Customers benefit from Industry 4.0 research projects

Dortmund-based filling and packaging specialist KHS GmbH is involved in numerous research and development projects on the topics of digital networking and line optimisation. In close cooperation with customers and in networking and collaboration with external research institutes and universities, the focus is on objectives such as increasing line efficiency or reducing the resources used, such as materials or energy.

Currently supports KHS for example, the project of a research consortium consisting of scientists from TU Dortmund University, Ruhr University Bochum and the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML), on additive manufacturing in the Maintenance logistics. Means 3D printing The aim is to manufacture complex components that could not be produced using conventional methods. The supply of spare parts is also additive manufacturing accelerated.

„The overriding aim of our research activities is to make our systems and machines even more energy-efficient and resource-saving so that our customers can continue to benefit from the projects in the future“
Dr Matthias Schopp, Head of Engineering Systems at KHS

Machine learns the bottle shapes automatically

Only recently, the research project „DnSPro“ from the „Industry 4.0“ project was successfully completed. The aim was to develop a filling system equipped with various sensors and an intelligent control system. The core of the development is the optimisation of the filling process through „Machine Learning“. The machine is supposed to adjust itself to a new product and adapt optimally to the bottle shape in demand, so that the Filling process faster and more efficient. Five industrial companies cooperated with the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences and the Ruhr University Bochum on DnSPro.

New impetus for increasing the Plant efficiency KHS hopes that the federally funded research project „EnAP“. This should Energy saving concepts and system optimisation processes that are used in pneumatically and electrically operated handling systems. Especially the Beverage industry should benefit from this and Total cost of ownership can be reduced.

Assistance systems prevent operating errors

The Human-machine collaboration is once again at the centre of the „CyProAssist“ project. Its aim is to develop a assistance system for production that supports people in optimising system operation. „We want to support the machine operator in such a way that Operating errors avoided and faults rectified as quickly as possible in order to ensure a high level of safety. System availability to make this possible,“ explains Matthias Schopp.

KHS is also utilising the findings from past and current research projects for customer orders. The Dortmund systems supplier has equipped its long-standing customer, the Rothaus-brewery, with an Innofill Glass DRS glass filler and expanded it with numerous digital functions. Camera-guided control of the High-pressure injection generates a fine jet of water, for example, which Residual oxygen from the filled bottle. This ensures the quality of the beer and extends its shelf life.

The control unit is also used to monitor the Frothy head of the freshly bottled beer. In this way, Rothaus can reduce the loss of beer due to excessive foaming while also recognising and rejecting insufficiently foamed bottles.

Sensors in each filling valve detect errors in good time

With their Filling technology KHS GmbH also benefits from the newly developed assistance system „DIAS“ (Diagnostic Assistance). Sensors in each individual Filling valve offer seamless control and visualisation of the filling process. Deviations from target values are recognised immediately. Bottle breakage is recognised seamlessly and damaged bottles are automatically ejected. The sensor data can be retrieved and statistically analysed at any time. This allows potential sources of error to be identified and eliminated in advance.

You can find out more about KHS GmbH on the homepage http://www.khs.com.[/infotext] [/infotext]