Operation state management system

Abstract

To provide an operation state management system capable of efficiently managing operation states and so forth in regard to a plurality of industrial machines.SOLUTION: An operation state management system (1) is constituted from one or more servers (2) for managing operation states of a plurality of industrial machines (10) and one or more terminals (3). Pieces of information about the operation states of the industrial machines (10) are periodically sent to the servers (2) and stored therein. Operation state management screens (40) called from the terminals are provided in the servers. Multiple cards (41) corresponding to the respective industrial machines (10) are displayed on the operation state management screens (40) to display identification names of the corresponding industrial machines (10), operation rates, and current operation states.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an operating state management system for managing the operating states of a plurality of industrial machines such as injection molding machines installed in a factory.

Background Art

[0002] In a factory, a plurality of industrial machines such as injection molding machines are installed, and they are operated by controllers provided in each of them. For these industrial machines, various screens prepared for the industrial machines can be displayed on a monitor provided in the controller to check the operating state or view measurement data measured by various sensors.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes an injection molding machine that can be operated from a network terminal. A WEB server and a screen application are provided in the controller of the injection molding machine. When accessing the injection molding machine from a terminal such as a PC connected to the network, an operation screen is displayed, and the operating state of the injection molding machine can be checked or measurement data and the like can be viewed.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When an operation screen of an injection molding machine is displayed on a network-connected terminal as in the injection molding machine described in Patent Document 1, the injection molding machine can be managed remotely, which is convenient. Similarly, if the operation screen can be called up by network connection for other industrial machines other than the injection molding machine, remote management becomes possible and the efficiency is high. However, problems to be solved can also be found. If the operation screen of each industrial machine is called up one by one on a network-connected PC, the operating status and the like of each can be sequentially viewed. However, it is difficult to efficiently check and manage the operating status of a plurality of industrial machines installed in a factory.

[0006] In the present disclosure, there is provided an operating status management system capable of efficiently managing the operating status and the like of a plurality of industrial machines installed in a factory.

[0007] Other problems and novel features will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The present disclosure is configured as an operating status management system including one or more servers that manage the operating status of a plurality of industrial machines and one or more terminals that communicate with the servers. Information on the operating status of the industrial machines is periodically sent to the servers and stored. The servers are provided with an operating status management screen that is displayed on the terminals by calling from the terminals. On the operating status management screen, a plurality of cards corresponding to each of the plurality of industrial machines are displayed, and each card displays an industrial machine identification name, an operating rate, and a current operating status for the corresponding industrial machine.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] The present disclosure can efficiently confirm the operating status and the like of a plurality of industrial machines by means of the operating status management screen.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, specific embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. For the sake of clarity, the following description and drawings are appropriately simplified. In each drawing, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted as necessary. Also, there are parts where hatching is omitted so that the drawings do not become complicated.

[0012] <Operating State Management System> As shown in FIG. 1, a factory is provided with a plurality of industrial machines 10, 11,... such as injection molding machines 10, 10,... and extruders 11. The operating state management system 1 according to the present embodiment is adapted to manage the operating states of such a plurality of industrial machines 10, 11,.... The operating state management system 1 includes a server 2 provided on a network and one or more terminals 3, 3, 4,... that communicate with the server 2. The server 2 is shown as one computer in FIG. 1, but it may be composed of two or more computers. As the terminals 3, 4,..., not only personal computers 3, 3 but also mobile terminals 4, 4 such as smartphones can be adopted.

[0013] The server 2 is provided with processing software 6 that performs the processing of the operating state management system 1 according to the present embodiment. The processing software 6 can be constructed by introducing a so-called business management cloud commercially sold such as salesforce (registered trademark) and kintone (registered trademark), or it can be constructed without introducing a business management cloud. The processing software 6 includes a database 7, a screen AP group 8 provided to the terminals 3, 4, etc. The current operating state is periodically sent from the industrial machines 10, 11 to the processing software 6 and stored in the database 7. For the injection molding machines 10, 10, various data such as molding conditions and measurement data are also periodically sent and stored in the database 7.

[0014] <Injection Molding Machine> The objects managed by the operation status management system 1 according to this embodiment are various types of industrial machines 10, 11, ... For the injection molding machines 10, 10, not only the operation status is managed, but also various data such as measurement data and setting data are managed in detail. That is, the operation status management system 1 according to this embodiment can manage the injection molding machines 10, 10, ... installed in the factory in more detail. The injection molding machine 10 that is the management object will be briefly described.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the injection molding machine 10 includes a mold clamping device 12 and an injection device 13. The injection molding machine 10 is provided with a controller 14, and the mold clamping device 12 and the injection device 13 are controlled. A monitor 14a is provided in the controller 14, and various screens are displayed. It is possible to set molding conditions and view measurement data measured from sensors provided in the injection molding machine 10. As will be described later, the monitor 14a also displays the work report screen 99 provided by the operation status management system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0016] <Mold clamping device> The mold clamping device 12 includes a fixed platen 17 fixed to the bed B, a movable platen 18 slidably provided on the bed B, and a mold clamping housing 19. The fixed platen 17 and the mold clamping housing 19 are connected by a plurality of tie bars 21, 21, ..., and the movable platen 18 is slidable between the fixed platen 17 and the mold clamping housing 19. A mold clamping mechanism, that is, a toggle mechanism 23 in this embodiment, is provided between the mold clamping housing 19 and the movable platen 18. Fixed-side molds 25 and movable-side molds 26 are provided on the fixed platen 17 and the movable platen 18, respectively. Therefore, when the toggle mechanism 23 is driven, the molds 25, 26 are opened and closed.

[0017] <Injection device> The injection device 13 includes a heating cylinder 29, a screw 30 provided in the heating cylinder 29, and a screw drive device 32. The heating cylinder 29 is supported by the screw drive device 32, and the screw 30 is driven by the screw drive device 32 in the rotational direction and the axial direction. The heating cylinder 29 is provided with a hopper 33 and an injection nozzle 34. The heating cylinder 29 is provided with a plurality of heaters 35, 35,....

[0018] Advance the injection device 13 to touch the injection nozzle 34 against the fixed mold 25. Supply power to the heaters 35, 35,... according to a command from the controller 14 to heat the heating cylinder 29, supply the injection material from the hopper 33, and rotate the screw 30. Then, the injection material melts and is sent to the tip of the screw 30. That is, it is metered. When the injection material is metered, the screw drive device 32 is controlled according to a command from the controller 14 to drive the screw 30 in the axial direction. Then, the injection material is pushed forward as the screw 30 advances. That is, the injection material is injected into the molds 25, 26.

[0019] <Operating State Management Screen> The screen AP group 8 included in the processing software 6 of the operating state management system 1 (see FIG. 1) according to the present embodiment will be described. The most characteristic screen in the present embodiment is the operating state management screen 40 shown in FIG. 3. The operating state management screen 40 is included in the screen AP group 8 and can be called and displayed on the terminals 3, 4,... by operations from the terminals 3, 4,.... As will be described in detail below, the operating state management screen 40 is configured to display the operating state and the like based on the data stored in the database 7 for a plurality of industrial machines 10, 11,... installed in the factory.

[0020] On the operation status management screen 40, a group name 50 is displayed at the top. The group name 50 may be the name of the factory, or may be the name of each group obtained by grouping the injection molding machines 10, 10,... (see FIG. 1) in the factory. Hereinafter, for the sake of easy explanation, it is assumed that "Group A" indicates the name of the factory. Below the group name 50, an average operation rate display column 51 indicating the average operation rate is displayed. In FIG. 3, the average operation rate is the average operation rate of all the injection molding machines 10, 10,... within Group A, that is, within the factory, and is displayed.

[0021] On the operation status management screen 40, a plurality of cards 41, 41, 42,... are displayed. One card 41, 42,... corresponds to one injection molding machine 10, 10,... and the same number of cards 41, 41,... as the plurality of injection molding machines 10, 10,... installed in the factory are displayed. When the number of cards 41, 41,... is large and cannot be displayed at one time, the corresponding cards 41, 41,... for the desired injection molding machines 10, 10,... can be displayed by operating the slide bar 44.

[0022] In the present embodiment, since the cards 41, 41,... manage the operation status of the injection molding machines 10, 10,..., they can be called injection molding machine cards 41, 41,.... At the top of the injection molding machine cards 41, 41,..., industrial machine identification names 45, 45,... for identifying the injection molding machines 10, 10,... (see FIG. 1) are displayed. For example, "Injection Molding Machine 01", "Injection Molding Machine 02", etc.

[0023] Next, on these injection molding machine cards 41, 41, …, pie charts 46, 46, … indicating the operating ratios of the injection molding machines 10, 10, … are displayed. In the pie charts 46, 46, …, the cumulative operating time 46a, pause time 46b, and stop time 46c from the start date of operation are shown in sizes corresponding to their respective ratios. Instead of the cumulative from the start date of operation, it may be displayed as the ratios of the operating time 46a, pause time 46b, and stop time 46c within the current year, within the current month, or within the current day. Since the operating ratios of the respective injection molding machines 10, 10, … can be read from the pie charts 46, 46, …, these states can be easily managed even if the number of injection molding machines 10, 10, … is large.

[0024] The injection molding machine cards 41, 41, … are also provided with operating state display columns 47, 47, … indicating the current operating state. If the injection molding machines 10, 10, … (see Fig. 1) are in operation or on pause, “Online” is displayed, and if they are stopped, “Offline” is displayed.

[0025] On the injection molding machine cards 41, 41, …, molding condition identification names for identifying the molding conditions currently set in the injection molding machines 10, 10, … are displayed. The molding condition identification names are displayed in the molding condition identification name display columns 49, 49, …. Also, detailed display buttons 53, 53, … are provided. When any one of them is selected, the injection molding machine screen 60 described below is displayed, and detailed information about the corresponding injection molding machines 10, 10, … is displayed.

[0026] <Injection Molding Machine Screen> As shown in Fig. 4A, the injection molding machine screen 60 is configured to display detailed information about one injection molding machine 10 (see Fig. 1). The injection molding machine screen 60 can select a predetermined display mode from a plurality of types of display modes and change the data to be displayed as described below. However, there is data that is always displayed regardless of the display mode. As the data that is always displayed, first, there is an operation status display column 61 displayed at the uppermost part of the screen, which shows information about whether it is currently in operation. Next, the shot number display column 62 on the left side of the screen is always displayed. In the shot number display column 62, the production shot number, defective shot number, etc. from the start of operation of the injection molding machine 10 are displayed.

[0027] In the center of the injection molding machine screen 60, a main display column 64 is provided. The main display column 64 is provided with a plurality of tabs 64a, 64b,.... On the tabs 64a, 64b,... are described "main specifications", "measured values", "history",... etc., which are the display type names representing the display modes. When the tab 64a of "main specifications" is selected, the display mode is switched and it is displayed as shown in Fig. 4A. In the main display column 64, a schematic diagram 67 of the injection molding machine is shown, and data about the product specifications, that is, the main specifications, provided in the injection molding machine 10 (see Fig. 1), such as screw diameter, injection pressure, etc. are displayed.

[0028] When the tab 64b of "measured values" is selected in the main display column 64 on the injection molding machine screen 60, the display mode is switched and the screen shown in Fig. 4B is displayed. At this time, at the upper part of the main display column 64, a sub-display mode selection column 71 for selecting any one of three types of sub-display modes, "data", "graph", and "comparison", is displayed. Initially, "data" is selected, and the screen is displayed in a data display mode that displays measurement data, etc. as shown in Fig. 4B. In the data display mode, in the main display column 64, the set data set in the injection molding machine 10, various measured data, etc. are displayed for each shot number.

[0029] When "Graph" is selected in the sub-display mode selection bar 71, as shown in FIG. 4C, it is displayed in the graph display mode. When the data to be graphically displayed is selected in the item selection pull-down menu 72 and the X-axis of the graph is selected in the X-axis selection pull-down menu 73, the selected data is graphically displayed. When "Comparison" is selected in the sub-display mode selection bar 71, it becomes possible to compare data at different shot numbers.

[0030] <Operation input screen> Among the screen AP group 8 provided in the processing software 6 of the operation state management system 1 (see FIG. 1) according to the present embodiment, there is also a screen to be displayed on the monitor 14a by operating the monitor 14a of the controllers 14 (see FIG. 2) of the injection molding machines 10, 10,.... Specifically, it is the operation input screen 80 shown in FIG. 5A. The operation input screen 80 is a screen on which an operator of the injection molding machine 10 can easily create an operation report for the work performed. An operator who performs work on the injection molding machine 10 makes a connection request to the operation state management system 1 on the monitor 14a and performs a predetermined operation prior to the start of the work. Then, the operation input screen 80 is displayed on the monitor 14a.

[0031] The operation input screen 80 is provided with a status display column 81, a basic setting column 82, a report content input column 84, and an operation start button 85. The status display column 81 shows the execution status of the operation input screen. Basic items in the operation report are set in the basic setting column 82. The basic setting column 82 has an operator selection pull-down menu 87, a mold selection pull-down menu 88, and a resin selection pull-down menu 89. Before starting the work, the operator selects his / her name, the mold to be used, and the resin to be used from these pull-down menus 87, 88, 89. Then the operation start button 85 is selected.

[0032] Then, the work input screen 80 is displayed as shown in FIG. 5B. The name of the operator, the mold to be used, and the resin to be used are stored in the database 7 of the operation status management system 1 (see FIG. 1). Then, in the work input screen 80, "recording" is displayed in the status display column 81, and the start time is displayed in the basic setting column 82. Also, the work start button 85 (see FIG. 5A) changes to the work end button 91.

[0033] The operator then starts working on the injection molding machine 10 (see FIG. 1). If there is anything to report regarding the work, the operator inputs it from the report content input field 84. The state where the report content is input in the report content input field 84 is shown in FIG. 5C. When the operator's work is completed on the injection molding machine 10 (see FIG. 1), the work end button 91 is selected. Then, the end time is set in the basic setting column 82. The end time together with the report content is stored in the database 7 of the operation status management system 1 (see FIG. 1). That is, it will be stored in the database 7 as a work record. Since the work input screen 80 can be directly operated on the injection molding machine 10 where the operator works to create a work record, not only is it easy to create a work record, but it is also possible to prevent forgetting to create a work record.

[0034] <Work report screen> The work record sent from the injection molding machine 10 (see FIG. 1) to the operation status management system 1 and stored in the database 7 can be viewed by calling the work report screen 95 shown in FIG. 6 from terminals 3, 4,.... The detailed content of the work record is displayed on the work report screen. That is, information about the injection molding machine 10 (see FIG. 1) on which the operator worked, the name of the operator, the work start date and time, the work end date and time, the mold, the resin, and the report content are displayed. The work record displayed on the work report can also be printed.

[0035] [Modification example of this embodiment] <Operation status management screen> This embodiment can be variously modified. For example, the operation state management screen 40 can be modified. FIG. 7 shows an operation state management screen 40' according to a modified example of this embodiment. The operation state management screen 40' displays the operation states not only of the injection molding machines 10, 10,... (see FIG. 1), but also of the extruder 11 as well. That is, on the operation state management screen 40', not only the injection molding machine cards 41, 41,... but also the extruder card 42 are displayed.

[0036] On the extruder card 42, similar to the injection molding machine cards 41, 41,..., the identification name of the extruder, which is the industrial machine identification name 45, for example, "Extruder 01", is displayed, a pie chart 46 indicating the operation ratio is shown, and an operation state display column 47 indicating the operation state is displayed. However, different from the injection molding machine cards 41, 41,..., the molding condition identification name display column 49 is not provided on the extruder card 42, nor is the detailed display button 53 provided.

[0037] It has been described that on the operation state management screen 40' according to the modified example, cards 41, 42,... indicating the operation states of not only the injection molding machines 10, 10,... but also the extruder 11 can be displayed to manage the operation states. However, for other types of industrial machines, such as press machines, NC machine tools, etc., similar cards 41, 42,... can be prepared and displayed on the operation state management screen 40'. That is, for three or more types of industrial machines 10, 11,..., they can be collectively displayed on the operation state management screen 40'.

[0038] The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments already described, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist thereof. The plurality of examples described above can also be implemented in appropriate combinations.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0039] 1 Operation state management system 2 Server 3 Personal computer 4 Mobile terminal 6 Processing software 7 Database 8 Screen AP group 10 Injection molding machine 11 Extruder 40 Operating status management screen 41 Injection molding machine card 42 Extruder card 45 Industrial machine identification name 46 Pie chart 47 Operating status display column 60 Injection molding machine screen 64 Main display column 71 Sub-display mode selection column 80 Work input screen 95 Work report screen

Claims

1. One or more servers for managing the operating states of a plurality of industrial machines, Comprising one or more terminals that communicate with the server, The information on the operating states of the plurality of industrial machines is periodically sent to and stored in the server, The server is provided with an operating state management screen that is displayed on the terminal upon a call from the terminal, On the operating state management screen, a plurality of cards corresponding to each of the plurality of industrial machines are displayed, and each of the cards displays an industrial machine identification name, an operating rate, and a current operating state for the corresponding industrial machine. An operating state management system.

2. The industrial machine is an injection molding machine. The operating state management system according to Claim 1.

3. The molding condition identification name for the molding conditions set in the injection molding machine is sent to and stored in the server, The molding condition identification name is displayed on the card of the operating state management screen. The operating state management system according to Claim 2.

4. The measurement data in the injection molding machine is periodically sent to and stored in the server, The server is provided with an injection molding machine screen, When the operating state management screen is displayed on the terminal, if an arbitrary card is selected by screen operation, the injection molding machine screen is displayed on the terminal, and the measurement data for one injection molding machine corresponding to the selected card is displayed. The operating state management system according to Claim 2 or 3.

5. The injection molding machine screen is provided with a data display mode for displaying the measurement data in a history for each shot of the molding cycle. The operating state management system according to Claim 4.

6. The controller of the injection molding machine is provided with a work input screen for displaying and operating on an attached monitor, On the work input screen, the work performed by the user on the injection molding machine is input as a work record, The work record input on the work input screen is sent to and stored in the server. The operating state management system according to Claim 4.

7. The server is provided with a work report screen that is displayed on the terminal upon a call from the terminal, The operation status management system according to claim 6, wherein the work record is displayed on the work report screen.

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