Method for evaluating adhesion state of release agent, method for evaluating adhesion state of lubricant, and system for evaluating adhesion state of release agent

Abstract

The evaluation method for the adhesion state of the release agent is used for die casting and is used for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent adhered to a mold. The evaluation method comprises the steps of heating the mold; a step for adhering a release agent to the surface of the heated mold; a step for acquiring image data on the appearance of the surface of the mold to which the release agent is attached; a step for deriving the adhesion state of the release agent on the surface of the mold on the basis of the color numeralization information corresponding to the acquired image data of the appearance on the basis of the correlation between the color numeralization information acquired in advance and the adhesion state of the release agent; and a step for outputting data relating to the derived adhesion state of the release agent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent, a method for evaluating the adhesion state of a lubricant, and an evaluation system for the adhesion state of a release agent. This application claims priority based on Japanese application No. 2022-158330 filed on September 30, 2022, and all the contents recorded in the Japanese application are cited. Background Art

[0002] A technique for measuring the amount of release agent applied is disclosed (for example, refer to Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: WO2016 / 021006

[0006] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-244508

[0007] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-251448 Summary of the invention

[0008] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0009] When performing processing using a mold such as casting and plastic processing, it is important to make the liquid used for processing (processing liquid) such as a release agent and a lubricant adhere evenly and stably. For example, in die casting, in order to ensure good productivity and improve the quality of the cast product, it is required to be able to evaluate the adhesion state of the release agent attached to the mold as accurately and simply as possible. Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an evaluation method for the adhesion state of a processing liquid that can accurately and simply evaluate the adhesion state of the processing liquid attached to the mold and an evaluation system for the adhesion state of the processing liquid.

[0010] Technical solutions for solving technical problems

[0011] The method for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent according to the present invention is a method for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent used for die casting and attached to a mold, comprising: a step of heating the mold; a step of attaching the release agent to the surface of the heated mold; a step of acquiring image data of the appearance of the surface of the mold to which the release agent is attached; a step of deriving the adhesion state of the release agent on the surface of the mold based on the color digitization information corresponding to the acquired appearance image data and the correlation between the color digitization information acquired in advance and the adhesion state of the release agent; and a step of outputting data related to the derived adhesion state of the release agent. In addition, the evaluation method and evaluation system of the present invention can also be used to evaluate the adhesion state of a lubricant used for plastic processing to a mold.

[0012] Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to the above-mentioned method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent, the adhesion state of the release agent attached to the mold can be accurately and simply evaluated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a part of a die casting apparatus used in the evaluation method of the adhesion state of a release agent in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a system for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent according to the present invention.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state where a release agent is attached.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing typical steps in the method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent according to the first embodiment.

[0018] Figure 5 It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the surface of the fixed mold and the surface of the movable mold are photographed.

[0019] Figure 6 As an example of a captured image, this is an image in which appearance image data is superimposed on a three-dimensional image formed by a captured image.

[0020] Figure 7 It is a graph showing the correspondence relationship between film thickness and color quantification information.

[0021] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram showing the film thickness distribution state of the mold release agent attached to the surface of the movable mold. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] [Overview of Embodiments]

[0023] The evaluation method of the present invention can evaluate the adhesion state of a processing liquid such as a mold release agent and a lubricant used to adhere to a mold. The evaluation method of the adhesion state of a mold release agent of the present invention is a method for evaluating the adhesion state of a mold release agent used for die casting and adhered to a mold, comprising: a step of heating the mold; a step of attaching the mold release agent to the surface of the heated mold; a step of acquiring image data of the appearance of the surface of the mold to which the mold release agent is attached; a step of deriving the adhesion state of the mold release agent on the surface of the mold based on the color digitization information corresponding to the acquired appearance image data and the correlation between the color digitization information acquired in advance and the adhesion state of the mold release agent; and a step of outputting data related to the derived adhesion state of the mold release agent. In addition, when evaluating the adhesion state of a lubricant attached to a mold for plastic processing by the evaluation method of the present invention, the adhesion state of the lubricant can be evaluated in the same manner and the distribution of the adhesion state can be displayed. Here, the lubricant to be evaluated is a plastic processing lubricant that forms a visible film when applied to the mold.

[0024] In die casting, molten metal is made to flow into a cavity formed by combining molds heated to a specified temperature, and after forming, the product is removed from the combined mold to manufacture a casting. The release agent is attached to the surface of the mold by coating, spraying, ejecting, etc. in order to prevent the molten metal and the mold from burning, to manufacture the casting with high precision, and to remove the casting smoothly from the mold. If the amount of release agent attached is too much, the surface of the casting will be colored, or the quality will deteriorate due to the vaporization of the release agent components. In addition, if the amount of release agent attached is too little or the amount of release agent attached to the surface of the mold is uneven, it may hinder the manufacture of high-precision castings or make it difficult to remove the casting from the mold. Therefore, it is required that the release agent be attached to the surface of the mold in an appropriate amount as evenly as possible.

[0025] Here, from the perspective of good productivity and improved quality of cast products, it is important to understand the adhesion state of the release agent, that is, whether an appropriate amount of release agent can be evenly attached to the surface of the mold. In addition, it is difficult to grasp the adhesion state by visually measuring the film thickness of the attached release agent, because the film thickness is very thin, and the color of the release agent used in the past is generally transparent, and the mold is basically black. In particular, when the shape of the mold is complex, it is not easy to confirm whether the release agent is attached to every corner. In addition, when the color of the coating cannot be distinguished from the color of the mold, it is also difficult to grasp the adhesion state of the release agent.

[0026] Conventionally, the film formed by applying a release agent to a mold is transparent and cannot be visually confirmed. Therefore, in order to understand the adhesion state of the release agent, a fluorescent agent is mixed into the release agent and ultraviolet rays are irradiated to observe the excited fluorescence to understand the adhesion state of the release agent, or a release agent mixed with powder is used to understand it by touch, or the emissivity is measured to understand the adhesion state of the release agent.

[0027] However, according to these methods, since substances other than the release agent components are originally mixed into the release agent, sometimes the release agent exhibits adhesion characteristics different from those of the original release agent, and it is difficult to strictly grasp the adhesion state of the release agent. In addition, if the substance for film thickness measurement remains on the mold after the film thickness measurement, it will cause a problem, so it is necessary to thoroughly clean the mold.

[0028] The present inventor has developed a mold release agent for die casting molds with excellent mold release and heat resistance. The mold release agent contains a solvent and an organic acid salt, and has the property of forming a white coating when applied to the mold. The present inventor has developed the present invention with a focus on this property. The method for evaluating the adhesion state of the mold release agent involved in the present invention can be appropriately used for a mold release agent that can be visually observed after application. Such a mold release agent does not need to be mixed with any foreign matter in order to measure the film thickness, and the adhesion state of the mold release agent itself can be evaluated. For example, in the case where an organic acid salt is contained in the mold release agent, if the mold release agent is applied to the mold, the solvent evaporates, and a white coating is formed on the surface of the mold. Such a white coating has good visibility, and it is easy to grasp the residual part of the mold release agent from the appearance of the mold. Therefore, when acquiring the image data of the appearance of the surface of the mold, according to the color digitization information corresponding to the acquired image data of the appearance, based on the correlation between the color digitization information acquired in advance and the adhesion state of the mold release agent, a process of deriving the adhesion state of the mold release agent is performed, thereby making it easy to derive the adhesion state of the mold release agent. Moreover, by outputting data related to the derived adhesion state of the release agent, the adhesion state of the release agent attached to the surface of the mold can be accurately evaluated. In addition, since such a method does not mix any additives into the release agent and directly uses the release agent, the handling of the release agent becomes simple. Therefore, according to such a method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent, the adhesion state of the release agent attached to the mold can be accurately and simply evaluated. In addition, as an example, a release agent containing a solvent and an organic acid salt is listed, but as long as the film formed after coating shows visibility, the present invention can be applied without limitation to processing liquids such as release agents, lubricants, etc.

[0029] In the above-mentioned method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent, the process of acquiring an image may also include the process of acquiring a three-dimensional image of a mold to which the release agent is attached. Most of the molds used in die casting are complex shapes, specifically, molds with large numbers of concave and convex shapes and large fluctuations. In such a mold, by acquiring a three-dimensional image of the mold, more preferred information on the adhesion state of the release agent can be obtained. Specifically, for example, it is possible to easily understand whether the release agent is reliably attached to the depths of a complex mold, whether the release agent accumulates in fine parts during repeated die casting, etc. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be evaluated more accurately.

[0030] In the above-mentioned method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent, the image data of the appearance may also include a color image. Thus, the adhesion state of the release agent can be derived by taking into account the information of the color image. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be evaluated more accurately.

[0031] In the above-mentioned method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent, the data related to the adhesion state of the release agent may also be data corresponding to the film thickness of the release agent. Thus, the adhesion amount of the release agent, that is, the film thickness of the release agent, can be derived with high accuracy. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be evaluated more accurately.

[0032] In the above-mentioned method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent, the color numerical information may also be lightness, hue, chroma, chroma or chromaticity. Thus, the adhesion state of the release agent can be derived using lightness, etc. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be evaluated more accurately.

[0033] In the above-mentioned method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent, the step of outputting data may also include the step of displaying the three-dimensional image of the mold in correspondence with the distribution of the adhesion state of the release agent. Thus, the distribution of the adhesion state of the release agent can be visually compared with the three-dimensional image of the mold. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be evaluated more easily.

[0034] In the above-mentioned method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent, the step of outputting data may also include the step of generating and outputting image data expressed by color-differentiating the film thickness of the release agent derived as the adhesion state of the release agent. Thus, it is possible to visually recognize that the film thickness is different due to the difference in color from the easily generated image. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively evaluate the adhesion state of the release agent.

[0035] In the above-mentioned method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent, a release agent that can be visually confirmed after coating is appropriately used. The release agent, for example, contains a solvent and an organic acid salt. The solvent may contain water or an alkaline compound. The organic acid salt may also contain a carboxylic acid compound represented by the following formula (1). In formula (1), R 1represents an alkanediyl group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, a vinylene group or a benzene ring, and x represents 2 or 3. The carboxylic acid compound may also include at least one compound selected from the group consisting of succinic acid, adipic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid and trimellitic acid. Such a release agent is excellent in release properties and lubricity.

[0036]

[0037] Such a release agent contains the organic acid salt, and therefore can reliably remain as a white film on the surface of the mold when the solvent evaporates. Therefore, the area to which the release agent is attached can be more reliably grasped, and the adhesion state of the release agent can be more accurately evaluated.

[0038] The method for evaluating the adhesion state of a lubricant involved in the present invention is a method for evaluating the adhesion state of a lubricant adhered to a mold during plastic processing, and includes: a step of heating the mold; a step of allowing the lubricant to adhere to the surface of the heated mold; a step of acquiring image data of the appearance of the surface of the mold to which the lubricant adheres; a step of deriving the adhesion state of the lubricant on the surface of the mold based on color digitization information corresponding to the acquired image data of the appearance and based on the correlation between the pre-acquired color digitization information and the adhesion state of the lubricant; and a step of outputting data related to the derived adhesion state of the lubricant.

[0039] According to the above-mentioned method for evaluating the adhesion state of the lubricant, the adhesion state of the lubricant adhered to the mold can be evaluated accurately and simply.

[0040] The evaluation system involved in the present invention can evaluate the adhesion state of processing liquids such as mold release agents and lubricants used to adhere to molds. The evaluation system for the adhesion state of mold release agents involved in the present invention is an evaluation system for the adhesion state of mold release agents used for die casting and attached to molds. The evaluation system for the adhesion state of mold release agents includes: an image data acquisition unit that acquires image data of the appearance of the mold; a derivation unit that derives the adhesion state of the mold release agent on the surface of the mold based on color digitized information corresponding to the image data of the appearance of the mold acquired from the image data and the correlation between the color digitized information acquired in advance and the adhesion state of the mold release agent; and an output unit that outputs data related to the adhesion state of the mold release agent derived by the derivation unit. In addition, when the evaluation system involved in the present invention is used to evaluate the adhesion state of the lubricant attached to the mold for plastic processing, the adhesion state of the lubricant can be evaluated and the distribution of the adhesion state can be displayed. Here, the lubricant to be evaluated is a plastic processing lubricant that forms a visible film when applied to the mold.

[0041] According to such an evaluation system for the adhesion state of the release agent, the adhesion state of the release agent adhered to the mold can be evaluated accurately and simply.

[0042] In the above-mentioned evaluation system for the adhesion state of the release agent, the image data acquisition unit may also include a 3D scanner. The image data acquisition unit may also acquire three-dimensional image data of the appearance of the mold by photographing with a 3D scanner. The output unit may also display the adhesion state of the release agent superimposed on the three-dimensional image of the mold. Thus, the adhesion state of the release agent in three dimensions can be easily grasped visually. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be more easily evaluated.

[0043] [Specific example of embodiment]

[0044] Next, as one embodiment of the evaluation method for the adhesion state of the processing liquid and the evaluation system for the adhesion state of the processing liquid involved in the present invention, a die casting release agent is exemplified and specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following drawings, the same or corresponding parts are marked with the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are not repeated.

[0045] (Implementation Method 1)

[0046] First, the outline of a die casting apparatus used in the evaluation method of the adhesion state of a mold release agent and the evaluation system of the adhesion state of a mold release agent according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be briefly described. Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a part of a die casting apparatus used in the evaluation method of the adhesion state of a release agent in the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The figure shows a state where a mold described later is opened. Figure 2 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of the evaluation system for the adhesion state of the release agent involved in the present invention. In addition, the above system can be integrated as one device, or can be composed of a combination of multiple devices. In addition, the evaluation system 51 and the die casting device 11 can also be integrated.

[0047] Reference Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 The evaluation system 51 for the adhesion state of the release agent according to the present invention is Figure 1 The die casting device 11 shown in the figure includes an image data acquisition unit 28, a derivation unit 53, and an output unit 54. The image data acquisition unit 28 acquires image data of the appearance of the mold described later. The derivation unit 53 derives the adhesion state of the release agent on the surface of the mold based on the color digitization information corresponding to the image data of the appearance of the mold acquired by the image data acquisition unit 28 and the correlation between the color digitization information acquired in advance and the adhesion state of the release agent. The output unit 54 outputs data related to the adhesion state of the release agent derived by the derivation unit 53. These structures are described below.

[0048] The die casting device 11 includes a fixed mold 13, a movable mold 14, an injection sleeve 15, and an injection piston 16. The fixed mold 13 is fixed. On the other hand, the movable mold 14 is configured to move relative to the fixed mold 13. The moving direction of the movable mold 14 is the direction indicated by the arrow D or the opposite direction. If the fixed mold 13 and the movable mold 14 are brought into contact, a cavity 17 is formed. The injection sleeve 15 is a hollow cylindrical shape, arranged in the fixed mold 13, and one open end is connected to the cavity 17. An injection port 18 for injecting molten metal into the injection sleeve 15 is provided in the injection sleeve 15 in a manner that penetrates in the radial direction. Molten metal, that is, molten aluminum or other metal is injected into the injection sleeve 15 through the injection port 18. In addition, from the perspective of easy understanding, the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14 are simplified in the figure, but specifically, complex concave and convex shapes are formed on the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14.

[0049] The injection piston 16 injects the molten metal in the mold, specifically, the injection sleeve 15, into the cavity 17 formed by the contact between the fixed mold 13 and the movable mold 14. The direction of injecting the molten metal is Figure 1 The injection piston 16 includes a plunger head 21 and an injection rod 22. The plunger head 21 is disposed in the injection sleeve 15, contacts the molten metal, and squeezes the molten metal into the cavity 17. The injection rod 22 is connected to the plunger head 21 and has a portion protruding to the outside of the injection sleeve 15. By applying a lubricant to the inner wall surface 19 of the injection sleeve 15, the friction between the outer diameter surface 24 of the plunger head 21 and the inner wall surface 19 of the injection sleeve 15 is reduced when the plunger head 21 is squeezed, so that the plunger head 21 moves smoothly.

[0050] Next, the process of manufacturing a casting using the die casting device 11 is briefly described. First, after the fixed die 13 and the movable die 14 are heated to a predetermined temperature in advance, the movable die 14 is moved to the Figure 1 Move in the direction of arrow D in the figure so that the fixed mold 13 and the movable mold 14 are as shown in FIG. Figure 1 Then, a mold release agent is attached to the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14 . Figure 3 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state where a release agent is attached. Figure 3 When the mold release agent is attached to the surface 25 and the surface 26, a mold release agent ejecting member 27 is used to eject the mold release agent. The mold release agent ejecting member 27 is a spray type, and is configured to eject the mold release agent from the ejection port toward the surface 25 and the surface 26. The mold release agent is ejected from the mold release agent ejecting member 27 and attached to the entire surface 25 and the surface 26.

[0051] Thereafter, the movable mold 14 is moved in the direction opposite to the arrow D to be in a closed state. Then, the injection rod 22 is moved in the direction of the arrow D. Thus, the molten metal in the injection sleeve 15 is squeezed out from the injection sleeve 15 and filled into the cavity 17. Then, this state is maintained for a predetermined time to solidify the molten metal. Thereafter, the movable mold 14 is moved in the direction of the arrow D to be in an open mold state. Then, the casting mounted on the fixed mold 13 side or the movable mold 14 side is removed. In this way, a product as a casting is obtained. In this case, since a release agent is attached to the surfaces 25 and 26, it can be easily removed. Thereafter, the release agent is attached to the surfaces 25 and 26 again to manufacture the same casting.

[0052] Here, the release agent used is described. As an example, the release agent includes a solvent and an organic acid salt. In this embodiment, the solvent is water. The release agent may also include an alkaline compound. In this embodiment, the release agent includes water, adipic acid, terephthalic acid, and sodium hydroxide.

[0053] Here, regarding the production of a cast product using such a die casting device 11, it is very important to accurately and simply grasp the adhesion state of the release agent on the die. Next, a method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent will be described. Figure 4 1 is a flowchart showing typical steps in the method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent according to the first embodiment. Figure 4 In the method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent in the first embodiment, a mold heating process is performed as a process (S10). In this process (S10), a heater (not shown) provided at a predetermined position inside or near the die casting device 11 is controlled. Then, the fixed mold 13 and the movable mold 14 are heated to a temperature at which casting can be performed. In addition, in this case, for example, several castings can be manufactured by continuous trial casting, and both the fixed mold 13 and the movable mold 14 are heated as a whole.

[0054] After the fixed mold 13 and the movable mold 14 are heated to a predetermined temperature, a release agent attaching step is performed as a step (S20). In this step (S20), the release agent is attached to the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14 using the release agent ejecting member 27. The release agent described above is used as the release agent.

[0055] Next, as a process (S30), a drying process is performed. In this process (S30), air is blown to the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14. At this time, the solvent contained in the release agent evaporates. Moreover, the component of the organic acid salt remains on the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14. That is, the component of the organic acid salt in the attached release agent remains on the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14 as a white coating.

[0056] Next, as a process (S40), a photographing process is implemented. In this process (S40), the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14 are photographed by the image data acquisition unit 28. In the present embodiment, the image data acquisition unit 28 includes an appearance image shooting element (color module camera) and a 3D scanner. Here, as an example, the appearance image shooting element is built into the 3D scanner, and the appearance image and the three-dimensional image of the mold are photographed at the same time. A general 3D scanner can be used as the 3D scanner, but in order to photograph a mold with a concave and convex shape without modifying the die-casting device 11, a handheld type is preferably used. Figure 5 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14 are photographed. Figure 5During the shooting, the image data acquisition unit 28 is arranged, for example, between the surface 25 and the surface 26, and the location is moved or tilted at various angles for shooting. In this case, the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14 are shot from various positions and angles. The image data acquisition unit 28 shoots images by manually or automatically moving the table on which the image data acquisition unit 28 is fixed, changing the shooting position. In this way, a three-dimensional image of the mold with the release agent attached is acquired. In addition, as an example of the image data acquisition unit 28, an appearance image shooting element (color module camera) and a 3D scanner are mounted. That is, a color module camera and a light source (LED) are mounted on the appearance image shooting element to shoot color images of the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14. The color module camera can use CMOS, CCD, etc. The light source emits light as a flash when shooting the image, so it is not easily affected by external light, and the color saturation of the image can be kept constant. The 3D scanner is a non-contact scanner equipped with two cameras and an infrared light source, which measures the distance to the subject in a passive manner and shoots a three-dimensional image of the mold. By using infrared light, the shape can be accurately measured without being affected by external light. In this way, a color image of the surface of the mold with the release agent attached and a three-dimensional image of the mold are obtained. The appearance image data and the three-dimensional image data are stored in a memory or the like corresponding to the shooting position. In addition, in the above, the image data acquisition unit 28 is moved to shoot the entire surface of the mold, but it can also be a method of fixing the shooting position and shooting a predetermined place.

[0057] Thereafter, as a process (S50), an image processing process is implemented. In this process (S50), an appearance image and / or a 3D image, that is, a three-dimensional image of the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14 is formed based on the captured image. In this case, the three-dimensional image is captured by a 3D scanner included in the image data acquisition unit 28, so that the three-dimensional image of the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13 and the surface 26 of the movable mold 14 can be formed with high precision. In addition, in the following description, the image of the surface 26 of the movable mold 14 is described. Of course, for the image of the surface 25 of the fixed mold 13, although the concave-convex shape and the like are different, it can be considered to be the same as the image of the surface 26 of the movable mold 14. Figure 6 As an example of a captured image, an image in which appearance image data is superimposed on a three-dimensional image formed by the captured image. Figure 6, a mating surface 31 and a cavity surface 32 arranged on the inner side of the mating surface 31 are provided on the surface 26 of the movable mold 14. It can be understood that the white color of the area 34 located around the center 33 of the upper side of the cavity surface 32 and most of the area 35 of the surface on the lower side of the cavity surface 32 is darker. On the other hand, it can be understood that the area 36 surrounding the area 34 on the upper side of the cavity surface 32 and the area 37 on the right side of the center of the cavity surface 32 have almost no white parts. Thus, the three-dimensional shape and appearance information are displayed at the same time, so the distribution of the adhesion state of the release agent can be easily understood. In addition, the three-dimensional image and the appearance image can also be displayed separately.

[0058] Next, as a process (S60), an adhesion state derivation process is implemented. In this process (S60), in the obtained three-dimensional image, the area to which the release agent is attached is represented as white. Color digitization information is obtained from the appearance image data, and the adhesion state is derived using the color digitization information. Color digitization information is information obtained by digitizing the color through indicators such as brightness, hue, chroma, chroma, and chromaticity. Regarding the derivation of the adhesion state, the following correlation line is used. The correlation is obtained separately for each release agent. Here, as an example, the film thickness is derived as the adhesion state. Figure 7 is a graph showing the correspondence between film thickness and color numerical information. Figure 7 In the figure, the horizontal axis represents the film thickness (μm), and the vertical axis represents the color numerical information (lightness L*). Figure 7In the figure, the lines 41 represented by solid lines are calibration lines. That is, the lines 41 are lines formed by drawing the film thicknesses measured when the release agent is attached in advance and the L* values ​​at each film thickness with circular marks and connecting them with approximate curves. If the captured image is measured by a colorimeter, color quantification information such as brightness (L* value) corresponding to the image is obtained. The film thickness is measured, for example, by a non-contact film thickness sensor. By using the calibration line 41, the film thickness in each area can be accurately derived according to the L* value of each area. That is, the process of deriving the adhesion state of the release agent includes the process of deriving the film thickness of the release agent based on the color quantification information obtained from the image data. The color quantification information used can be any indicator that has a correlation with the adhesion state of the release agent, for example, brightness (L* value), chromaticity a* value or b* value, etc. can be used. That is, the color quantification information used is selected according to the type of release agent. In addition, the process of deriving the adhesion state includes a process of deriving the adhesion state according to the color digitization information corresponding to the image data obtained in the shooting process based on the correlation between the color digitization information of the pre-measured image and the adhesion state of the release agent. The data related to the adhesion state is information related to the adhesion of the release agent, such as information corresponding to the film thickness, the adhesion amount, the size of the adhesion amount, whether the adhesion amount exceeds the reference value, the deviation of the adhesion amount, etc. The information corresponding to the film thickness can also be the numerical value of the film thickness, and the information of the film thickness is displayed in a grade, but as long as it is the information corresponding to the film thickness, whether the film thickness exceeds the reference value, the deviation of the film thickness, etc., there is no limitation on the display method. The data related to the adhesion state can be derived as a distribution on the mold, or only the adhesion information of the specified position can be derived. For example, the appearance image of the mold at the position where the release agent is difficult to adhere can be taken to obtain the adhesion information. In addition, the correlation between the color digitization information and the adhesion state can also be expressed in a manner other than the calibration line. In addition, the derivation of the adhesion state is performed using the derivation unit 53 included in the evaluation system 51 of the adhesion state of the release agent. As the derivation unit 53 , for example, a control device included in the evaluation system 51 for the adhesion state of the release agent and controlling the operation of the entire evaluation system 51 for the adhesion state of the release agent is used.

[0059] Figure 8 2 is a schematic diagram showing an image of a film thickness distribution state of the release agent attached to the surface 26 of the movable mold 14. Figure 8 In image 29, the three-dimensional image is displayed by differentiating the colors according to the film thickness of the release agent. Figure 8 In the , colors are assigned according to the film thickness scale. For example, when the film thickness is 0μm, it is displayed in black, and as the film thickness value increases, it is assigned in stages or continuously from cold colors (blue) to warm colors (red). Figure 8The image 29 shown can easily evaluate whether the release agent is properly attached to the surface. In addition, the output is performed using an output unit 54 included in the evaluation system 51 for the adhesion state of the release agent. As the output unit 54, for example, a display or a printer included in the evaluation system 51 for the adhesion state of the release agent, which performs image display based on a signal from a control device, is used.

[0060] According to the method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent involved in the present invention, as an example of a release agent that can be visually confirmed after attachment, a release agent containing a solvent and an organic acid salt is used. Such a release agent can use the release agent itself to measure the film thickness without mixing any foreign matter. Moreover, the organic acid salt contained in the release agent can remain on the surface of the mold as a white film, for example, by removing the solvent. Such a white film has good visibility, and it is easy to grasp the residual part of the release agent from the appearance. Thus, when an image of the surface of the mold is obtained, the adhesion state of the release agent can be easily derived by deriving the adhesion state of the release agent from the obtained image. Moreover, the data related to the derived adhesion state of the release agent can be output, and the adhesion state of the release agent attached to the surface of the mold can be accurately evaluated. In addition, since such a method does not mix any additives in the release agent and directly uses the release agent, the handling of the release agent becomes simple. Therefore, according to such a method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent, the adhesion state of the release agent attached to the mold can be accurately and simply evaluated.

[0061] In addition, according to the method for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent involved in the present invention, since no impurities are added to the release agent for evaluating the adhesion state, it is not necessary to clean the mold after the film thickness measurement. Therefore, in the middle stage of manufacturing the product as a casting, the adhesion state of the release agent in the middle of manufacturing the product can be evaluated by shooting by the above-mentioned image data acquisition unit 28. For example, it is particularly effective to adopt it when evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent regularly in the state of mass production. That is, the best adhesion amount of the release agent in each area and the best adhesion method of the release agent to achieve the adhesion amount are arbitrarily determined according to the mold shape, casting conditions, the capacity of peripheral equipment, etc. Furthermore, by implementing the evaluation method of the coating state of the release agent involved in the present invention in the middle of manufacturing the casting, the adhesion method and conditions of the release agent can be effectively studied.

[0062] According to the present embodiment, the process of acquiring an image includes the process of acquiring a three-dimensional image of a mold to which a release agent is attached. Most molds used in die casting are complex shapes, specifically, molds with large numbers of concave and convex shapes and large fluctuations. In such a mold, by acquiring a three-dimensional image of the mold, the film thickness measurement position and the information corresponding to the film thickness are visualized correspondingly, and more detailed information on the adhesion state of the release agent can be obtained. That is, by overlapping and displaying the information corresponding to the film thickness on the three-dimensional image, the distribution of the information corresponding to the film thickness is visualized. Thus, it is possible to grasp the adhesion information of the release agent over a wide range of the mold. Specifically, for example, in an intricate mold, it is possible to easily grasp whether there is a part to which the release agent is not attached, whether the release agent is reliably attached to the depth of the concave part, whether the release agent is accumulated in a fine part during repeated die casting, etc. Therefore, it is possible to more accurately evaluate the adhesion state of the release agent.

[0063] According to this embodiment, the image data of the appearance includes a color image. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be derived by taking into account the information of the color image. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be evaluated more accurately.

[0064] According to this embodiment, the data related to the adhesion state of the release agent is data corresponding to the film thickness of the release agent. Therefore, the adhesion amount of the release agent, that is, the film thickness of the release agent can be derived with high accuracy. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be evaluated more accurately.

[0065] According to the present embodiment, the color quantification information is lightness, hue, saturation, chroma or chromaticity. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be derived using the hue, etc. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be evaluated more accurately.

[0066] According to this embodiment, the step of outputting data includes the step of displaying the three-dimensional image of the mold in correspondence with the distribution of the adhesion state of the release agent. Therefore, the distribution of the adhesion state of the release agent can be visually compared with the three-dimensional image of the mold. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be evaluated more easily.

[0067] According to this embodiment, the step of outputting data includes the step of generating and outputting image data that is expressed by color-differentiating the film thickness of the release agent derived as the adhesion state of the release agent. Therefore, it is possible to visually recognize that the film thickness is different due to the difference in color from the image that is easily generated. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively evaluate the adhesion state of the release agent.

[0068] The release agent adhesion state evaluation system of the present invention is a release agent adhesion state evaluation system for evaluating the adhesion state of the release agent used for die casting and attached to the mold. The release agent adhesion state evaluation system includes: an image data acquisition unit that acquires image data of the appearance of the mold; a derivation unit that derives the adhesion state of the release agent on the surface of the mold based on color digitized information corresponding to the image data of the appearance of the mold and the correlation between the color digitized information acquired in advance and the adhesion state of the release agent; and an output unit that outputs data related to the adhesion state of the release agent derived by the derivation unit.

[0069] According to such an evaluation system for the adhesion state of the release agent, the adhesion state of the release agent adhered to the mold can be evaluated accurately and simply.

[0070] In the above-mentioned evaluation system for the adhesion state of the release agent, the image data acquisition unit may also include a 3D scanner. The image data acquisition unit may also acquire three-dimensional image data of the appearance of the mold by photographing with a 3D scanner. The output unit may also display the adhesion state of the release agent superimposed on the three-dimensional image of the mold. Thus, the adhesion state of the release agent in three dimensions can be easily grasped visually. Therefore, the adhesion state of the release agent can be more easily evaluated.

[0071] (Other embodiments)

[0072] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the camera element for capturing the appearance image of the mold is built into the 3D scanner, but it can also be configured separately. In addition, in the case where a three-dimensional image is not captured, a 3D scanner is not required. In addition, a color image is obtained as the appearance image of the mold, but it is not limited to this, and a monochrome image of a wavelength suitable for representing the characteristics (hue, brightness, etc.) of the release agent film after attachment can also be obtained. In addition, in the case of acquiring a three-dimensional image, since an image including the planar position information and the thickness direction information of the mold is obtained, it is possible to evaluate the release agent adhesion state in more detail, so it is preferred, but it is not limited to this, and a two-dimensional image can also be obtained.

[0073] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, Figure 4 The step S30 shown includes a drying step, but the drying step may be omitted depending on the release agent used.

[0074] The evaluation method and evaluation system of the present invention, like the above-mentioned die-casting release agent, can also be used to evaluate the adhesion state of processing liquids such as lubricants and release agents that form a visible film when applied to a mold, etc. As an example of a processing liquid, a non-graphite plastic processing lubricant can be cited. For example, a non-graphite plastic processing lubricant contains an organic acid salt such as a carboxylic acid compound, and if it is applied to the mold (lubricant adhesion process), a white coating is formed. The appearance and color digitization information of the plastic processing mold can be obtained through the image data acquisition unit (image data acquisition process), and the adhesion state of the lubricant is derived based on the correlation between the pre-acquired color digitization information and the adhesion state of the lubricant (adhesion state derivation process), and the result is output (data output process), so the evaluation method and evaluation system of the present invention can be appropriately used.

[0075] The embodiments disclosed this time are examples in all aspects and should be understood as not restrictive in any aspect. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0076] Description of Reference Numerals

[0077] 11: Die-casting device; 13: Fixed mold; 14: Movable mold; 15: Injection sleeve; 16: Injection piston; 17: Cavity; 18: Injection port; 19: Inner wall surface; 21: Plunger head; 22: Injection rod; 24: Outer diameter surface; 25, 26: Surface; 27: Release agent ejection component; 28: Image data acquisition unit; 29: Image; 31: Matching surface; 32: Cavity surface; 33: Center; 34, 35, 36, 37: Area; 41: Line (calibration line); 51: Evaluation system for the adhesion state of the release agent; 53: Export unit; 54: Output unit.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating the adhesion state of a mold release agent, wherein the mold release agent is used for die casting and adheres to a mold, The evaluation method of the adhesion state of the release agent includes: The process of heating the mold; A step of attaching a release agent to the surface of the heated mold; a step of acquiring image data of the appearance of the surface of the mold to which the release agent is attached; A step of deriving the adhesion state of the release agent on the surface of the mold based on the color quantification information corresponding to the acquired image data of the appearance and the correlation between the previously acquired color quantification information and the adhesion state of the release agent; and A step of outputting the derived data related to the adhesion state of the release agent.

2. The method for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent according to claim 1, wherein: The step of acquiring the image includes the step of acquiring a three-dimensional image of the mold to which the release agent is attached.

3. The method for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The image data of the appearance includes a color image.

4. The method for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The data related to the adhesion state of the release agent is data corresponding to the film thickness of the release agent.

5. The method for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The color quantification information is brightness, hue, saturation, chroma or chromaticity.

6. The method for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The step of outputting the data includes the step of displaying the three-dimensional image of the mold in correspondence with the distribution of the adhesion state of the release agent.

7. The method for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The step of outputting the data includes the step of generating and outputting image data expressed by color-coding the film thickness of the release agent derived as the adhesion state of the release agent.

8. A method for evaluating the adhesion state of a lubricant, wherein the lubricant is used for plastic working and adheres to a mold, The method for evaluating the adhesion state of the lubricant includes: The process of heating the mold; A step of attaching a lubricant to the surface of the heated mold; a step of acquiring image data of the appearance of the surface of the mold to which the lubricant is attached; A step of deriving the adhesion state of the lubricant on the surface of the mold based on the color quantification information corresponding to the acquired image data of the appearance and the correlation between the color quantification information acquired in advance and the adhesion state of the lubricant; and and outputting the derived data related to the adhesion state of the lubricant.

9. A system for evaluating the adhesion state of a mold release agent, for evaluating the adhesion state of a mold release agent used for die casting and attached to a mold, The evaluation system of the adhesion state of the release agent includes: An image data acquisition unit, which acquires image data of the appearance of the mold; a deriving unit for deriving an adhesion state of the release agent on the surface of the mold based on color digitized information corresponding to the image data of the appearance of the mold acquired from the image data and a correlation between the color digitized information acquired in advance and the adhesion state of the release agent; as well as The output unit outputs data related to the adhesion state of the release agent derived by the deriving unit.

10. The system for evaluating the adhesion state of a release agent according to claim 9, wherein: The image data acquisition unit includes a 3D scanner, The image data acquisition unit acquires three-dimensional image data of the appearance of the mold by photographing with the 3D scanner. The output unit displays the adhesion state of the release agent superimposed on the three-dimensional image of the mold.

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