JP2966550B2 - Raw material supply system for injection molding machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a raw material supply system for an injection molding machine for plastics and the like, and more particularly to a method for efficiently supplying a raw material for molding from a raw material storage to a raw material hopper on a plurality of molding machines. The present invention relates to a raw material supply system in an injection molding machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a system for continuously performing injection molding while supplying a raw material from a raw material storage to a plurality of injection molding machines in an injection molding factory for plastics or the like has been used.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a raw material supply system 8 in a conventional injection molding machine. In FIG. 4, reference numerals 12a, 12b, and 12c denote injection molding machines, and each of the injection molding machines 12a, 12b, and 12c has a raw material hopper 14a, 14b, 14c, or 1c for storing a raw material for molding.
4d, 14e, and 14f are provided, and are configured so that raw materials necessary for one-cycle molding are stored.

Each of the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f is provided with a sensor (not shown) for detecting the remaining amount of the raw material.
f each sends out a raw material request signal.

On the other hand, various molding raw materials made of resin materials are stored in raw material storages 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16d.
e and supply valves 18a, 18
b, 18c, 18d, and 18e are provided. By controlling the supply valves 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d and 18e, one of the raw material storages 16a to 16e is connected to one of the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f via the switch 20, and the desired raw material is stored. Is supplied.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a raw material supply control device,
Upon receiving a raw material request signal from each of the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f, a control signal is supplied to supply valves 18a to 18e corresponding to predetermined raw material storages 16a to 16e, and a control signal is supplied to the switching unit 20 to select the selected supply. One of the valves 18a to 18e is connected to one of the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f that sent the raw material request signal.

[0007] One raw material hopper can be connected to one raw material storage, and a plurality of raw material storages and a plurality of raw material hoppers cannot be connected at the same time. The connection between the raw material storages 16a to 16e and the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f is configured such that the switch 20 operates in priority to the order in which the raw material request signals are transmitted.

The amount of material to be supplied to each of the material hoppers 14a to 14f in one material supply can be set in the material supply control device 22 so that a constant material supply is always performed. Although this set value can be changed, it is difficult to adjust the transport amount of the raw material supply flexibly according to various situations during the operation of the injection molding machines 12a to 12c because it involves manual operation. .

[0009]

The raw material supply system in a conventional injection molding machine is configured as described above, so that the amount of transportation at the time of supplying the raw material is always constant, and the injection molding machine in the system is not provided. As the number of hoppers increased, the number of raw material hoppers also increased, and it was necessary to set the amount of raw material transport that matched the number of injection molding machines. This is because, even when the raw material request signals are sent from all the raw material hoppers, all the injection molding machines must supply the raw material to each raw material hopper so as not to run out of the raw material.

If the transport amount is small, the result is that the raw material hopper, which has already finished supplying the raw material, sends out the raw material request signal again while the raw material is being supplied to the raw material hopper which has been sequentially requested. Therefore, in order to avoid such a state, the transport amount of the raw material is set to be relatively large depending on the number of the injection molding machines. Therefore, in the raw material hopper,
An extra raw material was supplied, and the raw material supply operation was inefficient.

[0011] In addition, in the injection molding machine, a so-called purge for supplying the raw material to the raw material hopper by switching the raw material to the raw material hopper or switching the raw material for molding to the injection molding machine which is not in operation. It was in operation and required more raw materials than at the time of production.

Since the transport amount of the raw material to the raw material hopper at the time of supply is set to be relatively large as described above, the raw material supply amount at the time of purging is increased. Therefore, it takes a long time to purge, and even if there is a raw material request signal from the raw material hopper to the remaining molding apparatus during production, there is a case where the raw material cannot be supplied immediately according to the request, and the efficiency is reduced.

Further, in the injection molding machine, when the molding conditions change, it is necessary to change the amount of the raw material to be stored in the raw material hopper. For example, when the injection start position of the injection molding machine is changed, the raw material volume of one shot naturally changes, and the used amount of the raw material changes. Therefore, it is necessary to change the transport amount of the raw material transported to the raw material hopper at one time, but it is difficult to flexibly change the transport amount in the conventional raw material supply system.

An object of the present invention is to provide a raw material supply system in an injection molding machine capable of easily changing the transport amount of raw material supplied from a raw material storage to a raw material hopper according to the situation. .

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of raw material storages for storing raw materials composed of a plurality of types of resin materials and a plurality of storages corresponding to a plurality of injection molding machines. A plurality of raw material hoppers for storing raw materials supplied from the plurality of raw material storages, detecting a shortage of raw materials of the stored raw materials, and transmitting a raw material request signal, and one of the plurality of raw material storages; A switch for selectively connecting one raw material hopper corresponding to an injection molding machine, and a switch provided in correspondence with the plurality of raw material storages, and controlled according to a transport amount of raw material supplied to the raw material hopper, A plurality of supply valves for transferring the raw material, a raw material supply control device for transmitting a predetermined control signal to the switching device and the supply valve, and a raw material supply control device according to a raw material request signal from the raw material hopper. A system controller that sends a desired command, wherein the system controller issues a command to the material supply controller to change a material supply amount of the supply valve according to a state of the injection molding machine. It is characterized by.

[0016]

As described above, the material supply system in the injection molding machine according to the present invention is provided with a system control device for giving a command to the material supply control device. Since the command is given to the raw material supply control device to change the raw material supply amount of the supply valve, the injection molding machine is being produced, being purged, or being produced under different molding conditions. It is possible to flexibly change the raw material supply amount depending on whether or not there is any.

That is, the system control device includes means for holding a raw material request signal from each raw material hopper and a status report such as different molding conditions during production or purging of each injection molding machine. And a plurality of setting means for setting the raw material supply amount, and giving a command to the raw material supply control device to change the raw material supply amount of the supply valve according to the state of the injection molding machine. .

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A raw material supply system according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a raw material supply system 10 in an injection molding machine of the present embodiment. In the figure, the same components as those of the conventional technique shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 12a, 12b, and 12c denote injection molding machines, and each of the injection molding machines 12a, 12b, and 12c has a raw material hopper 14a, 14b, 14c, or 14 for storing a raw material for molding.
d, 14e, and 14f are provided so that raw materials necessary for one cycle of molding are stored.

Each of the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f is provided with a sensor (not shown) for detecting the remaining amount of the raw material.
f each sends out a raw material request signal.

On the other hand, various molding raw materials made of a resin material are stored in raw material storages 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16d.
e and supply valves 18a, 18
b, 18c, 18d, and 18e are provided. By controlling the supply valves 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 18e, one of the raw material storages 16a to 16e is connected to any of the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f via the switch 20, and Is supplied. One raw material hopper can be connected to one raw material hopper, and a plurality of raw material storages and a plurality of raw material hoppers cannot be connected at the same time.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a raw material supply control device.
Upon receiving a raw material request signal from each of the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f, a control signal is supplied to supply valves 18a to 18e corresponding to predetermined raw material storages 16a to 16e, and a control signal is supplied to the switching unit 20 to select the selected supply. One of the valves 18a to 18e is connected to one of the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f that sent the raw material request signal.

Reference numeral 24 denotes a system control unit constituted by a computer or the like for controlling the raw material supply system 10, receives a raw material request signal from each of the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f, and issues a raw material supply command to the raw material supply control device 22. Send out. Here, the connection between the raw material storages 16a to 16e and the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f is performed by transmitting a raw material supply command to the raw material supply control device 22 so that the switch 20 operates with priority given to the sequence in which the raw material request signals are transmitted. Sent out.

The system controller 24 receives a status report signal for reporting the status of different molding conditions during production or purging of each of the injection molding machines 12a, 12b, 12c.
There are provided means for holding this, and a plurality of setting means for setting the raw material supply amount according to each state, and the raw material supply amount of the supply valve is set according to the state of the injection molding machines 12a to 12c. To change the raw material supply control device 2
Give command to 2.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the system control unit 24, and includes a central control unit 32 such as a microcomputer.
Performs control according to a procedure according to a control program set in the read-only memory (ROM) 30.

A raw material request signal from each raw material hopper 14a to 14f and a status report signal of each injection molding machine 12a, 12b, 12c are received by the system controller 24 from the input / output interface 34, and each raw material request signal is stored in the holding means. 3
6 and processed according to the order in which they occur. The status report signal is held in the holding means 38.

In order to give a command to the raw material supply control device 22 to change the raw material supply amount of the supply valves 18a to 18e, the setting means 40 is provided with each injection molding machine 12
During the production or purging of a, 12b, and 12c, the raw material supply amount according to the state of different molding conditions or the like can be held as a set value.

The raw material supply system 10 in the injection molding machine according to the present embodiment is configured as described above, and its operation and effects will be described in detail below.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the raw material supply system 10. First, a description will be given of a case where each of the injection molding machines 12a to 12c corresponding to the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f that are generating the raw material request signal is in a normal molding operation.

In step S1, the raw material hopper 14
The raw material request signals from a to 14f are checked. Here, the raw material request signals are prioritized in the order of generation. next,
At step S2, the state of the injection molding machines 12a to 12c is checked.
In 3, a raw material supply command is issued to the raw material supply control device 22.

Based on the raw material supply command, step S
At 4, the corresponding supply valves 18a to 18e are controlled, and then, at step S5, the raw material hoppers 14a to 14f to be connected are switched and connected by the switch 20, and the raw material is transported at step S6.

In step S7, it is determined whether or not the raw material request has been completed. If there are any other raw material hoppers 14a to 14f that are generating a raw material request signal, the process proceeds to step S7.
Returning to step 1, the above processing is repeated. If not, one cycle of the raw material supply is completed.

Next, the case where one injection molding machine, for example, 12a is purging and the other injection molding machine 12b is performing normal molding will be described.

In step S1, the raw material hopper 14
The raw material request signals from a to 14f are checked. Next, in step S2, the injection molding machines 12a to 12a
Although the state of c is checked, if the raw material hopper generating the raw material request signal to be processed is 14a, the state of the corresponding injection molding machine 12a is being purged by the holding means 38. A purge transport amount of 40 is used, and a raw material supply command is issued to the raw material supply control device 22 in step S3.

Based on this raw material supply command, step S
At 4, the corresponding supply valves 18a to 18e are controlled, and then, at step S5, the raw material hopper 14a to be connected is switched and connected by the switch 20, and the raw material is transported at step S6.

In step S7, it is determined whether or not the raw material request has been completed. If there is another raw material hopper 14c that has generated a raw material request signal, the process returns to step S1, and
The above process is repeated.

In step S1, the raw material hopper 14
c, the state of the injection molding machines 12a to 12c is checked in step S2. If the raw material hopper generating the raw material request signal to be processed is 14c, Injection molding machine 12b
Is in normal forming processing by the holding means 38, the normal transportation amount of the setting means 40 is used, and a raw material supply command is issued to the raw material supply control device 22 in step S3.

Based on this raw material supply command, step S
At 4, the corresponding supply valves 18a to 18e are controlled, and then, at step S5, the raw material hopper 14c to be connected is switched and connected by the switch 20, and the raw material is transported at step S6.

In step S7, it is determined whether or not the raw material request has been completed. If there is no other raw material hopper that has generated the raw material request signal, the processing of one cycle of the raw material supply is completed.

Next, a case in which a specific injection molding machine 12c performs a molding process while changing the molding conditions to those different from the conventional molding conditions will be described.

In step S1, the raw material hopper 14
The raw material request signals from a to 14f are checked, and the raw material request signals to be processed correspond to the injection molding machine 12c.
For example, in the case of the raw material hopper 14e, next, in step S2, the state of the injection molding machine 12c is checked, but the state of the corresponding injection molding machine 12c is different molding condition by the holding means 38. , Setting means 4
The changed transport amount of 0 is used, and a raw material supply command is issued to the raw material supply control device 22 in step S3.

Based on this raw material supply command, step S
At 4, the corresponding supply valves 18a to 18e are controlled, and then, at step S5, the raw material hopper 14a to be connected is switched and connected by the switch 20, and the raw material is transported at step S6.

In step S7, it is determined whether or not the raw material request has been completed. If there is another raw material hopper 14c that has generated a raw material request signal, the process returns to step S1, and
If not, the process ends.

Here, when there are several molding conditions, the changed transport amount of the setting means 40 is set for each molding condition, and the molding condition of the injection molding machine is sent to the system control device 24 as a status report signal. With such a configuration, it is possible to control the supply amount of the raw material to an optimum amount under any molding conditions.

[0045]

According to the raw material supply system for the injection molding machine according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

That is, according to the raw material supply system of the present invention, there is provided a system control device for giving a command to the raw material supply control device. The system control device includes a raw material request signal from each raw material hopper and each injection molding machine. During the production or purging of the apparatus, there are provided means for holding status reports of different molding conditions and the like, and a plurality of setting means for setting a raw material supply amount according to the state.

This system control device gives a command to the raw material supply control device to change the raw material supply amount of the supply valve according to the state of the injection molding machine. Depending on whether there is, during purging, or under production under different molding conditions, the amount of the raw material supplied can be flexibly changed, and the raw material can be supplied efficiently. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a raw material supply system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the system control device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the raw material supply system according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a raw material supply system in a conventional injection molding machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12a to 12c Injection molding machine 14a to 14f Raw material hopper 16a to 16e Raw material storage 18a to 18e Supply valve 20 Switch 22 Raw material supply control device 24 System control device 30 ROM 32 Central control unit 34 Input / output interface 36, 38 ... holding means 40 ... setting means

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B29C 45/18 B29C 45/76

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of raw material storages for storing raw materials composed of a plurality of types of resin materials, and a plurality of raw materials supplied from the plurality of raw material storages are provided corresponding to a plurality of injection molding machines. A plurality of raw material hoppers for detecting a raw material shortage of the raw material and transmitting a raw material request signal, and selectively connecting one of the plurality of raw material storages and one raw material hopper corresponding to the plurality of injection molding machines. A switch, a plurality of supply valves provided in correspondence with the plurality of raw material storages, and controlled in accordance with a transport amount of the raw material supplied to the raw material hopper, for transferring the raw material, the switch, and the supply valve A raw material supply control device that sends a predetermined control signal to the
A system controller that sends a desired command to a raw material supply control device in response to a raw material request signal from the raw material hopper, wherein the system control device controls the supply valve according to a state of the injection molding machine. A material supply system for an injection molding machine, wherein a command is given to the material supply control device to change a material supply amount. 2. A raw material supply system for an injection molding machine according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of injection molding machines sends a status report signal for reporting a status of said injection molding machine to a system controller. A system supply device for an injection molding machine, wherein the system control device gives a command to a material supply control device to change a material supply amount of a supply valve according to a state of the injection molding machine. 3. A raw material supply system for an injection molding machine according to claim 2, wherein said system control device includes a request holding means for storing raw material requests from a plurality of raw material hoppers, and a status report from said plurality of injection molding machines. A state holding unit for holding, and a plurality of setting units for setting a raw material supply amount according to the state, the raw material supply control device for changing the raw material supply amount of the supply valve according to the state of the injection molding machine. A raw material supply system for an injection molding machine, which gives a command. 4. A raw material supply system for an injection molding machine according to claim 3, wherein the setting means sets at least a raw material supply amount during production of the injection molding machine. system. 5. The material supply system for an injection molding machine according to claim 3, wherein the setting means sets at least a material supply amount during purging of the injection molding machine. system. 6. A raw material supply system for an injection molding machine according to claim 3, wherein the setting means sets a plurality of different raw material supply amounts under different molding conditions in production of the injection molding machine. Raw material supply system for injection molding machines.