Injection molding machine management system

Abstract

To inhibit delay in production of a molded product in an injection molding unit of an injection molding machine. An injection molding machine management system that has an injection molding machine and manages production of molded products by one or more injection molding units of the injection molding machine is provided. The injection molding machine management system has a display section that displays a display screen that displays at least any one of operation information related to an operation state of an injection molding unit, container shortage information related to a shortage of a container for housing a molded product, and material shortage information related to a shortage of a material for molding a molded product, for each injection molding unit. The container shortage information is displayed on the display screen in correspondence with the operation information in a case where there is a shortage of a container in the injection molding unit, and the material shortage information is displayed on the display screen in correspondence with the operation information in a case where there is a shortage of a material in the injection molding unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an injection molding machine management system. Background Technology

[0002] Patent document 1 describes a system for managing injection molding machines that displays the machine's operating status in real time on a monitor on the host machine. A specific example of the operating status is "metal mold malfunction."

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-90582

[0004] In the event of an anomaly in the metal mold or injection molding machine, the production of molded parts in the injection molding machine is usually temporarily halted. On the other hand, production of molded parts in the injection molding machine may sometimes stop due to reasons other than an anomaly, such as insufficient material. When production of molded parts is halted due to such reasons, even if the injection molding machine or metal mold does not experience an anomaly, there is a possibility of production delays. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an injection molding machine management system is provided, which includes an injection molding machine and manages one or more injection molding units for manufacturing molded articles. The injection molding machine management system includes a display unit that displays at least one of the following for each injection molding unit: operating information related to the operating status of the injection molding unit, container shortage information related to the insufficiency of the container used to hold the molded article, and material shortage information related to the insufficiency of the material used to mold the article. The container shortage information is displayed on the display screen in accordance with the operating information when the container in the injection molding unit is insufficient, and the material shortage information is displayed on the display screen in accordance with the operating information when the material in the injection molding unit is insufficient. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Figure 1 This is an explanatory diagram showing the general structure of the injection molding machine management system.

[0007] Figure 2 This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen in the first embodiment.

[0008] Figure 3 It is a diagram that illustrates the operational status using the colors of various markers and icons.

[0009] Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen in the second embodiment.

[0010] Figure 5 This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen in the third embodiment.

[0011] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0012] 10…Injection molding machine management system, 50…Injection molding unit, 100…Injection molding machine, 110…First control unit, 200…Removal machine, 210…Second control unit, 300…Inspection device, 310…Third control unit, 400…Stacking mechanism, 401…First lifting device, 402…Second lifting device, 450…Display unit, 500…Management device, 501…CPU, 502…Storage unit, 510…Operating status detection unit, 520…Abnormality detection unit, 530…Insufficient container detection unit, 535…Insufficient material detection unit, 540…Output unit. Detailed Implementation

[0013] A. First implementation method:

[0014] Figure 1 This is an explanatory diagram showing the general configuration of the injection molding machine management system 10 in the first embodiment. The injection molding machine management system 10 manages one or more injection molding units 50. The injection molding machine management system 10 in this embodiment includes a display unit 450 and a management device 500.

[0015] Injection molding unit 50 is a unit of injection molding machine 100 equipped with an injection molding machine for molding articles. In this embodiment, as described later, a total of 7 injection molding units 50 are managed by injection molding machine management system 10, but... Figure 1 The image shows one of the injection molding units 50. Each injection molding unit 50 in this embodiment has the same configuration, and in addition to the injection molding machine 100 described above, it also includes an extraction machine 200 and an inspection device 300.

[0016] exist Figure 1 The solid arrows in the diagram illustrate the process of the molded article manufactured by the injection molding unit 50. The injection molding unit 50 molds the article using the injection molding machine 100, and the article is removed from the injection molding machine 100 by the take-out machine 200 and transported to the inspection device 300 for inspection.

[0017] The injection molding machine 100 includes a first control unit 110 and an injection device and a mold clamping device (not shown). The mold clamping device houses a molding die with a mold cavity. The molding die can be made of metal, ceramic, or resin. A metal molding die is referred to as a metal mold. The first control unit 110 is configured as a computer, which includes one or more processors, a storage device, and an input / output interface for inputting and outputting signals to and from external sources. The first control unit 110 can also be configured as multiple computers. The second control unit 210 of the extraction machine 200 and the third control unit 310 of the inspection device 300, described later, also have the same configuration as the first control unit 110.

[0018] The first control unit 110 controls each part of the injection molding machine 100 to perform injection molding and form a molded article. More specifically, the first control unit 110 controls the mold clamping device to close the mold and controls the injection device to plasticize the material and inject it into the mold, thereby forming a molded article having a shape corresponding to the shape of the mold cavity provided in the mold.

[0019] The first control unit 110 sends physical quantity information, representing physical quantities related to injection molding, to the management device 500. The physical quantity information includes measured values ​​from various sensors present in the injection molding machine 100, as well as various command values ​​related to injection molding. Command values ​​include, for example, values ​​set in the injection molding machine 100 such as injection filling time, injection pressure, or set temperature; the measured values ​​are the actual values ​​measured by the sensors.

[0020] As the material used to mold the article in the injection molding machine 100, a resin material such as ABS, which is formed into granules, is used, for example. In this embodiment, the material is stored in a material storage unit (not shown) provided in the injection molding machine 100 and is supplied from the material storage unit to the aforementioned injection device. The material storage unit is, for example, constituted by a hopper. For example, material is replenished to the material storage unit from the outside via a loader.

[0021] During the manufacture of a molded article, if the remaining material in the material storage section is less than the amount required to mold the article, the first control unit 110 stops the injection molding process performed by the injection molding machine 100. As a result, the manufacture of the molded article in the injection molding unit 50 is temporarily halted. In this situation, after replenishing the material storage section, injection molding is restarted, thereby resuming the manufacture of the molded article.

[0022] In this embodiment, the remaining amount of material stored in the material storage section is detected based on the detection value of a weight sensor (not shown) installed in the material storage section. The weight sensor detects the weight of the material stored in the material storage section, and its detection value is sent to the first control unit 110. In other embodiments, the first control unit 110 may also detect the remaining amount of material by measuring the height of the material stored in the material storage section, for example, using a non-contact or contact ranging sensor.

[0023] The extraction machine 200 in this embodiment consists of a second control unit 210, an extraction robot, and a cutting mechanism. The second control unit 210 controls the operation of the extraction robot and the cutting mechanism. The extraction robot is, for example, a horizontal or vertical articulated robot. The extraction robot extracts the molded article from the mold of the injection molding machine 100. The cutting mechanism is a device that removes the sprue and runner, which are formed together with the molded article in the mold, from the molded article by cutting them. In this embodiment, the extraction robot holds and extracts the molded article that has been demolded from the mold by the ejector pin of the injection molding machine 100 by an end effector mounted at the front end of the extraction robot's arm. Then, the sprue and runner are removed from the molded article by the cutting mechanism, and the extraction robot transports the molded article with the sprue and runner removed to the inspection device 300. In other embodiments, the extraction robot may be, for example, a robot that vacuum-adheres and holds the molded article. The extraction machine 200 may also not include a cutting mechanism.

[0024] The inspection device 300 in this embodiment consists of a third control unit 310 and a camera. The third control unit 310 controls the camera to photograph the molded article and analyzes the photographed image of the molded article to perform appearance inspection and dimensional inspection of the molded article.

[0025] The third control unit 310 sends inspection result data, which indicates information related to the inspection results of the molded product after molding by the injection molding machine 100, to the management device 500. The inspection result data includes the dimensions of the molded product measured using a camera, the quality judgment result, and the types of defects.

[0026] In this embodiment, the molded articles that have undergone visual and dimensional inspections are received by the robot constituting the aforementioned take-out machine 200 into a container for holding the molded articles. In this embodiment, the container is configured as a box-shaped tray with multiple recesses on its bottom surface, capable of holding multiple molded articles. The molded articles are held in the tray while being positioned in the recesses on the bottom surface of the tray. In other embodiments, the container may not have recesses. Furthermore, the container may not be box-shaped; for example, it may be a flat plate capable of supporting the molded articles. Additionally, the container may not hold multiple molded articles but only a single molded article.

[0027] In this embodiment, containers are stored in a stacking mechanism 400 provided in the inspection device 300. The stacking mechanism 400 includes: a first lifting device 401 for lifting and lowering containers that have contained molded articles while stacking them; and a second lifting device 402 for lifting and lowering empty containers that do not contain molded articles while stacking them. The robot described above places a predetermined number of molded articles onto containers placed on the first lifting device 401. When a predetermined number of molded articles are placed on a container, the first lifting device 401 lowers the container. On the lowered container, the uppermost container placed on the second lifting device 402 is slidably moved and placed by a sliding mechanism (not shown). Alternatively, for example, the movement of containers from the first lifting device 401 to the second lifting device 402 can be performed by a robot. On the second lifting device 402, multiple empty containers are stacked and stored, and when the uppermost container moves onto the first lifting device 401, the second lifting device 402 raises the remaining containers.

[0028] When the amount of empty containers in the molded product manufacturing process is insufficient, the manufacturing of the molded product in the injection molding unit 50 is temporarily stopped. More specifically, when the number of containers stacked on the first lifting device 401 becomes a predetermined number or more, or when the amount of empty containers stacked on the second lifting device 402 becomes zero, the second control unit 210 stops the transfer of the molded product from the robot to the stacking mechanism 400, and the first control unit 110 stops the injection molding of the injection molding machine 100. Thus, the manufacturing of the molded product is temporarily stopped. In this case, after the containers are moved out of the stacking mechanism 400 or the empty containers are replenished to the stacking mechanism 400, the transfer of the molded product from the robot to the stacking mechanism 400 and the injection molding are restarted, thereby restarting the manufacturing of the molded product. Hereinafter, the amount of empty containers will also be referred to as "container balance".

[0029] In this embodiment, the remaining amount of empty containers is detected based on the detection value of a weight sensor (not shown) installed on the first lifting device 401, etc. This weight sensor detects the weight of the empty containers stacked on the first lifting device 401, and its detection value is sent to the third control unit 310. Then, the third control unit 310 calculates the number of empty containers as the remaining amount of empty containers based on the sensor's detection value. The third control unit 310 sends the calculated number of empty containers to the first control unit 110 and the second control unit 210. In other embodiments, the third control unit 310, for example, measures the height of the containers stacked on the first lifting device 401 using a non-contact or contact ranging sensor, and detects the remaining amount of empty containers based on the measured height.

[0030] In addition to the aforementioned issues of insufficient container or material, the injection molding unit 50 also stops manufacturing of molded products in the event of an malfunction. Continuing to manufacture molded products while the injection molding unit 50 is malfunctioning, for example, if damage occurs to parts of the injection molding machine 100 or the molding die, it is possible to continuously manufacture defective products that do not meet standards related to appearance or dimensional accuracy. Malfunctions in the injection molding unit 50 include, for example, malfunctions in parts of the injection molding machine 100 such as the injection unit or mold clamping unit, the molding die mounted on the injection molding machine 100, the ejector 200, and the inspection device 300. In the injection molding unit 50, for example, the first control unit 110, the second control unit 210, and the third control unit 310 detect malfunctions based on physical quantity information, inspection data, and detection values ​​from various other sensors. Furthermore, if an emergency stop button (not shown) is pressed, the first control unit 110 and others also detect an malfunction in the injection molding unit 50.

[0031] In this embodiment, the display unit 450 is composed of a liquid crystal display included in the management device 500. The display unit 450 displays various information output from the management device 500. The display unit 450 may have, for example, a touch panel function. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the display unit 450 may be provided in the management device 500, for example, it may be the display of a computer, tablet terminal, smartphone, or other device separate from the management device 500.

[0032] The management unit 500 is composed of a computer having a CPU 501 and a storage unit 502. The storage unit 502 includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device.

[0033] The management device 500 is configured to communicate with each injection molding unit 50. More specifically, in this embodiment, the management device 500 is communicatively connected to the injection molding machine 100, the ejector 200, and the inspection device 300 included in each injection molding unit 50. In this embodiment, the management device 500 is configured to communicate with the injection molding machine 100, the ejector 200, and the inspection device 300 via a network NT. The network NT can be, for example, a LAN, a WAN, or the Internet. The management device 500 communicates with the injection molding machine 100, the ejector 200, and the inspection device 300 via the network NT, thereby performing data transmission and reception with the injection molding machine 100, the ejector 200, and the inspection device 300.

[0034] The management device 500 includes an operation status detection unit 510, an abnormality detection unit 520, a container shortage detection unit 530, a material shortage detection unit 535, and an output unit 540. The operation status detection unit 510, the abnormality detection unit 520, the container shortage detection unit 530, the material shortage detection unit 535, and the output unit 540 are implemented by the CPU 501 executing programs stored in the storage unit 502. Alternatively, they can be implemented using circuitry.

[0035] The operation status detection unit 510 detects the operation status of each injection molding unit 50. In this embodiment, the operation status detection unit 510 detects whether the injection molding unit 50 is in a stopped state, an operating state, a resting state, or a power-off state. The operation status detection unit 510 stores the detection results of the operation status in the storage unit 502.

[0036] A stopped state refers to a situation where the manufacturing of molded articles in the injection molding unit 50 has temporarily ceased. In this embodiment, the injection molding unit 50 enters a stopped state when an abnormality occurs, or when there is a shortage of material or container as described above. An operating state refers to a situation where the injection molding unit 50 is in operation, indicating that molded articles are being manufactured in the injection molding unit 50. A resting state is a state different from the stopped state, where the manufacturing of molded articles in the injection molding unit 50 has not yet begun. The injection molding unit 50 may rest, for example, during the period from the end of manufacturing a certain batch to the beginning of manufacturing the next batch, or during the period when regular maintenance is being performed.

[0037] The operation status detection unit 510 can detect the operation status, for example, by obtaining the operation status from the injection molding unit 50. Alternatively, the operation status detection unit 510 can also detect the operation status of the injection molding unit 50 based on physical quantity information or inspection result data received from the injection molding unit 50.

[0038] The anomaly detection unit 520 detects anomalies in each injection molding unit 50. For example, the anomaly detection unit 520 detects anomalies in the injection molding unit 50 by receiving a signal indicating an anomaly from the injection molding unit 50. The anomaly detection unit 520 then stores the anomaly detection results in the storage unit 502.

[0039] The container shortage detection unit 530 detects the shortage of containers used to hold the molded article on a per-injection molding unit 50 basis. In this embodiment, the container shortage detection unit 530 obtains information related to the remaining amount of the container from the injection molding unit 50 and detects a shortage based on the obtained information related to the remaining amount of the container. In this embodiment, the container shortage detection unit 530 determines that the container is insufficient if the remaining amount of the container is less than or equal to a predetermined first amount. In this embodiment, the first amount is represented by a value indicating the number of empty containers and is set to a value of 1 or higher. The container shortage detection unit 530 causes the storage unit 502 to store the detection result of the container shortage. In other embodiments, the container shortage detection unit 530 may also detect a shortage of the container by obtaining information indicating a shortage of the container from the injection molding unit 50.

[0040] The material shortage detection unit 535 detects a shortage of material for molding the article at each injection molding unit 50. In this embodiment, the material shortage detection unit 535 obtains information related to the remaining material from the injection molding unit 50 and detects a material shortage based on the obtained information related to the remaining material. In this embodiment, the material shortage detection unit 535 determines that there is a material shortage if the remaining material is less than or equal to a predetermined second amount. In this embodiment, the second amount is expressed in terms of weight, and is expressed as a weight of material or more required to mold one article. The material shortage detection unit 535 stores the detection result of the material shortage in the storage unit 502. In other embodiments, the material shortage detection unit 535 may also detect a material shortage, for example, by obtaining information indicating a material shortage from the injection molding unit 50.

[0041] The output unit 540 generates display data containing data for depicting the display screen described later, based on the detection results of the operating status, the material shortage, and the container shortage. The output unit 540 then displays the display screen on the display unit 450 based on the generated display data.

[0042] Figure 2 This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display screen SC displayed on the display unit 450 in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the display screen SC displays the operating rate and defect rate, as well as the status of each injection molding unit 50 included in each production line, arranged horizontally as a group. As described above, these injection molding units 50 are managed by the injection molding machine management system 10.

[0043] like Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, a total of seven injection molding units 50 are managed by the injection molding machine management system 10, and their status is displayed on the display screen SC. In this embodiment, the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 are configured on the first production line L1. The third unit U3 and the fourth unit U4 are configured on the second production line L2. The fifth unit U5 is configured on the third production line L3. The sixth unit U6 and the seventh unit U7 are configured on the fourth production line L4. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the number of injection molding units 50 managed by the injection molding machine management system 10 can be one, two to six, or even eight or more.

[0044] In the display screen SC, for example, information related to the first production line L1, such as the identification information of the first production line L1, the operating rate and defect rate of the first production line L1, and the status of the first unit U1 and the second unit U2 contained in the first production line L1, are displayed in a horizontal arrangement. In this embodiment, the identification information of the production line is represented by a string containing the production line number. For example, in Figure 2 In the display screen SC shown, the string "L1" is displayed as identification information for the first production line L1. The production line identification information can be input, for example, via an input unit provided in the management device 500, or obtained from the injection molding machine 100 of the injection molding unit 50.

[0045] In the display screen SC, at least one of the following is displayed as the status of each injection molding unit 50: operation information of each injection molding unit 50, and container shortage information and material shortage information of each injection molding unit 50. Operation information refers to information related to the operating status of the injection molding unit 50, such as information indicating whether the injection molding unit 50 is in a stopped state or in a running state. Container shortage information is information related to insufficient container. Material shortage information is information related to insufficient material. In the display screen SC of this embodiment, both operation information and container shortage information and material shortage information are displayed as the status of each injection molding unit 50.

[0046] In this embodiment, the operation information of each injection molding unit 50 is represented by various markings and icon colors arranged on an icon that represents each injection molding unit 50 in a generally rectangular shape. Furthermore, in this embodiment, in addition to the markings, the icon also displays identification information of the injection molding unit 50 represented by that icon. In other embodiments, other information related to the injection molding unit 50, such as the model number of the injection molding unit 50, may also be displayed on the icon.

[0047] Figure 3This is a diagram illustrating the operation of the injection molding unit 50 in this embodiment, represented by various marks arranged on the icons and the colors of the icons. For example... Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the icon displaying the first mark Mk1 and the icon representing the injection molding unit 50 are red, indicating that the injection molding unit 50 is stopped. For example, in Figure 2 The display screen SC indicates that the first unit U1 is currently stopped. A second marker Mk2 and a blue icon indicate that the injection molding unit 50 is in operation. A third marker Mk3 and a gray icon indicate that the injection molding unit 50 is at rest. A fourth marker Mk4 and a yellow icon indicate that the power supply to the injection molding unit 50 is off. In this embodiment, the first marker Mk1 to the fourth marker Mk4 are represented graphically. This graphical or color-coded representation of the operating status of the injection molding unit 50 improves the visual recognizability of the operating status on the display screen SC.

[0048] Furthermore, when operational status is displayed using icons or markers, the color of the icons or the shape of the markers can also be different. Figure 3 The icon shape may not be a roughly rectangular shape; for example, it may be a circle, an ellipse, or a roughly polygonal shape other than a rectangle. Furthermore, the operating status displayed on the display screen SC as operating information may not include all of the aforementioned stop, operating, idle, and power-off states. For example, as operating information, only information indicating a stop state and information indicating an operating state may be displayed on the display screen SC. Additionally, as operating information, information indicating states other than those mentioned above may be displayed on the display screen SC. Alternatively, for example, no mark may be displayed on the icon when the operating state is indicated, and a mark may be displayed when other operating states are indicated, thus distinguishing between operating states and other states on the display screen SC. Similarly, no mark may be displayed on the icon when the stop state is indicated, thus distinguishing between stop states and other states on the display screen SC.

[0049] In this embodiment, when there is insufficient container in the injection molding unit 50, the container shortage information is displayed on the display unit 450 in accordance with the operation information. For example, in Figure 2In the example, in the display screen SC, the red color of the icon representing the first unit U1 and the first mark Mk1 indicate that the first unit U1 is in a stopped state, and the icon representing the first unit U1 displays a message indicating that the container of the first unit U1 is insufficient. More specifically, in an area different from the area displaying the first mark Mk1 on the icon representing the first unit U1, the string "Replace Container" is displayed as a message indicating that the container is insufficient, and a fifth mark, which resembles the letter "i," is placed inside a circle. That is to say, in Figure 2 While the display screen SC is being shown, the first unit U1 is in a stopped state and is in a state of insufficient containers. In this embodiment, under these circumstances, the management device 500 determines that the first unit U1 is stopped due to insufficient containers.

[0050] In addition, Figure 2 In the example, the display screen SC indicates that the second unit U2 is in operation and displays a message indicating that the container of the second unit U2 is insufficient. That is to say, when displaying... Figure 2 In the state of display screen SC, the second unit U2 continues to manufacture the molded article, and the remaining amount of the container in the second unit U2 is less than or equal to the first amount mentioned above. As described above, the first amount in this embodiment is set to a value greater than or equal to 1, representing the quantity. Therefore, the container shortage information is displayed on display screen SC before the injection molding unit 50 stops manufacturing the molded article due to insufficient container. Furthermore, if the operation of the second unit U2 continues without replenishing the container from this state, the remaining amount of the container in the second unit U2 soon becomes 0. In this case, the manufacturing of the molded article in the second unit U2 stops, and information indicating that the second unit U2 is in a stopped state is displayed on display screen SC. In this embodiment, during this period, the string "container shortage" is maintained as container shortage information while it is displayed on display screen SC.

[0051] Preferably, the first amount described above is defined as an amount that can suppress the stopping of the injection molding unit 50 due to insufficient container and can further reduce the number of times the container needs to be replenished. In this case, the first amount is defined, for example, based on the time required to replenish the container in the injection molding unit 50 when the container is insufficient after the user confirms the insufficient container information displayed on the display unit 450.

[0052] In this embodiment, the material shortage information is displayed on the display unit 450 in accordance with the operation information when there is insufficient material in the injection molding unit 50. For example, in Figure 2In the example, the display screen SC indicates that the third unit U3 is in a stopped state and displays a material shortage message for the third unit U3. More specifically, in an area different from the area displaying the first marker Mk1 on the icon representing the third unit U3, the string "Replenish Material" and a fifth marker are displayed as material shortage information. That is, in the display... Figure 2 In the state shown on the display screen SC, the third unit U3 is in a stopped state and is in a state of insufficient material. In this embodiment, under these circumstances, the management device 500 determines that the third unit U3 is stopped due to insufficient material.

[0053] In addition, Figure 2 In the example, the display screen SC indicates that the fourth unit U4 is in operation, and it also displays a message indicating that the fourth unit U4 is short of materials. That is to say, when the display shows... Figure 2 In the state of display screen SC, the fourth unit U4 continues to manufacture the molded article, and the remaining amount in the container of the fourth unit U4 is less than or equal to the second amount mentioned above. As described above, the second amount in this embodiment is defined as a weight greater than or equal to the weight of material required to mold one molded article. Therefore, material shortage information is displayed on display screen SC before injection molding unit 50 stops manufacturing the molded article due to insufficient material. If the operation of the fourth unit U4 continues without replenishing material from this state, soon the remaining amount of material in the fourth unit U4 will be less than the amount of material required to mold one molded article. In this case, the manufacturing of the molded article in the fourth unit U4 stops, and information indicating that the fourth unit U4 is in a stopped state is displayed on display screen SC. In this embodiment, during this period, the string "material shortage" is maintained while the display screen SC is displaying material shortage information.

[0054] Preferably, the second amount described above is defined as an amount capable of suppressing the stopping of the injection molding unit 50 due to insufficient material and further reducing the number of times material needs to be replenished. In this case, the second amount is defined, for example, based on the time required to replenish material to the injection molding unit 50 when the user confirms the insufficient material information displayed on the display unit 450.

[0055] In addition, although Figure 2Although not illustrated, in this embodiment, when there is insufficient container and insufficient material in an injection molding unit 50, the container shortage information and material shortage information of that injection molding unit 50 are displayed on the display screen SC. In this case, the container shortage information and material shortage information may, for example, be displayed simultaneously in different areas of the display screen SC, or may be displayed alternately in the same area of ​​the display screen SC. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display screen SC sometimes indicates that an injection molding unit 50 is in a stopped state and neither the container shortage information nor the material shortage information of that injection molding unit 50 is displayed. In this case, the injection molding unit 50 is stopped due to an abnormality or other reason different from either the container shortage or the material shortage.

[0056] According to the first embodiment described above, a display unit 450 is provided that displays a display screen SC. The display screen SC displays at least one of operation information, container shortage information, and material shortage information for each injection molding unit 50. The container shortage information is displayed on the display screen SC in accordance with the operation information when there is a container shortage in the injection molding unit 50. The material shortage information is displayed on the display screen SC in accordance with the operation information when there is a material shortage in the injection molding unit 50. Therefore, the user can replenish the container or material based on the container shortage information and the material shortage information while referring to the operation information displayed on the display screen SC. Thus, in the injection molding unit 50, the possibility of production delays caused by a container or material shortage can be suppressed.

[0057] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, container shortage information is displayed on the display screen SC when the remaining amount of the container in the injection molding unit 50 is less than a first amount, and material shortage information is displayed on the display screen SC when the remaining amount of material in the injection molding unit 50 is less than a second amount. Therefore, container shortage information and material shortage information can be displayed on the display screen SC by simply controlling the timing so that the remaining amount of material or container is the desired amount.

[0058] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, container shortage information is displayed on display screen SC before injection molding unit 50 stops manufacturing of the molded article due to insufficient container, and material shortage information is displayed on display screen SC before injection molding unit 50 stops manufacturing of the molded article due to insufficient material. Therefore, compared to the case where container shortage information and material shortage information are only displayed when injection molding unit 50 is stopped due to insufficient container or insufficient material, the possibility of replenishing the container or material before injection molding unit 50 stops or at a timing earlier than the start of injection molding unit 50's stop is increased. Thus, the possibility of suppressing manufacturing delays of the molded article is further increased.

[0059] B. Second implementation method:

[0060] Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the display screen SC2 displayed on the display unit 450 in the second embodiment. The display unit 450 in this embodiment differs from that in the first embodiment; in addition to container shortage information and material shortage information, it displays exception information related to the exception of each injection molding unit 50. The parts of the display screen SC2 or the injection molding machine management system 10 in this embodiment that are not specifically described are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0061] In this embodiment, when an abnormality occurs in the injection molding unit 50, the abnormality information is displayed on the display screen SC2 in accordance with the operation information. For example, in Figure 4 In the example, screen SC2 indicates that the first unit U1 is in a stopped state and displays an error message for the first unit U1. More specifically, in an area different from the area displaying the first marker Mk1 on the icon representing the first unit U1, the string "Error" and a fifth marker are displayed as error information. That is, in the area displaying... Figure 2 In the state shown on the display screen SC, the first unit U1 is in a stopped state and an abnormality has occurred. In this embodiment, under these circumstances, the management device 500 determines that the first unit U1 is stopped due to an abnormality.

[0062] In this embodiment, when a container shortage or abnormality occurs in the injection molding unit 50, the container shortage information and abnormality information of the injection molding unit 50 are displayed in different areas of the display screen SC2. For example, in Figure 4 In the example, the icon representing the fourth unit U4 displays the aforementioned abnormal information and container shortage information for the fourth unit U4 vertically. Furthermore, in the event of material shortage or abnormality in the injection molding unit 50, the material shortage information and abnormality information for that injection molding unit 50 are also displayed in their respective areas of the display screen SC2 in the same manner as described above.

[0063] According to the second embodiment described above, the display unit 450 displays abnormal information for each injection molding unit 50. When an abnormality occurs in the injection molding unit 50, the abnormal information is displayed on the display screen SC2 in accordance with the operation information. Therefore, when abnormal information is displayed on the display screen SC2, the user can perform actions to eliminate the abnormality based on the displayed abnormality information. On the other hand, when information such as insufficient container or insufficient material is displayed, the user can replenish the container or material based on the displayed information. In particular, for example, if the person in charge of performing the actions to eliminate the abnormality is different from the person in charge of replenishing the container or material, the user can determine which person should handle the situation based on the information displayed on the display unit 450. Therefore, the possibility of more quickly eliminating abnormalities and insufficient materials or containers in the injection molding unit 50 is increased, and the possibility of suppressing manufacturing delays of the molded product is further increased.

[0064] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when a container shortage or abnormality occurs in the injection molding unit 50, the container shortage information and abnormality information are displayed in different areas of the display screen SC2; similarly, when a material shortage or abnormality occurs, the material shortage information and abnormality information are displayed in different areas of the display screen SC2. Therefore, compared to the case where container shortage information, material shortage information, and abnormality information are alternately displayed in the same area of ​​the display screen SC2, the visual recognizability of these information on the display screen SC2 can be improved. Thus, by ignoring container shortage information and material shortage information, for example, it is possible to prevent the injection molding unit 50 from stopping again due to container or material shortage immediately after restarting the molding process following the completion of the process to eliminate abnormalities in the injection molding unit 50. Therefore, the possibility of suppressing production delays in the molded product is further increased.

[0065] C. Third implementation method:

[0066] Figure 5 This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the display screen SC3 displayed on the display unit 450 in the third embodiment. In this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the container shortage information is expressed using the number of containers. The parts of the display screen SC3 or the injection molding machine management system 10 in this embodiment that are not specifically described are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0067] In this embodiment, the container shortage information is represented by the number of empty containers in the injection molding unit 50. More specifically, in this embodiment, the container shortage information is calculated based on a sensor used to detect the remaining quantity of containers disposed in the stacking mechanism 400, and is represented by the current number of empty containers. Figure 5In the example, display screen SC3 indicates that the first unit U1 is in a stopped state, and displays a fifth marker as information that the first unit U1 has insufficient containers, along with the string "0 containers remaining" containing the value "0". Additionally, display screen SC3 indicates that the second unit U2 is in an operating state, and displays a fifth marker as information that the second unit U2 has insufficient containers, along with the string "10 containers remaining" containing the value "10".

[0068] According to the third embodiment described above, the container shortage information is represented by the number of empty containers. Therefore, the possibility of replenishing containers at a more appropriate timing is increased. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the container shortage information can be represented, for example, by the number of containers already contained. Additionally, both the number of empty containers and the number of containers already contained can be displayed on the display unit 450 as container shortage information. In these methods, the possibility of replenishing containers at a more appropriate timing is also increased, similar to the third embodiment.

[0069] In other embodiments, for example, material shortage information can be represented by the quantity of material, similar to how the quantity of containers represents container shortage information in the third embodiment. Furthermore, container shortage information and material shortage information can also be displayed by means of the predicted time until container or material shortages occur, or the number of molded articles that can be manufactured until container or material shortages occur.

[0070] D. Other implementation methods:

[0071] (D1) In the above embodiment, the display unit 450 displays both container shortage information and material shortage information, but it may also display only either container shortage information or material shortage information. Therefore, for example, the injection molding unit 50, which does not use a container in the handling of the molded article, can be managed by the injection molding machine management system 10.

[0072] (D2) In the above embodiment, if a container shortage or abnormality occurs in the injection molding unit 50, the container shortage information and the abnormality information are displayed in different areas of the display screen SC2, but they can also be displayed in the same area. For example, they can be displayed alternately in the same area of ​​the display screen SC2. Similarly, material shortage information and abnormality information can also be displayed in the same area of ​​the display screen SC2.

[0073] (D3) In the above embodiment, container shortage information is displayed on the display screen SC when the remaining amount of the container is less than or equal to a first amount. Alternatively, for example, container shortage information may also be displayed when the amount of containers already contained is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount. Furthermore, container shortage information may also be displayed when the number of molded articles that can be manufactured until the remaining amount of the container reaches zero, calculated based on the amount of empty or contained containers, is less than a predetermined number, or when the time required to manufacture molded articles until the remaining amount of the container reaches zero is less than a predetermined time. Similarly, material shortage information may not be displayed on the display screen SC when the remaining amount of material is less than or equal to a second amount.

[0074] (D4) In the above embodiment, the container shortage information is displayed on the display screen SC in the injection molding unit 50 before the manufacturing of the molded article is stopped due to insufficient container. Alternatively, the container shortage information may be displayed only if the manufacturing of the molded article is stopped in the injection molding unit 50 due to insufficient container. Similarly, the material shortage information may be displayed only if the manufacturing of the molded article is stopped in the injection molding unit 50 due to insufficient material.

[0075] (D5) In the above embodiment, the display screen SC shows a set of various information such as operating rate for each production line. In contrast, the various information in the display screen SC may not be displayed for each production line; for example, it may be displayed only for each injection molding unit 50, or it may be displayed for each factory.

[0076] (D6) In the above embodiment, the operating status of the injection molding unit 50 is indicated by the color of the markers and icons. Alternatively, the operating status may be indicated solely by the color of the markers or icons. Furthermore, the operating status may be indicated not by the color of the markers or icons, but by, for example, the shape of a string or icon. Additionally, the operating status may not be displayed on the icon; for example, it may be displayed solely by a string or marker.

[0077] (D7) In the above embodiment, the container shortage information is represented by a fifth marker and the string "Replace Container". Alternatively, the container shortage information can also be represented by a marker other than the fifth marker or a string other than "Replace Container". Furthermore, for example, the container shortage information can be displayed by changing the color of the string or marker. In this case, for example, when the container in the injection molding unit 50 is full, the string "Replace Container" is displayed in white, and when the container is insufficient, the string is displayed in red, thereby displaying the container shortage information. Similarly, for example, when the container is full, a marker such as the fifth marker can be displayed in white, and when the container is insufficient, the marker can be displayed in red, thereby displaying the container shortage information. Additionally, when the container is insufficient, one or both of the marker or string can be made to flash. Alternatively, different shapes of markers can be displayed for both full and insufficient container conditions, thereby displaying the container shortage information. Similarly, material shortage information can also be represented by a marker other than the fifth marker or a string other than "Replenish Material", and abnormal information can also be represented by a marker other than the fifth marker or a string other than "Abnormal". In addition, when the operational status is not indicated by the color of the icon, information such as insufficient container, insufficient material, or abnormality can be indicated by the color of the icon.

[0078] (D8) In the above embodiment, in the injection molding unit 50, if there is insufficient material or container, the first control unit 110 or the like is provided in the control unit of the injection molding unit 50 to stop injection molding, thereby stopping the manufacture of the molded article. Alternatively, in the event of insufficient material or container, injection molding can also be stopped by user operation, thereby stopping the manufacture of the molded article in the injection molding unit 50.

[0079] (D9) In the above embodiment, if there is insufficient container in the injection molding unit 50, the injection molding of the injection molding machine 100 is stopped except that the molded article is transported to the stacking mechanism 400 by a robot. Alternatively, injection molding may not be stopped immediately if there is insufficient container. For example, if the molded article is transported to a temporary storage location by a conveyor belt or the like and then handled by a robot, injection molding can continue while the temporary storage location can receive the molded article. In this case, the manufacturing of the molded article in the injection molding unit 50 is stopped, but injection molding continues.

[0080] (D10) In the above embodiment, the injection molding unit 50 includes an injection molding machine 100, a take-out machine 200, and an inspection device 300. In contrast, the injection molding unit 50 only needs to include the injection molding machine 100. It may also omit the take-out machine 200 or the inspection device 300. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each injection molding unit 50 managed by the injection molding machine management system 10 is identical. However, the configuration of each injection molding unit 50 may differ. For example, an injection molding unit only equipped with the injection molding machine 100, or an injection molding unit 50 that, like in the above embodiment, includes the injection molding machine 100, the take-out machine 200, and the inspection device 300, can all be managed by the injection molding machine management system 10.

[0081] E. Other methods:

[0082] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various ways without departing from its spirit. For example, this disclosure can also be implemented in the following ways. The technical features in the above embodiments corresponding to the technical features in the various methods described below can be appropriately replaced or combined to solve part or all of the problems of this disclosure or to achieve part or all of the effects of this disclosure. In addition, if such technical features are not described as essential in this specification, they can be appropriately deleted.

[0083] (1) According to one aspect of this disclosure, an injection molding machine management system is provided, which includes an injection molding machine and manages one or more injection molding units for manufacturing molded articles. The injection molding machine management system includes a display unit that displays at least one of the following for each injection molding unit: operation information related to the operation status of the injection molding unit, container shortage information related to the insufficiency of a container for holding the molded article, and material shortage information related to the insufficiency of material used to mold the molded article. The container shortage information is displayed on the display screen in accordance with the operation information when the container in the injection molding unit is insufficient, and the material shortage information is displayed on the display screen in accordance with the operation information when the material in the injection molding unit is insufficient.

[0084] In this way, users can replenish containers or materials based on insufficient container or material information while referring to the operating information displayed on the screen. Therefore, in the injection molding unit, the possibility of production delays caused by insufficient containers or materials is increased.

[0085] (2) Alternatively, in the above method, the display screen shows abnormal information related to the abnormality of each injection molding unit. This abnormal information is displayed on the display screen in accordance with the operating information when the abnormality occurs in the injection molding unit. According to this method, when abnormal information is displayed on the display, the user can perform actions to eliminate the abnormality based on the displayed abnormality information. Furthermore, when container shortage information or material shortage information is displayed, the user can replenish the container or material based on the displayed information. Therefore, the possibility of more quickly eliminating abnormalities and material or container shortages in the injection molding unit is increased, and the possibility of suppressing manufacturing delays in the molded product is further increased.

[0086] (3) Alternatively, in the above-described manner, if a shortage of the container or an abnormality occurs in the injection molding unit, the container shortage information and the abnormality information are displayed in different areas of the display screen; similarly, if a shortage of the material or an abnormality occurs in the injection molding unit, the material shortage information and the abnormality information are displayed in different areas of the display screen. According to this method, for example, compared to the case where container shortage information, material shortage information, and abnormality information are alternately displayed in the same area of ​​the display screen, the visual recognizability of container shortage information, material shortage information, and abnormality information on the display screen can be improved. Therefore, the possibility of suppressing production delays of the molded product is further increased.

[0087] (4) Alternatively, in the above method, the container shortage information is displayed on the display screen when the remaining amount of the container is below a predetermined first amount, and the material shortage information is displayed on the display screen when the remaining amount of the material is below a predetermined second amount. According to this method, the container shortage information and material shortage information can be displayed on the display screen by simple control and at timed according to the desired amount of material or container remaining amount.

[0088] (5) Alternatively, in the above-described manner, the container shortage information is displayed on the display screen in the injection molding unit before the manufacturing of the molded article is stopped due to the container shortage, and the material shortage information is displayed on the display screen in the injection molding unit before the manufacturing is stopped due to the material shortage. According to this method, for example, compared to the case where the container shortage information and material shortage information are only displayed when the injection molding unit is stopped due to the container shortage or material shortage, the possibility of replenishing the container or material at a predetermined time before or earlier than the time since the injection molding unit stops is increased. Therefore, the possibility of suppressing manufacturing delays of the molded article is further increased.

[0089] (6) Alternatively, in the above method, the display screen shows a container shortage information, which is represented by at least one of the number of containers that have been filled with the molded article and the number of containers that have not been filled with the molded article. According to this method, the possibility of replenishing the containers at more appropriate intervals is increased.

Claims

1. A management system for an injection molding machine, characterized in that, Equipped with an injection molding machine, it manages one or more injection molding units that manufacture molded products. The injection molding machine management system includes a display unit that displays at least one of the following for each injection molding unit: operating information related to the operating status of the injection molding unit, container shortage information related to the insufficiency of the container used to hold the molded article, and material shortage information related to the insufficiency of the material used to mold the article. The container shortage information, in the event of a container shortage in the injection molding unit, is displayed on the screen in accordance with the operation information. The material shortage information is displayed on the screen in accordance with the operation information when the remaining material in the injection molding unit is below a predetermined second amount. The operation information includes information indicating that the injection molding unit is in a stopped state and information indicating that the injection molding unit is in an operating state. The second quantity is the weight of the material required to form one of the molded articles.

2. A management system for an injection molding machine, characterized in that, Equipped with an injection molding machine, it manages one or more injection molding units that manufacture molded products. The injection molding machine management system includes a display unit that displays at least one of the following for each injection molding unit: operating information related to the operating status of the injection molding unit, container shortage information related to the insufficiency of the container used to hold the molded article, and material shortage information related to the insufficiency of the material used to mold the article. The container shortage information, in the event of a container shortage in the injection molding unit, is displayed on the screen in accordance with the operation information. The material shortage information is displayed on the screen in accordance with the operation information when the remaining material in the injection molding unit is below a predetermined second amount. The display screen shows abnormal information related to the abnormality of each injection molding unit. If the aforementioned abnormality occurs in the injection molding unit, the abnormality information and the corresponding operational information are displayed on the display screen. The second quantity is the weight of the material required to form one of the molded articles.

3. The injection molding machine management system according to claim 2, characterized in that, In the event of a shortage or an abnormality in the container during the injection molding unit, the shortage information and the abnormality information are displayed in separate areas of the display screen. In the event of a material shortage or an abnormality occurring in the injection molding unit, the material shortage information and the abnormality information are displayed in their respective different areas on the display screen.

4. A management system for an injection molding machine, characterized in that, Equipped with an injection molding machine, it manages one or more injection molding units that manufacture molded products. The injection molding machine management system includes a display unit that displays at least one of the following for each injection molding unit: operating information related to the operating status of the injection molding unit, container shortage information related to the insufficiency of the container used to hold the molded article, and material shortage information related to the insufficiency of the material used to mold the article. The container shortage information, in the event of a container shortage in the injection molding unit, is displayed on the screen in accordance with the operation information. The material shortage information is displayed on the screen in accordance with the operation information when the remaining material in the injection molding unit is below a predetermined second amount. The display screen shows that the container is low. The container shortage information is represented by at least one of the number of containers that have been filled with the molded article and the number of containers that have not been filled with the molded article. The second quantity is the weight of the material required to form one of the molded articles.

5. The injection molding machine management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The insufficient container information is displayed on the screen when the remaining amount in the container is below a predetermined first amount.

6. The injection molding machine management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The container shortage information is displayed on the screen in the injection molding unit before the manufacturing of the molded article is stopped due to the insufficient container. The material shortage information is displayed on the screen in the injection molding unit before manufacturing is stopped due to the material shortage.

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