Abstract: The invention relates to a method for maintaining and managing a manufacturing facility with a plurality of field devices (F) that are connected to a guide system (L) via a data bus (D). The inventive method is characterized in that information of at least the field devices that are required for the maintenance and management of the manufacturing facility are electronically acquired across the entire life cycle of the respective field device and are stored via intranet or internet access in a central data bank that is accessible for selected users. The user inquires the maintenance or management criteria via intranet or internet access to the central data bank (Z). In this manner, all information required for the maintenance and management of the manufacturing facility are made available to selected users in a simple way.

Abstract: Method of optical inspection of closures on containers in which the outer edge of a closure is illuminated obliquely from above over the full circumference, and a photograph of the top side of the closure is made perpendicularly from above, and this photograph is used to detect the outer edge of the mouth, which appears brighter, and to check on the position of the cover logo relative to this edge of the mouth either directly or indirectly, and a signal is generated in the event an unacceptable eccentricity is found.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and an apparatus for the optical inspection of bottles in an inspection station comprising at least one camera for recording images of a bottle or a bottle part and at least one lighting unit which illuminates at least one bottle or a bottle part. The apparatus and the method are characterized by the fact that several inspection steps are provided in a single inspection station, said steps following one another as closely as possible.

Abstract: In a process for the optical inspection of at least partially transparent containers in an inspection area with an illuminating device and a camera for producing images to be evaluated, the degree of transparency of each container is determined, and a light field is configured for this specific container. The light intensity of the light field and/or the imaging sensitivity is adapted to the determined degree of transparency, and the traveling light field is shifted through the inspection area in synchrony with the container. The system for implementing the process has an LED light screen with a plurality of LEDs, which can be activated individually or in groups, and a device upstream of the inspection area for measuring the individual degree of transparency of each container. These components are connected to a control unit, which produces the traveling light field for each container and shifts it in synchrony with the container.

Abstract: In a process for the optical inspection of at least partially transparent containers in an inspection area with an illuminating device and a camera for producing images to be evaluated, the degree of transparency of each container is determined, and a light field is configured for this specific container. The light intensity of the light field and/or the imaging sensitivity is adapted to the determined degree of transparency, and the traveling light field is shifted through the inspection area in synchrony with the container. The system for implementing the process has an LED light screen with a plurality of LEDs, which can be activated individually or in groups, and a device upstream of the inspection area for measuring the individual degree of transparency of each container. These components are connected to a control unit, which produces the traveling light field for each container and shifts it in synchrony with the container.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for correlating first and second signals where sampling values of the signals are multiplied together and discrete values of the correlation function are determined. In one embodiment, the signals are sampled at different sampling frequencies such that one sampling frequency is a multiple of the other sampling frequency. A number of the respective last sampling values of the more fully sampled signal are stored and each sampling value of the more rapidly sampled signal is multiplied simultaneously by all of the stored sampling values of the more slowly sampled signal. The results of the multiplication are separately summed corresponding to equal time displacements between the multiplied sampling values. In a further preferred embodiment, a microcomputer is programmed for sampling the two signals with sampling frequencies having a ratio 1:k. The more slowly sampled signals are stored in an n stage register.