preferred embodiments of such a system are described in dependent claims 10-14.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the method and system according to the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, given by way of non-limiting indication, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- figure 1 diagrammatically shows a first embodiment of a system implementing the method of the invention for identifying one or more textile machines in a plant and editing operational parameters associated with such textile machines;

- figure 2 diagrammatically shows a second embodiment of a system implementing the method of the invention for identifying one or more textile machines in a plant and editing operational parameters associated with such textile machines;

- figure 3 shows, with a flow chart, the operational steps of the method for identifying one or more textile machines in a plant and editing operational parameters associated with such textile machines of the present invention;

- figures 4 shows an example of a graphical user interface (GUI) of an application program according to the method of the invention, which can be viewed on a display of a portable electronic device for accessing and editing operational parameters associated with a textile machine; figures 5A—5B show graphical user interfaces of the application program according to the method of the invention, which can be viewed on the display of the portable electronic device representative of a function of editing the number of items, e.g., socks, produced by a textile machine;

- figures 6A—6B show graphical user interfaces of the application program according to the method of the invention, which can be viewed on the display of the portable electronic device representative of a machine stop reason assignment function.

Similar or equivalent elements in the aforesaid figures will be indicated by the same reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to figures 1-2, a system for identifying one or more textile machines 10 in a textile plant and editing operational parameters associated with such textile machines is indicated as a whole by reference numeral 100, 100A in two embodiments.

Hereinafter, the system 100, 100A for identifying one or more textile machines 10 and controlling operational parameters associated with the textile machines will be referred to as the identification and editing system or, more simply, the system.

With reference to the examples in figures 1-2, the system 100, 100A comprises the aforesaid textile machines 10, in particular, it is assumed that four textile machines 10 are located in the textile plant. Moreover, sensors and/or textile and/or metallic yarn feeding devices 10 of known type, indicated by reference numeral 11 as a whole, are installed on each textile machine. For example, the thread feeding devices of each machine can be mutually the same or different and can comprise constant tension thread feeders and constant speed thread feeders. Moreover, the sensors are configured to control at least one feature of each fed thread, such as its tension, speed, diameter, quality, color, slip, and the like.

Each of such textile machine 10 comprises an electronic control unit 20 electrically connected to the aforesaid sensors and/or textile yarn feeding devices 11 installed in the machine 10 itself. Such an electronic control unit 20 is configured to receive data provided by the sensors and/or power devices. Such data are representative of the efficiency and quality of the processes performed, e.g., the total number of socks produced by each machine, the number of good socks produced, and the number of scrap socks, etc.

For example, the electronic control unit 20, referred to as the power feeder unit or PFU by those skilled in the art comprises a microprocessor unit provided with a respective memory housed on an electronic printed circuit board (PCB).

The system 100, 100A comprises a main processing unit 40, in particular a server, i.e., hardware comprising a computer or network of computers connected to a physical machine where, in addition to the operating system, one or more software modules are in operation, connected to a database unit 41 for storing data representative of the quality and efficiency of the processes performed by each textile machine 10 and of operational parameters associated with the machines.

Moreover, the system 100, 100A comprises first communication means 21, 23, 24, 22, 25 configured to make available a local communication network for connecting the electronic control unit 20 of each of the one or more textile machines 10 to the main processing unit 40 and transferring the aforesaid data representative of the quality and efficiency of the processes performed by each of the textile machines to the main processing unit 40.

In greater detail, each textile machine 10 comprises first communication means 21, 22 associated with the electronic control unit 20 to establish a telematic connection between such an electronic control unit 20 and the server 40 of the system 100, 100A.

In a first embodiment, with reference to figure 1 such first communication means are wireless communication means 21, and comprise an electronic wireless communication board configured to be removably connected to the electronic control unit 20 to establish a Wi-Fi type communication with a Wi-Fi Access Point 23 of the system 100.

In particular, in the example in figure 1, the aforementioned Wi-Fi access point module 23 is connected to the server 40 by means of a first physical connection 24, e.g., a first Ethernet cable 24.

In a second embodiment, with reference to figure 2, the first communication means 22 comprise a respective physical connection, e.g., of the Ethernet type, between each electronic control unit 20 of the machines 10 and a switch module 25 connected to the server 40 of the system 100A by means of the first Ethernet cable 24.

Note that each textile machine 10 can work as a Wi- Fi client and/or using an Ethernet connection. In particular, the Wi-Fi Access Point 23 (or the switch 25) is configured to generate an IP address dedicated to each textile machine 10 and that can be combined with an identification label of the name or number of the machine with which the electronic control unit is associated. In other words, by means of the aforesaid IP address, the server 40 of the system 100, 100A allows accessing, via Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, the information contained in the electronic control unit 20 of each machine 10.

The system 100, 100A of the invention further comprises a portable electronic device 50 provided with wireless communication means 51 and display interface means 52. Such a portable electronic device 50 is configured to establish a wireless communication with the main processing unit 40 of the system 100, 100A.

In practice, the portable electronic device 50 is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, a smartwatch, or similar device.

Each of such devices is equipped with the above-mentioned wireless communication means 51, in particular a Wi-Fi communication board. As shown in figure 1, the portable electronic device 50 is thus configured to access the local Wi-Fi network of the textile plant through the Wi- Fi Access Point 23 present in the plant itself and establish a communication with the server 40 and/or the electronic control unit 20 of the one or more textile machines 10 connected to the same network through such an Access Point 23.

In a preferred embodiment, the display interface means 52 of the portable electronic device 50 comprise a touchscreen display operating as a data input/output interface and as an information display interface. Note that the portable electronic device 50 is of the conventional type and will not be described in greater detail.

The system 100, 100A further comprises second communication means 24', 26 configured to connect the main processing unit 40 to a telecommunications network 27.

In greater detail, with reference to the examples in figures 1 and 2, the server 40 is connected by means of a second physical connection 24', e.g., a second Ethernet cable 24', to an additional access point module or Wi-Fi access point 26 of the system 100, 100A to connect such a server 40 to a telecommunications network, e.g., the Internet 27.

In the example in figure 2, the portable electronic device 50 is configured to establish a remote and protected communication, e.g., over the mobile radio network, with the server 40 through the second wireless communication means 51 and the Internet network 27.

Note that such a communication is a remote communication because the Wi-Fi network of the textile plant can be accessed through a portable electronic device 50 located outside the plant, i.e. located even several tens or hundreds of kilometers from the plant.

Moreover the remote communication can also be a protected communication (e.g., using a password), which is based, for example, on the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or the like according to techniques known to those skilled in the telecommunications field.

The operational steps of the method 200 for identifying one or more textile machines 10 in a plant and editing operational parameters associated with the textile machines of the present invention implemented through the system 100, 100A will be described below in more detail with reference to figures 3, 4, 5A-5B, 6A-6B.

It should be noted that the portable electronic device 50, e.g., a smartphone or tablet 50, is arranged to load, in a respective memory, and run the codes of an application program implementing the method of the present invention.

The method in figure 3 begins with a symbolic step of starting STR and ends with a symbolic step of ending ED.

In the most general embodiment, the method 200 comprises a first step of enabling 201 a wireless communication between at least one of the portable electronic devices 50 described above, e.g., a smartphone or tablet associated with an operator, with the main processing unit 40 through the above-mentioned local communication network or telecommunication network 27. This is performed by a web browser application module which equips such a portable electronic device 50.

The method includes a step of associating 202 each of the aforesaid textile machines 10 with a unique optical detection or radio-frequency identification code 80 adapted to identify it.

In an embodiment, such an optically detectable unique identification code is a linear barcode or a two- dimensional code or QR code 80. For example, information on the machine (brand name and model) and the coordinates of the machine in the plant, normally reported in terms of Area, Row, Location, are stored in the QR code 80, in addition to a unique identifier (which could be an IP address).

In another embodiment, such a unique radio- frequency detection identification code is a radio- frequency identification (RFID) code.

The method 200 further comprises a step of detecting 203 the unique identification code 80 through the portable electronic device 50. This occurs by employing electronic image reading/signal receiving systems which equip the portable device 50 and are known to those skilled in the art.

The method 200 further comprises a step of generating 204, by the web browser application module, based on the unique identification code 80 detected, of one or more selectable item graphical interfaces 300, 301, 302, 303, 304 associated with the textile machine 10 identified by such a unique identification code 80.

In particular, such one or more selectable item graphical interfaces 300, 301, 302, 303, 304 comprise:

- an information module 350 comprising data representative of the quality and efficiency of the current processes performed by the identified textile machine 10 stored in the database unit 41 connected to the main processing unit 40 of the system 100, 100A, and

- a parameter editing module 351 activatable for editing the operational parameters associated with the identified textile machine 10 stored in such a database unit 41.

With reference to the example in figure 4, as for the textile machines designed for manufacturing pieces or socks, the editable operational parameters for each machine concern the amount or number of socks considered as good - Good pieces - (sector A of the pie or area chart), the amount of socks considered to be of uncertain quality - Uncertain pieces - (sector B of the pie chart), and the amount of socks considered as scrap

Scrap pieces (sector C of the pie chart) based on that such socks do not conform to a predetermined process quality index. For example, in connection with a visual analysis of produced socks subsequently performed by an operator, such a process quality index is defined as the presence or absence of defects, such as processing defects (reason in figure 4) caused by a faulty needle, or production of a soiled sock.

The method 200 comprises a step of displaying 205 such one or more selectable item graphical interfaces 300, 301, 302, 303, 304 on the display interface means 52 of the portable electronic device 50.

The method 200 of the invention allows an operator to interface with the plant server management software 40 using a smartphone or tablet as a terminal interface. In particular, the method described allows a textile machine 10 within the plant to be uniquely identified by simply framing the QR code associated with the machine.

In a particular embodiment of the method 200, the aforesaid step of enabling 201 comprises a step of entering the login credentials UN, PW, for example username UN and password PW, of an operator associated with the at least one portable electronic device 50 into the web browser application module which equips the at least one portable electronic device 50.

In other words, the method 200 allows the operator to be associated with events assigned through the smartphone related to the machine identified by the QR code.

With reference to the example of selectable item graphical interface in figure 4, the information module 350 comprises data representative of the quality and efficiency of current processes performed by the textile machine 10 identified as "Machine#l, " for example, for sock production.

In particular, when performing the processes of the Morning Shift in the 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. time slot, a Factory Efficiency of 90% and a Production Efficiency of 98% are reported. In connection with the twenty-five pieces of socks produced, twenty pieces (sector A of the pie or area chart) are considered as good, three pieces are considered to be of uncertain quality (sector B of the pie chart) and two pieces are considered as scrap (sector C of the pie chart).

According to the present invention, the method 200 further comprises the steps of:

- identifying, by the one or more selectable item graphical interfaces 301, 302, a first set N1 of current items, for example socks, produced by the identified textile machine 10 classified as conforming based on a predetermined process quality index; - identifying, by the one or more selectable item graphical interfaces 301, 302, at least a second set N2 of current items produced by the identified textile machine 10 classified as non-conforming based on a predetermined process quality index.

Such a function of the method 200 of the invention allows distinguishing products conforming to the predetermined process quality index from those that do not, i.e., it allows performing a product selection for subsequent reclassification.

Based on such identification steps, following the detection that one or more items in the first set N1 do not conform to the predetermined process quality index due to malfunctions, e.g., in connection with socks produced, determined by a faulty needle or a soiled sock, the method comprises the further steps of:

- selecting the first set N1 of current items produced by the textile machine 10 classified as conforming;

- selecting the at least a second set of current items produced by the textile machine 10 classified as non-conforming;

- defining the number of produced items to be moved from the first set N1 to the at least a second set N2 of current produced items; - activating said parameter editing module 351 of the one or more selectable item graphical interfaces 301, 302, to edit the number of current items of the first set N1 and the at least a second set N2 produced by the identified textile machine 10 stored in the database unit 41.

In the example in figures 5A-5B, again with reference to the textile machine 10 identified as "Machine#l," when performing the processes of the Night Shift in the 6:00 p.m. - 00:00 a.m. time slot, through such a function, two pieces of socks produced, out of the total twenty-five pieces, are moved from sector A (good socks) to sector C (scrap socks) of the pie chart.

With such a function, the method 200 of the invention allows changing/editing the number of socks produced directly through the smartphone or tablet 50, for example by eliminating socks counted as good but found soiled or with a broken needle by the operator, without requiring the operator himself/herself to go to the place where the terminal for accessing the database 41 and the respective system management software 100, 100A is located.

An additional advantage of the invention is to reduce the time required to intervene on machines to edit the operational parameters thereof. Therefore, with the suggested invention, the costs linked to the operational management of multiple textile machine present in a textile plant are also reduced.

In a further embodiment, the method 200 includes identifying, by the one or more selectable item graphical interfaces 303, 304, an additional set N3 of machine stop indexes, each representative of an event which requires to stop the identified textile machine 10 during the production.

Following the detection of the occurrence of an event which requires to stop the identified textile machine 10, the method 200 includes stopping the identified textile machine 10.

Moreover, it includes:

- selecting one of the machine stop indexes from the additional set N3 of machine stop indexes corresponding to the aforesaid event;

- activating the parameter editing module 351 of the one or more selectable item graphical interfaces 303, 304 to store the event which requires to stop the identified textile machine 10 in the database unit 41.

In an embodiment, with reference to figures 6A-6B and to the textile machine 10 identified as "Machine#1", the events which require to stop the identified textile machine 10 during the production are chosen from the group consisting of: broken needle, change needles, yarn load, style load, maintenance, unknown.

With such a function, the method 200 of the invention allows assigning a reason to each machine stop (Machine Stop Assignation) not caused by the devices mounted in the machine itself, and thus developing more accurate efficiency statistics, e.g., machine stop, needle change, style load, yarn change, maintenance, etc.

It should be noted that, in addition to the statistical data on the efficiency and quality of the processes performed by the textile machine 10 described above, the method 200 of the invention provides an additional function that allows the type of thread used in the textile machine 10, or more in particular, some features of such thread, such as information on the thread supplier, the production batch, etc., to be associated also with the performed processes.

Such data characterizing the thread used are generally given on a label on each spool of thread.

In this respect, the method 200 of the invention comprises an additional step of associating, with at least one of the spools of thread employable in one of said one or more textile machines 10, an additional unique optical detection or radio-frequency identification code adapted to identify it.

In an embodiment, the additional unique identification code is a linear barcode or a QR code, or is an RFID code.

For example, data related to the thread of the spool identified by the code, in particular thread features, thread supplier information, production batch, etc., are stored in such an additional unique identification code.

The method 200 further comprises a step of detecting the additional unique identification code through the portable electronic device 50, in a similar manner as described above.

The method 200 further comprises a step of generating, by the web browser application module, based on the additional unique identification code detected, an additional selectable item graphical interface (not shown in the figures) associated with the at least one spool of thread identified by such an additional unique identification code.

Such an additional graphical interface comprises an additional information module representing data associated with the thread of the at least one identified spool of the textile machine 10. Such data are sent to the database unit 41 connected to the main processing unit 40 of the system 100, 100A to be stored. The method 200 comprises a step of displaying such an additional selectable item graphical interface on the display interface means 52 of the portable electronic device 50.

This additional function of the method 200 of the invention allows, by scanning the additional unique identification code associated with the spool of thread, data on the thread used in the textile machines to be stored in the management software of the system 100, 100A automatically, avoiding the need for the operator to manually enter such data. Moreover, such a function allows comparing the efficiency of the textile machine 10 as the thread supplier and/or the relevant production batch change.

The present invention also relates to a computer program loadable in a memory of portable electronic device 50 of a system 100, 100A, where the portable electronic device 50 is configured to establish a wireless communication with a main processing unit 40 of the system 100, 100A connected to electronic control units 20 of one or more textile machines 10 in a plant, and where the computer program comprises instructions that, when executed by the system 100, 100A, allow the system 100, 100A to carry out the steps of the method for identifying said one or more textile machines 10 and editing operational parameters associated with said one or more textile machines of the invention.

Note that, nowadays, machine manufacturers offer data collection information systems configured to work only with machines sold under their own brand name and often only with the latest models. This would require to use multiple management information systems in the same production department.

Such a drawback is overcome by the method 200 for identifying one or more textile machines 10 and editing operational parameters associated with such textile machines of the invention, which allows managing a plurality of textile machines regardless of machine models or machine brands manufactured by different manufacturers .

Moreover, the method 200 of the invention can be used in textiles as well as in other application areas, such as metal wire processes, in essence in any application in which threads or yarns of any kind are used to control processes or produce manufactured goods.

Those skilled in the art may make changes and adaptations to the embodiments of the method and system of the invention or can replace elements with others which are functionally equivalent in order to meet contingent needs without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Each of the features described above as belonging to a possible embodiment can be implemented irrespective of the other embodiments described.