Energy efficient blow molder control

1. A blow molder system comprising:

a blow molder that produces containers from preforms, wherein the blow molder comprises:

a plurality of molds; and

a blow molder sensor for sensing an operating condition of the blow molder;

a container inspection system for inspecting the containers produced by the blow molder; and

a blow molder controller that is in communication with the blow molder and the container inspection system, wherein the blow molder controller is configured to:

receive outputs from the blow molder sensor and the container inspection system;

determine a set of blow molder input parameters for the blow molder that drives the containers generated by the blow molder toward a desired container characteristic, wherein the set of blow molder input parameters are determined based on:

the outputs from the container inspection system and blow molder sensor; and

operating cost data for the blow molder, wherein the operating cost data comprises energy costs for operating the blow molder; and

output the set of blow molder input parameters to the blow molder for implementation by the blow molder,

wherein the blow molder controller determines the set of blow molder input parameters by determining the set of blow molder input parameters that optimize a plurality of factors, wherein the plurality of factors comprise:

satisfaction of the desired container characteristic;

time to reach the desired container characteristic; and

operating costs for the blow molder to implement the set of blow molder input parameters, wherein the operating costs are based on the operating cost data for the blow molder.

2. The blow molder system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of factors further comprise an expected scrap rate for containers produced by the blow molder until the containers reach the desired container characteristic.

3. The blow molder system of claim 1 , wherein the set of blow molder input parameters comprises a change to at least one of the following operating parameters of the blow molder:

pre-blow timing;

pre-blow pressure;

power levels for individual heater elements of the plurality of molds;

preform temperature set points;

stretch rod timing; and

blow pressure.

4. The blow molder system of claim 1 , wherein the container inspection system comprises a material distribution sensor system for sensing a material distribution characteristic of the containers.

5. The blow molder system of claim 4 , wherein the material distribution sensor system comprises at least one emitter-detector pair, wherein an emitter of the emitter-detector pair emits light energy and a detector of the light energy pair detects light energy.

6. The blow molder system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one emitter-detector pair comprises a plurality of emitter-detector pairs, wherein the emitter of each emitter-detector pair emits light energy toward the containers and the detector of each emitter-detector pair senses light energy that passes through at least one sidewall of the containers.

7. The blow molder system of claim 4 , wherein the container inspection system further comprises a crystallinity sensor for sensing a crystallinity level of the containers.

8. The blow molder system of claim 7 , wherein the crystallinity sensor comprises a camera.

9. The blow molder system of claim 1 , wherein the container inspection system comprises a crystallinity sensor for sensing a crystallinity level of the containers.

10. The blow molder system of claim 9 , wherein the crystallinity sensor comprises a camera.

11. The blow molder system of claim 9 , wherein the crystallinity sensor comprises a birefringence sensor.

12. The blow molder system of claim 9 , wherein the crystallinity sensor comprises a NIR spectroscopy sensor.

13. The blow molder system of claim 1 , wherein the blow molder sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

an oven temperature sensor;

individual mold temperature sensors for the plurality of molds; and

a blow pressure sensor.

14. The blow molder system of claim 1 , wherein the desired container characteristic comprises a desired container sidewall thickness.

15. The blow molder system of claim 1 , wherein the desired container characteristic comprises a desired crystallinity level.

16. The blow molder system of claim 1 , wherein the energy costs comprise electricity costs for a plant where the blow molder is located.

17. The blow molder system of claim 1 , wherein the blow molder blows a fluid into the preforms to form the containers.

18. The blow molder system of claim 17 , wherein the fluid comprises air or a liquid.

19. A blow molder system comprising:

a blow molder that produces containers from preforms, wherein the blow molder comprises:

a plurality of molds; and

a blow molder sensor for sensing an operating condition of the blow molder;

a container inspection system for inspecting the containers produced by the blow molder; and

a blow molder controller that is in communication with the blow molder and the container inspection system, wherein the blow molder controller is configured to:

receive outputs from the blow molder sensor and the container inspection system;

determine a set of blow molder input parameters for the blow molder that drives the containers generated by the blow molder toward a desired container characteristic, wherein the set of blow molder input parameters are determined based on:

the outputs from the container inspection system and blow molder sensor; and

operating cost data for the blow molder, wherein the operating cost data comprises energy costs for operating the blow molder; and

output the set of blow molder input parameters to the blow molder for implementation by the blow molder,

wherein the operating cost data for the blow molder comprises incremental costs to make changes to the operating parameters of the blow molder, wherein the incremental costs are based, at least in part, on the energy costs for operating the blow molder.

20. The blow molder system of claim 19 , wherein the blow molder controller determines the set of blow molder input parameters by determining the set of blow molder input parameters that optimize a plurality of factors, wherein the plurality of factors comprise:

satisfaction of the desired container characteristic;

time to reach the desired container characteristic; and

operating costs for the blow molder to implement the set of blow molder input parameters, wherein the operating costs are based on the operating cost data for the blow molder.

21. The blow molder system of claim 19 , wherein the blow molder controller determines the set of blow molder input parameters by performing steps that comprise:

determining multiple sets of blow molder input parameters, wherein each of the multiple sets of blow molder input parameters drives the containers generated by the blow molder toward the desired container characteristic; and

determining an incremental cost associated with each of the multiple sets of blow molder input parameters, wherein the incremental costs are determined based on current operating parameters of the blow molder and the energy costs for the blow molder, wherein the current operating parameters of the blow molder are sensed, at least in part, by the blow molder sensor; and

selecting a first set of blow molder input parameters from the multiple sets of blow molder input parameters based on the incremental costs associated with each of the multiple sets of blow molder input parameters.

22. A method comprising:

producing, by a blow molder, blow-molded containers from preforms, wherein the blow molder comprises, wherein the blow molder comprises a plurality of molds;

during production of the blow-molded containers, sensing, by a blow molder sensor, an operating condition of the blow molder;

inspecting, by a container inspection system, the blow-molded containers produced by the blow molder; and

determining, by a blow molder controller that is in communication with the blow molder and the container inspection system, a set of blow molder input parameters for the blow molder that drives the containers generated by the blow molder toward a desired container characteristic, wherein the set of blow molder input parameters are determined based on:

outputs from the container inspection system and blow molder sensor; and

operating cost data for the blow molder, wherein the operating cost data comprises energy costs for operating the blow molder; and

outputting, by the blow molder controller, the set of blow molder input parameters to the blow molder for implementation by the blow molder,

wherein determining the set of blow molder input parameters comprises determining the set of blow molder input parameters that optimize a plurality of factors, wherein the plurality of factors comprise:

satisfaction of the desired container characteristic;

time to reach the desired container characteristic; and

operating costs for the blow molder to implement the set of blow molder input parameters, wherein the operating costs are based on the operating cost data for the blow molder.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising, after outputting the set of blow molder input parameter to the blow molder, producing, by the blow molder, blow-molded containers with the set of blow molder input parameters from the blow molder controller.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of factors further comprise an expected scrap rate for containers produced by the blow molder until the containers reach the desired container characteristic.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the set of blow molder input parameters comprises a change to at least one of the following operating parameters of the blow molder:

pre-blow timing;

pre-blow pressure;

power levels for individual heater elements of the plurality of molds;

preform temperature set points;

stretch rod timing; and

blow pressure.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein the desired container characteristic comprises a desired container sidewall thickness.

27. The method of claim 22 , wherein the desired container characteristic comprises a desired crystallinity level.

28. The method of claim 22 , wherein the energy costs comprise electricity costs for a plant where the blow molder is located.

29. The method of claim 22 , wherein producing the blow-molded containers comprises blowing, by the blow molder blows, a fluid into the preforms.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the fluid comprises air or a liquid.

31. A method of comprising:

producing, by a blow molder, blow-molded containers from preforms, wherein the blow molder comprises, wherein the blow molder comprises a plurality of molds;

during production of the blow-molded containers, sensing, by a blow molder sensor, an operating condition of the blow molder;

inspecting, by a container inspection system, the blow-molded containers produced by the blow molder; and

determining, by a blow molder controller that is in communication with the blow molder and the container inspection system, a set of blow molder input parameters for the blow molder that drives the containers generated by the blow molder toward a desired container characteristic, wherein the set of blow molder input parameters are determined based on:

outputs from the container inspection system and blow molder sensor; and

operating cost data for the blow molder, wherein the operating cost data comprises energy costs for operating the blow molder; and

outputting, by the blow molder controller, the set of blow molder input parameters to the blow molder for implementation by the blow molder,

wherein the operating cost data for the blow molder comprises incremental costs to make changes to the operating parameters of the blow molder, wherein the incremental costs are based, at least in part, on the energy costs for operating the blow molder.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein determining the set of blow molder input parameters comprises determining the set of blow molder input parameters that optimize a plurality of factors, wherein the plurality of factors comprise:

satisfaction of the desired container characteristic;

time to reach the desired container characteristic; and

operating costs for the blow molder to implement the set of blow molder input parameters, wherein the operating costs are based on the operating cost data for the blow molder.

33. The method of claim 31 , wherein determining the set of blow molder input parameters comprises:

determining multiple sets of blow molder input parameters, wherein each of the multiple sets of blow molder input parameters drives the containers generated by the blow molder toward the desired container characteristic; and

determining an incremental cost associated with each of the multiple sets of blow molder input parameters, wherein the incremental costs are determined based on current operating parameters of the blow molder and the energy costs for the blow molder, wherein the current operating parameters of the blow molder are sensed, at least in part, by the blow molder sensor; and

selecting a first set of blow molder input parameters from the multiple sets of blow molder input parameters based on the incremental costs associated with each of the multiple sets of blow molder input parameters.