Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a cost effective slit film tape yarn breakage
monitoring system and more specifically relates to method of identifying the tape
breaks in multi-winder machine like extrusion tape-line or mono-filament line to
5 alert operators for mending them. Further, the present invention provides on time
and real time information on the productivity and downtime of individual winders
and complete extrusion tapeline.
Background of Invention
10 The tape extrusion line or monofilament lines involves plurality of winders
working in parallel for winding of tape/yarn made from monolayer or multilayer
endless flat plastic film/sheet of PP, HDPE, LLDPE or other blends of polyolefin.
Due to inherent variability in the process, variety of operation conditions and raw
material recipe been processed, there may be random disruptions to the process
15 due to the potential breakages of the yarn/tape. This type of breaks requires
manual mending or re-threading before the process can be re-started. Any delay in
mending adversely affects the overall production. The delay also leads to wastage
of raw-material which leads to substantial monetary loss and productivity loss.
20 It is conventional to employ human operators on such machines for
monitoring/patrolling and mending of breaks. However, it has been observed that
major time of operator is engaged in identifying specific instances of breaks,
3
which increases the average time elapsed before a break end is mended/rethreaded.
There are systems available for stopping of winder after the yarn/tape break.
5 However, there is no system of tape break monitoring in tape extrusion line.
Further, there is no system for providing real time information on the yarn/tape
break and downtime of winders.
Objective of Invention
10 The main objective of invention is to provide device and method for identifying
tape break on winder and providing information of winder location.
Another objective of invention is to monitor the time required for mending and
real time information on productivity.
15
Further objective of invention is to monitor one or more complete extrusion
tapeline and their plurality winders and provide required on time and real time
information to client devices.
20 List of Parts:
1 Winder
1A - Tape
2 Sensing module
3 Communicating device
25 4 Computing device
5 Display device
6 Client device
4
Summary Of Invention:
The present invention discloses a system to monitor breakages in a winder system
for slit film tapes. More specifically, the invention discloses a method of
identifying the tape breaks in multi-winder machine like extrusion tape-line or
5 mono-filament line to alert operators for mending them. Further, the present
invention provides on time and real time information on the productivity and
downtime of individual winders and complete extrusion tapeline. The system
comprises a sensing module (2) and a communicating device (3). The sensing
module (2) may be used to monitor one or more winders (1). The communicating
10 device (3) enables sensing module (2) to communicate the information of tape
break to a computing device (4) or the like in real time. Further, it is capable of
monitoring elapsed time between tape break and rethreading of tape on same
winder (1). The communicating device (3) is also capable of communicating
signal of winder location with break to operator and updating information on
15 computing device (4) or server which can further communicate with a client
device.
Brief description of figures:
Figure 1 shows the block diagram of the apparatus of the invention.
20 Figure 2 shows the types of the reports generated by the device of the invention
5
Detailed description of Invention
The present invention provides device and method for identifying break in a tape
(1A) in a winder (1), especially across a plurality of winders (1) in tape extrusion
like machines. The invention also involves system and method for communicating
5 the tape break and winder (1) location to operator and update real time data to
client device.
According to this invention, independent of specific winder type, a sensing
module (2) is mounted with minimum modification to the existing winder (1). The
10 sensing module (2) senses the presence of yarn/tape (1A) and working of winder.
Irrespective of how yarn/tape break is detected, the sensing module (2)
communicates real-time information on yarn break and location to the operator
working/patrolling on the machine.
15 As soon as the tape break is mended and restarted the sensing module (2)
monitors the time elapsed and real-time data is updated. Further, the system
updates the information on downtime of winder and productivity of the machine.
The device and system as per the invention comprises of sensing module (2) and a
20 communicating device (3). The sensing module (2) may be used to monitor one or
more winders (1). The communicating device (3) enables sensing module (2) to
communicate the information of tape break to a computing device (4) or the like
in real time. Further, it is capable of monitoring elapsed time between tape break
6
and rethreading of tape on same winder (1). The communicating device (3) is also
capable of communicating signal of winder location with break to operator and
updating information on computing device (4) or server which can further
communicate with a client device. The communication may be facilitated using
5 LAN based or cloud-based systems.
The invention enables sensing of tape break or winder stoppage by suitable
electronic sensor means and storing of data/event in data processing/computing
unit. Events such as breakage of tapes, instances of machine stoppage, time taken
10 for winding a bobbin, time taken for rethreading after tape breakage, tape
breakage instances per hour, total downtime for a winder or a single spindle or a
group of spindles.
The client device includes computers, smartphones and other remote
15 communication device or graphical display device (6).
Sensing modules may work on principles of optics or electro-magnetism or photo
cell. In particular, the sensing modules may sense breakage in a tape on the basis
of disruption to an optical beam or electro-magnetic field caused by break in a
20 continuously running tape. For example, an optical signal may be obstructed by a
running tape. However, when the tape breaks, the optical signal may be able to
complete a circuit and allow the sensor to register the event of breakage.
Similarly, in the case of a steady electromagnetic field through which a running
7
tape is passing, the breakage of the tape may disturb the electromagnetic field –
the disturbance allowing the sensor to register the breakage event,
Such events as breakage of tapes/yarn, instances of machine stoppage, time taken
5 for winding a bobbin, time taken for rethreading after tape breakage, tape
breakage instances per hour, total downtime for a winder or a single spindle or a
group of spindles are communicated and logged in main central data processing
unit through which required format reports can be generated. For example, report
given in Figure 2.
10
The invention is not only restricted to the above given embodiments but several
changes can be incorporated.
It is evident from the foregoing description that the invention has a number of
15 embodiments.
In its preferred embodiment, the invention discloses a system to monitor tape
breakage in a winder (1), said system comprising sensing module (2), a
communicating device (3), and a computing device (4). The sensing module (2)
20 monitors one or more winders (1), and the communicating device (3) enables
sensing module (2) to communicate the information related to breakage of tape
(1A) to said computing device (4) or the like in real time.
8
In another embodiment, the system monitors elapsed time between a tape break
sensed by said sensing module (2) and rethreading of tape on same winder (1).
In a further embodiment, the communicating device (3) communicates the
5 location of the winder where a tape break has been sensed by said sensing module
(3) to said computing device (4).
In a still further embodiment, the computing device (4) further communicates the
received location of the winder where a tape break has been sensed by said
10 sensing module (3) to a client device.
In a yet further embodiment, the communication between any two components of
said system, such as the sensing module (2), or the communicating device (3), or
the computing device (4) is facilitated using LAN based or cloud-based
15 technology.
In another embodiment, the information related to breakage of tape comprises
information related to breakage of tapes, instances of machine stoppage, time
taken for winding a bobbin, time taken for rethreading after tape breakage, tape
20 breakage instances per hour, total downtime for a winder or a single spindle or a
group of spindles.
9
In yet another embodiment, the client device may be a smart phone, a desk top
personal computer, or a laptop, or any other device capable of receiving and
displaying information sent by said computing device (4).
5 In a still further embodiment, the sensing module (2) works on the principle of
optics or electromagnetism.
The invention also discloses a method for monitoring tape breakage in a winder
using a system as disclosed in aforementioned embodiments. In particular, the
10 method comprises the steps of:
a. using the sensing module (2), gathering information on tape breakage and
restoration of broken tape
b. using the communicating device (3), communicating information obtained
in step a to the computing device (4),
15 c. on the computing device (4), storing all information received by the
computing device (4) from the communicating device (3),
d. using the computing device (4) generating data and display information
regarding breakage of tapes, instances of machine stoppage, time taken for
winding a bobbin, time taken for rethreading after tape breakage, tape
20 breakage instances per hour, total downtime for a winder or a single
spindle or a group of spindles, and communicating it to the client device.
10
In an embodiment of the method, the communication referred to in steps b and
d is facilitated using LAN based or cloud-based technology.
While the above description contains much specificity, these should not be construed as
5 limitation in the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of the preferred
embodiments thereof. It must be realized that modifications and variations are possible
based on the disclosure given above without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the
embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

We claim:

1. A System to monitor tape breakage in a winder (1), said system
comprising sensing module (2), a communicating device (3), and a
computing device (4), characterised in that said sensing module (2)
5 monitors one or more winders (1), and that said communicating device (3)
enables sensing module (2) to communicate the information related to
breakage of tape (1A) to said computing device (4) or the like in real time.
2. The system as claimed in claims 1, wherein said system monitors elapsed
time between a tape break sensed by said sensing module (2) and
10 rethreading of tape on same winder (1).
3. The system as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein said communicating
device (3) communicates the location of the winder where a tape break has
been sensed by said sensing module (3) to said computing device (4).
4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said computing device (4)
15 further communicates the received location of the winder where a tape
break has been sensed by said sensing module (3) to a client device.
5. The system as claimed in claims 1 to 4, wherein the communication
between any two components of said system is facilitated using LAN
based or cloud-based technology.
20 6. The system as claimed in claims 1 to 5, wherein said information related to
breakage of tape comprises information related to breakage of tapes,
instances of machine stoppage, time taken for winding a bobbin, time
12
taken for rethreading after tape breakage, tape breakage instances per hour,
total downtime for a winder or a single spindle or a group of spindles.
7. The system as claimed in claims 4 to 6, wherein said client device is any
of the devices selected from a group comprising a smart phone, a desk top
5 personal computer, or a laptop, or any other device capable of receiving
and displaying information sent by said computing device (4).
8. The system as claimed in claims 1 to 6, wherein said sensing module (2)
works on the principle of optics or electromagnetism or a photo cell.
9. A method for monitoring tape breakage in a winder using a system as
10 claimed in claims 1 to 8, characterised in that said method comprises the
steps of:
a. using said sensing module (2), gathering information on tape
breakage and restoration of broken tape
b. using said communicating device (3), communicating information
15 obtained in step a to said computing device (4),
c. on said computing device (4), storing all information received by
said computing device (4) from said communicating device (3),
d. using said computing device (4) generating data and display
information regarding breakage of tapes, instances of machine
20 stoppage, time taken for winding a bobbin, time taken for
rethreading after tape breakage, tape breakage instances per hour,
total downtime for a winder or a single spindle or a group of
spindles, and communicating it to said client device.
13
10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein communication referred to in
steps b and d is facilitated using LAN based or cloud-based technology.