JP2002127217A - Injection molding machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and rapidly set and change molding conditions including mold temperature regulating condition when an operator replaces a mold and changes the molding conditions. SOLUTION: An injection molding machine comprises the mold temperature regulator 20 for controlling temperatures of molds 11a and 11b, and a man- machine interface 13 for setting the molding conditions. The machine further comprises a communication cable 30 for connecting the interface to the regulator to enable to set and change the molding conditions including the mold temperature regulating condition by the interface when the molding conditions are changed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an injection molding machine having a mold temperature controller for controlling the temperature of a mold, and in particular, setting and changing the mold temperature controller on the injection molding machine main body side. The present invention relates to an injection molding machine capable of performing such operations.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An injection molding machine is provided with a mold temperature controller for controlling the temperature of a mold, separately from a controller for controlling the main body of the injection molding machine. In short, the mold temperature controller is located separately from the main body of the injection molding machine, and a controller for controlling the temperature of the mold is separately provided. Briefly, a heat medium circulation path is provided around the mold, and a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the mold is provided. The mold temperature controller receives the detection signal from the temperature sensor and controls the temperature of the heat medium to maintain the mold temperature at the set temperature.

[0003]

In the case of changing the mold and changing the molding conditions, it is necessary to change the set temperature and the like in the mold temperature controller. The setting work for the mold temperature controller is performed on a console panel in front of the mold temperature controller. The setting operation of the mold temperature controller requires the operator to leave a memo or the like every time the mold is changed or the molding conditions are changed, and to make the setting while referring to the memo. For this reason, when a plurality of mold temperature controllers are provided, and the mold temperature controllers are placed at a place away from the injection molding machine, the load on the operator for the setting operation increases.

On the other hand, a control unit for controlling the main body of the injection molding machine includes a setting means for setting a mold temperature, a minimum allowable temperature and a maximum allowable temperature, and a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of a heat medium for heating the mold. Temperature control means for controlling the drive unit of the mold temperature controller based on the temperature detected from the temperature controller (for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-22837).

However, the mold temperature controller is usually manufactured and sold by a manufacturer different from the injection molding machine main body. Such a mold temperature controller originally has a temperature control function for the mold. It is usually equipped with. Therefore, when a mold temperature controller having such a mold temperature control function is used, the above-described method is not preferable because the temperature control function for the mold is wasted. In other words, the above method is not applicable to a commercially available mold temperature controller having a temperature control function for a mold, and prepares a dedicated mold temperature controller having no temperature control function for the mold. There is a need.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an integrated control of molding conditions including mold temperature control conditions even when a mold temperature controller having a temperature control function is used. It is an object of the present invention to facilitate and promptly set and change molding conditions including mold temperature control conditions when exchanging dies and changing molding conditions.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided an injection molding machine having at least one mold temperature controller for controlling the temperature of a mold and a man-machine interface for setting molding conditions. By connecting the man-machine interface and the mold temperature controller via a communication cable, when changing molding conditions, setting and changing of molding conditions including mold temperature control conditions are performed on the man-machine interface. It is characterized in that it can be carried out.

[0008] The man-machine interface has a storage device for storing the molding conditions and the mold temperature control conditions.

The man-machine interface has a display for displaying the contents of setting and changing the molding conditions including the mold temperature control conditions, and, if necessary, storing the contents in the storage device. At least one of the molding condition and the mold temperature control condition is read out and can be viewed on the display.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG.
The mold 1 of the injection molding machine is provided on the side of the injection molding machine body 10.
A controller 12 for controlling only the injection molding machine has a communication board 12-1. The controller 12 also has a display 13-1.
A man-machine interface 13 having an input unit (not shown) such as a keyboard and touch keys and a storage device (not shown) is connected.

A mold temperature controller 20 is placed at a place different from the injection molding machine main body 10. Here, the dies 11a, 11
b, a mold temperature controller 20 is provided. The mold temperature controller 20 and the mold are connected by a power supply line when an electric heater is provided in the mold, and are connected to a heat medium circulation unit when the mold is heated by a heat medium. Connected by piping. When the electric heater is provided in the mold, the mold temperature controller 20 turns on and off the power supply to the electric heater to control the temperature of the mold. On the other hand, when controlling the temperature of the mold with the heat medium, the mold temperature controller 20 controls the temperature of the mold by adjusting the temperature of the heat medium.

In this embodiment, a communication board 21 is connected to a controller (not shown) of the mold temperature controller 20. The communication board 12-1 on the injection molding machine body 10 side and the communication board 21 on the mold temperature controller 20 side are connected to the communication cable 3
0 is connected. The communication cable 30 is, for example, RS-
485, RS-422 or the like, and a plurality of mold temperature controllers 20 can be connected in a multi-drop manner. With the multi-drop connection configuration, one communication port of the controller 12 on the side of the injection molding machine body 10
A plurality of mold temperature controllers 20 can be connected. Accordingly, the temperature setting and monitoring of the two mold temperature controllers 20 can be performed by the man-machine interface 13 on the side of the injection molding machine body 10.

More specifically, in the man-machine interface 13, the following conditions of each mold temperature controller 20 can be set simultaneously with setting of molding conditions for the injection molding machine from the input unit. Can be saved.

The set temperature The upper limit value of the monitored temperature value The lower limit value of the monitored temperature value PID control parameter The upper limit value and the lower limit value of the monitored temperature value are defined by the controller on the mold temperature controller 20 side. This value defines the monitoring width when monitoring the temperature of the mold. The PID control parameter is a parameter given to a PID controller built in a control system by a controller on the mold temperature controller 20 side.

For example, the set temperature control conditions are stored in a storage device in the same file as the molding conditions. FIG. 2 shows a file display example of stored conditions. Recalling conditions (files) saved in the past can be easily performed simply by selecting the file name in FIG. 2 and selecting "recall conditions" on the display. When the condition is called, the saved condition is displayed on the display. This is a mold temperature controller 2
In the case of setting the temperature to the 0 side, if the setting temperature is designated, the set temperature is set via the communication cable 30 to the mold temperature controller 20.
Is sent to the controller on the side and set. Further, the setting of the called condition may be automatically changed.

In the above description, the molding conditions and the mold temperature control conditions are set in the same file, but they can be stored in different files. The storage device may be an external memory or an internal memory of the injection molding machine.

[0017]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) A commercially available mold temperature controller having a temperature control function can be used as it is without wasting the temperature control function, and can be applied to an existing mold temperature controller. It is.

(2) Mold temperature control conditions can be stored simultaneously with the molding conditions of an injection molding machine that can be stored conventionally, thus enabling unified management of molding conditions.

(3) When the setting of the mold temperature controller is changed, if the molding conditions are stored in (2), even if the molding conditions are changed, the setting can be changed only by calling the stored data. Work can be performed easily and quickly.

(4) The conditions set in the past can be browsed at any time through the man-machine interface.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a relationship between an injection molding machine main body and a mold temperature controller in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display example of a saved file screen on a display of a man-machine interface in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Injection molding machine main body 11a, 11b Mold 12 Controller 12-1, 21 Communication board 13 Man-machine interface 20 Mold temperature controller 30 Communication cable

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An injection molding machine comprising at least one mold temperature controller for controlling mold temperature and a man-machine interface for setting molding conditions, wherein the man-machine interface and the mold are provided. By connecting a temperature controller via a communication cable, setting and changing of molding conditions including mold temperature control conditions can be performed by the man-machine interface when changing molding conditions. An injection molding machine characterized in that: 2. The injection molding machine according to claim 1, wherein said man-machine interface has a storage device for storing said molding conditions and said mold temperature control conditions. . 3. The injection molding machine according to claim 2, wherein said man-machine interface has a display.
While displaying the contents of the setting and change of the molding condition including the mold temperature control condition, the molding condition stored in the storage device as necessary, and reading out at least one of the mold temperature control condition, and An injection molding machine that can be viewed on a display.