WO2024068603A1

WO2024068603A1 - Method and apparatus for separating moulded parts from a moulding discharged from an injection-moulding machine

Info

Publication number: WO2024068603A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/076506
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frank Blase; Dennis Berninger
Original assignee: Igus Gmbh
Priority date: 2022-09-26
Filing date: 2023-09-26
Publication date: 2024-04-04
Also published as: DE102022124626A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a separating method for mouldings (2) each comprising one or more moulded parts (4) connected by a sprue (3), involving at least the following steps: gripping a moulding, in particular gripping a moulding by its sprue (3), by means of a robot (10) with a gripping device (11); in particular detaching the moulded part or parts (4) from the sprue (3) of the moulding; depositing the individually separated moulded parts (4) and the detached sprue (3) into at least one collecting container (41, 42) each and/or transferring the individually separated moulded parts (4) and/or the sprue (3) to a conveying device. The moulding (2) is ejected from the mould of a plastics injection-moulding machine (1) and transferred to an aligning device (20), which has at least one depositing surface. One or more mouldings (2) that are being kept on the depositing surface are observed by means of an electronic camera (31), which is connected to an image-recognition system (30) or in which such a system is integrated. Mouldings (2), or component parts of the mouldings (2), that are correctly positioned on the depositing surface and have been detected as grippable by the robot (10) are removed from the depositing surface (21) by means of the robot (10), with in particular the moulded parts (4) being detached from the sprue (3).

Description

Method and device for separating molded parts from a molded part output from an injection molding machine

The invention relates to a separation method for an injection molded part with at least one molded part connected to a sprue with the features of the preamble of claim 1 and a separation device with the features of the preamble of claim 10 and a system comprising an injection molding machine and a separation device.

In injection molding, especially plastic injection molding, several molded parts are often produced in one operation, for which the injection molding tool is provided with several similar mold cavities. The several cavities are injected from at least one central sprue point, so that the liquid plastic is guided from the central sprue point through at least one feed channel in the injection molding tool to the respective cavity, where it solidifies. The feed channels are located in the so-called parting plane of the injection molding tool. When the tool halves are moved apart, the parting plane opens. Not only the desired molded parts must be removed, but also the rods that lead from the sprue point to the individual cavities and connect the molded parts to one another. A structure is therefore removed in which at least one molded part is usually connected to the sprue, in particular several molded parts via the rods of the sprue are connected to form a spider-shaped structure, whereby during or after the removal of the injection-molded parts the molded parts can sometimes fall off the sprue. The injection-molded parts therefore comprise as components on the one hand the sprue and on the other hand at least one molded part connected to the sprue, in particular several molded parts connected to the sprue.

For a particularly economical production of a large number of molded parts, it is necessary to move the molded parts produced in the completed manufacturing cycle out of the area of the plastic injection molding machine and its tool as quickly as possible in order to close the tool again and start the next manufacturing cycle to begin immediately.

A standard function of injection molding machines is to push the molded parts out using ejector pins that are guided axially in at least one half of the tool, and to let them fall into or onto a collecting or conveying device located beneath the tool. However, particularly with an injection molded part that comprises several molded parts that are connected to one another via a sprue, there is a risk that the parts will get caught in one another and either get caught on system components as they fall out of the tool, or get caught within the collecting or conveying device below. In addition, the molded parts must then be specifically separated from the sprue. For separation, the injection molded parts are usually first collected and then fed together to a separating device in which the molded parts are separated from the sprues. The resulting, sequential work steps are time-consuming and costly. It is also known to grip the molded parts by means of an automated handling device with at least one, in particular several axes, which also has a gripping device, referred to as a robot for short, and to pull them out of the open injection molding tool in a targeted manner. To do this, however, it is necessary that the two halves of the tool are moved far enough apart that the end axis of the robot, the so-called robot hand, together with the gripping device, can penetrate into the space between the tool halves. It must also be taken into account here that the tool halves, which are usually cuboid-shaped, are connected via at least one beam per corner in order to be able to exert the necessary locking force on the two metal tool halves during the injection of the pressurized, liquid plastic and thereby prevent liquid plastic from getting into the tool parting plane. The robot hand must also be able to be guided by the other axes in such a way that it can enter the opening gap between the two tool halves either from the side or from above between the bars.

The necessary steps:

Opening the tool to a sufficient opening position,

Immersing the robot with the gripping device into the opening gap, gripping the molded parts, performing a retraction movement with the gripping device to release the molded parts from the tool half and removing the robot hand from the sprue together with the molded part held in the gripping device, require a lot of time and extend the cycle time per injection process.

Not only does the removal of the molded parts take a certain amount of time and lengthen the production cycle. It must also be taken into account that in order to separate the molded parts, all of the molded parts have to be removed from the injection mold one after the other. And it is only when the connection between the molded parts and the sprue is sufficiently weak that individual removal of the molded parts is easy. The sprue must then be separated out and the isolated molded parts are temporarily stored separately or conveyed further. This can be particularly problematic if the process of removing the individual molded parts takes longer than the time required to open the mold and remove the sprue with the molded parts attached to it from the injection mold.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved separation process or to provide an improved separating device for a molded part with at least one molded part and with a sprue, in particular with several molded parts connected via a common sprue, in which or. in which the cycle time of the production cycle of the injection molding machine can be delayed as little as possible and efficient separation can be guaranteed.

This object is achieved by a separating method with the features of claim 1, a separating device with the features of claim 10 and a system with the features of claim 22.

The invention provides for a targeted removal of the injection molding, which consists of the central, usually star-shaped sprue and several molded parts connected via the common sprue, directly from the tool of the injection molding machine by the robot and consciously accepting an apparently chaotic arrangement of the molded parts or their components, which are simply ejected from the tool and go downwards to a transfer device.

The first advantage of this is that the robot is no longer tied down by the active removal of the injection molded part from the tool and therefore has no influence on the cycle time, but can be used solely for the task of separation. The apparent disadvantage of a chaotic pouring arrangement with a large number of injection molded parts or their components is overcome according to the invention in that the injection molded parts or components are placed on the storage surface of an alignment device and are observed there by a camera using an image recognition system so that, depending on the location and/or position of the injection molded parts or components on the storage surface, which is determined by means of the image recognition system, the injection molded parts or components can each be individually gripped by the robot. The injection molded parts or components are therefore removed from the storage surface of the alignment device by the robot in a recognized location and/or position so that the alignment device acts as a buffer and the injection molded parts or components are thus Components are removed from a reference plane from the intermediate storage. Depending on how the injection molded parts are designed, the molded parts of the respective injection molded part can be separated from the respective sprue of the respective injection molded part when the injection molded parts are ejected from the injection molding tool and/or when they are placed on the storage surface of the alignment device, so that the Molded parts may already be separated and thus lie on the storage surface as isolated molded parts, or it may be that in at least some of the molded parts at least one of the molded parts is still connected to the sprue of the respective molded part that lies on the storage surface, so that in order to separate this molded part, this molded part still has to be separated from the sprue. Thus, in one embodiment, the invention relates to observing molded parts on the storage surface by means of the camera and gripping them by means of the robot, wherein after removal from the storage surface, the robot separates them and the one molded part or the several, in particular identical, molded parts are separated from the sprue of the respective molded part previously gripped by the robot and thus removed from the storage surface, in particular while the robot holds the molded part by a section of the molded part, wherein the section is preferably formed by the sprue or one of the molded parts. In another embodiment, the invention relates to observing the already separated components, i.e. molded parts separated from one another and the sprues separated from the molded parts, of the injection moldings on the storage surface by means of the camera and using the robot to grasp at least some of the components, preferably either only the sprues or only the separated moldings. The two embodiments can also be combined, so that both injection moldings as a whole, i.e. sprues with at least one molded part connected to it, and already separated molded parts are observed on the storage surface and removed or grasped from it. The statements contained in the present description of the invention can be read accordingly for each of the embodiments mentioned. In one embodiment, either only the parts identified as being graspable by the robot using the image recognition system are grasped. molded parts are removed from the storage area by the robot, or only components identified as being graspable by the robot using the image recognition system are removed from the storage area by the robot. The robot preferably grips the respective molded part or component for removal from the storage area at a specific section of the molded part or component. The robot preferably keeps the molded part gripped at this section while the molded part or parts are separated from the sprue of the molded part.

The invention therefore provides for the injection moldings ejected from the injection molding tool to be placed on a storage surface in an alignment device, either as continuous injection moldings in which the sprue is connected to the molded parts, or in the form of components of the injection moldings that are already separate from one another. Depending on how the injection moldings are output and how they are fed to the storage surface of the alignment device, the injection moldings or components output from the injection molding tool can already assume a partially predetermined position or a completely arbitrary position, i.e. the angular position of the sprue of an injection molding or the angular position of the components can then be random, as can the orientation of the central sprue rod upwards or downwards. Side positions in which the injection molding or component rests upright on the base are also possible, for example.

According to the invention, the quantity of injection moldings that were fed from the injection molding machine is guided to the alignment device and in particular temporarily stored thereon, at least partially, in particular predominantly, as coherent injection moldings and/or in the form of separate components. len. The alignment device therefore also serves as an intermediate buffer in the process. The alignment device can be designed, for example, as a conveyor belt, so that the storage surface and thus also the molded parts placed on it. Move components along the direction of movement of the conveyor belt. In one embodiment, the alignment device is designed in such a way that the storage surface is locally fixed, so that the storage surface itself does not move in a spatial direction. It is essential that the alignment device with its storage area provides a place where the molded parts or Components are stored over a period of time. For example, the position of the molded parts or Components on the storage surface can be completely arbitrary or at least partially predetermined by the provision of a collecting and transfer device with specifically provided guiding properties, via which the molded parts are guided from the injection molding tool to the storage surface. In particularly preferred embodiments, the alignment device is designed to actively change the position of the molded parts or Components that are placed on their storage surface can be brought about, for example by the storage surface being designed as a vibrating floor and/or by a targeted air flow onto the storage surface being adjustable on the alignment device and/or by the alignment device comprising magnetic alignment elements, which are used, for example, for magnetic molded parts or . Components for achieving a change in position of the molded parts placed on the storage surface or Components may be suitable. According to the invention, the amount of injection moldings or Components that are stored on the storage surface are observed continuously or in cycles by means of at least one electronic camera, which is connected to an image recognition system or has an integrated image recognition system. The image recognition system is used to determine the location and/or position of these observed moldings or Components identified. The image recognition system can preferably be used to determine both the position of the respective observed molding or component of the quantity of moldings or components on the storage surface, ie the location coordinates defining its location, as well as the position of the respective molding or component, ie orientation in space. The image recognition system is used to analyze which of the moldings or components stored on the storage surface can be grasped by the robot, this being done on the basis of the recognized position and/or position of the respective molding or component. According to the invention, such a molded part or component, which was identified as being tangible by the robot using the image recognition system, is removed from the storage surface by means of the robot. In one embodiment, in which such a molded part was removed from the storage surface by means of the robot, all molded parts of this molded part are then separated from the sprue, in particular stripped off. Preferably, the image recognition system works automatically in such a way that the image recognition system automatically identifies those molded parts or components that are stored on the storage surface and have a predefined position or position as being tangible by the robot, after which on the basis of this identification automatically carried out by the image recognition system and knowing the location and/or position of the respective molded part or component, the robot is automatically controlled to remove the respective molded part or component from the storage surface. The position and location of the respective molded part or component can, for example, be transferred directly to the robot by the image recognition system or given to an electrical buffer so that the robot can then process several removal orders. In one embodiment, the robot feeds the molded parts to a device after they have been removed which the sprue of the respective molding is separated, in particular stripped, from all molded parts of the respective molding. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the image recognition system is designed to detect the injection moldings or parts observed on the storage surface by the camera. To divide components into correctly positioned injection moldings or Components and molded parts that are not positioned correctly or Components . The image recognition system is therefore preferably designed to detect injection moldings that are positioned in the correct position. To recognize components and the position of these injection moldings or To forward components to the robot as explained. to hand over so that the robot only recognizes the molded parts or parts that are correctly positioned. Removes components from the storage area. This can make it possible to particularly simplify image recognition, control of the robot and/or design of the gripping device. Because by dividing the molded parts or Components are positioned as correctly positioned and not positioned correctly and by controlling the robot on the basis of this subdivision in such a way that the robot only recognizes the molded parts from the storage area as positioned correctly. If components are removed, the respective injection moldings or components by the robot in a particularly exposed or Particularly easy to access using a gripping device. In addition, since the geometric shape of the injection moldings or Components are usually sufficiently known, the image recognition system can carry out a particularly simple evaluation of the position of the respective injection moldings, since the respective injection molding or Component is identified as positioned in the correct position and this information is passed on to the robot. When separating, the respective molding or Component on a section of the molded part or Component held by the robot's gripping device. For example, the section of the molding can be through the sprue or one or more of the molded parts of the molding or in the case of an injection molding with only one molded part, it can be formed by the molded part. It has proven to be particularly advantageous that when the molded parts are separated from the sprue of a molded part, the sprue is held by the gripping device of the robot. The sprue including the attached molded part or In one embodiment, the attached molded parts can only be deposited at the separating device by the robot, so that the separation takes place there while the robot can fetch the next molded part from the aligning device.

For the procedure described, a robot is sufficient which can be positioned with its gripper, i.e. its gripping device, at the height of the storage surface of the alignment device and which can be lowered with its gripper to the respective molded part or component to be gripped, in particular to the sprue point of the molded part. In the simplest case, a robot with only one axis can be sufficient for this, for example if the molded parts or components are placed on a locally narrowly limited storage surface and/or if the storage surface moves continuously and passes the position of the robot's gripper. With such a narrowly limited storage surface, for example, the position of the molded part or component identified as being grippable by the robot can be determined by the storage surface. The robot is particularly preferably movable along a plane along which the storage surface extends and additionally movable perpendicular to this plane, for which the provision of two, in particular three axes is advantageous. A simple handling device can therefore be used as the robot, which can be moved, for example, with one, two or three degrees of freedom in a Cartesian coordinate system or in a cylindrical coordinate system. The robot preferably has at least two axes along which the gripping device can be moved, the axes preferably being angled to one another, in particular being angled at right angles to one another. The gripping device can be designed to enable secure gripping of the injection molded parts or components. For example, the gripping device can be designed like a mechanical pair of pliers and/or enable gripping via suction and/or enable gripping via electrical and/or magnetic properties that correspond to known properties of the injection molded parts to be gripped. The movement of the gripping device and/or the actuation of the gripping device can, for example, be driven electrically or pneumatically. Depending on the application, electrically or pneumatically driven robots can be used. By only removing those injection molded parts or components that have already been observed by the camera and whose position and/or location have been identified by the image recognition system, and in particular only those injection molded parts or components that have been recognized as being correctly positioned, from the robot or classified as being to be removed by the robot, the removal can be made simple and efficient. By only removing injection molded parts or components that have been recognized as being correctly positioned from the storage area, the image capture by the camera and the removal by the robot can be made particularly simple. This is because the camera only needs to capture injection molded parts or components that are correctly positioned, and the robot can grip a defined geometry. This means that the separation process can be carried out particularly quickly.

A further advantage of the method according to the invention is that molded parts which have already been separated from the sprue on the way to the alignment device or due to movements in the alignment device can also be recognized and classified by a camera and image recognition device and can then be removed by the robot.

Furthermore, it can also be provided to leave at least some of the already separated molded parts in the alignment device and then, in an emptying run of the alignment device with regard to molded parts, to transfer at least one remaining molded part, in particular all of the remaining molded parts, to the provided receiving container or a further transport device. Such an emptying run can be provided, for example, when a predetermined number of isolated molded parts, i.e. molded parts separated from the sprue, are recognized by the camera and image recognition device. Such an emptying run of the alignment device can be carried out independently of the respective number of other parts located on or in the alignment device, such as isolated sprues and/or injection moldings, i.e. sprues with at least one molded part integrally connected to it. Such an emptying run of the alignment device can be carried out in particular in an operating situation in which all injection molded parts have been removed from the alignment device by the robot and a predetermined number of individual molded parts arranged in the alignment device have been recognized. Such an emptying run of the alignment device can, for example, involve rotating the storage surfaces. before the alignment device, such that molded parts which are arranged on the support surface of the alignment device are moved due to the centrifugal force occurring into a radial boundary region of the alignment device which has at least one opening or at least one controllable flap via which the molded parts can leave the alignment device due to the centrifugal force.

It is also advantageous to provide a rotation axis, in particular as a fourth axis, in order to better position the gripper compared to the section of the molded part to be gripped. Component, in particular compared to the sprue of the molded part, or the possibly. to be able to align the previously separated molded part. This applies in particular if the section to be gripped, in particular the sprue, does not have a sprue rod that can be used when the molding or the molding is in the correct position. Component protrudes vertically upwards.

In the separation process according to the invention, the molded parts separated from the sprue preferably fall directly into a receiving container or are conveyed away by a conveyor device. In an embodiment in which the robot holds the molded part when separating the molded part or parts from the sprue, it can be particularly advantageously provided that after the separation process the robot lets the sprue that it is still holding fall into a waste container or onto another conveyor device, preferably on its way back to the alignment device. As already stated above, in another embodiment it can also be provided that the robot picks up the molded part from the alignment device, preferably in such a way that it holds or grips the molded part at the sprue, and inserts it into a holder of a separating device, in particular in such a way that the molded part is held in the holder in the area of the sprue, the sprue and the at least one molded part then being separated in the separating device. In this embodiment, after the molded part has been inserted into the separating device, the robot can be controlled back to the alignment device during the subsequent separating process, where it can pick up another or the next molded part.

The separation of the molded parts from the sprue can be carried out in a conventional manner using knives, pliers, laser cutting devices, etc., regardless of whether the robot holds the sprue during the separation process or not. A stripping process is preferably used. The prerequisite for this is that the connection point between the sprue and the molded part is weak and is positioned at a point on the component where the surface quality does not have to meet any special requirements, so that, for example, small sprue residues can remain. The stripping process is preferably used instead of a shearing separation process carried out, for example, using the tools mentioned above.

In the stripping process, stripping is preferably carried out in such a way that the molded part is fed to a brush device. Rotating or oscillating brushes exert a force on the molded parts that are still connected to the sprue, which leads to shear forces on the sprue connection, so that this connection breaks off or tears off. Particularly preferably, the separating device has a brush stripping device comprising at least two brush sections, which can be rotated about a different axis of rotation, in particular by less than 270 ° for stripping the molded parts. The brush sections are preferred during the Stripping arranged on a different side of the molding. Axes of rotation particularly preferably extend in a horizontal plane.

Rotating movements can also be used as separation methods, e.g. for molded parts arranged in a circle on the sprue, or linear movements for other sprue shapes such as T- or Y-shaped sprues.

Compared to breaking off on hard edges or the like, stripping the molded parts from the sprue using brushes has the advantage that the surface of the molded parts is not damaged by the brushes. The flexibility of the brushes also prevents the respective molded part from being thrown away in an uncontrolled manner at the moment the sprue connection is released, because unlike hard parts, which can also be used to break the sprue connection, the flexible brushes only exert a small impulse on the molded parts.

During the execution of the separation process described, the molded parts or components remaining on the storage surface of the alignment device are preferably continuously monitored by the camera and the connected image recognition system. If new parts are identified as being tangible by the robot, in particular as parts that are positioned in the correct position, their position is fed to the robot directly or to a buffer in the manner described. Preferably, after recognizing a certain number of parts or molded parts or components that are recognized as being graspable by the robot, in particular as positioned in the correct position, the alignment device is not actuated until the robot uses its gripper or its gripping device to grab all of these parts or components. has taken hold of the injection moldings or components, i.e. the entire has moved to the recognized positions in order to grab the parts or injection moldings or components. For example, the number can be set to at least one. Preferably, only when the camera no longer detects a part that is identified as being tangible by the robot, in particular positioned in the correct position, or no part that is positioned in the correct position or a component that is positioned in the correct position, is the alignment device actuated again, for example as explained in more detail below.

Generally preferably, a control device of a separating device according to the invention for carrying out the described separating method is designed to then activate the alignment device in order to achieve such a position or position, which is identified as being tangible by the robot, in particular positionally correct positioning, of parts on the storage surface , if a sufficient number, in particular no parts that can be grasped by the robot and in particular are positioned in the correct position, are not recognized by the camera. Generally preferably, the control device is designed to deactivate the alignment device as soon as a certain number, in particular at least one, of parts or molded parts or components identified by the robot as being tangible, in particular positioned in the correct position, has been recognized by the camera, after which the The control device of the robot is controlled in such a way that it grabs, in particular one after the other, all parts or molded parts or components that are recognized as being graspable, in particular positioned in the correct position, whereby of course after the respective gripping of a molded part, the above-explained separation of the molded parts from the sprue preferably takes place , whereby, as described above, the separation takes place while, for example, the molded part is held by the robot or in a holder teration of a separating device and is held in this. In both cases, i.e. H . When held by the robot as well as when held by the holding device of the separating device, the holding can be carried out in such a way that the molded part is held in the area of its sprue.

Particularly preferably, the alignment device is operated by the control device in such a way that it only works at intervals during its activation, with a pause being maintained between two intervals in which the alignment device determines the alignment and/or position of the parts or parts lying on the storage surface. injection moldings or Components not affected. During such a break the position of the parts or injection moldings or Components are detected, and when correct positioning or a location and position that can be grasped by the robot, the alignment device can be deactivated during the pause, so that it is ensured that the parts or injection moldings or Components, especially correctly positioned parts or injection moldings or Components, in their position or Remain in this position until they are grabbed by the robot. Working in intervals can be done, for example, with the impulses or Vibrations or Vibrations can be provided.

Preferably, the control device and the camera are coordinated with one another in such a way that only when the camera records a camera image that corresponds to a predefined, stored camera image that identifies a molded part positioned correctly, in particular within a defined tolerance range, does the control device trigger the robot to remove the molded part identified as being positioned correctly. positioned molded part or component from the storage area of the alignment device, whereby otherwise the control device never controls the robot to remove a molded part or component from the storage area of the alignment device. Thus, the control device can be designed to assign the camera image recorded by the camera to exactly one of exactly two possible control commands, which can particularly simplify the interpretation of the camera image and the output of the control command.

However, if during a certain period of time no molded part or component is recognized as being graspable by the robot, in particular as being positioned in the correct position, then alignment means in the alignment device are activated in order to set the molded parts or components in motion and thereby ensure that at least one further molded part or component is positioned in the correct position or is positioned in such a way that it can be grasped by the robot. For this purpose, the base of the storage area in the alignment device can, for example, be tilted, rotated, set in vibration and/or subjected to impulse shocks, preferably in an alternating movement, in order to shake the molded parts or components.

A preferred form of the method according to the invention envisages using a vibrating base as the storage surface of the alignment unit, which can either be set into vibration as a whole or which is designed to be elastic in the manner of a drum head, so that an impulse is sent from the underside via actuators with plungers can be exerted against the vibrating floor, with the impulse being applied to the injection moldings placed on the vibrating floor. Components transferred. When using a vibrating floor, there is nothing that can be grasped by the robot. Correctly positioned injection molding or Component is recognized, the frequency and/or the amplitude of the vibration of the vibrating base is preferably modulated until at least one of the molded parts stored on the vibrating base or Components are turned and are in the correct position.

Alternatively or in addition to modulating the vibration of the vibrating floor, provision can be made for a pulse generator to act on the underside of the elastic vibrating floor in order to specifically target one or more of the injection moldings or To throw up components and achieve a change in position, so that e.g. B. a section of the molded part to be gripped or component, e.g. B. the central sprue rod of the molding is aligned upwards. This means that targeted impulses for turning the molded part or Component exerted against the underside of the vibrating floor in positions where at least one out of position or intangible molded part or Component was recognized as explained. The position can, for example, be exactly the position of the molded part or Be part of or in connection with the position of the molded part or Component, for example, be less than 10 cm away from it and / or be mechanically coupled to it.

The pulse generator can be provided at a fixed location on the vibrating floor or can change its location randomly within the surface of the vibrating floor via an adjusting device in at least one dimension, whereby there is then a certain probability that with a certain number of pulses at least one molded part or component can be repositioned in such a way that it is correctly positioned on remains on the vibrating floor and can then be removed by the robot.

As an alternative to this random influence via a pulse generator, it can be provided to coordinate the pulse generator on the vibrating floor with the image recognition device via a control device and thus, for example, to specifically influence an injection molding or component, for example to specifically influence one of the molded parts that is still connected to the sprue. By specifically influencing a molded part connected to the outside of the sprue, the greatest possible lever is exerted on the injection molding as a whole, so that it can be specifically knocked over and brought into a position or location that is correct or can be grasped by the robot.

The advantage of the separation method according to the invention can therefore be summarized as follows: in comparison to conventional direct removal from the tool by robot, the entire period of time can be saved that is required for the movement of the robot to the injection molding tool, for immersion and gripping in the open injection molding tool as well is required for moving out of the tool back to an alignment device positioned outside the injection molding machine. In addition, only a simple robot, in particular a gantry robot, preferably at least 2-axis robot, preferably at least 3-axis robot, preferably at least 4-axis robot, is required.

It is particularly advantageous not only to set the vibrating floor into vibration heuristically, but also to provide a control device and to carry out a teaching prior to the actual separation process in order to record the properties of the injection molded parts or components to be processed individually and to to determine the best parameters for targeted turning of the injection molded parts or components. To control the vibrating floor, the amplitude, frequency and/or vibration duration can be varied in a learning step, and an image recognition device is used to monitor which parameters can be used to turn the most injection molded parts or components. After this teaching phase has been carried out, the vibrating floor can then be controlled to carry out a vibration with at least one or more optimized parameters such as amplitude, frequency and/or vibration duration.

In particular, the teaching can also be carried out several times, whereby a different number of injection molded parts or components is fed to the vibrating floor so that the behavior for a small or large number of injection molded parts or components distributed over the surface of the vibrating floor can be recorded and optimized values for control parameters such as amplitude, frequency and/or vibration duration can be determined depending on the number of injection molded parts or components arranged in the alignment device.

By modulating the amplitude, it can first be determined which pulse energy is actually required to produce the amount of moldings or To make components vibrate on the vibrating floor, to hold them and then to prevent individual molded parts from being thrown around. components to reach. The same applies to the frequency of the vibration, which is adjusted in particular to achieve a possible natural frequency of the quantity of molded parts or To achieve components and to cause the throwing around with this frequency at a comparatively low amplitude. Because with a large amount of moldings or components possible If several parts lie on top of each other, a correspondingly greater energy of the vibration may be necessary in order to throw the parts around individually and to be able to transfer them into a different, preferably correct position.

Likewise, a teaching method, which is preferably carried out prior to the separation method according to the invention, provides, if necessary, for varying the stroke and the speed of a ram of a pulse generator acting on a soft vibrating floor and for determining, by means of the ongoing image recognition method, which parameters are the quickest way to turn over one or more of the molded parts or components.

It is particularly advantageous to have the teaching procedures described carried out by a Kl device in order to identify tendencies towards improving the effectiveness of the vibrations or impulses on the vibrating floor.

It can also be provided that the sub-procedure in the separation method according to the invention, by means of which the vibration and/or pulse generators on the vibrating floor are linked to the image recognition system, is monitored via a Kl device in order to recognize the best parameters for turning the molded parts or components placed on the vibrating floor into a correct position, not only in a possible upstream learning process, but also during the ongoing separation operation, and/or to optimize the existing parameters or at least one of these parameters.

Furthermore, it is possible to use the image recognition system not only to record the number and position of the molded parts or components placed on the storage area, but also to detect geometric defects such as incompletely formed molded parts, and to remove these by robots. to be collected and placed in a container provided for waste.

The collection and transfer device, which is preferably provided with a slide, can contain a selection device such as a selection flap, with which those molded parts, including the sprue, are directly sorted out in which certain parameters of the injection molding machine required for quality assurance have not been adhered to. These items rated as bad go directly into a waste container, while all other molded parts, completely connected and/or with molded parts already partially separated, continue to slide onto the alignment device. This selection device can be controlled in particular depending on the relevant, quality-related control signals emitted by the injection molding machine. For example, a control line can be provided for transmitting corresponding control signals from the injection molding machine either directly to an actuating device of the selection flap or to a control device of the separating device, in which case, in the latter case, the control device of the separating device controls the selection device depending on the control signals received from the injection molding machine.

The stripping of the molded parts from the sprue is also possible by pushing the molded part held by the robot through a template which is designed in such a way that the molded parts are held back while the sprue is pressed through the cutout in the template. In this case, the advantageous circumstance is utilized in an embodiment of the method according to the invention in which the robot picks up the molded part in a known position and holds it on the sprue. As already described, it can be provided that molded parts that have already fallen off the sprue in the alignment device are brought directly by the robot to the collecting container or a conveyor device for molded parts. In this context, it is particularly preferred to provide a separate discharge path on the alignment device for loose molded parts that have already been separated from the sprue in the alignment device. The discharge path can, for example, be formed by at least one opening in the storage area, which is dimensioned such that only a single molded part, but not the sprue with at least one molded part still attached to it, and also not the sprue alone, can fall through the opening. A single molded part that has already been separated from the sprue, on the other hand, is kept in motion as a result of the vibrations and impulses of the vibrating floor and accidentally gets into the opening, through which it falls, for example, directly into the collecting container. Floor openings are particularly suitable for inherently rigid vibrating floors.

With elastic-flexible vibrating floors that are stretched on a frame like a drum skin, it is not easy to create floor openings. Instead, an ejection path can be designed in the peripheral border. The ejection path can, for example, be designed as an opening in the border through which a molded part, but not the sprue, can exit from the side.

It is particularly preferred to provide a round vibration base with a cylindrical border and at least one discharge path in the form of a tangential discharge channel. The discharge channel has such a width and/or height that only loose molded parts can exit there. By means of appropriately arranged vibration generators By means of a vibrating plate and/or a pulse generator, a directed movement can be induced under the injection molded parts stored on the vibrating floor, which guides them along the edge. Sprues with and without attached molded parts cannot enter the discharge channel and are diverted, for example, by suitable screens at its entrance.

The invention further relates to a separating device for carrying out a separating process for molded parts, each of which has as components a sprue and a molded part connected to the sprue or several molded parts connected via the common sprue. The separating device is preferably suitable for carrying out a separating method according to the invention, for example one or more of the embodiments of the separating method according to the invention explained above. The separating device comprises a robot with a gripping device for picking up the molding, in particular for picking up the molding at its sprue, or for holding at least one component of the molded part, in particular for holding only the sprue or for holding only one molded part of the molded part. In one embodiment, the separating device further comprises a separating device for releasing the molded parts from the sprue. In one embodiment, the separating device comprises a collecting container for receiving the separated molded parts, i.e. H . the molded parts separated from the sprues of the molded parts, and/or a collecting container for receiving the sprues of the molded parts separated from the molded parts. In one embodiment, the separating device comprises a conveyor device for conveying the separated molded parts and/or the sprue. The separating device further comprises a control device for controlling the robot. In one embodiment, in which the separating device comprises the separating device explained, the control device is Device is preferably designed to control the separating device. The gripping device can, for example, be the gripper explained above or Robot gripper or be the gripping device explained above. For example, the gripping device can be designed as a mechanical gripper, as a vacuum gripper or as an electromagnetic gripper. The separating device can, for example, be designed as explained above for the method according to the invention, for example for carrying out a shearing separation process and/or for carrying out a stripping process. To carry out a stripping process, the separating device can be designed, for example, as a brush stripping device for stripping the molded parts from the sprue, in particular while the sprue is held by the robot, or at least comprise such a brush stripping device.

The separating device according to the invention has an alignment device which is accessible to the gripping device of the robot and which has a storage area. The alignment device is designed to receive the injection moldings or components of the injection moldings, so that the injection moldings or components can be arranged on the storage area. The alignment device is preferably connected to a collecting and transfer device to be arranged below a tool of a plastic injection molding machine or is designed to be connected to such a device. The collecting and transfer device is preferably included in the separating device. At least one electronic camera is arranged above the storage area, which is connected to an image recognition system connected to the control device or included in the control device or which includes such an image recognition system. The alignment device is preferably connected to the collecting and transfer device in such a way that the collecting and transfer device is designed to collect the Injection moldings or components and for forwarding these injection moldings or components to the alignment device, so that after receiving the injection moldings or components from the collecting and transfer device, the alignment device holds the injection moldings or components with an orientation resulting for the respective injection molding or component ready for removal by the robot, wherein the alignment device can preferably align the injection moldings or components, in particular as explained above for the method according to the invention, so that the alignment carried out by the alignment device changes the location and/or position of the injection moldings or components placed on the depositing surface. The control device is designed, after the image recognition system has recognized an injection molding or component that can be grasped by the robot or is positioned in the correct position, to control the robot so that it can use its gripping device to identify this as being graspable by the robot or grasps the molded part or component identified as being correctly positioned and feeds it to the separating device. Preferably, the camera and image recognition system are designed to detect all of the molded parts or components arranged on the storage area, with the control device controlling the robot to grasp a specific one of these molded parts or components as soon as the image recognition system has identified this specific molded part or component as being graspable by the robot or as being correctly positioned. For example, the correct position can be stored in advance in the image recognition system, for example by means of a stored camera image on which the sprue of the molded part or the respective component is aligned in a predefined manner, or the image recognition system and/or the control device can comprise an evaluation logic which, based on an evaluation of camera images captured by the camera, independently carries out such a classification of the Injection moldings or components are detected in the correct and incorrect position, for example taking into account a characteristic of the robot stored in the image recognition system and/or the control device, in particular its gripping device, and/or taking into account gripping results, i.e. successful or unsuccessful gripping, which are continuously recorded by the camera. Preferably, the control device is designed to control the separating device depending on the position of the gripping device of the robot, so that the separating device is active, in particular only, when the robot with its gripping device is in a predefined position in which it holds an injection molding in the effective range of the separating device. In general, in advantageous embodiments, the control device can be designed to enable the advantageous embodiments of an inventive separation method explained above by the separation device.

The alignment device preferably has a vibrating floor. The vibrating floor can, for example, be rigid in itself. In one embodiment, the vibrating floor has a discharge opening, the size and contour of which are such that molded parts fall through and molded parts in which at least one molded part is still connected to the sprue and individual sprues are held back. As a result, the alignment device itself can already separate molded parts from molded parts and individual sprues. This refers to molded parts that are arranged as separate molded parts on the vibrating floor, for example because they have accidentally broken off from the rest of the respective molded part from which they originate. In one

In this embodiment, the vibrating floor is elastic-flexible and tensioned like a drum skin. In one embodiment, the vibrating floor has a peripheral border in which at least one opening is provided, the size and contour of which is such that molded parts fall through and moldings in which at least one molded part is still connected to the sprue, and individual sprues are held back. As explained above, the focus is on molded parts that have already broken off from the rest of the molding, for example have broken off accidentally due to mechanical stress. The vibrating floor is particularly preferably round and surrounded by a circular peripheral border. In one embodiment, the vibrating floor has a peripheral border which opens at least one point to form a discharge channel, the size and contour of which is such that the molded parts are passed through and moldings in which at least one molded part is still connected to the sprue, and individual sprues are discharged at the beginning of the discharge channel. Generally preferred is that the discharge channel runs along a peripheral border. In one embodiment, the vibrating floor is round. In one embodiment, the discharge channel runs tangentially to the peripheral border of the vibrating floor.

In one embodiment, the robot is a gantry robot with at least two, in particular at least three, linear guides aligned in a Cartesian coordinate system. This can ensure both precise guidance and simple control of the robot as well as sufficient mobility of the robot's gripping device.

In one embodiment, the robot has two parallel linear guides that form a first axis, with a free space being formed between the linear guides in which at least one collecting container is arranged for receiving the separated molded parts and the separated sprues. This In a particularly space-saving manner, an arrangement of different collecting containers can be provided for, on the one hand, the separated or isolated molded parts and, on the other hand, the separated sprues.

In one embodiment, the separating device comprises a frame, with the robot, the alignment device and the camera being arranged in the frame. This has the particular advantage that the positionable frame can be arranged separately next to the injection molding machine and thus next to the desired injection molding machine as required. Particularly preferably, all components of the separating device that extend beyond the frame are fixed to the frame, in particular at least some of these components are releasably fixed to the frame. For example, the collecting and transfer device can be formed by a sloping slide which extends from below the injection molding tool to above the alignment device. The separating device can therefore be specifically arranged as a purchased part next to an injection molding machine and used for time-saving separating and thus sorting of the molded parts relative to the sprue. Generally preferred, the separating device, the aligning device, the robot and at least two different collecting containers are positioned relative to one another by the frame in such a way that the robot can remove a molded part from the aligning device with its gripping device and can guide the molded part to the separating device with its gripping device can, wherein the separating device is arranged above a first of the collecting containers and is designed to separate the molded parts from the sprue, while the gripping device of the robot holds a section of the molded part, in particular the sprue, and wherein the robot follows its gripping device the separation of the Molded parts can lead from the sprue to the second collecting container and the gripping device can then place the separated sprue into the second of the collecting containers. In one embodiment, the frame has wheels by means of which it can be moved. Particularly preferably, the entire separating device can be moved as a separate unit via the wheels of the frame. The wheels preferably have a blocking device, whereby they can be releasably blocked in order to avoid unwanted further movement of the frame. In one embodiment, the separating device has a first guide device which is designed to correspond to a second guide device which is intended for mounting on an injection molding machine or is designed on an injection molding machine. The invention also relates in particular to a set comprising a separating device which has a first guide device and a second guide device which is designed for assembly on an injection molding machine. The first and second guide devices are designed in such a way that they determine their relative position to one another by interlocking the first and second guide devices. Thus, a targeted alignment of the separating device on the injection molding machine explained can be made possible via the first guide device of the separating device, so that it can be ensured via the corresponding guide devices that the injection moldings, which are output from the injection molding tool of the injection molding machine, in a predefined manner via the on Catching and transfer device reach the alignment device of the separating device.

The invention further relates to a system comprising a separating device according to the invention and an injection molding machine. The injection molding machine has a tool for producing setting up the moldings and dispensing the produced moldings. The tool is therefore an injection molding tool. In an operating state of the system in which the separating device and the injection molding machine of the system are arranged in a predefined manner relative to one another, the collecting and transfer device of the separating device is arranged under the tool of the injection molding machine and is designed to guide the injection moldings issued by the tool to the alignment device of the separating device, whereby in some embodiments, as explained, at least some of the components of the molded parts can be separated from one another. Particularly preferably, the separating device can be moved separately from the injection molding machine. The separating device and the injection molding machine are therefore preferably two independent units. The separating device can therefore, starting from an assembly state in which it is arranged independently of the injection molding machine, be arranged on the injection molding machine by moving to the injection molding machine in such a way that the operating state is achieved. In one embodiment, the separating device has a first guide device and the injection molding machine has a second guide device corresponding to the first guide device, wherein in the operating state the first and second guide devices rest against one another and thereby determine a position of the separating device relative to the injection molding machine. The first and second guide devices are therefore specifically designed to correspond to one another in such a way that they ensure a predefined alignment of the separating device to the injection molding machine in the operating state. The first and second guide devices can be designed to be suitable for this purpose. For example, at least one of the guide devices can be designed as a guide plate and the other guide device can be in the operating state the guide plate. Both guide devices are preferably each designed as a guide plate. The guide devices preferably engage with one another in the operating state in such a way that the position of the separating device relative to the injection molding machine is fixed in at least one spatial dimension. For this purpose, for example, one of the management devices can encompass the other. Furthermore, the position of the separating device and the injection molding machine relative to one another can then be determined, for example, by both being set up on a room floor and in the operating state resting against one another in a different spatial dimension and the separating device being blocked in its movement, for example by blocking wheels included in the separating device. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the guide devices in the operating state interlock with one another in such a way that they determine the position of the separating device relative to the injection molding machine in at least two spatial dimensions, in particular in three spatial dimensions. The system according to the invention and the separating device according to the invention can have features in embodiments that result from the present explanations of embodiments of the method according to the invention. Accordingly, the method according to the invention can have features in embodiments that result from the present explanations of embodiments of the separating device according to the invention and the system according to the invention.

The isolation method according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiment of an embodiment of an isolation device according to the invention that is suitable for carrying out the method and shown in the drawings. The figures show in detail: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a separating device with an injection molding machine;

Fig. 2 shows the separating device with injection moulding machine in a side view;

Fig. 3 the separating device from the front;

Fig. 4 the separating device from above;

Fig. 5 parts of the separating device in a side view.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a separating device 100, which is combined in a frame 70 provided with rollers 71, so that the separating device 100 can be positioned directly next to an injection molding machine 1. When maintenance is necessary or when troubleshooting problems on the injection molding machine 1, the complete separating device 100 can be easily pushed to the side and then returned to its position. In the exemplary embodiment shown, no mechanical connection is provided between the separating device 100 and the injection molding machine 1, but the guide devices explained above can be provided. In the present case, the position of the separating device 100 next to the injection molding machine 1 can be achieved solely by blocking the rollers 71 on the frame 70.

A collecting and transfer device 50 is formed in the form of a sloping chute which extends from an area below the injection molding tool of the injection molding machine 1 to above an alignment device 20 arranged in the frame 70. A link between the controls of the injection molding machine 1 and the separating device 100 can be provided in order to facilitate further to interrupt or slow down the production of injection moldings in order to prevent the buffers in the separating device 100 from filling up. It can also be advantageous to link the data connections of the devices, for example to transfer information from the control system of the injection molding machine with regard to injection molding cycles that have not been completed in accordance with the quality criteria to the control system of the separating device 100, so that, for example, such parts can be selected before they reach the alignment device 20.

During normal operation, however, a link between the controls of the injection molding machine 1 and the separation device 100 is not absolutely necessary, since the latter can operate autonomously and independently of the cycle of the injection molding machine 1.

When the tool is opened in the injection molding machine 1, the molded parts fall onto the upper area of the collecting and transfer device 50 and slide from there onto a vibrating floor 21, which forms the core of the alignment device 20. Above the vibrating floor 21 there is an electronic camera 31 arranged, via which the molded parts lying on the vibrating floor 21 are recognized and classified according to whether they are in the correct position or not in the correct position. The embodiment described here can also advantageously be used for observing, classifying and gripping components that are already separated from one another on the storage surface, as explained. In the present exemplary embodiment it is provided that only such injection moldings or Components are identified as being within reach of the robot and are recognized as positioned in the correct position. When in the correct position, a central sprue nozzle points upwards, so that it can be easily picked up by the robot 10. Alternatively, a distinctive part of the molded parts connected to the sprue that can be easily grasped by the robot can be used for identification and gripping. For injection moldings or Components that are not positioned in the correct position on the vibrating floor 21 need to be forcibly turned so that e.g. B. a central sprue bar or another part of the molded part can be easily gripped by the gripping device on the robot hand.

The robot 10 integrated into the frame 70 is constructed as a gantry robot in the example of the invention shown and comprises two parallel linear guides which are arranged on the outer sides of the frame 70 and leave a gap between them so that the gripping device of the robot 10 can pick up parts from the vibrating floor 21 without hindrance and uninterrupted observation by the electronic camera 31 is possible.

Further down in the frame 70, two collecting containers 41, 42 are arranged. The collecting container 41 is intended to receive the separated sprues or other rejects. The other collecting container 42 is arranged below a brush stripping device 60, by means of which the molded parts are released from the sprue held by the robot and fall into the collecting container 42 located below.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement with the separating device 100 and the injection molding machine 1 next to it in a side view. It is clearly visible how the collecting and transfer device 50 extends from the injection molding machine 1 with the steeply aligned chute to above the alignment device 20. In the middle area of the frame 70 The brush stripping device is also clearly visible. This comprises a motor by means of which a brush head 61, which comprises several radially aligned brush strip elements, can be rotated or set into oscillating vibrations.

Figure 3 is a view of the separation device 100 from the front, with the injection molding machine hidden in the background in this view. All linear guides 12, 13, 14 and the gripping device 11 are visible from the gantry robot. The two parallel linear guides 12 form, for example, the X-axes in a Cartesian coordinate system. The linear guide 13 running transversely between them forms the Y-axis. Attached to this is another linear guide 14, which forms the Z-axis of the coordinate system. At the end of the linear guide 14 is the gripping device 11, by means of which, for example, the central sprue rod of the molding 2 can be gripped and held. In the illustration in Figure 3, the gripping device 11 with the molding 2 is located above the brush rotor 61 of the brush stripping device 60, which also includes the drive motor 62. It can be seen that the injection molded part is held at its sprue by the gripping device 11 of the robot, which extends upwards like a pin, and that the mold parts are arranged at the bottom of the sprue, the mold parts in the present case being arranged in a star shape at the lower end of the sprue, as can be seen from an expert interpretation of Figure 3.

Figure 4 is a view of the separating device 100 next to the injection molding machine 1 from above. In functional terms, the vibrating floor 21 is the central feature of a preferred embodiment of the separating device 100. It is operated in accordance with the cycle of the injection molding machine. Accordingly, the machine is repeatedly equipped with injection moldings via the collecting and transfer device 50, which are then distributed on the vibrating floor 21 in a random orientation. The quantity of injection moldings located on the vibrating floor 21 is observed from above via the camera 31, so that the position and orientation of the injection moldings on the vibrating floor 21 can be recorded via an evaluation in a downstream image recognition device.

A single molded part, which is positioned in the correct position, is removed from the vibrating base 21 by means of the gantry robot 10 and moved to above the brush rotor 61 of the brush scraper device. By lowering the molded part into the effective area of the brush rotor 61, the molded parts are broken off from the sprue and fall into the collecting container 42 underneath.

This process is explained again using the enlarged detail view in Figure 5. The gripping device 11, which is attached to the lower end of the linear guide grooves 14, is intended and designed to access the central sprue rod on the sprue 3, for example via two jaws that can be moved relative to one another. The gripping device 11 suitable for this can be designed to be very flat.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the molded part 2 produced by the injection molding machine comprises the sprue 3 designed as a star sprue with the central sprue rod and several radially outwardly extending spokes, via which one of the molded parts 4 is connected.

In the embodiment shown, the injection molded part 2 comprises four molded parts 4 .

Due to the several fan-shaped brushes on the

Brush rotor 61 extending from a central axis of rotation Extending radially outwards, all molded parts 4 attached to the sprue 3 can be touched at the same time and moved relative to the sprue 3 in order to tear or strip the molded parts 4 from the sprue 3.

Reference symbol list

Plastic injection molding machine injection molding

Sprue

molded part

Allocation facility

robot

Gripping device

From alignment facility

Vibration floor

Image recognition system electronic camera container

container

slide

Brush scraper device

brush rotor

frame

Roll

Claims

Patent claims

1. Separation method for injection molded parts (2) which each have a sprue (3) and a molded part (4) or several molded parts (4) connected to the sprue (3) as components, wherein at least some of the injection molded parts or already separated components of at least some of the injection molded parts, in particular either the sprue (3) or all of the molded parts (4) of each of these injection molded parts, are gripped; characterized in that a) the injection molded parts (2) are ejected from the tool of a plastic injection molding machine (1) and transferred to an alignment device (20) which has at least one storage surface; b) one or more of the injection molded parts (2) stored on the storage surface or at least some of their components are observed by means of an electronic camera (31) which is connected to an image recognition system (30) or into which such a system is integrated; c) that at least one of the injection molded parts (2) or components stored on the storage surface and observed by the electronic camera, which has been identified as being graspable by the robot (10) by means of the image recognition system (30), is removed from the storage surface (21) by means of the robot (10); d) repeating steps a) to c) to continue continuous production of molded parts (4) or repeating steps b) to c) to empty the storage surface of the alignment device, wherein the molded parts (4) and the sprues (3) of the injection molded parts are deposited separately from one another in at least one collecting container (41, 42) each and/or the molded parts (4) and/or the sprues (3) are transferred separately from one another to a conveyor device.

2. Separation method according to claim 1, characterized in that in step c) only those molded parts (2) which were recognized as being positioned in the correct position on the storage surface by means of the image recognition system (30) are removed from the storage surface by means of the robot, after which their molded parts and / or that in step c) only those components that were recognized by the image recognition system (30) as being positioned in the correct position on the storage surface are removed from the robot by the robot Storage surface can be removed, in particular in the case of one or more components recognized as not positioned in the correct position via the image recognition system (30), the storage surface of the alignment device is moved at least once in order to turn the components.

3. Separation method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in step c) the molded part (2) identified as being tangible by the robot (10) is removed from the storage surface (21) by means of the image recognition system (30). is and all molded parts (4) of this molded part are separated from the sprue (3), in particular stripped off.

4. Separation process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in

- that the molded part (2) is transferred in step a) to an alignment device (20) which has a vibrating base (21) and

- that in step c), if one or more injection moldings (2) or their components are recognized by the image recognition system (30) as not being graspable by the robot, in particular as not being positioned correctly, the vibrating floor (21) is set in vibration, the frequency and/or amplitude of the vibration being selected or modulated such that at least one of the injection moldings (2) or their components stored on the vibrating floor (21) is turned, in particular several of the The molded parts (2) or their components stored on the vibrating floor (21) are turned.

5. Separation method according to claim 4, characterized in that a flexible-elastic vibrating floor (21) is used and that impulses are exerted against the underside of the vibrating floor (21) via at least one impulse generator.

6. Separation method according to claim 5, characterized in that targeted impulses for turning the molded part (2) or component against the underside of the vibrating floor (21) are exerted at such positions at which at least one non-graspable, in particular incorrectly positioned molded part (2) or component was detected in step b).

7. Separation method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that for turning the molded part (2) or component at least one targeted impulse is exerted from the underside of the vibrating floor (21) against a molded part (4) connected to the molded part (2) or component.

8. Separation process according to one of claims 5 to

7, characterized in that Impulses for turning the molding (2) or component against the underside of the vibrating floor (21) are applied at several randomly selected positions.

9. Separation process according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that before carrying out steps a) to d), a training process is carried out with at least the following steps: i) that a quantity of injection moldings (2) and / or all of their components are placed on the vibrating base (21) of the alignment device (20) and ii) that the molded parts (2) stored on the storage surface and/or their components are recognized by means of the electronic camera (31) which is connected to the image recognition system (30). and are classified as correctly positioned or non-correctly positioned parts and iii) that the amplitude and/or frequency of the oscillating vibrating floor (21) are modulated or that the location, stroke and/or extension speed of a plunger of a pulse generator are varied, the on the storage surface lying moldings (2) and/or components are continuously observed by means of the electronic camera (31), which is connected to the image recognition system (30), and changes in the orientation of the moldings (2) are recorded and stored in a buffer and iv) that those parameters are evaluated in one evaluation step the buffer for the vibration of the vibrating floor and/or the pulse generator are read out, in which most of the molded parts (2) and/or components were turned in relation to the observed period of time, and that the parameters for carrying out steps a) to c) are sent to one Control device of the separating device (100) are transferred.

10. Separation device (100) for carrying out a separation process for injection molded parts (2) which each have a sprue (3) and one or more molded parts (4) connected to the sprue (3), the separation device comprising:

- a robot (10) with a gripping device (11) for receiving a molded part and/or one of the components of the molded parts (2), in particular for receiving the sprue (3) of the molded part;

- a collecting container (41, 42) for receiving the separated mold parts (4) and/or a conveyor device for removing the separated mold parts (4) and/or the sprue (3),

- a control device for controlling the robot (10); characterized,

- that a gripping device (11) of the robot

(10) accessible alignment device (20) is provided for receiving the molded parts (2), which has at least one storage surface, in particular the alignment device (20) having a collecting and transfer device (50) to be arranged below a tool of a plastic injection molding machine (1). ) is connected; - that at least one electronic camera (31) is arranged above the storage surface, which either itself comprises an image recognition system or is connected to an image recognition system (30) which is connected to the control device or is comprised by the control device;

- that the control device is designed to, depending on a position and/or position of a respective molded part (2) or component detected by the image recognition system, the robot for gripping the respective molded part (2), in particular for gripping this molded part (2) on its To control the sprue (3) or component.

11. Separating device according to claim 10, characterized in that the separating device has a separating device for releasing the at least one molded part (4) of the injection molding (2) gripped by the robot from the sprue (3) of this injection molding (2), wherein the control device is designed to control the robot to feed the injection molding (2) gripped by it to the separating device and in particular to control the separating device.

12. Separating device according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the control device is designed to only control the robot to grip the respective molded part (2) or component and to feed it to the separating device by means of the robot when the molded part (2 ) or Component has been identified as stored in the correct position on the storage surface by means of the image recognition system.

13. Separating device (100) according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the alignment device (20) has a vibrating floor (21).

14. Separating device (100) according to claim 13, characterized in that the vibrating base (21) is inherently rigid and has at least one discharge opening, the size and contour of which is dimensioned such that molded parts (4) fall through and molded parts (2) and individual sprues (3) are retained.

15. Separating device (100) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the vibrating base (21) is elastic-flexible and tensioned in the manner of an eardrum.

16. Separating device (100) according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the vibrating base (21) has a peripheral border in which at least one opening is provided, de- The size and contour are dimensioned so that molded parts (4) fall through and molded parts (2) and individual sprues (3) are retained, with the vibrating base (21) in particular being round.

17. Separating device (100) according to one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that the vibrating base (21) has a peripheral border which opens at at least one point to a discharge channel, the size and contour of which is dimensioned such that molded parts ( 4) are passed through and molded parts (2) and individual sprues (3) are discharged at the beginning of the discharge channel.

18. Separating device (100) according to one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that the separating device has a brush stripping device (60) for stripping the molded parts (2) from the sprue (3) held by the robot (10) or a holding device of the separating device. includes.

19. Separation device (100) according to one of claims 10 to 18, characterized in that the robot (10) is a gantry robot with at least two, in particular at least three linear guides (12, 13, 14) aligned in a Cartesian coordinate system.

20. Separating device (100) according to one of claims 10 to 19, characterized in that the robot (10) has two parallel linear guides (12) which form a first axis, wherein a free space is formed between the linear guides (12), in which at least one collecting container (41, 42) is arranged for receiving the separated molded parts (4) and the separated sprues (3).

21. Separating device (100) according to one of claims 9 to 18, characterized in that at least the robot (10), the alignment device (20) and the camera (31) are arranged in a frame (70) that can be positioned next to the injection molding machine (1). are, in particular the collecting and transfer device (50) being formed by a sloping slide which extends from below the injection molding tool to above the alignment device (20), in particular the frame (70) having wheels on which it can be moved .

22. System comprising a separating device (100) according to one of claims 10 to 21 and an injection molding machine (1), wherein the injection molding machine (1) has a tool for producing the injection moldings (2) and outputting the produced injection moldings (2), wherein in In an operating state, the collecting and transfer device (50) of the separating device (100) is arranged under the tool of the injection molding machine (1) and is used to guide the injection moldings (2) issued by the tool to the output straightening device (20) of the separating device (100) is designed, in particular the separating device (100) being movable separately from the injection molding machine (1), in particular the separating device (100) having a first guide device and the injection molding machine (1) having a first guide device Guide device has a corresponding second guide device, wherein in the operating state the first and second guide devices rest against each other and thereby determine a position of the separating device (100) relative to the injection molding machine (1).