JP6349225B2 - Material transport supply apparatus and material transport supply method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a material transportation supply apparatus and a material transportation supply method for supplying a molding material from a transportation source to a molding machine.

Conventionally, a material that is pneumatically transported from a transportation source is collected in a collector or the like, and is supplied to a molding machine through an input portion such as an input pipe or a storage tank provided below the collector. Transportation and supply devices are known. In such a material transport and supply device, if the material level in the input section provided on the upstream side of the molding machine is consumed as the molding material is consumed in the molding machine, the pneumatic transporter moves the air toward the collector. The molding material is replenished to the input portion. In such a thing, there existed a problem that a comparatively much molding material remained as a remaining material in a collector, an injection | throwing-in part, etc. at the time of completion | finish of shaping | molding.
For example, in Patent Document 1 below, the granular material from a plurality of material supply machines that respectively store a plurality of types of granular material is measured by a measuring machine and supplied to the molding machine via a storage unit or the like. A material blending and feeding apparatus is disclosed. This material combination supply device forms a standby amount consisting of the material from the weighing machine to the upstream side of the storage unit and the material below the detection level of the material sensor in the storage unit by the end of molding after receiving the molding end scheduled signal. It is configured to calculate the remaining required amount by subtracting from the required amount of material required in the machine, execute batch weighing the number of times according to this remaining required amount in the weighing machine, and stop the subsequent weighing operation Yes.

JP 2011-20296 A

  However, in the material blending and supplying apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the material below the detection level of the material sensor in the storage unit can be reduced, but the material is supplied to the downstream side of the storage unit, that is, into the molding machine. The material is not considered, and further improvement is desired.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said situation, and it aims at providing the material transport supply apparatus and material transport supply method which can reduce the remaining material at the time of completion | finish of shaping | molding.

  In order to achieve the above object, the material transportation and supply device according to the present invention collects a molding material to be pneumatically transported and collects the material to be supplied to a molding machine, and forms the material from the transportation source into the collection and supply unit. An air transporter that pneumatically transports a material, a signal generation unit that generates a predetermined molding end scheduled signal, and a predetermined program that is required in the molding machine by the end of molding after receiving the molding end scheduled signal. The required amount of molding material to be calculated is calculated, and the air transportation according to the remaining necessary amount obtained by subtracting the standby amount of the molding material in the collection supply unit and the heating cylinder of the molding machine from the necessary amount is performed as described above. And a control unit that is executed by the pneumatic transport machine and stops the subsequent pneumatic transportation.

In the present invention, the collection supply unit is pneumatically transported from the input unit connected to the heating cylinder, a material sensor for detecting that the material level in the input unit has decreased to a predetermined level, and the transportation source. And a weighing hopper for supplying the molding material to the input unit, and the control unit stores in advance when a material request signal is output from the material sensor. The standby amount may be calculated by adding a hopper standby amount in the weighing hopper to a sensor standby amount below the detection level of the material sensor including the inside of the heated cylinder.
Further, in the present invention, the molding machine is an injection molding machine, and the control unit outputs a material request signal from the material sensor after receiving an input of the number of remaining shots as the molding completion scheduled signal. The required amount may be calculated based on the number of remaining required shots obtained by subtracting the number of shots up to the number of remaining shots and the amount of one shot in the injection molding machine.
Moreover, in this invention, you may provide the discharge part in which the adjustment of the batch delivery amount of the molding material pneumatically conveyed toward the said collection supply part was enabled at the said transportation source.
Further, in the present invention, the control unit executes batch air transportation for the number of times corresponding to a quotient obtained by dividing the remaining required amount by a preset one batch transportation amount with the one batch transportation amount, It is good also as a structure which adjusts the said discharge part so that it may become the excess 1 batch transportation amount corresponding to too much, and performs a further 1 batch pneumatic transportation.

  In order to achieve the above object, the material transportation supply method according to the present invention is a material transportation supply method that collects a molding material pneumatically transported from a transportation source at a collection supply unit and supplies the molding material to a molding machine. And calculating the necessary amount of molding material required in the molding machine until the end of molding after a predetermined molding end schedule signal, and from this necessary amount in the heating cylinder of the collection supply unit and the molding machine It is characterized by causing the pneumatic transporter to execute pneumatic transportation according to the remaining required amount obtained by subtracting the waiting amount of the molding material and stopping the subsequent pneumatic transportation.

  The material transport and supply apparatus and material transport and supply method according to the present invention are configured as described above, so that the remaining material at the end of molding can be reduced.

It is a schematic system block diagram which shows typically an example of the material transport supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a general | schematic control block diagram of the material transport supply apparatus. (A), (b) is a schematic flowchart which shows typically an example of the material transport supply method which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention as an example of the basic operation | movement performed using the same material transport supply apparatus.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
1-3 is a figure which shows typically an example of the material transport supply apparatus and material transport supply method which concern on this embodiment.
In FIG. 1, a part of a pipe (pipe) serving as a path through which transport air, a molding material, and the like pass is schematically illustrated by a solid line.

As shown in FIG. 1, the material transportation and supply apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured to collect the molding material from the transportation source 2 and supply it to the molding machine 5 as a supply destination. This material transportation supply device 1 collects a molding material to be pneumatically transported and supplies the molding material 5 to a collection supply unit 20, and pneumatic transportation to pneumatically transport the molding material from the transport source 2 to the collection supply unit 20. And a control panel 15 having a control unit 16 (see FIG. 2) that controls each unit according to a predetermined program.
Here, the molding material is used as a raw material for various molded products. For example, as a raw material for synthetic resin molded products, natural materials (virgin materials), pulverized materials, master batch materials, various additives, and the like can be given. . In addition, the molding material may be, for example, powder / granular resin pellets, fibrous resin fiber pieces, or the like, and may include a reinforcing fiber such as glass fiber or carbon fiber.

In the illustrated example, the transport source 2 is a drying hopper 2 that dries the molding material. The drying hopper 2 is configured such that a hopper main body for storing the molding material is provided with a collector for supplying the molding material, a heating means for heating the molding material, and the like. The transport source 2 is not limited to the dry hopper 2 and may be a material tank, a blending hopper that blends a plurality of types of materials at a predetermined ratio, or the like. Moreover, the temporary storage part provided in the downstream of these various hoppers is good also as the transportation origin 2. FIG. Moreover, it is not restricted to the single transport source 2, For example, it is good also as an aspect which connects the some transport source 2 which each stores a different material to the collection supply part 20 via the material transport pipe 4. FIG.
A discharge unit 3 is provided at the lower end of the transportation source 2. The material transport pipe 4 connected to the collection supply unit 20 is connected to the discharge unit 3.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the discharge unit 3 can be adjusted in a single batch transport amount of the molding material that is pneumatically transported toward the collection supply unit 20 described later. As such a discharge unit 3, any unit may be used as long as it is connected to a control unit 16 to be described later via a signal line or the like and discharge control (operation control or opening / closing control) is possible. For example, by adjusting the opening time of the valve body, one batch transportation amount can be adjusted, or by adjusting the rotation speed per unit time of the cutout part, one batch transportation amount can be adjusted. It is good also as what enabled adjustment of one batch transportation amount by adjusting what was enabled and capacity | capacitance. As such a discharge part 3, the slide damper provided with the valve body moved to an orthogonal direction with respect to the discharge pipe of the transportation source 2, and the valve body moved to the axial direction with respect to the discharge pipe were provided. It is good also as a mass feeder provided with the rotary body provided with the recessed part (mass part) which accommodates a push damper, the rotary feeder provided with the rotor, the screw, and the peripheral surface which accommodates material. Furthermore, the discharge unit 3 may be a measurement mass damper configured to slide a container (measurement mass) whose capacity can be adjusted with respect to the discharge pipe of the transportation source 2 and discharge the container.

  The molding machine 5 is an injection molding machine 5 in this embodiment. The injection molding machine 5 has a configuration in which a material input port 7 into which a molding material from the material transport and supply device 1 according to the present embodiment is input is provided on the base end side of a heating cylinder (cylinder) 6. Further, a screw 8 is provided in the heating cylinder 6 to transfer the molding material charged through the material charging port 7 to the tip side (nozzle side) of the heating cylinder 6. Although not shown, a heating unit such as a band heater is provided around the heating cylinder 6. Further, on the base end side of the screw 8, a motor for rotating the screw 8, a hydraulic cylinder for moving the screw 8 forward, and the like are provided. The injection molding machine 5 is not limited to a screw type, and may be a plunger type or any type.

In such an injection molding machine 5, the screw 8 is operated, and appropriate molding cycles, that is, metering, injection, holding pressure, cooling, and the like are executed. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 16 and the injection molding machine 5 included in the material transportation and supply apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment are connected via a signal line or the like, and the control unit 16 performs injection molding. At least the injection signal from the machine 5 can be received. That is, in the material transportation and supply apparatus 1, the number of shots of the injection molding machine 5 can be integrated.
The nozzle at the tip of the heating cylinder 6 communicates with a cavity or the like formed by the fixed mold and the movable mold of the mold 9, and is molded (plasticized) by the heating cylinder 6 (melted resin). Is injected into the cavity of the mold 9 from the nozzle and filled, and the molded product is sequentially molded. The molding machine 5 is not limited to such an injection molding machine, and may be another molding machine such as an extrusion molding machine or a compression molding machine.

The air transport machine 10 includes a suction blower 11 as an air suction source, a dust collection unit 12 provided on the suction side of the suction blower 11, and a collection supply unit described later which is provided on the suction side of the dust collection unit 12. And a connecting portion 13 to which an air suction pipe 14 connected to 20 is connected.
The suction blower 11 includes a rotating body such as an impeller, a drive motor that rotationally drives the rotating body, and the like, and is connected to the control unit 16 via a signal line or the like as shown in FIG.
The dust collection unit 12 is configured to capture fine powder, dust, and the like contained in the suction air that is directed to the suction blower 11. As the dust collecting means of the dust collecting unit 12, a cyclone filter, a bag filter or the like may be adopted. A pressure sensor such as a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure in the air suction pipe 14 or a pressure gauge such as a pressure gauge may be provided at an appropriate position of the air suction pipe 14 on the upstream side of the dust collection unit 12.

The collection supply unit 20 includes a collection unit 22 that collects a molding material that is pneumatically transported, and an input unit 28 that serves as a supply unit that supplies the molding material toward the injection molding machine 5. The collection supply unit 20 is configured to be installed on the injection molding machine 5 so as to communicate with the material input port 7 of the injection molding machine 5.
Further, in the present embodiment, a material sensor 29 for detecting that the material level in the input unit 28 has dropped to a predetermined level and a measuring instrument for measuring the molding material pneumatically transported from the transportation source 2 are provided in the collection supply unit 20. 27, and a weighing hopper 25 for supplying a molding material toward the input portion 28. As shown in FIG. 2, the measuring instrument 27 and the material sensor 29 are connected to the control unit 16 via a signal line or the like.
In this embodiment, the collection supply unit 20 is provided with a casing 21 that accommodates the weighing hopper 25, and the weighing instrument 27 is configured to support the weighing hopper 25 with respect to the casing 21, and is stored in the weighing hopper 25. The mass of the formed molding material is detected. In addition, a collecting portion 22 is provided at the upper end portion of the casing 21, and a charging portion 28 is provided at the lower end portion of the casing 21.

The casing 21 has a cylindrical shape with the axial direction extending in the vertical direction, and a hopper shape having an inverted conical portion at the lower end. In addition, it is good also as a structure which provided the opening for maintenance of the measurement hopper 25 etc. which are mentioned later, and the door which opens and closes this opening in the side peripheral surface of the cylindrical part of this casing 21. FIG.
In the present embodiment, the charging portion 28 at the lower end of the casing 21 is a tubular chute connected to the material charging port 7 of the injection molding machine 5. The material sensor 29 provided in the input unit 28 may be various level meters that output a material request (no material) signal. For example, a non-contact type sensor such as a capacitance type, a limit switch, etc. It may be a contact sensor or the like. In addition, the supply unit (input unit) 28 of the collection supply unit 20 is not limited to the configuration in which the molding material discharged from the weighing hopper 25 is supplied in a so-called drooping manner, and can be appropriately opened and closed. A mechanism, a cutout portion, or the like may be provided. Further, the input portion 28 is not limited to a tubular shape, and may be a hopper shape.

  The collection unit 22 is fixed to a lid member or the like provided on the upper end side of the casing 21. In the illustrated example, the collection portion 22 is provided so as to be continuous with the collection hopper 23 provided so as to be exposed on the upper side of the lid member of the casing 21 and the lower end side of the collection hopper 23. And a charging hopper 24 accommodated in the container.

  The collection hopper 23 is connected to the pneumatic transport device 10 and the transport source 2 described above, and is configured to collect the molding material from the transport source 2 that is pneumatically transported by the suction air by separating it from the suction air. The collection hopper 23 is provided with a suction connection part 23 a to which the air suction pipe 14 is connected and a material introduction connection part 23 b to which the material transport pipe 4 is connected. In addition, the collection hopper 23 is provided with a separation portion 23c that separates the molding material from the transportation air directed to the suction connection portion 23a. As such a separation part 23c, any material can be used as long as it can separate the molding material and the transportation air. However, while passing the dust in addition to the transportation air, the separation material 23c passes the molding material as a raw material. It is good also as what consists of punching metal which blocks | blocks, a net-like (mesh shape) porous plate-like body, etc. Moreover, it is good also as what was set as the structure which isolate | separates a molding material from transport air by what is called a cyclone type, without providing such a separation part 23c.

The input hopper 24 is provided so as to communicate with the lower end side of the collection hopper 23, and a damper 24 a that opens and closes the lower end discharge port is provided at the lower end portion. In the illustrated example, a damper 24a having a configuration in which a lid body that opens and closes a discharge port is suspended and supported by a suspension member is illustrated. When the pneumatic transport device 10 is driven, the damper 24a has a negative pressure in the collection unit 22 and the lid is lifted to close the discharge port. On the other hand, if the pneumatic transport device 10 is stopped, the damper 24a collects the damper 24a. The lid is moved by the load of the molding material collected in the hopper 23 to open the discharge port. In other words, the collection unit 22 is configured to discharge the molding material collected by batch pneumatic transportation and collected toward the weighing hopper 25 without waiting for the molding material to wait.
Note that the collection unit 22 of the collection supply unit 20 is not limited to the collection hopper 23 and the input hopper 24, and may include only the collection hopper 23. In this case, an appropriate opening / closing mechanism for opening / closing the discharge port of the discharge pipe on the lower end side of the collection hopper 23 may be provided.

The weighing hopper 25 stores and measures the molding material discharged from the charging hopper 24 and discharges it toward the charging portion 28 on the downstream side. In the illustrated example, the upper end of the weighing hopper 25 is open so that the molding material discharged from the charging hopper 24 can be received.
Further, a discharge portion 26 for discharging the molding material is provided at the lower end portion of the weighing hopper 25. As shown in FIG. 2, the discharge unit 26 is connected to the control unit 16 through a signal line or the like.
In the illustrated example, the discharge unit 26 includes a plate-like lid body 26a that is suspended and supported by a suspension member and closes the discharge port by its own weight, and a drive unit 26b that opens the lid body 26a. . The opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes the discharge port of the weighing hopper 25 is not limited to such a configuration, and various configurations can be adopted as in the case of the discharge unit 3 of the transportation source 2 described above. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which provided with the cutout part which cuts out the molding material stored in the measurement hopper 25 as the discharge part 26 instead of the opening / closing mechanism. In this case, the weighing hopper 25 may be grasped as a so-called loss-in-weight type (mass subtraction type) weighing hopper.

The weighing device 27 is configured to detect the mass of the molding material stored in the weighing hopper 25 by holding the weighing hopper 25 and detecting the mass of the weighing hopper 25. That is, the detected value of the measuring instrument 27 in a state where the molding material is not stored in the measuring hopper 25 is zero. The mass of the molding material measured for each batch pneumatic transport measured in the measuring instrument 27 is stored in a storage unit 17 provided in the control panel 15 described later.
In the illustrated example, the measuring instrument 27 is a load cell fixed to the casing 21. A holding portion fixed to a load cell 27 that holds the weighing hopper 25 can be inserted into the side peripheral wall of the casing 21, and an insertion hole that allows the holding portion that moves up and down with deformation of the load cell 27 to move up and down. Is provided.

  Note that the weighing instrument 27 is not limited to the one that supports the weighing hopper 25 in a cantilever shape as shown in the figure. For example, a support frame provided so as to cross the casing 21 is provided so as to penetrate the weighing hopper 25, and a supported frame supported by the support frame is provided in the weighing hopper 25. The supported frame and the support frame It is good also as an aspect which provided the measuring device 27 between. Alternatively, the weighing hopper 25 may be provided with a hooking portion so as to extend upward, and a hook portion for hooking and holding the hooking portion may be provided in the weighing instrument 27. In addition, as a mode for supporting the weighing instrument 27 and the weighing hopper 25, various modes may be adopted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control panel 15 includes, for example, a CPU and the like, and includes a timing unit, an arithmetic processing unit, and the like, and a control unit 16 that controls each of the above units according to a predetermined program, A display operation unit 18 and a storage unit 17 connected to the control unit 16 via signal lines or the like are provided. As shown in FIG. 1, the control panel 15 is fixed to the casing 21 of the collection supply unit 20. Instead of such a mode, for example, the control board 15 is provided in the pneumatic transport machine 10, or the control board 15 is installed separately from the collection supply unit 20 and the pneumatic transport machine 10. It is good.

  The control unit 16 calculates a necessary amount of the molding material required in the injection molding machine 5 until the end of molding after receiving the molding end scheduled signal in accordance with a predetermined program, and the collection supply unit 20 from this necessary amount. And the transportation control which makes the pneumatic transportation machine 10 perform pneumatic transportation according to the remaining required amount obtained by subtracting the standby amount of the molding material in the heating cylinder 6 of the injection molding machine 5 and stops the subsequent pneumatic transportation. Run. In this embodiment, when the material request signal is output from the material sensor 29, the control unit 16 measures the standby amount below the sensor below the detection level of the material sensor 29 including the inside of the heating cylinder 6 stored in advance. The standby amount is calculated by adding the hopper standby amount in the hopper 25. Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit 16 subtracts the number of shots until the material request signal is output from the material sensor 29 after receiving the input of the number of remaining shots as the molding end scheduled signal from the number of remaining shots. The required amount is calculated based on the number of remaining required shots obtained in this way and the amount of one shot in the injection molding machine 5.

The display operation unit 18 includes, for example, an operation panel and the like, and is configured to input and input various setting operations, preset input items to be described later, various setting conditions, various operation modes, and the like. ing. In the present embodiment, the display operation unit 18 is provided with a remaining shot number input unit 19 as a signal generation unit that generates a predetermined shaping end scheduled signal. It should be noted that the remaining shot number input unit 19 may be capable of inputting a desired remaining shot number, or may be configured by a single or a plurality of remaining shot number switches set in advance.
The storage unit 17 includes various memories and the like, and executes setting conditions and input values such as various preset input items that are set and input by the operation of the display operation unit 18, and basic operations as described later. Various programs such as control programs, various preset operating conditions, various data tables, and the like are stored.

Next, an example of the material transport and supply method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 3 as an example of the basic operation executed in the material transport and supply apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.
First, after the material transportation and supply apparatus 1 is activated, an input of a preset input item that is necessary prior to transportation control is received.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3A, the sensor operation standby amount as the standby amount of the molding material below the detection level of the material sensor 29 including the inside of the heating cylinder 6 is displayed as a preset input item. 18 is input through 18 and stored in the storage unit 17. Further, if necessary, one batch transport amount of the molding material transported by one batch pneumatic transport from the transport source 2, and one shot amount of the molding material injected per shot in the injection molding machine 5, May be input via the display operation unit 18 as a preset input item and stored in the storage unit 17.

The waiting amount below the sensor is appropriately purged as necessary so that the molding material in the heating cylinder 6 of the injection molding machine 5 becomes substantially empty, and then at least exceeds the detection level of the material sensor 29. A predetermined amount of the molding material weighed in advance is supplied to fill the heating cylinder 6 with the molding material. Then, the molding material is injected from the nozzle of the heating cylinder 6 until the material request signal is output from the material sensor 29, and the injection amount is measured and subtracted from the predetermined amount, so that the waiting amount below the sensor is determined by the user or the like. The calculated standby amount after the sensor may be input via the display operation unit 18.
Or you may make it calculate from the storage capacity below the detection level of the material sensor 29 in the insertion part 28, the storage capacity of the heating cylinder 6, and the bulk density (apparent specific gravity) of a molding material. Each of these storage capacities may be set in advance and stored in the storage unit 17 or may be input as a preset input item via the display operation unit 18. Similarly, the bulk density of the molding material may be input via the display operation unit 18 as a preset input item. Then, the control unit 16 may calculate the sensor sub-standby amount from the storage capacity and the bulk density, or the sensor sub-sensor standby amount calculated by the user or the like is input via the display operation unit 18. It may be a thing.

The one batch transport amount may be input through the display operation unit 18 by appropriately weighing the molding material transported from the transport source 2 to the collection supply unit 20 by one batch pneumatic transport. In this case, for example, the discharge unit 3 on the transportation source 2 side may be a weighing mass damper or the like.
In this embodiment, since the collection hopper 25 is provided in the collection supply unit 20, one batch transportation amount may be set based on the measurement value of the measurement device 27 of the measurement hopper 25. In this case, the setting of the one-batch transport amount may not be a preset input item.
Further, for example, the weighing value of the weighing instrument 27 of the weighing hopper 25 at the time of one batch pneumatic transportation immediately before is used as one batch transportation amount, or the weighing instrument 27 of the weighing hopper 25 every several batches (past) batch pneumatic transportation. The average value of the measured values may be used as one batch transport amount, and various moving average values may be used as one batch transport amount. In addition, as will be described later, when the predetermined number of times of transportation control is executed, the weighing value of the weighing device 27 of the weighing hopper 25 for each batch pneumatic transportation may be set as one batch transportation amount.

The amount of one shot may be input by the user or the like via the display operation unit 18 based on, for example, a molded product for one shot molded by the injection molding machine 5. Alternatively, the one-shot amount may be set based on data output from the injection molding machine 5 or the like. In this case, the setting of one shot amount may not be set as a preset input item.
In addition, when the input of these preset input items is not made after the material transportation and supply apparatus 1 is activated, an error message or the like may be displayed as appropriate to prompt the input.

Moreover, you may make it perform an initial preparation operation suitably so that shaping preparations may be completed.
That is, if a material request signal is output from the material sensor 29, the suction blower 11 of the pneumatic transport device 10 is activated, and the discharge unit 3 of the transport source 2 is controlled to execute a predetermined batch of pneumatic transport. This one-batch pneumatic transportation may be performed continuously or intermittently. Further, when the discharge unit 3 is an opening / closing mechanism, it may be opened until a predetermined discharge time elapses when performing one batch pneumatic transportation. Further, when performing this one-batch pneumatic transportation, the suction blower 11 of the pneumatic transportation machine 10 may be operated until a predetermined transportation time elapses. This transport time is a time obtained by adding an appropriate delay time to the discharge time so that substantially the entire amount of the molding material in the material transport pipe 4 is transported to the collection supply unit 20 after the discharge unit 3 is closed. Also good. The execution of this one-batch pneumatic transportation may be repeated until the material request signal from the material sensor 29 disappears.

  Further, in the collection supply unit 20, until the material request signal from the material sensor 29 disappears, the molding material transported by one batch is collected in the collection unit 22, and is air-transported in the weighing hopper 25. When the molding material is weighed, the discharge unit 26 is opened, and the molding material is supplied toward the input unit 28. If the material request signal from the material sensor 29 disappears, the weighing hopper 25 may wait for the molding material for one batch of pneumatic transportation. That is, next, when a material request signal is output from the material sensor 29, the molding material waiting in the weighing hopper 25 is supplied to the input unit 28, one batch pneumatic transportation is executed, and the material sensor 29 is again executed. Alternatively, the molding material may be put on standby in the weighing hopper 25 until a material request signal is output from the weighing hopper 25. In addition, it is good also as a structure which replaces with such an aspect and performs one batch pneumatic transport based on the material request signal from the material sensor 29, without making the collection part 22 and the measurement hopper 25 wait for a molding material. .

In addition, the injection molding machine 5 may appropriately perform trial punching until the discarded punching or the molded product becomes a non-defective product.
Note that the input of the above-described preset input items may be performed before the initial preparation operation is performed, or may be performed during the initial preparation operation or after the initial preparation operation is performed.
After the initial preparation operation, the injection molding machine 5 sequentially performs a steady operation for molding a molded product.
The injection molding machine 5 sequentially molds the molded product in a predetermined one shot amount and shot cycle while consuming the molding material supplied from the collection supply unit 20. If the material level in the input unit 28 of the collection supply unit 20 decreases with the consumption of the molding material in the injection molding machine 5 and a material request signal is output from the material sensor 29, the weighing hopper is as described above. 25 discharge parts 26 are opened, and one batch pneumatic transportation is performed.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, an input of the number of remaining shots as a molding completion scheduled signal is received via the remaining shot number input unit 19 (step 100), and a material request signal is output from the material sensor 29. For example (step 101), the number of remaining shots is calculated by subtracting the number of shots from the input of the number of remaining shots until the material request signal is output from the number of remaining shots. The number of shots from the input of the number of remaining shots to the output of the material request signal may be counted based on the injection signal output from the injection molding machine 5.
For example, if the number of remaining shots input is 150 shots and the number of shots until the material request signal is output from the material sensor 29 after the number of remaining shots is input is 10 shots, It becomes 140 shots.

Then, the required amount is calculated from the number of remaining required shots and the amount of one shot (step 102). For example, if the required number of remaining shots is 140 shots and the amount of one shot is 10 g as described above, the required amount is 1400 g.
If the material request signal is output from the material sensor 29, the standby amount is calculated by adding the hopper standby amount in the weighing hopper 25 to the standby amount below the sensor (step 102). For example, if the standby amount below the sensor is 500 g and the hopper standby amount is 200 g, the standby amount is 700 g. Note that the number of remaining shots described above may be set so that the required amount exceeds the standby amount. Alternatively, the necessary amount and the standby amount may be calculated, and if the necessary amount falls below the standby amount, the subsequent pneumatic transportation may be stopped.
Then, the remaining amount is calculated by subtracting the standby amount from the necessary amount (step 103). That is, as described above, if the necessary amount is 1400 g and the standby amount is 700 g, the remaining necessary amount is 700 g.

Then, the remaining required amount is divided by one batch transportation amount, and the remaining number (quotient) and the remainder (remaining one batch transportation amount) are calculated (step 104). That is, as described above, if the remaining required amount is 700 g and the one-batch transport amount is, for example, 200 g, the remaining number of times is three, and the remaining one-batch transport amount is 100 g.
Then, the number of times (3 times) of batch pneumatic transportation is executed in accordance with the remaining number of times, and the discharge unit 3 of the transportation source 2 is adjusted so that the remaining batch transportation amount corresponding to the remainder is obtained. The subsequent pneumatic transportation is stopped (step 105). In other words, after calculating the remaining necessary amount, if pneumatic transportation is executed a predetermined number of times (three times plus one more time), even if a material request signal is output from the material sensor 29, subsequent pneumatic transportation is not executed. It is configured.
At this time, in the present embodiment, since the weighing hopper 25 is provided in the collection supply unit 20, the weighing hopper 25 is measured for each batch air transportation when the batch air transportation is executed the number of times corresponding to the remaining number of times. May be subtracted from the remaining required amount to correct the remaining one batch transport amount.

Moreover, you may make it adjust adjustment of the discharge part 3 of the transportation source 2 at the time of performing one batch air transportation by adjusting discharge time as mentioned above. In other words, the discharge time described above when carrying out one batch pneumatic transportation so as to be one batch transportation amount may be adjusted so as to be a time corresponding to the remaining one batch transportation amount. For example, as described above, if the discharge time when executing one batch pneumatic transportation so that the one batch transportation amount is 200 g is 4 seconds, the time corresponding to the remaining one batch transportation amount of 100 g (for example, 2 seconds), the discharge time may be adjusted.
Note that the amount of the remaining one batch transported may be a value obtained by multiplying the safety factor as appropriate so as not to cause a short feed or to increase the amount of remaining material.
Further, the one-batch pneumatic transportation is not limited to a mode performed immediately before the end of molding, and may be a mode that is performed immediately after the calculation, for example.
The above basic operation is an example, and various modifications can be made.

The material transport and supply apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment and the material transport and supply method executed by using the material transport and supply device 1 can reduce the remaining material at the end of molding by adopting the above-described configuration.
That is, the required amount of the molding material required in the molding machine (injection molding machine) 5 is calculated by the end of molding after a predetermined molding end scheduled signal, and the collection supply unit 20 and the injection molding machine are calculated from this necessary amount. The pneumatic transport 10 is caused to execute pneumatic transportation according to the remaining required amount obtained by subtracting the standby amount of the molding material in the heating cylinder 6 and the subsequent pneumatic transportation is stopped. Accordingly, at the end of molding, the collection supply unit 20 and the heating cylinder 6 of the injection molding machine 5 can be made almost empty, and the remaining material at the end of molding can be reduced.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the standby amount is calculated by adding the hopper standby amount in the weighing hopper 25 to the standby amount below the detection level of the material sensor 29 including the inside of the heating cylinder 6 stored in advance. Therefore, since the molding material collected by one batch pneumatic transportation can be measured by the measuring device 27 of the weighing hopper 25, the comparison can be made even when there is a variation in the transportation amount transported by one batch pneumatic transportation. Therefore, it is possible to calculate an accurate standby amount. Thereby, even when the mode on the side of the transportation source 2 (the mode of the discharge unit 3 or the like) is various modes, it can be flexibly dealt with and the versatility can be greatly improved.

Further, in the present embodiment, the number of shots until the material request signal is output from the material sensor 29 after receiving the input of the number of remaining shots as the molding completion schedule signal is obtained by subtracting from the number of remaining shots. The required amount is calculated based on the number of remaining required shots and the amount of one shot in the injection molding machine 5. Therefore, a relatively accurate required amount can be obtained.
In this embodiment, the standby amount at the time when the material request signal is output from the material sensor 29 is subtracted from the necessary amount to calculate the remaining necessary amount. Therefore, a relatively accurate remaining required amount can be obtained, and the pneumatic transport according to the remaining required amount is executed by the pneumatic transport machine, and the subsequent pneumatic transport is stopped, so that it can be captured relatively reliably and safely. The inside of the heating cylinder 6 of the collection supply part 20 and the injection molding machine 5 can be made into an almost empty state.

  In the present embodiment, the transport source 2 is provided with the discharge unit 3 that is capable of adjusting the batch transport amount of the molding material that is pneumatically transported toward the collection supply unit 20. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the variation in the transport amount for each batch of air transport, that is, it is possible to transport the molding material almost quantitatively. Thereby, when the pneumatic transport 10 is made to perform pneumatic transportation according to the remaining necessary amount and the subsequent pneumatic transportation is stopped, the collection supply unit 20 and the injection molding machine 5 are relatively reliably and safely operated. The inside of the heating cylinder 6 can be made almost empty. Further, for example, even when the collection hopper 25 is not provided with the weighing hopper 25, a relatively accurate standby amount can be obtained.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the batch air transportation is executed a number of times corresponding to the quotient obtained by dividing the remaining necessary amount by the preset one batch transportation amount, and the remaining one batch transportation corresponding to the remainder is performed. The discharge part 3 of the transportation source 2 is adjusted so that the amount becomes the same, so that one batch of pneumatic transportation is executed. Therefore, for example, compared to the case where the batch air transportation is executed by one batch transportation amount, the number of times obtained by dividing the remaining required amount by a preset one batch transportation amount and rounded up, the value at the end of molding. The remaining material can be reduced more reliably.

Instead of such a mode for calculating the remaining number of times and the remaining number of times, the value measured in the weighing hopper 25 for each batch air transport after calculating the remaining required amount is subtracted from the remaining required amount, The value at the time when the subtracted remaining required amount is less than one batch transport amount (one batch transport amount set as described above based on the value measured in the weighing hopper 25) is regarded as one more batch transport amount, And it is good also as an aspect which performs the air transportation of 1 batch more, and stops subsequent air transportation so that it may become this amount of 1 batch transportation.
In addition, after calculating the remaining required amount without executing such a single batch pneumatic transportation, the predetermined batch pneumatic transportation is repeatedly executed so as to exceed the remaining necessary amount, and the subsequent pneumatic transportation is stopped. It is good also as an aspect. In this case, it is good also as an aspect which makes comparatively small the batch transportation amount itself for every batch pneumatic transportation. Further, in this case, the discharge unit 3 of the transport source 2 may not be adjusted so that the batch transfer amount can be adjusted, or may not be controlled by the control unit 16.

Further, the signal generation unit that generates the molding completion scheduled signal is not limited to the remaining shot number input unit, and may be a molding completion scheduled switch, for example. In this case, for example, the molding amount to be molded after the operation of the molding completion scheduled switch may be set in advance. Further, the present invention is not limited to the mode in which the molding completion schedule signal is generated by the user's operation. For example, the detection unit (for example, the remaining amount) detects the remaining molding amount on the discharge side of the molded product of the injection molding machine 5. The number of trays, a sensor for detecting the amount of the discharged molded product, etc.) are provided, and the output signal from the remaining molding amount detection means is received by the control unit 16 as a molding completion schedule signal. You may make it perform transportation frequency control.
Further, in the present embodiment, the collection supply unit 20 is provided with a weighing hopper 25 that measures the molding material that has been transported in batch air, but instead of such a mode, the transport amount of one batch is almost fixed. It is also possible to adopt a mode in which the one-batch transport amount is stored in advance, and the standby amount is calculated based on the one-batch transport amount and the standby amount below the sensor.

Further, in order to reduce the standby amount (remaining material) when the process is forcibly stopped without receiving the molding completion schedule signal, for example, the supply capability of the collection supply unit 20 to the molding machine 5 is 5 and the processing capacity of the molding material in 5 is excessive, and when the storage level of the molding material in the collection supply unit 20 (input unit 28) can be lowered to a predetermined standard, the storage level is a level commensurate with the processing capacity. It is good also as a structure which updates so that a storage level may be reduced and may perform pneumatic transportation. In other words, the average standby amount in the input unit 28 may be reduced.
Further, the processing capacity of the molding material in the molding machine 5 and the transportation capacity of the molding material transported per unit time from the transport source 2 to the collection supply unit 20 are compared, and the suction blower 11 in the pneumatic transport machine 10 is driven. By changing and controlling the number of rotations of the motor, the transportation capacity may be updated to a predetermined transportation capacity corresponding to the processing capacity, and air transportation may be executed. That is, it is good also as a structure which reduces one batch transport volume by reducing transport air volume. In this case, instead of adjusting the discharge part 3 of the transportation source 2 so as to achieve a one-batch transport amount as described above and performing a one-batch pneumatic transport, the transport is performed so as to have a one-batch transport amount. It is good also as an aspect which adjusts an air volume and performs one batch air transport.

1 Material transportation and supply equipment 2 Drying hopper (Transport source)
3 Discharge part 5 Injection molding machine (molding machine)
6 Heating cylinder 10 Pneumatic transport machine 16 Control part 19 Remaining shot number input part (signal generation part)
20 Collection supply unit 25 Weighing hopper 27 Weighing device 28 Input unit 29 Material sensor

Claims (6)

A collection supply unit that collects pneumatic molding materials and supplies them to a molding machine;
An air transporter for pneumatically transporting the molding material from the transport source to the collection supply unit;
A signal generator for generating a predetermined molding end schedule signal;
According to a predetermined program, the required amount of molding material required in the molding machine is calculated before the molding is completed after receiving the molding completion schedule signal, and the collection supply unit and the molding machine are calculated from the necessary amount. A control unit that causes the pneumatic transporter to perform pneumatic transportation according to the remaining required amount obtained by subtracting the standby amount of the molding material in the heating cylinder, and stops subsequent pneumatic transportation;
A material transport and supply device comprising: In claim 1,
The collection supply unit includes a charging unit connected to the heating cylinder, a material sensor for detecting that the material level in the charging unit has decreased to a predetermined level, and a molding material pneumatically transported from the transportation source. A weighing hopper that includes a measuring instrument for weighing and supplies a molding material toward the charging portion, and
When a material request signal is output from the material sensor, the control unit waits for a hopper waiting in the weighing hopper to be stored in a pre-stored waiting amount below the detection level of the material sensor including the inside of the heating cylinder. A material transport and supply device, wherein the standby amount is calculated by adding the amount. In claim 2,
The molding machine is an injection molding machine,
The control unit is obtained by subtracting the number of shots until the material request signal is output from the material sensor after receiving the input of the number of remaining shots as the molding completion schedule signal from the number of remaining shots. A material transport and supply apparatus, wherein the required amount is calculated based on the number of remaining required shots and the amount of one shot in the injection molding machine. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3,
The material transport and supply device, wherein the transport source is provided with a discharge unit capable of adjusting a single batch transport amount of the molding material that is pneumatically transported toward the collection and supply unit. In claim 4,
The control unit causes the batch air transportation to be executed a number of times corresponding to the quotient obtained by dividing the remaining required amount by a preset one batch transportation amount, and the remaining one batch transportation corresponding to the remainder. The material transport and supply apparatus, wherein the discharge unit is adjusted so that the amount is adjusted to perform one batch of pneumatic transport. A material transportation and supply method for collecting a molding material that is pneumatically transported from a transportation source and collecting the molding material in a collection supply unit and supplying the collected material to a molding machine.
The required amount of molding material required in the molding machine by the end of molding after a predetermined molding end scheduled signal is calculated, and from this required amount, the amount of molding material in the collection supply unit and the heating cylinder of the molding machine is calculated. A material transport supply method, characterized by causing a pneumatic transport device to perform pneumatic transportation according to a remaining required amount obtained by subtracting a waiting amount, and stopping subsequent pneumatic transportation.

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