Injection molding auxiliary device and injection molding machine provided with the same

Abstract

The present application provides an injection molding auxiliary device that can assist in determining whether the conditions at the time of injection filling are appropriate values and / or can present optimal conditions at the time of injection filling. The above problem is solved by an injection molding auxiliary device that has a setting section that sets basic information such as resin material data, screw data, heater cylinder data, and sets limit information such as limit conditions for obtaining optimal conditions, a calculation section that calculates an estimated solidification rate of a resin material using a high-speed calculation method using an optimization mathematical processing system based on the basic information and the limit information, and a display section that displays a determination index corresponding to the value of the estimated solidification rate. It can also be that the estimated solidification rate is an estimated solidification rate of a resin material at the front end of a screw, and the estimated solidification rate is displayed as a curve composed of two or more estimated solidification rates having at least a first estimated solidification rate of a resin material at the front end of a screw and a second estimated solidification rate of a resin material at a position other than the front end of the screw.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an injection molding auxiliary device and an injection molding machine equipped with the injection molding auxiliary device. More specifically, it relates to an injection molding auxiliary device and an injection molding machine equipped with the injection molding auxiliary device that assists in determining whether the set conditions during injection filling are suitable for the resin material to be in an appropriate plasticized state and / or can present the optimal conditions for injection filling when metered and plasticized resin material is injected from the front end of a screw into a mold for molding. Background Technology

[0002] An injection molding machine is a device that uses a screw to inject metered and plasticized resin material (hereinafter referred to as "molten resin") into a mold for molding. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the molten resin is in the appropriate state before injection filling in order to obtain high-quality molded products. If the resin material is over-plasticized before injection filling, thermal decomposition of the resin material may occur, leading to resin deterioration (carbonization, etc.) or the generation of useless gases.

[0003] Such problems are closely related to the plasticizing time and heating conditions of the resin material plasticized within the screw. Excessive plasticizing of the resin material due to prolonged plasticizing time or inappropriate heating conditions leads to an increased resin decomposition rate. To address this issue, several techniques have been proposed to control the plasticizing state of the resin material within the screw to reduce the resin decomposition rate. Furthermore, ensuring an appropriate plasticizing time to maintain the unmelted polymer percentage (an indicator of the degree of solids remaining after a series of processes) below a certain level stabilizes the plasticizing state of the resin material, which is important for reducing defects in molded products. Therefore, a technique for ensuring an appropriate plasticizing state has also been proposed.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a plasticizing management device for an injection molding machine capable of accurately determining whether the plasticizing state is stable. This plasticizing management device includes: a current detection unit that detects the drive current of a plasticizing motor that rotates the screw during metering operations; a speed detection unit that detects the speed of the plasticizing motor; a torque calculation unit that calculates the drive torque of the motor based on the drive current of the plasticizing motor; and a calculation unit that calculates the instantaneous value of the drive power of the plasticizing motor based on the calculated drive torque and the detected motor speed. The plasticizing management device also includes an accumulator that accumulates the calculated instantaneous value of the drive power during the plasticizing time.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an injection molding machine equipped with a plasticizing time estimation unit. This injection molding machine uses a standard injection molding machine with a known ideal plasticizing capacity, which is the processing capacity per unit time when continuously plasticizing a specific resin material. Then, any resin material is injection molded, and the actual mass of one injection is measured based on the weight of the resulting molded article, along with the plasticizing time. Moreover, it includes a storage unit that calculates the plasticizing power by substituting the actual mass of one injection, the plasticizing time, and the known ideal plasticizing capacity into a formula for calculating the plasticizing power. The same calculation is performed for other types of resin materials, and a correlation graph between the type of resin material and the plasticizing power is generated and stored. It also includes an input unit for inputting the type of resin material to be used in an injection molding machine other than the standard injection molding machine, the mold cavity volume, and the known ideal plasticizing capacity of the other injection molding machine. It also includes a calculation unit that selects the plasticizing power based on the type of resin material used in the other injection molding machine and related diagrams, estimates the mass of one injection based on the mold cavity volume and the density of the resin material used, and estimates the plasticizing time by substituting the plasticizing power, the mass of one injection, and the known ideal plasticizing capacity of the other injection molding machine into the plasticizing time calculation formula. It also includes a display unit that displays the plasticizing time estimated by the calculation unit.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a molding assistance device for an injection molding machine used to assist in the molding process of an injection molding machine. This injection molding machine injects plasticized molten resin into a mold via a screw for molding. This molding assistance device includes: a basic data input unit that inputs basic data, including molding condition data related to molding conditions and screw data related to screw shape, based on a proprietary injection molding theory formula; a calculation data setting unit that sets solids ratio calculation data, which is used to calculate an estimated solids ratio of the molten resin in the heating cylinder based on the basic data; a calculation processing function unit that includes a solids ratio calculation processing unit that calculates the estimated solids ratio of the molten resin at the end of metering through calculation processing based on the basic data and the solids ratio calculation data; and an output processing function unit that displays information related to the estimated solids ratio on a display.

[0007] Existing technical documents

[0008] Patent documents

[0009] Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-340891.

[0010] Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-067109.

[0011] Patent Document 3: WO2019 / 188998A1 Summary of the Invention

[0012] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0013] In both of the aforementioned patent documents 1 and 2, the plasticizing time is determined based on indirect physical quantities obtained from the operating status of the injection molding machine. Therefore, it merely addresses the issue using a general plasticizing time rather than a precise one. Consequently, there are limitations in setting an appropriate plasticizing time and maintaining the unmelted portion (solid fraction) of the resin material below a certain level to reduce plasticizing defects. Furthermore, since the plasticizing time is determined based on information from the actual operating status of the injection molding machine, it presents challenges such as increased operating time and resin material waste, making it difficult to use and cumbersome as a molding aid. In particular, it is difficult to accurately and easily reflect the molding conditions based on the actual information obtained, requiring condition settings for each injection molding machine, which hinders its versatility and future development as a molding aid.

[0014] Furthermore, in Patent Document 3, the estimated solid fraction at melting is calculated to simulate the plasticized state of the resin material. Then, the heat of combustion, unmelted polymer ratio, and carbonization rate of the resin material are calculated, and the sum of these as dimensionless solutions is calculated as the "resin temperature stability." The results show a correlation of up to 0.77 between the measured values ​​and the calculated values; however, this calculation method requires more than 20 seconds, and this time needs to be shortened.

[0015] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide an injection molding auxiliary device and an injection molding machine equipped with the injection molding auxiliary device. When the metered and plasticized resin material is injected from the front end of the screw into the mold for molding, the injection molding auxiliary device can help determine whether the injection filling conditions are conditions that allow the resin material to be in an appropriate plasticized state and / or can present the optimal conditions for injection filling.

[0016] Solution for solving the problem

[0017] Based on the inventors' research to date, calculating the "heat generation of the material inside the heating cylinder (screw)" is one factor in determining the melting state of the resin material; however, such calculations are time-consuming. In this invention, instead of the calculation method based on this heat generation, an injection molding auxiliary device is completed that: (A) can quickly determine whether the set conditions for achieving a plasticized state of the resin material during injection filling are appropriate values; and (B) can, through the use of a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system, present the conditions (referred to as optimal conditions) for achieving the best plasticized state of the resin material during injection filling in a very short time.

[0018] (1) The injection molding auxiliary device of the present invention, when injecting metered and plasticized resin material from the front end of the screw into the mold for molding, can assist in determining whether the injection filling conditions are suitable for the resin material to be in an appropriate plasticized state. The injection molding auxiliary device is characterized by having:

[0019] The setting unit includes basic information such as resin material data related to the resin material, screw data related to the screw, heating cylinder data related to the heating cylinder, and condition data related to the conditions during injection filling; the calculation unit calculates the estimated solid fraction of the resin material based on the basic information; and the display unit displays a judgment index corresponding to the value of the estimated solid fraction.

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to present an index for determining whether the conditions during injection filling are suitable for achieving an appropriate plasticized state of the resin material. In particular, by using each condition as basic information, fully utilizing the estimated solid fraction obtained from a proprietary injection theory formula, and using whether the estimated solid fraction is an appropriate value (e.g., 0 or close to 0) as the judgment index, this can be performed in a very short time (e.g., less than 0.1 seconds), making this judgment index an effective factor for the operator's assessment. Furthermore, if this basic information is used as the specific conditions currently in progress or to be performed, it can be used to determine the level or degree of those conditions.

[0021] In the injection molding auxiliary device according to the present invention, the estimated solid fraction is the estimated solid fraction of the resin material at the screw tip. According to the present invention, whether the estimated solid fraction of the resin material at the screw tip is an appropriate value (e.g., 0 or a value close to 0) is used as a criterion.

[0022] In the injection molding auxiliary apparatus according to the present invention, the estimated solid fraction is displayed as a curve consisting of two or more estimated solid fractions, including a first estimated solid fraction of the resin material at least at the screw tip and a second estimated solid fraction of the resin material at a location other than the screw tip. According to the present invention, if basic information consisting of various data is taken as a specific condition currently in progress or to be performed, the level of the condition can be determined by observing the displayed curve consisting of two or more estimated solid fractions. In such a display section, only the first and second estimated solid fractions can be displayed, or they can be displayed in a manner that also includes other estimated solid fractions. According to the present invention, by displaying the estimated solid fractions including the first and second estimated solid fractions as a curve as a whole or as a portion thereof, the operator can easily confirm this visually.

[0023] Furthermore, the determination index displayed on the display unit is shown as dimensionless resin temperature stability. In this way, the displayed dimensionless resin temperature stability can be used as a determination index, and the smaller the value of the resin temperature stability, the more appropriate the plasticization state can be determined.

[0024] (2) The injection molding auxiliary device of the present invention can present the optimal conditions for injection filling when injecting metered and plasticized resin material from the front end of the screw into the mold for molding. The injection molding auxiliary device is characterized by having:

[0025] The setting unit sets basic information including resin material data related to the resin material, screw data related to the screw, and heating cylinder data related to the heating cylinder, and sets constraint information related to the constraints for obtaining the optimal conditions; the calculation unit calculates the estimated solid fraction of the resin material based on the basic information and the constraint information using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system; and the display unit displays a judgment index corresponding to the value of the estimated solid fraction.

[0026] According to the present invention, the optimal conditions for achieving a proper plasticization state can be calculated within the constraints using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system, and a judgment index corresponding to the judgment result can be presented. In particular, since the calculation is performed within the constraints using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system, the calculation result can be used as a valid judgment element for the operator.

[0027] In the injection molding auxiliary device according to the present invention, the estimated solid fraction is the estimated solid fraction of the resin material at the screw tip. According to the present invention, whether the estimated solid fraction of the resin material at the screw tip is an appropriate value (e.g., 0 or a value close to 0) is used as a criterion.

[0028] In the injection molding auxiliary apparatus according to the present invention, the estimated solid fraction is displayed as a curve consisting of two or more estimated solid fractions, including a first estimated solid fraction of the resin material at least at the screw tip and a second estimated solid fraction of the resin material at a location other than the screw tip. According to the present invention, based on the curve consisting of two or more estimated solid fractions displayed based on basic information and limiting information, the optimal conditions displayed within the range of these information can be used as a judgment index during actual molding. In such a display section, either only the first and second estimated solid fractions can be displayed, or they can be displayed in a manner that also includes other estimated solid fractions. According to the present invention, by displaying the estimated solid fractions including the first and second estimated solid fractions as a curve as a whole or as a portion thereof, the operator can easily confirm the results visually.

[0029] In the injection molding auxiliary device according to the present invention, the calculation unit performs calculations to make the value of the first estimated solid fraction 0 or close to 0. According to the present invention, by performing calculations to make the value of the first estimated solid fraction 0 or close to 0, it is possible to set the optimal conditions for deriving the calculation result as the set conditions.

[0030] Furthermore, the determination index displayed on the display unit is shown as dimensionless resin temperature stability. In this way, the displayed dimensionless resin temperature stability can be used as a determination index, and the smaller the value of the resin temperature stability, the more appropriate the plasticization state can be determined.

[0031] In the injection molding auxiliary device according to the present invention, the setting unit includes at least: a first setting unit that sets one or more data selected from the basic information; and a second setting unit that sets whether to apply one or more data selected from the basic information as the limiting condition to the high-speed calculation method, and sets the range of the limiting condition when applied to the high-speed calculation method. According to the present invention, the setting unit allows the first setting unit and the second setting unit to be set as needed, thus enabling the input of limiting conditions corresponding to the characteristics of the injection molding machine, the type of resin material, and other specifications, and assisting the operator's judgment based on the optimal conditions presented as suitable for those specifications.

[0032] In the injection molding auxiliary device of this invention, the calculation of the estimated solid fraction is performed using a nonlinear analytical method. According to this invention, even when the calculation of the estimated solid fraction is performed using a nonlinear analytical method, the calculation can be completed in a very short time.

[0033] In the injection molding auxiliary device according to the present invention, the calculation unit recalculates the estimated solid fraction as needed based on the estimated solid fraction, and displays the recalculated estimated solid fraction on the display unit. According to the present invention, it is possible to recalculate the estimated solid fraction as needed and display the recalculated estimated solid fraction on the display unit.

[0034] The injection molding auxiliary device according to the present invention has the functions of the injection molding auxiliary device described in (1) above. According to the present invention, the injection molding auxiliary device of (2) has the functions of the injection molding auxiliary device described in (1) above, and therefore can assist in determining whether the conditions during injection filling are appropriate, and can present the optimal conditions during injection filling for assistance.

[0035] (3) The injection molding machine of the present invention is characterized in that it has the injection molding auxiliary device described above.

[0036] The effects of the invention

[0037] According to the present invention, an injection molding auxiliary device and an injection molding machine equipped with the injection molding auxiliary device are provided, which can assist in determining whether the conditions during injection filling are appropriate and / or can present the optimal conditions during injection filling. According to the injection molding auxiliary device, it is possible to determine in a very short time whether the conditions for achieving a "suitable plasticizing state" are met or to calculate the condition settings for achieving a "suitable plasticizing state," and to display to the operator in a very short time that the "suitable plasticizing state" is appropriate. This "suitable plasticizing state" is, for example, a state that reduces molding defects such as resin burning, underfilling, and welding; reduces wear; reduces the mechanical properties of the molded article; reduces screw maintenance; and reduces gas adhesion to the mold. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 The results show the estimated solid fraction calculation of the resin material in the preferred plasticized state when injected into the substitute mold under the conditions of Experiment 1 (A) and the measured resin temperature when injected into the substitute mold (B).

[0039] Figure 2The results show the estimated solid fraction calculation of the resin material under the conditions of Experiment 2 when it was injected into the substitute mold (A) and the measured resin temperature when it was injected into the substitute mold (B).

[0040] Figure 3 The results show the estimated solid fraction calculation of the resin material under the conditions of Experiment 3 when it was injected into the substitute mold (A) and the measured resin temperature when it was injected into the substitute mold (B).

[0041] Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram showing the measurement results of the resin temperature during injection filling into the substitute mold, and the terms "fluctuation", "deviation" and "ΔT" based on the results.

[0042] Figure 5 This is a flowchart for judging the quality of resin temperature stability based on the estimated solid fraction obtained by using various conditions as basic information.

[0043] Figure 6 This shows the measured values ​​(horizontal axis) of the resin temperature fluctuations compared to... Figure 5 The flowchart illustrates the relationship between the calculated resin temperature stability (vertical axis) and the flow chart.

[0044] Figure 7 This is an example of an estimated solid fraction obtained by using a high-speed computational method of an optimization mathematical processing system to calculate within the constraints of the optimal conditions for a suitable plasticizing state.

[0045] Figure 8 This is a flowchart for judging the quality of resin temperature stability based on the estimated solid fraction obtained by using various conditions as basic and limiting information.

[0046] Figure 9 This is an example of a setting unit (second setting unit) that determines whether to apply one or more data selected from basic information as a constraint to a high-speed computing method, and sets the range of the constraint when applied to a high-speed computing method.

[0047] Figure 10 This is based on the goal of ensuring that the conditions during injection filling are optimal for achieving the proper plasticization state of the resin material. Figure 9 The example shown is a display of the result obtained by performing calculations using the high-speed calculation method (nonlinear analysis) of the optimization mathematical processing system on the input information of the setting unit.

[0048] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the optimal conditions for high-speed computation within a set of constraints.

[0049] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of an injection molding machine.

[0050] Figure 13 This is a morphological diagram showing an example of an injection molding mold.

[0051] Figure 14 This is a diagram showing an example of the shape of a screw.

[0052] Figure 15 This is a block diagram showing the main structure of the injection molding auxiliary device. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The injection molding auxiliary device and the injection molding machine equipped with the injection molding auxiliary device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the following description and drawings are merely examples for implementing the present invention, and anything that captures the essence of the present invention is included within the scope of the present invention.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 11 As shown, the injection molding auxiliary device according to the present invention is a device that: (A) can determine in a short time whether the set conditions for making the resin material in a plasticized state during injection filling are appropriate values, and (B) can present the conditions for making the resin material in an optimal plasticized state during injection filling (called optimal conditions) in a very short time by using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system. Furthermore, the term "plasticized state" refers to a state in which the resin material has been "measured and plasticized," and is expressed as "measurement and plasticization."

[0055] The injection molding auxiliary device (A) is characterized by comprising: a setting unit that sets basic information including resin material data related to the resin material, screw data related to the screw, heating cylinder data related to the heating cylinder, and condition data related to the conditions during injection filling; a calculation unit that calculates an estimated solid fraction of the resin material based on the basic information; and a display unit that displays a judgment index corresponding to the value of the estimated solid fraction. This injection molding auxiliary device can be referred to as an injection molding auxiliary device for confirming molding conditions.

[0056] This injection molding auxiliary device can provide a criterion for determining whether the injection filling conditions are suitable for achieving an appropriate plasticized state of the resin material. In particular, by using each condition as basic information, fully utilizing the estimated solid fraction obtained from a proprietary injection theory formula, and using the estimated solid fraction of the resin material at the screw tip as a criterion for determining whether it is an appropriate value (e.g., 0 or close to 0), this can be performed in a very short time (e.g., less than 0.1 seconds), making this criterion an effective judgment factor for the operator.

[0057] (B) The injection molding auxiliary device is characterized by comprising: a setting unit that sets basic information including at least resin material data related to the resin material, screw data related to the screw, and heating cylinder data related to the heating cylinder, and sets constraint information related to the constraint conditions for obtaining the optimal conditions; a calculation unit that calculates the estimated solid fraction of the resin material based on the basic information and the constraint information using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system; and a display unit that displays a judgment index corresponding to the value of the estimated solid fraction. This injection molding auxiliary device can be referred to as an injection molding auxiliary device for presenting optimal conditions.

[0058] In this injection molding auxiliary device, the optimal conditions for achieving a proper plasticizing state can be calculated within the constraints using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system, and a judgment index corresponding to the judgment result is presented. In particular, since the calculation is performed within the constraints using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system, the calculation result can be used as a valid judgment factor for the operator.

[0059] like Figures 12-14 As shown, the injection molding auxiliary device is an auxiliary device used to inject metered and plasticized resin material from the front end 6 of the screw 3 into the mold 2 for molding. The injection molding auxiliary device is typically installed in, for example,... Figure 12 The actual injection molding machine 10 is illustrated, but it may not be installed in the injection molding machine 10. For example, it may be a simulation device that simulates the plasticizing state of the resin material.

[0060] The injection molding auxiliary device is a device used to assist in determining whether the set conditions during injection filling are conditions that allow the resin material to be in an appropriate plasticized state, and / or to present conditions (optimal conditions) for allowing the resin material to be in an optimal plasticized state during injection filling by using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system.

[0061] "During injection filling" refers to the state before the resin material is plasticized within the screw 3 and before this plasticized resin material is filled from the front end 6 of the screw 3 into the mold (which can be either an actual mold or a substitute mold; the same applies below). "Conditions" refers to various conditions that affect the plasticized state, such as the screw 3's rotational speed (rpm), back pressure during injection filling (MPa), resin material metering position (mm), injection filling cycle time (seconds), resin material injection filling time (seconds), set temperatures of various parts of the screw 3 (°C), drop outlet set temperature (°C), hopper set temperature (°C), and so on. The injection molding aid is (A) an injection molding aid for confirming molding conditions (also called "injection molding aid for confirming molding conditions") and / or (B) an injection molding aid for presenting optimal conditions (also called "injection molding aid for presenting optimal conditions"). The (A) injection molding aid for confirming molding conditions is configured to calculate, using a method based on injection theory (described later), whether a set condition is suitable for achieving an appropriate plasticization state of the resin material when multiple conditions selected from these conditions are set, and the result is provided to the operator for judgment. The (B) injection molding aid for presenting optimal conditions can present the conditions (optimal conditions) for achieving an optimal plasticization state of the resin material during injection filling using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system. An "appropriate plasticization state," as described later, refers to a state where the estimated solid fraction of the resin material at the front end 6 of the screw 3 is an appropriate value (e.g., 0 or close to 0).

[0062] The following description is divided into two parts: an injection molding aid for confirming molding conditions and an injection molding aid for presenting optimal conditions. Furthermore, the injection molding aid according to the present invention can be a device that only possesses the functions of the injection molding aid for confirming molding conditions (A) described later, a device that only possesses the functions of the injection molding aid for presenting optimal conditions (B) described later, or a device that possesses both the functions of (A) and (B). When it possesses both functions, it can assist in determining whether the conditions during injection filling are appropriate values ​​and can assist in presenting the optimal conditions during injection filling.

[0063] [Injection molding auxiliary device for confirming molding conditions]

[0064] <Settings Department / First Setting Department>

[0065] The setting section (first setting section) sets basic information including at least resin material data, screw data, heating cylinder data, and filling conditions. The resin material data includes information such as the type of resin material, melt flow rate, specific heat, and thermal conductivity. The screw data includes information such as screw length (mm), thread pitch (mm), rotational speed (rpm), groove depth (mm), and radius of curvature (mm). Furthermore, the screw data includes complex shape elements such as secondary threads and variable pitch screws. The heating cylinder data includes information such as dimensions, material, control point location, heater length, heater location, and wattage. The filling conditions include the screw rotational speed (rpm), back pressure (MPa), resin material metering position (mm), injection cycle time (seconds), resin injection time (seconds), set temperature of each part of the screw (°C), drop outlet set temperature (°C), hopper set temperature (°C), and plasticizing time (seconds). Regarding plasticizing time, in addition to applying the measured value, the plasticizing time that is set to the optimal value obtained by the injection molding auxiliary device under the optimal conditions described later can also be applied, so the plasticizing time that is set to the optimal value is also included.

[0066] Furthermore, the data mentioned above are not limited to those listed above, and may also include other data not recorded. Figure 9 This is an example of a first setting unit that sets several conditions. Along with this first setting unit, there is a second setting unit for setting conditions in an injection molding aid device for presenting optimal conditions (described later). However, it is also possible to have only a first setting unit for setting conditions in an injection molding aid device for confirming molding conditions.

[0067] The first setting unit is preferably provided on the display panel. There is no particular limitation on the type of display panel, but a liquid crystal display panel that can be used for touch input is convenient. The display panel 31 can be provided independently as a dedicated panel, or it can be provided in the display device 14 provided in, for example, the injection molding machine 10, or it can be provided as a separate unit connected to the display device 14.

[0068] <Computation Department>

[0069] The calculation unit is the part that calculates the estimated solid fraction of the resin material based on basic information. For example... Figure 5 As shown in the flowchart, the estimated solid fraction calculated by this calculation unit is obtained using an estimated solid fraction calculated based on basic information. Therefore, when this basic information is input as a specific condition that is currently in progress or will be performed, it can be used to determine the level of that condition.

[0070] Based on the various input data mentioned above (especially heating cylinder data, screw data, resin filling data, etc.), the estimated solid fraction is used as the value for each part of the screw. Specifically, firstly, the external energy is calculated based on the injection filling condition data and heating cylinder data, and the plasticizing time is calculated based on the resin data and screw data. However, the plasticizing time is not calculated in actual testing. Then, based on the convergence calculation of Equations A and B obtained by expanding the Tadmor model into the injection theory equation, the solid fraction (solid fraction: the molten state) of the resin in each part of the screw is calculated. Furthermore, in this calculation, in addition to the heating cylinder data, screw data, molding machine data, and resin data used in calculating the external energy and plasticizing time, the plasticizing time is also included in the calculation if necessary. By connecting the estimated solid fractions obtained in this way with each part of the screw as the horizontal axis, a value can be obtained from... Figure 1 The estimated solid fraction calculation results are based on the curve shape shown in (A).

[0071] [Number 1]

[0072]

[0073] Φ=f(Gm, Gc, Vbx, Vb, ρm, km, Tb, Tmo, Va, Cs, Tro, λ)

[0074] …Form B

[0075] in,

[0076]

[0077] Furthermore, Equations A and B above are obtained by expanding the Tadmor model, which exists as an extrusion theory, into the injection theory. Here, δ represents the melt film thickness, km represents the thermal conductivity of the melt, Tb represents the heating cylinder temperature, Tmo represents the melting point, Tro represents the solid particle temperature, Va and Vb represent coefficients indicating the melting rate, Φ represents the amount indicating the melting rate, X represents the width of the solid base, Vbx represents the circumferential velocity component in the screw width direction, Cs represents the specific heat of the solid, ρm represents the liquid density, λ represents the latent heat of fusion, Gm represents the plasticizing capacity considering cycle time, ηo represents the zero-shear viscosity, n represents the viscosity exponent, and Vj represents the relative velocity. Additionally, the molten resin depends on the exponential law fluid, and b′ represents the amount produced by the exponential law fluid.

[0078] Display Department

[0079] The display unit shows a judgment index corresponding to the estimated solid fraction value calculated by the aforementioned calculation unit. This display unit allows the presentation of judgment indexes indicating whether the injection filling conditions are suitable for achieving an appropriate plasticization state of the resin material. Specifically, by using each condition as basic information and fully utilizing the estimated solid fraction obtained from a proprietary injection theory formula, the display shows whether the estimated solid fraction is an appropriate value (e.g., 0 or close to 0). In this way, the judgment index can be displayed in a very short time (e.g., less than 0.1 seconds), making it a valid judgment factor for the operator. Furthermore, if this basic information is used as the specific conditions currently in progress or to be performed, it can be used to determine the level of those conditions.

[0080] The estimated solid fraction displayed is the estimated solid fraction of the resin material at the screw tip. Whether the estimated solid fraction of the resin material at the screw tip is an appropriate value (e.g., 0 or close to 0) is used as a criterion.

[0081] In the display section, such as Figures 1-3 As shown, the estimated solids percentage is displayed as a curve consisting of two or more estimated solids percentages: a first estimated solids percentage of the resin material at least at the screw tip and a second estimated solids percentage of the resin material at locations other than the screw tip. In this way, if basic information consisting of various data is taken as a specific condition currently in progress or to be performed, the level of the condition can be determined by observing the displayed curve consisting of two or more estimated solids percentages. The display unit may show only the first and second estimated solids percentages, or it may display them in a manner that also includes other estimated solids percentages. However, according to the present invention, by displaying the estimated solids percentages, including both the first and second estimated solids percentages, as a curve as a whole, or by displaying only a portion of them as a curve, the operator can easily confirm this visually.

[0082] (Estimated solid fraction)

[0083] Provide a detailed explanation of the estimated solid fraction. Figure 4 This is a resin temperature measurement result obtained by superimposing and recording the resin temperatures measured at various parts of the screw by a device that measures the resin temperature at each part of the screw during each injection filling. In this resin temperature measurement result, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the magnitude of the maximum and minimum temperatures at each position indicated on the horizontal axis is called "fluctuation." This is used as an index of variation in the resin temperature measurement results obtained by recording the values ​​cumulatively. The value obtained by dividing the standard deviation of the average value during injection by the average value is called "deviation (variation coefficient)." This deviation is relative to the set temperature (at... Figure 4In the example, the maximum temperature rise (220.2℃) is called "ΔT". To display the resin temperature measurement results of the resin material discharged from the nozzle at the front end of the screw, instead of using the mold used in the actual injection molding, a substitute mold is used to measure the resin temperature. Figure 4 In the diagram, the X-axis represents the screw position, and the Y-axis represents the resin temperature measured by the resin temperature measuring device. A correlation was observed between "fluctuation" and "deviation." Therefore, the appropriate plasticization state (perfectly melted state) of the resin material during injection filling for obtaining good injection molded articles refers to a state with small "fluctuation" and small "deviation."

[0084] In this invention, such as Figure 1 (A) Figure 2 (A) and Figure 3 As shown in (A), the criteria for determining whether a “suitable plasticization state” is achieved can be determined in the form of an estimated solid fraction calculation result consisting of a curve. Figure 1 (A) Figure 2 (A) and Figure 3 Figure (A) is a graph that calculates the estimated solid fraction at each position within the screw based on the input basic information (resin data, MFR data, screw data, heating cylinder data, injection filling conditions, etc.) during injection filling, and sets this estimated solid fraction as the vertical axis. Furthermore, in each figure (A), it shows that a larger number for the screw position on the X-axis indicates the screw is closer to the front end. A "0" on the X-axis indicates the center of the hopper. On the other hand, a "1" for the estimated solid fraction on the Y-axis represents a completely solid state of the resin material, while a "0" represents a completely melted state.

[0085] Figure 2 The estimated solid fraction calculation results of (A) show the results in the case where the resin material melts too early. Figure 2 (B) shows the actual results measured by a resin temperature measuring device at a set temperature of 220.2°C. It indicates a large heat generation ΔT in the resin temperature, with significant "fluctuations" and "deviations," suggesting a condition that is not a "proper plasticizing state." Furthermore, Figure 3 The estimated solid fraction calculation result of (A) shows the measurement results in the state where the resin material in each part is not completely melted. Figure 3 (B) represents the actual results measured by a resin temperature measuring device at a set temperature of 220.2℃. The heat generation ΔT of the resin temperature increases negatively, exhibiting large fluctuations and deviations, and the plasticizing time is also long, indicating instability. This situation is consistent with... Figure 2 Similarly, cases that are not in a "proper plasticized state" are shown.

[0086] on the other hand, Figure 1 The estimated solid fraction calculation result of (A) shows the calculation result of the resin material being completely melted at the screw tip. Figure 1 (B) shows the actual results of each part measured by a resin temperature measuring device at a set temperature of 220.2°C, indicating that "fluctuation" and "deviation" have been significantly improved. Such a state can be called "appropriate plasticization state".

[0087] Figure 6 This is an explanatory graph showing the relationship between measured values ​​of resin temperature fluctuations (horizontal axis) and resin temperature stability (vertical axis). The vertical axis of this graph is set to... Figure 1 (A) Figure 3 The value of (A)'s X-axis "Screw tip position" - "Fully melted position" (set to "0" if not fully melted and if the screw tip solids fraction is "0") plus Figure 1 (A) Figure 3 The value obtained by multiplying the estimated solid fraction (dimensionless solution) at the screw tip (actually obtained by transforming it into the unmelted polymer fraction) by several times (the multiplier is arbitrary) on the Y-axis of (A). The horizontal axis is set to... Figure 4 The measured results of the "fluctuations" described in the text. The resulting graph is... Figure 6 The smaller the value, the more it can be considered a "suitable plasticization state." It can be seen that the resin temperature stability along the vertical axis is correlated with the measured "fluctuation." It can be said that the resin temperature stability is more stable when both the vertical and horizontal axes are small. Figure 6 The results show the same correlation as previously observed with the "appropriate plasticization state" determined by heat of action, black spot incidence, and unmelted polymer percentage (r = 0.77 vs. r = 0.79. The closer r is to 1, the higher the correlation). Therefore, it is possible to determine the appropriate plasticization state based on... Figure 1 (A) Figure 3 The shape of the estimated solid fraction calculation result shown in (A) is used to determine whether it is a “suitable plasticized state”, and the state value of the estimated solid fraction can be quantified into a judgment index.

[0088] Table 1 is... Figure 2 Table 2 shows the calculated and measured values ​​of the heat generation ΔT under case (B), as well as the calculated and measured values ​​of the resin temperature stability. Figure 1The calculated and measured values ​​of the calorific value ΔT under condition (B) and the calculated and measured values ​​of the resin temperature stability are provided. The smaller the value of the resin temperature stability, the more "appropriate plasticization state" it is. Therefore, the following index can be set for judgment: if the value of the resin temperature stability is less than 0.1, it is "excellent"; if the value of the resin temperature stability is above 0.1 and less than 0.5, it is "good"; if the value of the resin temperature stability is above 0.5 and less than 1.0, it is "qualified"; and if the value of the resin temperature stability is above 1.0, it is "unqualified".

[0089] [Table 1]

[0090]

[0091] [Table 2]

[0092]

[0093] The judgment index displayed in the display section is shown as a value representing the dimensionless resin temperature stability mentioned above. In this way, the displayed resin temperature stability can be used as a judgment index, and the smaller the value of the resin temperature stability, the more appropriate the plasticization state can be judged.

[0094] Furthermore, in the past (the technology in Patent Document 3), in order to obtain from Figure 2 (A) or Figure 3 The state of the estimated solid fraction calculation result shown in (A) becomes Figure 1 The state of the estimated solid fraction calculation result shown in (A) requires gradually changing each set value to determine the estimated solid fraction that achieves the optimal plasticizing state. Therefore, it is necessary to gradually change the set conditions while referring to the calculation results. Furthermore, in conventional injection molding machines, the "estimated solid fraction" is not displayed on the operation screen, or the "appropriate plasticizing state" cannot be numerically quantified. In contrast, in the injection molding auxiliary device of the present invention, as described above, in addition to the heating cylinder data, screw data, molding machine data, and resin data used in calculating external energy and plasticizing time, the plasticizing time is also added when necessary to calculate the estimated solid fraction. The estimated solid fractions obtained are connected together with each part of the screw as the horizontal axis, thereby enabling the calculation to be completed in a short time. Figure 1 The estimation of solid fraction and the criteria for resin temperature stability are shown in (A), etc. These calculations can be performed in a short time of less than 0.1 seconds.

[0095] As explained above, the molding condition confirmation device can provide a criterion for determining whether the injection filling conditions are suitable for achieving an appropriate plasticized state of the resin material. In particular, by using each condition as basic information, fully utilizing the estimated solid fraction obtained from a proprietary injection theory formula, and using the estimated solid fraction of the resin material at the screw tip as a criterion for determining whether it is an appropriate value (e.g., 0 or close to 0), this can be performed in a very short time (e.g., less than 0.1 seconds), making this criterion an effective judgment factor for the operator.

[0096] <Processing Flow>

[0097] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of a molding condition confirmation injection molding auxiliary device used to determine in a short time whether the set conditions for plasticizing the resin material during injection filling are appropriate.

[0098] First, the auxiliary procedure is executed (S1). Next, the operator inputs resin material data related to the resin material from the input screen (first setting section) displayed on the monitor (S2). If the input screen displays a resin selection section where the type of resin material can be selected, the desired resin material is selected from this selection section. Based on this selection, the resin material data pre-registered in the internal memory is set as input data. Additionally, the MFR data of the resin material to be used is input (S3). Next, the screw data is input (S4). When inputting the screw data, various size information, screw material, etc., can be input numerically or by selection from the screw data input screen, or the screw model can be selected from the input screen display, and the settings are automatically performed based on pre-registered screw data. Next, the heating cylinder data is input (S5). When inputting heating cylinder data, you can either input various dimensions, materials, control point positions, heater length, heater position, wattage, etc., from the heating cylinder data input screen by numerical values ​​or by selection, or you can select the model number of the heating cylinder data label from the input screen display to automatically set it according to the pre-registered heating cylinder data.

[0099] After setting (inputting) the basic information described above, the operator sets the molding conditions according to the normal setting process (S6). Molding conditions can be set through the molding condition setting screen. The set molding conditions are recorded as molding condition data. Otherwise, if input processing is required for molding preparation, the setting (input) related to the required basic information is completed.

[0100] After setting the molding conditions, the designated auxiliary start button (not shown) is activated. This executes the calculation process of Equations A and B, obtained by expanding the Tadmor model into the injection theory formula, and calculates the estimated solid fraction of each part of the screw based on the set basic information (S7). Then, these estimated solid fractions are connected together with each part of the screw as the horizontal axis, thereby obtaining the estimated solid fraction calculation result (S8).

[0101] Based on the calculated estimated solid fraction, the dimensionless resin temperature stability value is calculated as described above. The resin temperature stability value is then judged as excellent or poor by setting an index as follows: if the resin temperature stability value is less than 0.1, it is "excellent"; if the resin temperature stability value is 0.1 or higher and less than 0.5, it is "good"; if the resin temperature stability value is 0.5 or higher and less than 1.0, it is "acceptable"; and if the resin temperature stability value is 1.0 or higher, it is "unacceptable" (S9). This excellent or poor judgment is displayed as supplementary information on the display unit (S10). In this way, an index for determining whether the injection filling conditions are suitable for achieving an appropriate plasticized state of the resin material can be presented.

[0102] [Injection molding auxiliary device for presenting optimal conditions]

[0103] <Settings Department / Second Setting Department>

[0104] The setting unit (second setting unit) sets the basic information set by the first setting unit, including at least resin material data related to the resin material, screw data related to the screw, and heating cylinder data related to the heating cylinder, and sets limitation information related to the limiting conditions for obtaining optimal conditions. The "resin material data related to the resin material, screw data related to the screw, and heating cylinder data related to the heating cylinder" mentioned earlier can be shared with the first setting unit, but can also be set as a setting unit dedicated to the second setting unit. The resin material data, screw data, heating cylinder data, etc., are the same as the data described in the first setting unit. The limiting conditions for obtaining optimal conditions are conditions set instead of the "filling conditions during injection filling" in the first setting unit. Examples of such limiting conditions include, for instance,... Figure 9 The screw speed (rpm), back pressure (MPa), resin material metering position (mm), injection filling cycle time (seconds), resin material injection time (seconds), set temperature of each part of screw 3 (°C), drop outlet set temperature (°C), hopper set temperature (°C), and plasticizing time (seconds) are shown.

[0105] The second setting unit can be provided together with the first setting unit for setting in the injection molding aid for confirming the molding conditions, or it can be provided only with the second setting unit for setting in the injection molding aid for presenting optimal conditions. Figure 9 This is one example, and is not limited to this method. When both a first setting unit and a second setting unit are provided, the first setting unit and the second setting unit can set each data as needed. Therefore, it is possible to input limiting conditions corresponding to the characteristics of the injection molding machine, the type of resin material, and other specifications, and to assist the operator in making judgments based on the optimal conditions presented as suitable for those specifications.

[0106] exist Figure 9 The second setting section shows whether the "optimization mathematical system" uses a high-speed calculation method or not. When "not using" is selected, this condition is not used; calculations are performed only using the high-speed calculation method for other condition items where "using" is selected. Conversely, when "using" is selected, the selected condition item is used; calculations are performed using the high-speed calculation method for all condition items except those where "not using" is selected. Furthermore, in... Figure 9 In this context, the "minimum" and "maximum" of the "restriction conditions" refer to the minimum and maximum values ​​used for input condition items. This means that calculations are performed using a high-speed calculation method within the range of these minimum and maximum values. Therefore, calculations are performed using a high-speed calculation method within the upper and lower limits of the conditions set by the second setting unit.

[0107] The second setting unit, as described in the first setting unit description, is preferably located on the display panel. The type of display panel can also be the same as that described in the first setting unit description.

[0108] <Computation Department>

[0109] The computational unit calculates the estimated solid fraction of the resin material using a high-speed computational method based on basic and constraint information and an optimized mathematical processing system. For example... Figure 8 As shown in the flowchart, the estimated solid fraction calculated by this calculation unit is obtained using an estimated solid fraction derived from calculations based on basic information and constraint information. In this way, the optimal conditions displayed within the range of this information can be used as a criterion for actual molding. The calculation determines the optimal conditions within the range of the constraint information in the input basic information and constraint information.

[0110] The optimization mathematical processing system is a system for calculating the optimal estimated solid fraction under specific conditions. Specifically, it performs a calculation to ensure that the estimated solid fraction of the resin material at the screw tip (referred to in this application as the first estimated solid fraction) is 0 or close to 0. Through this calculation, injection filling conditions can be calculated that only the value of the first estimated solid fraction is 0 or close to 0. The calculated injection filling conditions are the optimal conditions for injection filling. The "optimal conditions" can be referred to as the conditions under which the plasticized state of the resin material is the aforementioned solid fraction (0 or substantially 0). Here, the first estimated solid fraction refers to the estimated solid fraction at the screw tip position, where the estimated solid fraction at the screw tip position is 0 or substantially 0, and the estimated solid fraction at other locations (referred to in this application as the second estimated solid fraction) is not 0 or substantially not 0, indicating the "optimal plasticized state".

[0111] As a method for calculating the conditions to achieve the "appropriate plastic state," this invention employs a high-speed computational method using an optimization mathematical processing system. This high-speed computational method utilizes mathematical programming, which is broadly categorized into linear analytical and nonlinear analytical methods. In this injection molding process, the optimal conditions need to be derived through nonlinear analytical methods. Furthermore, nonlinear analytical methods include successive exploration, the golden section method, the steepest descent method, and Newton's method. Additionally, there are various methods that consider constraints, such as penalty function methods or successive quadratic programming. However, regardless of the method, whether it offers high accuracy but slow computation time, or moderate accuracy but fast computation time, it remains under development. Moreover, nonlinear analytical algorithms are more difficult than linear analytical algorithms. However, the optimization mathematical system used in this invention is an improved version of Lagrange's indeterminate multiplier method, performing calculations based on the optimal conditions of nonlinear analytical methods. The mathematical solution in the optimization method is shown below.

[0112] The conditions used for injection filling are subject to various limitations imposed by the specifications of the injection molding machine used. The calculated values ​​of resin temperature stability under these limitations are assigned to the polynomial calculated using the following equation (1). An approximation of the quadratic polynomial of equation (1) is determined by the following equation (2). At this point, the partial derivatives of a, b, and c are set to 0. Therefore, the partial derivative of a becomes the following equation (3). Similarly, partial derivatives are also performed for b and c. Thus, the normal equation of the following equation (4) can be obtained. After finding the solutions for a, b, and c, the approximation is obtained by setting f≈fα. Then, for the constraint g, the optimal solution is calculated using the Lagrange indeterminate multiplier method of the following equation (5).

[0113] [Number 2].

[0114]

[0115]

[0116]

[0117]

[0118]

[0119] Regarding the calculation of the optimal solution, in, for example Figure 2 As shown in the estimated solid fraction calculation results of (A), the calorific value is large and fluctuates greatly, resulting in the complete melting point being much closer to the hopper side than the screw tip. Therefore, the setting... Figure 9 The constraints were shown, and the optimal conditions were derived. At this point, as... Figure 9 The constraints shown are set as follows: rotation speed 60 rpm to 200 rpm, back pressure 5 MPa to 25 MPa, cycle time 50 to 55 seconds, injection time 5 to 20 seconds, set temperature of each heating cylinder (in this case, 5 zones) 180℃ to 220℃, and dropper and hopper temperature 25℃ to 100℃. The calculation is then performed to determine the optimal solution. Furthermore, regarding the metering position, no maximum / minimum constraints are set; a limit of 50 mm is used.

[0120] Regarding the optimal value of the conditions after the calculation, such as Figure 10 As shown, the rotation speed is 50 rpm, the back pressure is 10.3 MPa, the cycle time is 50 seconds, the injection time is 5 seconds, the set temperature is 220℃ (nozzle)~215℃ (head)~210℃ (front)~205℃ (center)~200℃ (rear), the drop outlet temperature is 25℃, and the hopper temperature is 34.5℃. Figure 10 Based on Figure 9 The example shown is a display of the result obtained by using a high-speed calculation method to calculate the optimal conditions for injection filling that make the resin material in a "proper plasticized state" based on the input information of the setting unit. Figure 7 This is the estimated solid fraction calculated under the given conditions after the condition has been re-entered. Regarding this estimated solid fraction, the estimated solid fraction at the screw tip position is approximately "0". If set as the post-calculation condition, the estimated solid fraction is displayed at "appropriate plasticization state". By performing this calculation based on a modified formula derived from Lagrange's indeterminate multiplier method, the optimal solution can be calculated with high precision, and the set conditions can be calculated in less than 2 seconds.

[0121] Display Department

[0122] Similar to the injection molding aid for confirming molding conditions described above, the display unit shows a judgment index corresponding to the estimated solids percentage calculated by the calculation unit. Through this display unit, during injection filling, the calculation result, obtained within the constraints using a high-speed calculation method derived from an optimized mathematical processing system, can be presented as a valid judgment element for the operator. The displayed estimated solids percentage is the estimated solids percentage of the resin material at the screw tip, and whether the estimated solids percentage of the resin material at the screw tip is an appropriate value (e.g., 0 or close to 0) is displayed as a judgment index.

[0123] The displayed estimated solids percentage is preferably shown as a curve consisting of two or more estimated solids percentages: a first estimated solids percentage of the resin material at least at the screw tip and a second estimated solids percentage of the resin material at locations other than the screw tip. This allows the optimal conditions displayed within the scope of basic and limiting information to be used as a criterion for actual molding. In such a display, only the first and second estimated solids percentages may be displayed, or they may be displayed in a manner that also includes other estimated solids percentages. However, according to the present invention, by displaying the estimated solids percentages, including both the first and second estimated solids percentages, as a curve as a whole, or by displaying only a portion of them as a curve, the operator can easily confirm the results visually.

[0124] The judgment index displayed on the display unit is the dimensionless resin temperature stability. In this way, the displayed dimensionless resin temperature stability can be used as a judgment index; the smaller the resin temperature stability value, the more appropriate the plasticization state can be judged. As a judgment index, the resin temperature stability value can be set to determine whether it is good or bad, for example, as follows: if the resin temperature stability value is less than 0.1, it is "excellent"; if the resin temperature stability value is 0.1 or higher but less than 0.5, it is "good"; if the resin temperature stability value is 0.5 or higher but less than 1.0, it is "acceptable"; if the resin temperature stability value is 1.0 or higher, it is "unacceptable". To re-perform this good / bad judgment, the following steps are performed... Figure 8 The reoperation (retry) is shown. (By...) Figure 8 The "retry" procedure shown allows for the recalculation of the estimated solid fraction as needed. During the recalculation, the initially set constraints are changed, and the calculation is performed again. The estimated solid fraction after the recalculation is also judged as good or bad using the same criteria as described above.

[0125] As explained above, in the injection molding auxiliary device for presenting optimal conditions, the optimal conditions for achieving a proper plasticizing state can be calculated within the constraints using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system, and a judgment index corresponding to the judgment result can be presented. In particular, since the calculation is performed within the constraints using a high-speed calculation method of an optimization mathematical processing system, the calculation result can be used as a valid judgment factor for the operator.

[0126] <Processing Flow>

[0127] Figure 8 It is a flowchart that uses an injection molding auxiliary device to calculate the optimal conditions for the resin material to be in a "proper plasticized state" during injection filling and determines whether the calculated optimal conditions are appropriate values.

[0128] First, the auxiliary procedure is executed (S11). Next, the operator inputs various conditions from the input screen (first setting section) (S12). These conditions can include resin material data, MFR data, screw data, heating cylinder data, etc., related to the resin material. Furthermore, if the input screen displays a selection section where the category of each data item can be selected, the desired data is selected from that selection section. Based on this selection, pre-registered data can be set as input data. This is the same as the case with the injection molding auxiliary device for confirming molding conditions described above, so its explanation is omitted here.

[0129] Next, input the restriction conditions in the second setting section (S13). Regarding the restriction conditions, for example, it is possible to list... Figure 9 The conditions shown are as described, but not limited to these. Next, high-speed computation is performed using the input basic information and constraints (constraint information) (S14). As described above, the high-speed computation is performed by improving the Lagrange indeterminate multiplier method using Equations 1 to 5. The optimal conditions for the optimal solution are calculated using such high-speed computation.

[0130] After that, with Figure 5 Similarly, the processing flow shown involves calculating the estimated solid fraction under optimal conditions after the calculation (S15). The calculation for estimating the solid fraction is the same as that described in the section on injection molding auxiliary device for confirming molding conditions. By connecting the obtained estimated solid fractions together with each part of the screw as the horizontal axis, it is possible to obtain... Figure 7 The estimated solid fraction calculation result is shown (S16). Furthermore, the estimated solid fraction calculated by the calculation unit is obtained using an estimated solid fraction calculated based on basic information and constraint information. Regarding this estimated solid fraction, the optimal conditions displayed within the range of this information can be used as a judgment index during actual molding.

[0131] As described above, the dimensionless temperature stability value of the resin is calculated based on the estimated solid fraction. The resin temperature stability value is then used to determine whether it is good or bad, using the following criteria: a value less than 0.1 is considered "good"; a value greater than 0.1 and less than 0.5 is considered "good"; a value greater than 0.5 and less than 1.0 is considered "acceptable"; and a value greater than 1.0 is considered "unacceptable" (S17). This good / bad determination is displayed as supplementary information on the display unit. This allows for the presentation of criteria for determining whether the injection filling conditions are suitable for achieving an appropriate plasticized state for the resin material.

[0132] Furthermore, as mentioned above, if it is desired to perform a judgment on whether something is good or bad again, then... Figure 8 The recalculation (retry) is shown. Through the "retry" judgment step, the estimated solid fraction is recalculated as needed. During the recalculation, the initially set constraints are changed and the calculation is performed again. The estimated solid fraction after the recalculation is also judged as good or bad using the same index as described above. Then, as needed, the obtained optimal conditions are reflected in the injection filling (S18). In this way, the optimal conditions under the optimal calculation mode under the calculation constraints can be used to judge whether the calculation is good or bad.

[0133] <High-speed computing processing flow>

[0134] When calculating the resin temperature stability within the constraints, if the optimal solution of the quadratic function obtained by the Lagrange indeterminate multiplier method exceeds the constraints, the quadratic function curve within the constraints is treated as a linear function for judgment, and the optimal value is calculated. The optimal solution is, for example, as shown below. Figure 9 The optimal solution is obtained by performing calculations with constraints such as rotational speed, back pressure, metering position, cycle time, injection time, heating cylinder set temperature, drop outlet temperature, and hopper temperature, as shown in the figure, and can be displayed on the display panel.

[0135] exist Figure 11 The high-speed computing processing flow is shown in the diagram. For example... Figure 11 As shown, firstly, conditions are set using the setting unit, but execution is performed without any restrictions. Figure 5 S7 (calculation for estimating the solid fraction), then, Figure 5 The processing is carried out in each step of the molding condition confirmation mode shown.

[0136] On the other hand, under certain constraints, input the data with those constraints. Figure 8 (S13). As a limiting condition, for example, it is possible to... Figure 11As shown, parameters such as rotational speed and back pressure are listed. For constraint 1, the resin temperature stability is calculated within the constraint range, and a quadratic equation is constructed. The optimal value is then calculated using the Lagrange indeterminate multiplier method. If the optimal value does not exceed the constraint, the calculation proceeds directly to the next constraint condition. However, if the optimal value exceeds the constraint, the calculation of the optimal solution based on a linear equation is performed.

[0137] Next, for constraint 2, the same calculations as for constraint 1 are performed. The same process is repeated for constraint 3 and subsequent constraints. After calculating the optimal solution for each constraint, the solid fraction is calculated based on these optimal solutions, and the estimated solid fraction calculation result is calculated to determine the resin temperature stability. The quality of the resin temperature stability result is then assessed, and if the result is insufficient, the conditions are reset. Resetting involves re-entering the constraints and re-performing the calculations using the above procedure. If the resin temperature stability is deemed good, the result is reflected in the molding conditions.

[0138] Injection molding machine

[0139] The injection molding machine 10 of the present invention includes the injection molding auxiliary device described above. Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the injection molding machine 10. Figure 13 This is an example of an injection molding mold. Figure 14 This is an example of a screw. Figure 15 This is a block diagram showing the main structure of the injection molding auxiliary device. The injection molding machine 10 described below is an example and is not limited to this injection molding machine.

[0140] like Figure 12 As shown, the injection molding machine 10 includes at least a base 11, and an injection unit 12, a mold clamping device 13, a display device 14, and a control device 51 mounted on the base 11. Covers (20, 29, 30) are provided on the drive units of the injection unit 12 and the mold clamping device 13. Figure 12 An example is a horizontal injection molding machine, but it can also be a vertical injection molding machine; there is no particular limitation. Furthermore, there is no limitation on the drive method; it can be either electrically driven or hydraulically driven.

[0141] The mold closing device 13 is a device used for closing or opening and closing the mold; here, it will be described as a device having these functions, referred to as "mold closing device 13". Figure 13 As shown, the mold clamping device 13 includes a mold 2. The mold 2 is filled with fluid from the nozzle tip 4n of the heating cylinder 17 included in the injection device 12 (see reference). Figure 14Injected resin material. In this mold closing device 13, after the filled resin material cools and solidifies, the mold 2 is opened and the molded product is removed.

[0142] In the mold closing device 13, the fixed mold 2a and the movable mold 2b are closed and opened. Figure 13 As shown, the movable mold 2b mounted on the movable plate moves forward and backward to perform mold closing and opening. The moving mold 2b is moved forward and backward by a conventional, known method that uses the elbow 23 and crosshead 24 to extend or bend the elbow 23 by driving the mold closing drive unit (not shown).

[0143] like Figure 12 As shown, the injection unit 12 mainly consists of a heating cylinder 17 for plasticizing the resin material, a hopper 18 for storing the resin material supplied to the heating cylinder 17, and an injection mechanism 19. A screw 3 is installed inside the heating cylinder 17. The resin material supplied from the hopper 18 to the inside of the heating cylinder 17 is heated by a heater 4 wound around its outer periphery, being plasticized and metered simultaneously, and is conveyed to the front end by the rotation of the screw 3, where it is injected from the front nozzle 5 as the screw 3 advances. The injection mechanism 19 uses a hydraulic or electric drive as its power source. The screw 3, installed inside the heating cylinder 17, is as follows... Figure 14 As shown, the mechanism operates through a rotation mechanism, a forward mechanism, and a reverse mechanism. Furthermore, in screw 3, Zm refers to the metering zone, and Zc refers to the compression zone.

[0144] Figure 15 This is a block diagram of the various parts used to calculate and display the "appropriate plasticizing state" in the injection molding auxiliary device. The injection molding machine 10 according to the present invention has a control device 51 for controlling the whole (see reference). Figure 12 ).like Figure 15 As shown in the block diagram, the control device 51 includes a controller body and an internal memory. The controller body has computer functions with built-in hardware such as a CPU, and the internal memory contains registration data, including various data and programs. A display is connected to the control device body, which consists of the controller body and the internal memory. The display shows necessary information and includes a touch panel for inputting, setting, and selecting data. A driver assembly for driving various actuators (making the actuators work) is also connected to the control device body. The driver assembly includes... Figure 14 The diagram shows a temperature control driver, a power supply driver, and a heater driver, which include a power supply circuit and a temperature-controlled water circulation circuit.

[0145] The control device includes an HMI control system and a PLC control system, with PLC and HMI programs stored in internal memory. The PLC program executes the sequential actions of various processes within the injection molding machine and monitors the machine, while the HMI program sets and displays the control device's action parameters and displays monitoring data. The structure of this control device is not limited to this specific method; it can be based on the same structure as a standard injection molding machine.

[0146] The preferred embodiments have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. Without departing from the spirit of the present invention, the structure, shape, material, quantity, value, method, etc. of the minor parts can be arbitrarily changed, added, or deleted.

[0147] Furthermore, the injection molding auxiliary device and the injection molding machine equipped with the injection molding auxiliary device according to the present invention can be configured to operate the setting unit (first setting unit, second setting unit) (condition setting operation, optimization operation) in a terminal that can be connected via wireless communication (mobile network) (e.g., a smartphone or other mobile communication terminal, a personal computer, etc.), or to operate the setting unit (first setting unit, second setting unit) (condition setting operation, optimization operation) in a terminal that can be connected via both wireless communication and wired communication (fixed network). In such a terminal, the same display screen as the display screen of the injection molding auxiliary device can be displayed, or a display screen modified as a terminal display screen can be displayed. In such a terminal, the same operation as the setting unit of the injection molding auxiliary device can be performed while viewing the display screen. In this way, the operator can perform condition setting without looking at the display screen of the injection molding auxiliary device next to the injection molding machine, and can perform condition setting by viewing the display screen in a remote location such as a business floor far away from the machine, during commuting, or remote work at home. As a result, operators can diagnose the status in various locations and optimize the operation at any time, thus achieving high efficiency.

[0148] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0149] 2: Mold; 2a: Fixed mold; 2b: Movable mold; 3: Screw; 4: Heater; 5: Nozzle; 6: Screw tip; 10: Injection molding machine; 11: Machine base; 12: Injection device; 13: Mold closing device; 14: Display device; 17: Heating cylinder; 18: Hopper; 19: Injection mechanism; 20, 29, 39: Cover; 23: Toggle bar; 24: Crosshead; 51: Control device; Zm: Metering zone; Zc: Compression zone.

Claims

1. An injection molding assist device capable of presenting an optimum condition at the time of injection filling of a resin material that has been metered and plasticized from the front end of a screw into a mold for molding, characterized by comprising: a setting section that sets basic information including at least resin material data related to the resin material, screw data related to the screw, and heater cylinder data related to a heater cylinder, and sets restriction information related to a restriction condition for obtaining the optimum condition; a calculation section that calculates an estimated solidification rate of the resin material by a high-speed calculation method using an optimization mathematical processing system, based on the basic information and the restriction information; and a display section that displays a judgment index corresponding to a value of the estimated solidification rate.

2. The injection molding assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that the estimated solidification rate is an estimated solidification rate of the resin material at the front end of the screw.

3. The injection molding assist device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the estimated solidification rate is displayed as a curve constituted by two or more estimated solidification rates including a first estimated solidification rate of the resin material at the front end of the screw and a second estimated solidification rate of the resin material at a position other than the front end of the screw.

4. The injection molding assist device according to claim 3, characterized in that the calculation section performs a calculation for making the value of the first estimated solidification rate 0 or close to 0.

5. The injection molding assist device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the setting section includes at least: a first setting section that sets one or two or more data selected from the basic information; and a second setting section that sets whether to apply one or two or more data selected from the basic information as the restriction condition to the high-speed calculation method, and sets a range of the restriction condition in the case of applying to the high-speed calculation method.

6. The injection molding assist device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the calculation of the estimated solidification rate is performed by a nonlinear analysis method.

7. The injection molding assist device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the calculation section recalculates the estimated solidification rate as needed based on the estimated solidification rate, and displays the recalculated estimated solidification rate in the display section.

8. The injection molding assist device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the injection molding assist device is also capable of assisting in determining whether a condition at the time of injection filling of a resin material that has been metered and plasticized from the front end of a screw into a mold for molding is a condition that makes the resin material in an appropriate plasticized state, the setting section further sets second basic information including at least resin material data related to the resin material, screw data related to the screw, heater cylinder data related to a heater cylinder, and condition data related to the condition at the time of injection filling, and the calculation section further calculates an estimated solidification rate of the resin material based on the second basic information. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9. The injection molding assist device according to claim 8, characterized in that the estimated solid phase rate is an estimated solid phase rate of the resin material at the front end of the screw.

10. The injection molding assist device according to claim 8, characterized in that the estimated solid phase rate is displayed as a curve constituted by two or more estimated solid phase rates including at least a first estimated solid phase rate of the resin material at the front end of the screw and a second estimated solid phase rate of the resin material at a position other than the front end of the screw.

11. The injection molding assist device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the determination index displayed in the display section is displayed as a dimensionless resin temperature stability.

12. An injection molding machine characterized by, The injection molding assist device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 is provided.

Images