Mixing system

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a kneading system capable of performing highly reliable determination by appropriately setting determination conditions when determining a kneading state. In order to solve the problem, provided is a kneading system provided with: a kneading unit for kneading a kneaded material; and a determination condition setting unit that sets, before kneading, determination conditions for determining the kneading state on the basis of external factors other than the kneading conditions during kneading. According to the present invention, a determination condition for determining the kneading state is set in advance before kneading in accordance with other external factors instead of kneading conditions during kneading, whereby it is possible to set an appropriate determination condition taking into account the influence of the external factors. As a result, a highly reliable determination can be performed in the kneading state determination.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a kneading system for kneading kneading materials to obtain a kneaded product. Background Art

[0002] As an apparatus for kneading a material (kneading material) having a high viscosity such as a raw material rubber or a raw material plastic, a closed type kneading machine is known.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a closed-type kneading machine including: a container for accommodating a kneaded material; a pressure cover for closing the upper portion of the container; and a pair of rotors installed in the container.

[0004] Previous technical literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-120221 Summary of the invention

[0007] Technical issues to be solved by the invention

[0008] In order to ensure the reproducibility of kneading, the end condition of kneading in the closed kneading machine described in Patent Document 1 is often set to the time when the kneading time, the temperature of the kneaded material or the accumulated electric power reaches a specified value. On the other hand, even when the same end condition is met, there are cases where kneading is performed normally and cases where kneading is excessive or insufficient, and a method for determining the kneading state (including kneading abnormalities such as kneading quality deviation) is desired.

[0009] Here, as one method of determining the kneading state, it can be considered to determine by measuring the physical property values ​​of the kneaded product after kneading or by functional inspection at the product stage, etc. However, the determination takes time, and if it is determined to be defective after the post-process, the post-process becomes useless, and the productivity is greatly reduced.

[0010] As another method, it is conceivable to monitor various data during kneading to determine the kneading state during kneading. However, the state of the kneaded material changes greatly during kneading, and there is a great problem in the accuracy of on-site determination.

[0011] Furthermore, when determining the mixing state, various parameter values ​​are obtained and determined based on the values, but at this time, as one of the determination conditions for determining the mixing state, it is necessary to set a numerical range (allowable range) that can be considered to be normally mixed. The allowable range is mostly set to a fixed value or a fixed ratio. By expanding the width of the numerical range as the allowable range, the yield rate can be improved, but there are problems in maintaining the quality of the product. Furthermore, depending on which moment the parameter value is obtained and determined during mixing, the appropriate numerical range may change, so there is a situation where it is not appropriate to set the allowable range to a fixed value or a fixed ratio.

[0012] Furthermore, the inventors have found that even if the obtained parameter values ​​are within the allowable range, the kneading quality may still be insufficient. Furthermore, the inventors have found that even if kneading is performed under the same kneading conditions that were once determined to be normal, using the same device and the same kneading material, a defective product may occur, and as a result, there may be a case of over-kneading or under-kneading.

[0013] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a kneading system capable of performing a highly reliable determination by appropriately setting determination conditions when determining a kneading state.

[0014] Means for solving technical problems

[0015] The inventors have conducted in-depth research on the above-mentioned problem, and as a result, have realized that the kneading quality is not only affected by the kneading conditions during kneading, but also greatly affected by other factors. Furthermore, the inventors have obtained the following insights and completed the present invention: by setting the determination conditions for determining the kneading state not based on the kneading conditions during kneading but based on other external factors before kneading, the determination conditions can be appropriately set, and a highly reliable determination can be made.

[0016] That is, the present invention provides the following kneading system.

[0017] In order to solve the above problems, the kneading system of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a kneading section that kneads kneading materials; and a determination condition setting section that sets determination conditions for determining a kneading state before kneading based on external factors other than the kneading conditions during kneading.

[0018] As described above, the present inventors have discovered that the kneading quality may be insufficient even when the judgment conditions set based on the parameter values ​​obtained during kneading are satisfied, and have conducted in-depth studies on the cause thereof. As a result, they have obtained the following findings: the kneading quality is not only affected by the kneading conditions during kneading (kneading time, temperature during kneading, rotor rotation speed, etc.), but is also greatly affected by other factors.

[0019] According to the kneading system of the present invention, the determination condition for determining the kneading state is set in advance before kneading based on external factors other than the kneading conditions during kneading, thereby setting appropriate determination conditions that take into account the influence of external factors. Thus, a highly reliable determination can be made in the determination of the kneading state.

[0020] Furthermore, as an embodiment of the kneading system of the present invention, it is characterized in that the external factors include at least one of the ambient temperature of the kneading section, the mechanical temperature of the kneading section itself, the water temperature of the cooling water, and the physical properties of the kneaded material when it is put into the kneading section.

[0021] According to findings obtained by the present inventors, kneading quality is greatly affected not only by the type of kneading equipment and kneading conditions but also by external factors related to temperature and the state (shape or properties) of the kneaded material before kneading.

[0022] According to this feature, as external factors for setting the judgment conditions, it is possible to select from the ambient temperature of the kneading section, the mechanical temperature of the kneading section itself, the water temperature of the cooling water, and the physical properties (including shape) of the kneading material when it is put into the kneading section, which are not direct kneading conditions but may become one of the environmental conditions when kneading. Thus, it is possible to set the judgment conditions corresponding to the temperature that has a great influence on the kneading quality or the state of the kneading material before kneading. Therefore, it is possible to set more appropriate judgment conditions with high accuracy, and it is possible to further improve the reliability of the judgment of the kneading state.

[0023] Furthermore, as an embodiment of the kneading system of the present invention, it is characterized in that the judgment condition refers to an upper limit value and / or a lower limit value of a kneading state value representing the kneading state, and the kneading state value includes at least one of a driving load related to the driving of the kneading section, a temperature of the kneading material during kneading, and a plunger (ram) position.

[0024] According to this feature, by setting the judgment condition set before kneading to the upper limit and / or lower limit of the kneading state value (i.e., the numerical range (allowable range) that can be regarded as normal kneading), the allowable range can be set to a numerical range that can be appropriately changed according to external factors without setting the allowable range to a fixed value or a fixed ratio. Therefore, more appropriate judgment conditions can be set with high accuracy, and the reliability of the judgment of the kneading state can be further improved.

[0025] Furthermore, as an embodiment of the kneading system of the present invention, it is characterized in that the judgment condition includes a judgment period consisting of a part of the period from the start of kneading to the end of kneading in the kneading section, and the kneading system comprises: a correction information acquisition section, which acquires correction information according to the temperature of the kneading material after the start of kneading in the kneading section; and a state information acquisition section, which acquires state information representing a change in the kneading state value in the kneading section, and the kneading system further comprises a kneading state determination section, which corrects the judgment condition according to the correction information, and determines the kneading state in the kneading section according to the corrected judgment condition and the state information.

[0026] As mentioned above, the kneading quality is greatly affected by the physical properties of the kneading materials. Moreover, among the physical properties of the kneading materials, the physical properties (viscosity, elasticity, etc.) in particular vary according to the temperature of the kneading materials. Therefore, in determining the kneading state, it is preferred to consider the influence caused by the change in the physical properties of the kneading materials caused by the temperature difference of the kneading materials.

[0027] According to this feature, correction information that changes according to the temperature of the kneaded material is obtained, the judgment condition is corrected according to the obtained correction information, and the kneading state is judged using the corrected judgment condition and state information, thereby, the judgment condition set in advance according to the external factor can be applied to the judgment in a form that suppresses the influence caused by the change of the physical property of the kneaded material caused by the temperature of the kneaded material after the start of kneading. As a result, the reliability of the judgment of the kneading state can be further improved.

[0028] Effects of the Invention

[0029] According to the present invention, there is provided a kneading system capable of appropriately setting determination conditions when determining a kneading state and performing highly reliable determination. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the structure of a kneading system in a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the variation tendency of the kneading state value caused by external factors.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the processing of the kneading system in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic explanatory diagram showing changes in kneading state values ​​from the start of kneading to the end of kneading in the kneading process.

[0034] Figure 5 It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the structure of a kneading system in a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic explanatory diagram showing another form of the change in the kneading state value from the start of kneading to the end of kneading in the kneading process.

[0036] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the processing of the kneading system in the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of another aspect of the processing of the kneading system in the second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Hereinafter, embodiments of the kneading system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0039] In addition, the kneading system described in the embodiment is merely an example for explaining the kneading system of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0040] [First embodiment]

[0041] Figure 1 It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the structure of a kneading system in a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, the kneading system 100A in the present embodiment includes a kneading section 10 and a determination condition setting section 20 .

[0043] Furthermore, the kneading system 100A in the present embodiment further includes a kneading state determination unit 30A that determines the kneading state using the determination condition set by the determination condition setting unit 20 .

[0044] The kneading section 10 kneads kneading materials such as plastics and rubbers. The kneading section 10 includes a container 11 , a plunger 12 (pressing cap), a rotor 13 , a cylinder 14 , a position sensor 15 , a motor 16 , and a temperature sensor 17 .

[0045] The container 11 is a trough-shaped member for storing and kneading the kneading material. Figure 1 As shown, the upper part of the container 11 is opened, and a plunger 12 is inserted therein from above. The kneaded material is sealed inside the container 11 by the plunger 12.

[0046] The plunger 12 is disposed in the container 11 in a state where it can move up and down. In a state where the plunger 12 is moved upward to open the upper part of the container 11, the kneaded material is put into the container 11. Thereafter, the plunger 12 is moved downward to pressurize the put kneaded material from above, and the rotor 13 is rotated to knead the kneaded material.

[0047] The space inside the container 11 is in a shape in which a pair of cylinders whose central axes are parallel to each other are arranged so that part of their side surfaces overlap each other. Furthermore, a pair of rotors 13 are arranged inside the container 11 so that their central axes coincide with the central axes of the cylinders and can rotate. Helical rotor blades are formed on the surface of the rotors 13. In addition, the case where the internal space of the container 11 is in the above-mentioned shape is described here, but it can also be in other shapes, for example, it can be in a shape in which a pair of cylinders whose central axes are parallel to each other do not overlap.

[0048] The rotor 13 is rotationally driven by the motor 16. In this case, as the type of the motor 16, in addition to an electric motor, a motor driven by oil pressure, an engine, etc. can be used.

[0049] The kneading section 10 preferably includes a mechanism for adjusting the temperature. Specifically, a flow path (pipes, etc.) that can supply cooling water to the container 11 , the plunger 12 , and the rotor 13 may be formed.

[0050] There are no particular limitations on the various kneading conditions during kneading in the kneading section 10. In addition, the kneading conditions in the present embodiment refer to the operating conditions of the various structures of the kneading section 10 during kneading (rotation speed of the rotor 13, pressure (plunger pressure) generated by the plunger 12, kneading time, temperature in the container 11, etc.).

[0051] The kneading unit 10 of the present embodiment transmits a kneading state value indicating the kneading state to the kneading state determination unit 30A. The kneading state value includes at least one of a driving load related to driving the kneading unit 10, a kneaded material temperature during kneading, and a plunger position.

[0052] Regarding the driving load related to the driving of the kneading section 10, as long as it is equivalent to the energy consumed (or applied) by the kneading section 10 during kneading, for example, a load represented by electrical characteristic values ​​such as current, voltage, electric power and cumulative electric power can be cited. More specifically, for example, when the motor 16 used in the kneading section 10 of the present embodiment is an electric motor, the driving load related to the rotational drive of the rotor 13 is the power consumption of the motor 16 that drives the rotor 13 to rotate, which is monitored by the driving power supply circuit of the motor 16 and sent to the kneading state determination unit 30A. In other words, the driving power supply circuit of the motor 16 outputs information indicating the driving load related to the rotational drive of the rotor 13 to the kneading state determination unit 30A.

[0053] The kneaded material temperature during kneading refers to the temperature of the kneaded material in the kneading section 10 during kneading. The kneaded material temperature is measured by the temperature sensor 17 disposed in the container 11 and sent to the kneading state determination section 30A. In other words, the temperature sensor 17 outputs a signal corresponding to the temperature of the kneaded material to the kneading state determination section 30A.

[0054] The position of the plunger 12 (ie, plunger position) is monitored and sent to the kneading state determination unit 30A by the position sensor 15 that detects the position of the plunger 12. In other words, the position sensor 15 outputs a signal corresponding to the position of the plunger 12 to the kneading state determination unit 30A.

[0055] The determination condition setting unit 20 sets determination conditions for determining the kneading state before kneading based on external factors other than the kneading conditions during kneading.

[0056] According to the findings obtained by the present inventors, the kneading quality is greatly affected not only by the type of kneading apparatus and kneading conditions but also by other external factors.

[0057] Below, reference Figure 2 The present inventors will describe their understanding of the influence of the time (season) during kneading on the kneading quality related to the ambient temperature of the kneading section 10, which is one of the environmental conditions during kneading and also an external factor in the present embodiment.

[0058] Figure 2 This is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the variation tendency of the kneading state value caused by external factors.

[0059] Figure 2 The horizontal axis is the period when the mixing is performed (unit: month). Figure 2 The vertical axis represents the mixing state value, Figure 2 (A) to (C) are graphs in which the vertical axes are driving load, the temperature of the kneaded material during kneading, and the plunger position, respectively. Figure 2 In FIG. 1 , numerical ranges obtained as actually measured values ​​of each kneading state value are shown in the form of bars.

[0060] Depend on Figure 2 It can be seen that the obtained mixing state values ​​are greatly affected by the different periods (seasons) when mixing is performed. Therefore, if the judgment condition (i.e., the upper limit and / or lower limit (allowable range) of the mixing state value) is set only based on the mixing state value when mixing is performed in April ( Figure 2 If the condition is not considered appropriate at other times, it may become an inappropriate judgment condition.

[0061] Based on this knowledge, in the kneading system 100A of the present embodiment, when setting the judgment condition, it is set in advance before kneading based on external factors other than the kneading conditions and kneading state values, thereby setting appropriate judgment conditions considering the influence of external factors.

[0062] The determination condition setting unit 20 of the present embodiment includes an external factor information acquisition unit 21 , a storage unit 22 , and a calculation unit 23 .

[0063] The external factor information acquisition unit 21 acquires information related to external factors, and sends the acquired information to the storage unit 22 and the calculation unit 23 .

[0064] Here, external factors refer to factors related to the kneading quality other than the above-mentioned kneading conditions, and particularly include at least one of the ambient temperature of the kneading section 10, the mechanical temperature of the kneading section 10 itself (the wall temperature of the container 11), the temperature of the cooling water, and the physical properties of the kneaded material when it is added to the kneading section 10.

[0065] In addition, the physical properties of the kneaded material as an external factor only need to indicate the state of the kneaded material before being added to the kneading part 10. In addition to the shape (powder or block) and size of the kneaded material, the physical properties (viscosity or elasticity, etc.) of the kneaded material when added can also be cited. In addition, as an indicator that indirectly indicates the physical properties of the kneaded material, the temperature of the kneaded material when added (before added) can be used.

[0066] In particular, as external factors, by selecting from the ambient temperature of the kneading section 10, the mechanical temperature of the kneading section 10 itself (the wall temperature of the container 11), the temperature of the cooling water, and the physical properties (including the shape) of the kneaded material when it is put into the kneading section 10, which may become one of the environmental conditions when kneading is performed, it is possible to set the judgment condition corresponding to the external factor that has a great influence on the kneading quality. In this way, the optimal judgment condition can be set with high accuracy, and the reliability of the kneading state judgment can be improved accordingly.

[0067] The external factor information acquisition unit 21 acquires information related to external factors through various measuring devices or operator input. As a specific example of the external factor information acquisition unit 21, when the external factor is information related to temperature, a thermometer for measuring the air temperature of the environment (inside and outside the factory) where the kneading system 100A is installed, a thermometer for measuring the wall temperature of the container 11, and a thermometer for measuring the water temperature of the cooling water supplied to the kneading unit 10 can be cited. In addition, when the external factor is information related to the physical properties of the kneaded material, a measuring device (camera, viscometer, thermometer, etc.) for measuring the shape and size of the kneaded material and information related to the physical properties can be cited, or visual recognition results observed by the naked eye can be input.

[0068] The storage unit 22 stores the information acquired by the external factor information acquisition unit 21, and sends the stored information to the calculation unit 23. In addition, the storage unit 22 also stores information that associates the past kneading state values ​​measured in the kneading unit 10 and sent to the kneading state determination unit 30A with the information related to the external factors. At this time, statistical data can be prepared and stored as a group of information on each external factor. By using the prepared statistical data, the calculation accuracy in the calculation unit 23 can be improved, so that more appropriate determination conditions can be determined.

[0069] Furthermore, the storage unit 22 may store the determination conditions determined by the operation unit 23. In this case, the information acquired by the external factor information acquisition unit 21 may be associated with the determination conditions determined by the operation unit 23 and stored, and the associated information may be used to improve the operation speed and accuracy of the operation in the operation unit 23.

[0070] The calculation unit 23 determines the determination condition based on the information from the external factor information acquisition unit 21 and the storage unit 22. Here, the determination condition is used to determine the kneading state (quality), which includes information related to the period and the determination object. In particular, as the determination condition determined by the calculation unit 23, it is preferred to use the upper limit value and / or lower limit value of the kneading state value (that is, the numerical range (allowable range) that can be regarded as normal kneading).

[0071] By setting the determination condition determined by the calculation unit 23 as the allowable range, it is possible to set it to a numerical range that can be appropriately changed according to external factors, without setting the allowable range as a fixed value or a fixed ratio.

[0072] The kneading state determination unit 30A determines the kneading of the kneaded material in the kneading unit 10 according to the kneading state value sent from the kneading unit 10 and the determination condition set by the determination condition setting unit 20 .

[0073] The kneading state determination unit 30A comprises: a state information acquisition unit 31, which acquires one of the information used for determination (i.e., information indicating a change in the kneading state value sent from the kneading unit 10 (hereinafter also referred to as "state information")); and a determination unit 32, which determines whether the kneading state is normal or abnormal during the execution of kneading in the kneading unit 10 based on the state information and the determination conditions set by the determination condition setting unit 20.

[0074] In addition, the details about the determination by the kneading state determination unit 30A will be described later.

[0075] Furthermore, the kneading system 100A in the present embodiment may include a control unit 40 for controlling the operation of the kneading system 100A. The control unit 40 may include a kneading state determination unit 30A and a determination condition setting unit 20, and may control the operation of each structure of the kneading unit 10 based on the determination result based on the kneading state determination unit 30A. Furthermore, the control unit 40 may store programs corresponding to the kneading state determination unit 30A and the determination condition setting unit 20 in a ROM or a non-volatile memory (not shown), and cause the CPU to load and execute these programs to execute steps (processes) corresponding to the kneading state determination unit 30A and the determination condition setting unit 20.

[0076] In addition, the kneading system 100A in the present embodiment may be provided with a display unit 50 and an input unit 60 , and may be controlled by the control unit 40 .

[0077] The display unit 50 is controlled by the control unit 40, and in addition to displaying the reference kneading chart G described later, it also displays the operating conditions or current operating status of the kneading unit 10 (kneading state values ​​such as power, kneading material temperature or plunger position), etc. Specifically, the display unit 50 is composed of a display device such as a liquid crystal display.

[0078] Furthermore, when the kneading state determination unit 30A determines that the kneading state in the kneading unit 10 is abnormal, the display unit 50 may display a screen indicating kneading abnormality. The kneading abnormality may be notified by a warning sound or a warning lamp.

[0079] The input unit 60 receives input from the operator of the operating conditions, set values, and the above-mentioned determination conditions of the kneading unit 10. Specifically, the input unit 60 is an input mechanism such as a keyboard or a numeric keypad. In addition, as an element that serves as both the display unit 50 and the input unit 60, a touch panel type liquid crystal display can be used.

[0080] Below, reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 An example of a procedure of processing by the kneading system 100A according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0081] Figure 3 It is a flowchart of the processing in the kneading system 100A of the present embodiment, and specifically, it is a flowchart including the determination condition setting by the determination condition setting unit 20 of the present embodiment and the kneading state determination by the kneading state determination unit 30A.

[0082] and, Figure 4It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the change of the kneading state value from the start of kneading to the end of kneading. In addition, the data showing the change of the kneading state value during normal kneading can be used as the reference kneading graph G for determination.

[0083] First, the information related to the external factor is acquired by the external factor information acquisition unit 21 of the determination condition setting unit 20 (S11). Then, as information stored in the storage unit 22 and necessary for setting the determination condition, the information in which the past kneading state value measured in the kneading unit 10 and sent to the kneading state determination unit 30A is associated with the information related to the external factor is sent to the calculation unit 23 (S12).

[0084] In the calculation unit 23, the upper limit value and / or the lower limit value (permissible range) of the kneading state value are determined based on the information sent from the storage unit 22 and the information obtained by the external factor information acquisition unit 21 (S13). For example, when the ambient temperature of the kneading unit 10 is obtained by the external factor information acquisition unit 21, the information of the past permissible range used under the ambient temperature condition same as the ambient temperature can be determined as the judgment condition in the current kneading process. That is, the judgment condition in the past when the environmental conditions during kneading are the same or similar is used, instead of the kneading condition or the latest judgment condition.

[0085] After the determination condition is set by the determination condition setting unit 20, kneading in the kneading unit 10 is started (S14).

[0086] First, after rubber polymer, filler such as carbon, and compounding materials such as oil are put into the container 11, the plunger 12 is lowered to apply pressure, and the rotor 13 is rotated. Then, the kneaded materials are engaged between the rotor blades of the rotor 13 and kneaded (kneading starts).

[0087] After the mixing starts, the rotor 13 bites into the mixed material, and the rubber polymer is gradually crushed (biting stage). Then, the plunger 12 descends, causing the plunger position value to decrease, and the electric power increases. In the next step of attaching the filler to the rubber surface, the electric power takes a minimum value. In the subsequent step of integrating the rubber and the filler, the electric power rises again, and the material temperature also rises (integration stage). After that, the electric power reaches a maximum (electric power peak) and then decreases. Then, the temperature rise becomes slow. At this stage, the filler is evenly dispersed (dispersion stage).

[0088] During the kneading in the kneading unit 10 (from the start of kneading to the end of kneading), the state information acquiring unit 31 in the kneading state determining unit 30A acquires state information (S15), and the determination unit 32 determines whether the kneading state is normal or abnormal (S16).

[0089] After the determination is completed, it is determined whether the end condition of kneading is satisfied (S17). If it is determined that the end condition of kneading is satisfied (S17: Yes), kneading is terminated. In addition, the end condition of kneading can be set as the temperature reaching a specified value, the accumulated electric power reaching a specified value, or a combination of these conditions in addition to the predetermined time.

[0090] In addition, after the determination (S16) is completed, it is preferred that information related to the determination result is sent to the storage unit 22 in the determination condition setting unit 20 for storage. At the same time, it is preferred that the external factors and the determination results are associated, and statistical data for each external factor is prepared and stored. In this way, the accuracy of the determination condition setting in the determination condition setting unit 20 can be improved.

[0091] Here, regarding the determination of the kneading state, in the kneading process, there are only a limited number of points that a skilled operator needs to pay attention to, and it is not necessary to monitor all data from the start to the end of kneading.

[0092] Therefore, in the kneading system 100A involved in the present embodiment, the determination conditions used by the kneading state determination unit 30A for determination include a period that becomes a determination object and information related to the determination object, wherein the period that becomes a determination object (determination period) is set to a part of the period from the start of kneading to the end of kneading in the kneading unit 10, and the information related to the determination object is set to a numerical range (allowable range) of the kneading state value.

[0093] Next, refer to Figure 4 The determination conditions according to this embodiment will be described.

[0094] As mentioned above, Figure 4 This is a graph showing changes in kneading state values ​​(state information) from the start of kneading to the end of kneading, with the horizontal axis representing time and the vertical axis representing the kneading state values.

[0095] Then, Figure 4 The five rectangles C1 to C5 shown in FIG. 1 represent the first determination condition C1, the second determination condition C2, the third determination condition C3, the fourth determination condition C4, and the fifth determination condition C5, respectively. Figure 4 In FIG. 1 , only the first determination condition C1 is illustrated, and the other determination conditions are omitted from the illustration.

[0096] The first determination condition C1 is that <the value of the plunger position in the state information includes a value within a predetermined range (value x1A to value x1B) within a predetermined period (time t1A to time t1B)>.

[0097] Right now, Figure 4The position and width of the rectangle C1 in the horizontal axis direction represent the time range (determination period) of the first determination condition C1, and the position and width in the vertical axis direction represent the range of the plunger position value of the first determination condition C1.

[0098] The second determination condition C2 is that <the value of the plunger position in the state information includes a value within a predetermined range (value x2A to value x2B) within a predetermined period (time t2A to time t2B)>.

[0099] Right now, Figure 4 The position and width of the rectangle C2 in the horizontal axis direction represent the time range (determination period) of the second determination condition C2, and the position and width in the vertical axis direction represent the range of plunger position values ​​of the second determination condition C2.

[0100] The third determination condition C3 is that <the value of the driving load (electric power) in the state information includes a value within a predetermined range (value x3A to value x3B) within a predetermined period (time t3A to time t3B)>.

[0101] Right now, Figure 4 The position and width of the rectangle C3 in the horizontal axis direction represent the time range (determination period) of the third determination condition C3, and the position and width in the vertical axis direction represent the range of the driving load (electric power) value of the third determination condition C3.

[0102] The fourth determination condition C4 is that <the maximum value and the minimum value of the driving load (electric power) in the state information are within a predetermined range (value x4A to value x4B) during a predetermined period (time t4A to time t4B)>.

[0103] Right now, Figure 4 The position and width of the rectangle C4 in the horizontal axis direction represent the time range (determination period) of the fourth determination condition C4, and the position and width in the vertical axis direction represent the range of the driving load (electric power) value of the fourth determination condition C4.

[0104] The fifth determination condition C5 is that <the value of the kneaded material temperature in the state information includes a value within a predetermined range (value x5A to value x5B) within a predetermined period (time t5A to time t5B)>.

[0105] Right now, Figure 4 The position and width of the rectangle C5 in the horizontal axis direction represent the time range of the fifth determination condition C5, and the position and width in the vertical axis direction represent the range of the kneaded material temperature value of the fifth determination condition C5.

[0106] In the kneading system 100A involved in this embodiment, by setting the determination period of the first determination condition C1 to the fifth determination condition C5 to a part of the period from the start to the end of the above-mentioned kneading, it is possible to perform determination using necessary data (state information) at a necessary time (determination period), thereby enabling efficient determination. Furthermore, it is possible to perform determination in a manner that does not make factors that have little influence on the kneading quality the subject of determination, thereby enabling stable determination.

[0107] Below, reference Figure 4 This will be described in more detail.

[0108] In the biting stage immediately after the start of pressurization, whether the kneaded material is bitten normally is crucial, and if bitten normally, the plunger 12 will descend. Therefore, the first determination condition C1 is used to monitor whether the plunger position value is within the normal range.

[0109] In the next integration stage, if the increase of electric power becomes slow, there is a possibility that slippage occurs between the rotor 13 and the kneaded material, and kneading may not be performed. Therefore, the third determination condition C3 is used to monitor whether the value of electric power is within the normal range.

[0110] At the next electric power peak, in order to confirm whether the magnitude of the shear force of the rotor 13, which plays a key role in dispersion, is normal, the fourth judgment condition C4 is used to monitor whether the value of the electric power indicating the magnitude of the shear force is within the normal range. At this time, the second judgment condition C2 is used to monitor whether the value of the plunger position is within the normal range.

[0111] Then, in the dispersion stage, the temperature of the kneaded material at the end of kneading is within an appropriate temperature range. Therefore, the fifth determination condition C5 is used to monitor whether the value of the kneaded material temperature is within a normal range.

[0112] If it is determined that each of the first determination condition C1 to the fifth determination condition C5 is not met, the control unit 40 performs processing such as displaying the fact that the condition is not met on the display unit 50 or sounding an alarm.

[0113] refer to Figure 4 A specific example of the determination of the kneading state ( S16 ) by the kneading state determination unit 30A will be described.

[0114] The determination unit 32 compares the state information acquired by the state information acquisition unit 31 every moment from the start of kneading with the determination condition set in advance by the determination condition setting unit 20 to perform determination.

[0115] From the start of kneading to time t1A, the time range (judgment period) does not fall within any judgment condition, so no judgment is made. During the period from time t1A to t1B, the judgment unit 32 judges whether the plunger position includes a value greater than value x1A and less than value x1B (permitted range). Figure 4 In the example shown, since the value of the plunger position at time t1A is greater than or equal to value x1A and less than or equal to value x1B, the first determination condition C1 is satisfied. Therefore, the determination unit 32 determines that the kneading state is normal.

[0116] Similarly, when the time is within the time range (judgment period) of the judgment condition, the judgment unit 32 compares the kneading state value (driving load, kneading material temperature or plunger position) indicated by the state information with the allowable range indicated by the judgment condition to judge whether the judgment condition is met.

[0117] Next, if the determination condition is satisfied, the determination unit 32 determines that the kneading state is normal, and if the determination condition is not satisfied, the determination unit 32 determines that the kneading state is abnormal.

[0118] As described above, the kneading system 100A in this embodiment includes: a kneading unit that kneads the kneaded material; and a determination condition setting unit that sets the determination condition for determining the kneading state before kneading based on external factors other than the kneading conditions during kneading. By setting the determination condition for determining the kneading state in advance based on external factors other than the kneading conditions during kneading before kneading, it is possible to set appropriate determination conditions that take into account the influence of external factors. Thus, a highly reliable determination can be made in the determination of the kneading state.

[0119] [Second embodiment]

[0120] Figure 5 It is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the structure of a kneading system in a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0121] In the kneading system 100B of the second embodiment, a kneading state determination unit 30B is provided instead of the kneading state determination unit 30A in the kneading system 100A of the first embodiment, and the kneading state determination unit 30B includes a correction information acquisition unit 33 in addition to the state information acquisition unit 31 and the determination unit 32. In addition, the description of the same configuration as that of the first embodiment is omitted.

[0122] The quality of kneading is greatly affected by the physical properties of the kneading materials. Moreover, among the physical properties of the kneading materials, the physical properties (viscosity, elasticity, etc.) will change according to the temperature of the kneading materials. Therefore, in determining the kneading state, it is preferred to consider the influence caused by the change in the physical properties of the kneading materials caused by the temperature difference of the kneading materials.

[0123] Here, in the kneading system 100B of the present embodiment, a correction information acquisition unit 33 is provided as a kneading state determination unit 30B for acquiring correction information according to the temperature of the kneading material after the start of kneading in the kneading unit, and the determination condition is corrected according to the acquired correction information, and the kneading state is determined using the corrected determination condition and the state information. Thus, the determination condition set in advance according to external factors can be applied to the determination in a form in which the influence caused by the change in the physical properties of the kneading material caused by the temperature of the kneading material after the start of kneading is suppressed.

[0124] The correction information acquisition unit 33 acquires correction information. The correction information acquired here is information that changes according to the temperature of the kneaded material.

[0125] As a specific example of the correction information acquisition unit 33 of this embodiment, the time from the start of kneading in the kneading unit 10 to the kneaded material reaching the reference temperature Ts (an example of a predetermined temperature) is measured, and correction information is acquired based on the measured time.

[0126] The correction reference information is information used as a reference when the correction information acquisition unit 33 acquires the correction information. In the present embodiment, the correction reference information includes a reference temperature Ts and a reference time ts. The correction reference information is determined by the user, for example, and is stored in advance according to the operation input received through the input unit 60. At this time, when storing the correction reference information, the function of the storage unit 22 in the above-mentioned determination condition setting unit 20 can be applied, or a storage mechanism independent of the storage unit 22 can be provided, and the correction reference information can be stored together with various data used in the kneading state determination unit 30B and the control unit 40, such as the reference kneading chart G or the end condition information. In addition, the reference time ts in the reference kneading chart G can be the time from the start of kneading to the time when the temperature of the kneaded material reaches the reference temperature Ts.

[0127] refer to Figure 6 The acquisition of correction information by the correction information acquisition unit 33 and the correction of the determination condition by the determination unit 32 will be described.

[0128] Figure 6 This is a graph showing another form of the change in the kneading state value (state information) from the start of kneading to the end of kneading, where the horizontal axis represents time and the vertical axis represents the kneading state value.

[0129] and Figure 4 Compared with the state information shown in (reference mixing chart G), Figure 6In the state information shown, the material temperature rises earlier and kneading proceeds earlier. The correction information acquisition unit 33 monitors the temperature of the kneaded material acquired by the state information acquisition unit 31 every moment from the start of kneading to acquire the time ta from the start of kneading until the temperature of the kneaded material reaches the reference temperature Ts. The correction information acquisition unit 33 determines the difference Δt (=ta-ts) between the time ta and the reference time ts as the correction time and stores it. Figure 6 In the example shown, the temperature of the kneaded material is higher than that of the reference kneading graph G ( Figure 6 The dotted line in FIG. 1 rises earlier, and ta is smaller than ts. Therefore, Δt is a negative value. In addition, the correction time is an example of correction information.

[0130] If the correction information acquisition unit 33 determines the correction time Δt, the judgment unit 32 of the present embodiment corrects the judgment condition. Specifically, the judgment unit 32 adds the correction time Δt to the time ranges of the first to fifth judgment conditions, such as time t1A and t1B. That is, the corrected first judgment condition C1 is <the value of the plunger position at time t1A+Δt to time t1B+Δt (time range) includes a value greater than value x1A and less than value x1B (allowable range)>. Here, Figure 6 In the example shown, since Δt is a negative value, the time range (determination period) is moved to an earlier time by correction. Figure 6 In FIG. 1 , the determination conditions C1 to C5 before correction are indicated by dotted lines, and the determination conditions C1 to C5 after correction are indicated by solid lines. After correcting the determination conditions, the determination unit 32 determines the kneading state based on the corrected determination conditions.

[0131] In addition, Figure 6 , shows an example in which the temperature of the kneaded material rises earlier than the reference kneading chart G. On the other hand, when the material temperature rises more slowly than the reference kneading chart G, the time ta until the temperature of the kneaded material reaches the reference temperature Ts becomes longer than the reference time ts. At this time, the correction time Δt becomes a positive value. And, by correction, the time range (judgment period) of the judgment condition is moved to a later time.

[0132] refer to Figure 7 An example of a procedure of processing by the kneading system 100B according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0133] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the processing in the kneading system 100B of the present embodiment, specifically, a flowchart including the determination condition setting by the determination condition setting unit 20 of the present embodiment and the kneading state determination by the kneading state determination unit 30B. In addition, the description of the same contents as the processing flow of the kneading system 100A of the first embodiment is omitted.

[0134] First, the determination condition setting unit 20 sets the determination condition based on the external factor (S21). Step S21 includes contents corresponding to the above-mentioned steps S11 to S13.

[0135] Then, kneading is started (S22), and the time of starting kneading is stored.

[0136] Next, the state information acquiring unit 31 in the kneading state determining unit 30B acquires the state information, and stores it together with the current time (S23).

[0137] Next, the correction information acquisition unit 33 in the kneading state determination unit 30B determines whether the kneaded material temperature has reached the reference temperature Ts based on the state information acquired in step S23 ( S24 ).

[0138] If it is determined in step S24 that the temperature of the kneaded material has reached the reference temperature Ts (S24: Yes), the correction information acquisition unit 33 acquires correction information (S25). Specifically, the correction information acquisition unit 33 calculates the time ta based on the time when the kneading process is started and the current time. The time ta is the time from the start of kneading until the temperature of the kneaded material reaches the reference temperature Ts. The correction information acquisition unit 33 determines the difference Δt (=ta-ts) between the time ta and the reference time ts as the correction time and stores it.

[0139] Next, the determination unit 32 corrects the determination condition based on the correction time Δt determined in step S25 (S26). Specifically, the determination unit 32 updates the determination condition by adding the correction time Δt to the time t1A, t1B, etc. defining the time range of each determination condition C1 to C5.

[0140] The kneading state determination unit 30B acquires the determination condition after executing step S26 (S27). The determination unit 32 acquires the determination condition before correction of the determination condition in S26, and acquires the determination condition after correction of the determination condition in S26.

[0141] In the subsequent steps S28 and S29 , the kneading state determination unit 30B determines the kneading state in the kneading unit 10 based on the state information acquired in step S23 and the corrected determination condition acquired in step S27 .

[0142] First, it is determined whether the time at which the state information is acquired is included in the time range of the determination condition (S28). Then, if it is determined to be included in the time range (S28: Yes), it is determined whether the state information meets the determination condition (S29). The determination of whether the determination condition is met is performed according to the form of the determination condition.

[0143] For example, the first judgment condition C1 is <the value of the plunger position includes a value greater than or equal to the value x1A and less than or equal to the value x1B (permitted range) at time t1A to time t1B (time range)>. The kneading state judgment unit 30B monitors the value of the plunger position during the period from time t1A to time t1B. Then, the judgment unit 32 judges whether the value of the plunger position between time t1A and time t1B includes a value greater than or equal to the value x1A and less than or equal to the value x1B. If it is judged that the value is included, the judgment unit 32 judges that the judgment condition is met (S29: Yes). And, if it is judged that the value is not included, it is judged that the judgment condition is not met (S29: No). For example, in the judgment of the first judgment condition C1, if the plunger value is within the permitted range, it is judged that the judgment condition is met. On the other hand, if the plunger value does not become within the permitted range until reaching time t1B, it is judged that the judgment condition is not met.

[0144] The kneading state determination unit 30B may perform the processes of steps S21 to S31 in parallel while performing the determination of step S29 , or may perform the process of step S29 for other determination conditions.

[0145] Here, if it is determined in the process of S29 that the determination condition is not met (S29: No), the control unit 40 may notify the abnormality of kneading (S30). For example, the control unit 40 causes the display unit 50 to display a screen indicating the abnormality of kneading. In addition, step S30 may be omitted.

[0146] If it is determined in S29 that the determination condition is met (S29: Yes) or the process of S30 has been executed, the kneading state determination unit 30B determines whether the kneading end condition is met (S31). Then, if it is determined that the kneading end condition is met (S31: Yes), the kneading process ends.

[0147] As another aspect of the processing in the kneading system 100B of the present embodiment, there can be mentioned a case where the correction information acquisition unit 33 acquires correction information based on the temperature Ta of the kneaded material when kneading is started.

[0148] At this time, the correction reference information includes a correction schedule. The correction schedule is a table indicating the correspondence between the temperature Ta of the kneaded material when the kneading starts and the correction time. For example, the correction schedule includes a plurality of temperature ranges and the correction time when the temperature Ta is within the temperature range. For example, the correction time is determined such that the higher the temperature Ta becomes, the smaller the correction time becomes. The correction time can be a negative value.

[0149] The correction information acquisition unit 33 acquires correction information based on the temperature Ta of the kneaded material when kneading is started and the correction schedule included in the correction reference information.

[0150] Figure 8This is a flowchart of another form of the processing in the kneading system 100B of the present embodiment.

[0151] Below, reference Figure 8 Another embodiment of the kneading process will be described.

[0152] First, with Figure 7 In the kneading process shown, similarly, the processes from setting of the determination condition by the determination condition setting unit 20 to the start of kneading are executed ( S21 , S22 ).

[0153] Then, after step S22, correction information is acquired (S32). Specifically, the correction information acquisition unit 33 acquires a signal indicating the temperature of the kneaded material from the temperature sensor 17 and stores the signal as the temperature Ta of the kneaded material when kneading is started. The correction information acquisition unit 33 refers to the correction time table indicated by the correction reference information and determines the correction time corresponding to the temperature Ta as the correction time Δt and stores the correction time.

[0154] Next, the determination section 32 corrects the determination condition in step S33 according to the correction time Δt determined in step S32 , and acquires the corrected determination condition in step S34 .

[0155] Then, with Figure 7 Similarly to the kneading process shown, the acquisition of state information is performed in step S35, and then the processes corresponding to steps S28 to S31 are performed (S36 to S39). Then, if it is determined that the end condition is satisfied (S39: Yes), the kneading process is terminated.

[0156] In addition, the correction information acquisition unit 33 of the present embodiment can also acquire correction information based on the temperature of the kneading unit 10. The temperature of the kneading unit 10 includes a mechanical temperature, which is acquired by temperature sensors provided inside and outside the kneading unit 10. When kneading starts in the kneading unit 10, the temperature of the kneaded material put into the container 11 of the kneading unit 10 comes close to the temperature of the kneading unit 10 by contacting the inner wall of the container 11 of the kneading unit 10. Therefore, the temperature of the kneading unit 10 can be used instead of the kneaded material temperature, thereby simplifying the temperature measurement in the correction information acquisition.

[0157] According to the kneading system 100B of the present embodiment, correction information that changes according to the temperature of the kneaded material is obtained, the judgment condition is corrected according to the obtained correction information, and the kneading state is judged using the corrected judgment condition and state information, thereby, the judgment condition set in advance according to the external factor can be applied to the judgment in a form that suppresses the influence caused by the change in the physical property of the kneaded material caused by the temperature of the kneaded material after the start of kneading. As a result, the reliability of the judgment of the kneading state can be further improved.

[0158] The above-mentioned embodiment is an example of a kneading system. The kneading system according to the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the kneading system according to the above-mentioned embodiment can be modified within the scope of the gist described in the claims.

[0159] For example, a part of the kneading system in the above-mentioned embodiment may be independently provided as a kneading state determination device on an existing kneading device (kneading unit 10). In this case, the kneading state determination device may include a structure having at least a determination condition setting unit 20 and a kneading state determination unit 30A or 30B and further having a control unit 40, a display unit 50, and an input unit 60.

[0160] Furthermore, as the judgment condition used in the kneading system in the present embodiment, the condition of determining the period by time is shown, but it is not limited to this. For example, the determination period can also be determined by the accumulated electric power value. If the accumulated electric power value is used as a reference, when a poor bite occurs in the bite stage, the electric power will become lower, so the increase in the accumulated electric power value will also become smaller, and appropriate judgment will not be affected by the time delay of the bite. That is, the judgment period is determined by the accumulated electric power value, and the judgment is made based on the accumulated electric power value. Thus, the judgment can be made based on the response (plunger position, drive load, temperature of the kneading material) relative to the energy actually applied during the kneading, and a stable judgment can be achieved that eliminates the influence of the time delay caused by the phenomenon that has little influence on the kneading quality.

[0161] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the allowable range as the determination condition is a range defined by the upper limit and lower limit of the kneading state value, but may be defined by only the upper limit or only the lower limit of the kneading state value.

[0162] Industrial Applicability

[0163] The kneading system of the present invention can be used for kneading of a kneaded product and can be particularly suitably used for kneading with excellent reliability in determining the kneading state.

[0164] Explanation of symbols

[0165] 100A, 100B-mixing system, 10-mixing section, 11-container, 12-plunger, 13-rotor, 14-cylinder, 15-position sensor, 16-motor, 17-temperature sensor, 20-judgment condition setting section, 21-external factor information acquisition section, 22-storage section, 23-calculation section, 30-mixing state judgment section, 31-state information acquisition section, 32-judgment section, 33-correction information acquisition section, 40-control section, 50-display section, 60-input section, G-reference mixing chart.

Claims

1. A mixing system, characterized in that: have: A mixing section for mixing the mixing materials; and The determination condition setting unit sets determination conditions for determining the kneading state before kneading based on external factors other than the kneading conditions during kneading.

2. The mixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The external factor includes at least one of the ambient temperature of the kneading section, the mechanical temperature of the kneading section itself, the temperature of cooling water, and the physical properties of the kneaded material when it is fed into the kneading section.

3. The mixing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The determination condition refers to an upper limit value and / or a lower limit value of a kneading state value indicating a kneading state. The kneading state value includes at least one of a driving load related to driving the kneading section, a kneaded material temperature during kneading, and a plunger position.

4. The mixing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The determination condition includes a determination period consisting of a portion of a period from the start of kneading to the end of kneading in the kneading section, The mixing system has: a correction information acquisition unit, which acquires correction information according to the temperature of the kneaded material after the kneading in the kneading unit starts; and a state information acquisition unit that acquires state information indicating a time change of the kneading state value in the kneading unit, The kneading system further includes a kneading state determination unit that corrects the determination condition based on the correction information and determines the kneading state in the kneading unit based on the corrected determination condition and the state information.

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