Hot-glue application system and method for controlling and monitoring the hot-glue application system

Abstract

A hot glue application system includes a melter and components attached to the melter. The components comprise at least one heatable feed hose, and at least one heatable application valve. The components comprise a data storage medium which is configured to be machine-readable which comprises on at least one of data transmitted for a component-specific control parameter, during an initialization, cyclically, and when a change is made in a system configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hot glue application system comprising:
 a melter; and   components attached to the melter, the components comprising:
 at least one heatable feed hose, and 
 at least one heatable application valve, 
   wherein the components comprise a data storage medium which is configured to be machine-readable which comprises on at least one of data transmitted   for a component-specific control parameter,   during an initialization,   cyclically, and   when a change is made in a system configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The hot glue application system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the data storage medium is configured to be machine writable. 
     
     
         3 . The hot glue application system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the component-specific control parameter include a parameter selected from at least one of a delay time, an amplification factor, a date of manufacture, an average service life, a heating capacity, and a maximum temperature. 
     
     
         4 . The hot glue application system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises at least one of a maximum set parameter, an actual parameter, and elapsed operating hours. 
     
     
         5 . The hot glue application system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising heating circuits and a control unit configured to optimize a monitoring and a control of the heating circuits and the connected components, the control unit comprising a communication device to communicate with the data storage media in the components. 
     
     
         6 . The hot glue application system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the melter further comprises a connection plug, and wherein the communication device is configured to communicate between the control unit and the data storage media in the connected components via the connection plug or wirelessly at least one of electromagnetically, magnetically, acoustically, and optically. 
     
     
         7 . The hot glue application system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the communication device comprises a connection which is configured to exchange data via a field bus with a higher-order control unit or via the internet with a monitoring unit. 
     
     
         8 . A method to control and monitor a heating circuit of a hot glue application system, the method comprising:
 providing a hot glue application system comprising:
 a melter comprising a control unit, and 
 consumers comprising at least one heatable feed hose and at least one heatable application valve, the at least one heatable feed hose and the at least one heatable application valve each being attached to the melter and comprising a heating circuit and a data storage medium, the data storage medium being configured to be at least one of machine-readable and machine-writable; 
   configuring the control unit to communicate via a hardwired connection or wirelessly with the data storage media in the connected consumers during at least one of an initialization, cyclically and when a change is made in a system configuration; and   configuring the control unit to at least one of:
 receive data from the connected consumers and to use the data to optimize the control and monitoring of the heating circuit of the connected consumers, and 
   transmit data to the data storage medium in the connected consumers, the data being used to optimize a diagnosis and a maintenance thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising configuring the control device to exchange data via a field bus with a higher-order control unit or via the internet with an external monitoring unit, the data being used to optimize the monitoring of the hot glue application system and to provide for a remote diagnosis in the event of an error or a defect.