Automatic maintenance device and method for material injection system of magnetic material forming press

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic maintenance device and method for a material injection system of a magnetic material forming press, and the device comprises a control subsystem which comprises a PLC program and a touch screen and is used for receiving an instruction and executing an automatic control program; the water storage pressurizing assembly comprises a water storage tank and a pressurizing unit communicated with the water storage tank, and the pressurizing unit is used for applying pressure to the water storage tank to drive the cleaning fluid in the water storage tank to flow out; the valve group comprises at least one first switching valve and a second switching valve, the first switching valve is arranged between a slurry barrel and a material injection cylinder of the material injection system, and the second switching valve is arranged between the water storage pressurizing assembly and the material injection cylinder; the control subsystem is used for controlling the on-off state of the first switching valve and the on-off state of the second switching valve so as to switch a fluid channel of the material injection cylinder. The invention aims to improve the injection stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of magnetic material molding technology, and in particular to an automatic maintenance device and method for the injection system of a magnetic material molding press. Background Technology

[0002] In the production of permanent magnet ferrite tiles, the slurry injection system of the forming press is a core component. It typically consists of a slurry mixing tank, a suction valve, an injection cylinder, and a mold connected by pipes. During continuous operation, external air can easily be drawn into the injection cylinder and pipes due to slurry depressurization in the mixing tank or wear and leakage of the injection cylinder and valve seals. This leads to incomplete and unstable slurry injection, directly affecting the uniformity of the green body thickness and the consistency of the final product quality. Furthermore, residual slurry in the injection pipes can easily form dry material clumps, further exacerbating the risk of blockage and uneven slurry injection.

[0003] Currently, the mainstream method in the industry to solve this problem is manual air purging. This requires operators (usually two people) to disassemble the filter or connector at the injection cylinder end, temporarily connect a water pipe, and manually control the press to flush and discharge the material. This method has significant drawbacks: First, the operation takes more than 15 minutes, severely impacting equipment uptime; second, wastewater mixed with slurry flows directly to the ground during flushing, causing environmental pollution and raw material waste; third, this operation relies on manual experience, making it impossible to guarantee the thoroughness and timeliness of air purging, thus posing a potential risk to product quality.

[0004] In the prior art, the invention patent CN104409206A, which discloses "A Fully Automated Slurry Casting System and Preparation Method for Toroidal Ferrite," aims to solve the automation problem of the entire molding process. This system integrates functions such as automatic material replenishment from the hopper, direct injection from the mold, and robotic part removal, achieving full automation from material feeding to blank removal, effectively improving production efficiency and reducing labor costs. However, this prior art focuses on automating the macroscopic production process; its innovation lies in replacing manual labor with machines, but it does not address or solve the inherent process problems caused by air intrusion and dry material accumulation within the injection system. In other words, even with such a fully automated molding system, the injection subsystem still faces the problem of needing periodic shutdowns for manual air removal and dry material cleaning, and its inherent efficiency losses, pollution, and waste problems remain unresolved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide an automatic maintenance device and method for the injection system of a magnetic material forming press, which aims to solve the problems of poor injection stability and poor green quality caused by air intrusion and dry material accumulation in the existing magnetic material forming press injection system, as well as the inefficiency, environmental pollution and raw material waste of traditional manual degassing methods.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an automatic maintenance device for the injection system of a magnetic material forming press. The device includes a control subsystem, a water storage and pressurization assembly, and a valve group. The control subsystem includes a PLC program and a touch screen for receiving instructions and executing automatic control programs.

[0007] The water storage and pressurization assembly includes a water storage tank and a pressurization unit connected to the water storage tank. The pressurization unit is used to apply pressure to the water storage tank to drive the cleaning fluid in the water storage tank to flow out. The valve group includes at least one first switching valve and one second switching valve. The first switching valve is located between the slurry tank and the injection cylinder of the injection system, and the second switching valve is located between the water storage and pressurization assembly and the injection cylinder.

[0008] The control subsystem is used to control the on / off state of the first switching valve and a second switching valve to switch the fluid passage of the injection cylinder.

[0009] Optionally, the pressurization unit is a pneumatic pressurization valve configured to introduce compressed air; or, the pressurization unit is a water pump.

[0010] Optionally, the first switching valve and the second switching valve in the valve group are electric valves or pneumatic valves.

[0011] Optionally, the touchscreen is configured with a trigger element for one-click activation of the automatic maintenance program.

[0012] Optionally, the automatic maintenance procedure is an air purging and cleaning procedure, and the control subsystem is configured to execute the following steps in sequence: First, control the first action of the injection cylinder to discharge the residual slurry in the injection cylinder and associated pipeline back to the slurry tank;

[0013] The second step is to control the valve group to switch so that the injection cylinder is connected to the water storage and pressurization component, and to control the injection cylinder to perform a second action that is the opposite of the first action, drawing in cleaning fluid;

[0014] The third step is to control the valve group to switch again, so that the injection cylinder is connected to the slurry tank, and control the injection cylinder to perform the first action, so as to discharge the cleaning fluid mixed with air and dry material into the slurry tank.

[0015] Optionally, the first action is the lowering action of the piston rod of the injection cylinder, and the second action is the raising action of the piston rod of the injection cylinder.

[0016] Optionally, the control system is further configured to: before performing the second step, first close the passage connected to the slurry source, and then open the passage connected to the water storage and pressurization device; before performing the third step, first close the passage connected to the water storage and pressurization device, and then open the passage connected to the slurry source.

[0017] Optionally, the device further includes a water level monitoring unit, which is installed in the water storage tank to monitor the level of the cleaning fluid and is communicatively connected to the control subsystem.

[0018] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a magnetic material forming press injection system, the system comprising a slurry mixing tank, an injection cylinder, an injection pipe and a hydraulic press body, and the system further comprising an automatic maintenance device for the injection system as described in any one of the above.

[0019] Furthermore, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides an automatic maintenance method for the injection system of a magnetic material forming press, employing the apparatus described in any of the above claims, the method comprising the following steps:

[0020] Step 1: Receive the automatic maintenance start command;

[0021] Step 2, perform the evacuation operation: control the movement of the injection cylinder to discharge the slurry in the injection cylinder and pipeline back to the slurry source;

[0022] Step 3, perform cleaning operation: switch the fluid passage and control the injection cylinder to draw cleaning fluid from the water storage and pressurization device to flush the pipes and cylinder body;

[0023] Step 4, perform the discharge operation: switch the fluid path again and control the injection cylinder to discharge the flushed fluid back to the slurry source.

[0024] Beneficial effects:

[0025] (1) Through the coordination of the control subsystem (including PLC and touch screen), water storage and pressurization components (including water storage tank and pressurization unit), and valve group (including first switching valve and second switching), a fundamental transformation from pure manual operation to fully automatic intelligent maintenance has been achieved. The degree of automation is high and the operation is simple: "one-click" automatic operation has been realized, which has completely changed the backward method that required two people to cooperate, manual disassembly and assembly, and manual flushing, and significantly reduced the labor intensity and skill requirements of the operators.

[0026] (2) It can quickly, timely, and effectively remove air from the injection system, specifically shortening the air removal process from more than 15 minutes to a few minutes automatically, greatly reducing equipment downtime and improving the press's working efficiency and production capacity. Furthermore, by controlling the precise opening and closing of the physical switching valve and the standard stroke of the injection cylinder, it ensures a high degree of consistency in the process, cleaning fluid dosage, and effect of each maintenance operation. Specifically, it ensures the stability and fullness of each injection, thereby reducing quality defects such as uneven green billet thickness and cracking caused by insufficient injection, and further improving product consistency and quality stability. This ensures...

[0027] (3) A closed-loop water circulation cleaning and discharge method is adopted. All slurry and wastewater carried out by water are recycled or introduced into designated pipelines, which completely avoids the pollution of the workshop floor by slurry and water flow, saves raw materials, and eliminates pollution and waste.

[0028] (4) All of them use mature industrial-grade components (such as PLC, solenoid valve / pneumatic valve), whose inherent durability and anti-interference ability ensure that the device can operate without failure for a long time in harsh industrial environments, avoiding water leakage and electrical safety hazards caused by temporary connection of water pipes. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an automatic maintenance device for the injection system of a magnetic material forming press according to the present invention.

[0031] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0032] 1-Slurry tank, 2-Water supply unit, 3-Pressure unit, 4-Water storage tank, 5-First switching valve, 6-Three-way valve, 7-Second switching valve, 8-Suction gate valve, 9-Injection cylinder, 10-Main material gate valve, 11-Hydraulic press body.

[0033] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0034] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0035] See Figure 1This invention provides an embodiment of an automatic maintenance device for the injection system of a magnetic material forming press. The device includes a control subsystem, a water storage and pressurization assembly, and a valve group. The control subsystem includes a PLC program and a touch screen for receiving instructions and executing automatic control programs. The water storage and pressurization assembly includes a water storage tank 4 and a pressurization unit 3 connected to the water storage tank 4. The pressurization unit applies pressure to the water storage tank 4 to drive the cleaning fluid in the water storage tank 4 to flow out. The valve group includes at least one first switching valve 5 and one second switching valve 7. The first switching valve 5 is located between the slurry tank 1 and the injection cylinder 9 of the injection system, and the second switching valve 7 is located between the water storage and pressurization assembly and the injection cylinder 9. The water storage and pressurization assembly is connected to a pipeline via the second switching valve 7, and the slurry tank 1 is connected to a pipeline via the first switching valve 5. The two pipelines converge at a three-way valve 6 and then connect to the injection cylinder 9. The control subsystem controls the on / off state of the first switching valve 5 and the second switching valve 7 to switch the fluid passage of the injection cylinder 9. This device creates an "automated cleaning loop" independent of the main production system, enabling a fundamental leap from "manual intervention only" to "programmable automatic maintenance" without changing the original material injection function, providing a physical basis for all subsequent automation and efficiency improvements.

[0036] Furthermore, the specific form of the pressurization unit 3 is defined. The pressurization unit 3 can be a pneumatic pressurization valve configured to introduce compressed air and thus connect to the workshop's compressed air pipeline network; or it can be a water pump directly driven by electricity. These two implementation methods of the pressurization unit 3 can adapt to the infrastructure conditions of different factories (with or without an air source), reducing equipment modification costs and implementation barriers, and expanding the applicability and market potential of the technology.

[0037] Furthermore, the first switching valve 5 and the second switching valve 7 in the valve assembly are either electric valves (responding to electrical signals) or pneumatic valves (responding to pneumatic signals). Both are mature and reliable actuators in the industrial field, thus ensuring the speed and reliability of the valve assembly's operation. Electric valves provide precise control, while pneumatic valves are low-cost and have good explosion-proof performance. They can be flexibly selected according to actual needs and cost budgets, ensuring the long-term stability of the entire system.

[0038] Furthermore, the touchscreen is equipped with a virtual or physical button for one-click start, allowing the operator to trigger complex automatic maintenance programs with a single click, eliminating the need for multiple setup steps. This significantly reduces operational difficulty and technical requirements, simplifies operation, effectively prevents misoperation, and improves the usability and human-machine interface of the equipment.

[0039] Furthermore, the automatic maintenance procedure is an air purging and cleaning procedure, and the control subsystem executes them sequentially as follows:

[0040] The first step is to control the first action of the injection cylinder 9 to discharge the residual slurry in the injection cylinder 9 and the associated pipeline back to the slurry tank 1;

[0041] The second step is to control the valve group to switch so that the injection cylinder 9 is connected to the water storage and pressurization component, and to control the injection cylinder 9 to perform a second action opposite to the first action, drawing in cleaning fluid;

[0042] The third step is to control the valve group to switch again, so that the injection cylinder 9 is connected to the slurry tank 1, and control the injection cylinder 9 to perform the first action, so as to discharge the cleaning fluid mixed with air and dry material into the slurry tank 1.

[0043] This three-step process of "draining-cleaning-draining" ensures a high degree of consistency in the quality of each maintenance operation. First, drainage creates space for cleaning; then, the filling cylinder itself provides flushing power; finally, all contaminants are completely removed. The process is logically sound and highly effective. The key to this efficient and clean maintenance process lies in its structure. Through a simple "draining-cleaning-draining" closed loop, it effectively flushes the pipes and cylinder, while also ensuring the closed-loop recycling of all waste. Furthermore, the ingenious use of the filling cylinder as the actuator eliminates the need for an additional power pump, reducing costs and complexity.

[0044] Preferably, the first action is the lowering of the piston rod of the injection cylinder, and the second action is the raising of the piston rod of the injection cylinder. The specific steps for air purging and cleaning are: ① The injection cylinder lowers to purge residual material → ② After switching the passage, the injection cylinder rises to draw in water → ③ After switching again, the injection cylinder lowers to discharge wastewater.

[0045] Furthermore, the control system is configured to: before executing the second step, first close the passage connected to the slurry source, and then open the passage connected to the water storage and pressurization device; before executing the third step, first close the passage connected to the water storage and pressurization device, and then open the passage connected to the slurry source. That is, during the switching process, the current passage must be closed first, and then the target passage opened. For example, before the second step, ensure that the first switching valve 5 is completely closed, and then open the second switching valve 7. This sequential control prevents the slurry and cleaning water from mixing and mixing during switching, avoids possible contamination and flow fluctuations, ensures the independence of each fluid path and the purity of the cleaning process, and improves the reliability of the system.

[0046] Furthermore, the device also includes a water level monitoring unit, which is installed inside the water storage tank 4 and connected to the control subsystem. When the liquid level is lower than the set value, the system can issue an alarm on the touchscreen to remind users to add water. This enables preventative maintenance, avoiding the risk of water pump damage due to insufficient water in the water storage tank 4 or interruption during the cleaning process, and improving the automation level and operational safety of the device.

[0047] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a magnetic material forming press injection system, which includes a slurry mixing tank 1, an injection cylinder 9, an injection pipe and a hydraulic press body 11, and the system also includes an automatic maintenance device for the injection system as described in any one of the above.

[0048] Furthermore, the injection cylinder 9 is used to quantitatively extract and temporarily store the slurry, and to provide injection pressure.

[0049] Furthermore, a suction gate valve 8 is installed on the suction pipe connecting the injection cylinder 9 and the slurry mixing tank 1. The suction gate valve 8 is the first barrier for the slurry entering the injection system, used for on / off control and safety isolation. On / off control function: It remains open during normal production, allowing slurry to be sucked into the injection cylinder 9. When equipment maintenance is required (such as cleaning the mixing tank or repairing the injection cylinder), this gate valve can be manually closed to isolate the mixing tank 1 from the injection system, ensuring operational safety. And when performing a cleaning process, this valve must remain open. This allows cleaning water to flow in reverse from the injection cylinder 9 through this valve, flushing the dry material adhering to the valve seat and the inner wall of the nearby pipe back into the mixing tank, achieving cleaning. In addition, the suction gate valve 8 can also be a regulating valve, allowing for rough control of the suction speed by changing the opening degree.

[0050] Furthermore, an injection gate valve 10 is installed immediately adjacent to the outlet of the injection cylinder 9, and is mounted on the injection pipe leading to the hydraulic press body 11. The injection gate valve 10 is used to precisely control the start and stop of the injection action to prevent slurry backflow. Injection control function: When the injection cylinder 9 is ready to inject, this valve opens rapidly; when injection is complete, it closes rapidly. Its opening and closing are precisely coordinated with the movement of the injection cylinder piston to ensure that the slurry enters the mold of the hydraulic press body 11 at the correct time and pressure. Backflow and drip prevention function: The valve closes immediately after injection, effectively preventing slurry in the mold cavity from flowing back into the injection pipe due to residual pressure or gravity, and also avoiding dripping from the injection port, ensuring accurate injection volume and cleanliness of the cavity.

[0051] During the automatic air purging process, this valve needs to be opened to ensure that the flushing water can pass through and clean the entire flow path from the injection cylinder to the mold, and to thoroughly remove the air and dry material at the end.

[0052] Furthermore, the hydraulic press body 11 receives the slurry from the injection gate valve 10 and completes the transformation from slurry to green blank by providing molding pressure. Specifically, the hydraulic press body is equipped with a frame and upper and lower molds for driving. After injection, the hydraulic press drives the upper mold to move downward, applying a huge pressure of tens to hundreds of tons to the loose slurry in the mold cavity, squeezing out the water and compacting the particles to form a "green blank" with a certain strength and density. Its molding cycle is a complete automated cycle of: mold closing -> injection (receiving slurry) -> pressurizing -> holding pressure -> depressurizing -> mold opening -> ejecting the green blank.

[0053] Furthermore, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides an automatic maintenance method for the injection system of a magnetic material forming press, employing the apparatus described in any of the above claims, the method comprising the following steps:

[0054] Step 1: Receive the automatic maintenance start command;

[0055] Step 2, perform the evacuation operation: control the movement of the injection cylinder to discharge the slurry in the injection cylinder and pipeline back to the slurry source;

[0056] Step 3, perform cleaning operation: switch the fluid passage and control the injection cylinder to draw cleaning fluid from the water storage and pressurization device to flush the pipes and cylinder body;

[0057] Step 4, Perform the discharge operation: Switch the fluid path again and control the injection cylinder to discharge the flushed fluid back to the slurry source. By "discharging the flushed fluid back to the slurry source," all the cleaned slurry is 100% recycled, directly saving raw material costs. "Zero pollution" on site: The entire cleaning process is carried out in a closed pipeline, completely eliminating the pollution of the workshop floor by wastewater mixed with slurry, maintaining a clean production environment, reducing cleaning costs, and meeting green manufacturing requirements.

[0058] This method summarizes four core steps: receiving instructions, emptying, cleaning, and discharging. It transforms complex, experience-dependent manual operations into standardized, repeatable automated procedures, achieving extreme simplification and a leap in efficiency. By replacing manual labor with automated machine execution, it eliminates corresponding safety risks and reduces mechanical damage to equipment.

[0059] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic maintenance device for a material injection system of a magnetic material forming press, characterized in that, The device comprises a control subsystem, a water storage and pressurization assembly, and a valve group; the control subsystem comprises a PLC program and a touch screen, and is used for receiving instructions and executing automatic control programs; The water storage and pressurization assembly comprises a water storage tank (4) and a pressurization unit (3) in communication with the water storage tank (4), and the pressurization unit is used for applying pressure to the water storage tank (4) to drive the cleaning fluid in the water storage tank (4) to flow out; the valve group comprises at least one first switching valve (5) and one second switching valve (7), the first switching valve (5) is arranged between a slurry tank (1) of a material injection system and a material injection cylinder (9), and the second switching valve (7) is arranged between the water storage and pressurization assembly and the material injection cylinder (9); The control subsystem is used for controlling the on-off state of the first switching valve (5) and the second switching valve (7) to switch the fluid passage of the material injection cylinder (9).

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The pressurization unit (3) is a pneumatic pressurization valve configured to input compressed air; or the pressurization unit (3) is a water pump.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The first switching valve (5) and the second switching valve (7) in the valve group are electric valves or pneumatic valves.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The touch screen is provided with a trigger element for one-key starting of the automatic maintenance program.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The automatic maintenance program is an air evacuation and cleaning program, and the control subsystem is configured to execute the following steps in sequence: first, controlling the first action of the material injection cylinder (9) to return the residual slurry in the material injection cylinder (9) and the associated pipeline to the slurry tank (1); Second, controlling the valve group to switch so that the material injection cylinder (9) is in communication with the water storage and pressurization assembly, and controlling the material injection cylinder (9) to perform a second action opposite to the first action to suck in cleaning fluid; Third, controlling the valve group to switch again so that the material injection cylinder (9) is in communication with the slurry tank (1), and controlling the material injection cylinder (9) to perform the first action to discharge the cleaning fluid mixed with air and dry material into the slurry tank (1).

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, The first action is a descending action of the material injection cylinder piston rod, and the second action is an ascending action of the material injection cylinder piston rod.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein, The control system is further configured to: before executing the second step, first close the passage in communication with the slurry source, and then open the passage in communication with the water storage and pressurization device; and before executing the third step, first close the passage in communication with the water storage and pressurization device, and then open the passage in communication with the slurry source.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The device further comprises a water level monitoring unit arranged in the water storage tank (4) and used for monitoring the liquid level of the cleaning fluid and being in communication connection with the control subsystem.

9. A magnetic material forming press injection system, the system comprising a slurry mixing bowl, an injection cylinder, an injection pipe, and a hydraulic press body, characterized by, The device further comprises an automatic maintenance device for a material injection system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. An automatic maintenance method for a material injection system of a magnetic material forming press, characterized in that, The method comprises the following steps by using the device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8: Step 1: receiving an automatic maintenance starting instruction; Step 2: performing an air evacuation operation: controlling the material injection cylinder to return the slurry in the material injection cylinder and the pipeline to the slurry source; Step 3: performing a cleaning operation: switching the fluid passage and controlling the material injection cylinder to suck in cleaning fluid from the water storage and pressurization device to flush the pipeline and the cylinder body. Step 4, perform a drain operation: Switch the fluid passageway again, and control the injection cylinder to drain the flushed fluid back to the slurry source.

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