초록 ▼

The invention is directed to a method for controlling the free deformation of thermoplastic material in an automated process for processing the material to form articles. These articles are especially ampules, small bottles and the like produced from glass tubes. In this method, in order to obtain a

The invention is directed to a method for controlling the free deformation of thermoplastic material in an automated process for processing the material to form articles. These articles are especially ampules, small bottles and the like produced from glass tubes. In this method, in order to obtain a high dimensional accuracy of the article, a corrective action is carried out by applying heat to the starting material in the deformation region in the heating phase. This corrective action takes place in dependence on a desired-value/actual-value comparison of the deformation of a workpiece achieved in a predetermined working step. In order to exclude interference influences in the development of the deformation, the measurement of the deformation achieved, the desired-value/actual-value comparison and the corrective action are carried out in situ on one and the same workpiece during shaping of the deformation in the heating phase.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for controlling free deformation of a thermoplastic material in the production of an article including an ampule and a bottle from a workpiece made of the thermoplastic material including glass, the method comprising the steps of: freely deforming said workpiece in a deformation region to a

A method for controlling free deformation of a thermoplastic material in the production of an article including an ampule and a bottle from a workpiece made of the thermoplastic material including glass, the method comprising the steps of: freely deforming said workpiece in a deformation region to a predetermined extent by applying heat thereto in a preheating phase so as to allow a residual range of deformation to remain in said deformation region; measuring, after completing and ending said preheating phase, an intermediate deformation of said deformation region to obtain a measurement of an actual value of the deformation; comparing said actual value to a desired value of the deformation in said deformation region to provide a variable indicative of the difference between the actual and desired values and therefore indicative of said intermediate deformation; and applying heat to said deformation region of said workpiece as a function of said variable to continue deforming said deformation region to correct for said difference as the workpiece is further deformed through said residual range and thereafter drawing out said deformation region until the deformation of said deformation region reaches its end value.