Molding machine

Abstract

To provide a molding machine that allows the operator to set an appropriate level of importance for the events that occur. [Solution] The injection molding machine has a memory device 73 and a control device 78. The memory device 73 stores the importance level set for events occurring in the injection molding machine. When the control device 78 receives an input to the input device 72 for an importance setting operation to set a new importance level for an event, it stores the importance level specified by the importance setting operation in the memory device 73 as the importance level to be set for that event.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a molding machine. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional injection molding machine. The injection molding machine has a function of displaying alarm information related to an event that has occurred in the injection molding machine. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0003】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-21827 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0004】 The alarm information includes a message corresponding to an event and the occurrence time of the event. The alarm information is displayed in a chronological list as an alarm history, and there may be a mixture of multiple types of alarm information displayed. Therefore, it is difficult for an operator to find the target alarm information from the displayed alarm information. Thus, it is conceivable to set a predetermined importance for each event and display the alarm information for each importance level, thereby reducing the number of alarm information displayed at one time and making it easier to search. However, the predetermined importance may be different from the importance considered by the operator, and the display of the alarm information for each importance level may not always be easy for the operator to view. 【0005】 Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a molding machine capable of setting an appropriate importance for an operator with respect to an event that occurs. 【Means for Solving the Problems】 【0006】 To achieve the above objective, the molding machine according to the present invention is a molding machine having a memory device and a control device, wherein the memory device stores importance levels set for events occurring in the molding machine, and when an importance setting operation for setting a new importance level for an event is input to an input device, the control device stores the importance level specified by the importance setting operation as the importance level to be set for that event in the memory device. [Effects of the Invention] 【0007】 According to the present invention, the importance level set for events occurring in the molding machine is stored in a memory device. When an importance setting operation to set a new importance level for an event is input to the input device, the control device stores the importance level specified by the importance setting operation as the importance level to be set for that event in the memory device. In this way, the operator can input an importance setting operation to the input device and retrospectively set an appropriate importance level for each event. Therefore, the operator can set an appropriate importance level for events occurring in the molding machine. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0008】 [Figure 1] This figure shows a schematic configuration of an injection molding machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram of an injection molding machine. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of an event identification information table stored in the memory of an injection molding machine. [Figure 4] This figure shows another example of an event identification information table stored in the memory of an injection molding machine. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of an alarm information table stored in the memory of an injection molding machine. [Figure 6] This figure shows the first example of the alarm history screen displayed on the display device of an injection molding machine. [Figure 7] This figure shows a second example of the alarm history screen displayed on the display device of an injection molding machine. [Figure 8] This figure shows a third example of the alarm history screen displayed on the display device of an injection molding machine. [Figure 9] This figure shows a fourth example of the alarm history screen displayed on the display device of an injection molding machine. [Figure 10] This figure shows the fifth example of the alarm history screen displayed on the display device of an injection molding machine. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0009】 Hereinafter, an injection molding machine according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. The injection molding machine plasticizes the resin that will be used as the material for the molded product and injects it into the cavity of the mold to form the molded product. 【0010】 As shown in Figure 1, the injection molding machine 1 according to this embodiment has a molding machine body 10 which includes a mold clamping device 2, an injection device 3, and a removal device 4. The molding machine body 10 is placed on a base 5. The injection molding machine 1 also has a control unit 7 which controls the molding machine body 10. 【0011】 The mold clamping device 2 opens and closes and clamps the fixed mold 81 and the movable mold 82. The fixed mold 81 and the movable mold 82 form a cavity 83. 【0012】 The mold clamping device 2 includes a fixed die plate 21, a movable die plate 22, and a mold clamping drive mechanism 23. A fixed mold 81 is attached to the fixed die plate 21. A movable mold 82 is attached to the movable die plate 22. The mold clamping drive mechanism 23 includes, for example, an electric motor, a ball screw mechanism, and a toggle link mechanism. The mold clamping drive mechanism 23 generates a mold clamping force by clamping the fixed mold 81 and the movable mold 82 in the front-rear direction (left-right direction in Figure 1) using the fixed die plate 21 and the movable die plate 22. 【0013】 The injection device 3 includes a cylinder 31, a nozzle 32, a resin supply unit 33, a heater 34, a screw 35, and a screw drive mechanism 36. 【0014】 The cylinder 31 has a cylindrical shape. The cylinder 31 is arranged along the front-rear direction. The nozzle 32 is arranged at the tip of the cylinder 31. The resin supply unit 33 is arranged at the rear end of the cylinder 31. The resin supply unit 33 has a hopper in which powdery or granular resin that becomes the material of the molded product is accommodated. The resin supply unit 33 supplies resin to the cylinder 31. The heater 34 is, for example, a band heater and is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder 31. The screw 35 is rotatably and axially movable accommodated in the cylinder 31. The screw drive mechanism 36 has, for example, an electric motor and a ball screw mechanism. The screw drive mechanism 36 rotates and axially moves the screw 35. 【0015】 The take-out device 4 has an ejector pin (not shown) and a protruding mechanism 41. The protruding mechanism 41 has, for example, an air cylinder. The protruding mechanism 41 drives the ejector pin to remove the molded product from the movable mold 82. 【0016】 The control unit 7 controls the operation of the entire injection molding machine 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 7 has a display device 71, an input device 72, a storage device 73, and a control device 78. 【0017】 The display device 71 is, for example, a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display. 【0018】 The input device 72 is, for example, an operation key or a touch panel. The operation key is, for example, a key of a hardware keyboard. The touch panel is arranged over the display surface of the display device 71 and constitutes a software key in combination with button images, toggle switch images, etc. displayed on the display surface. Touching (such as tapping an image) a location corresponding to a button image or a toggle switch image on the touch panel corresponds to operating a software key, that is, inputting an operation to the input device 72. 【0019】 The storage device 73 is, for example, a magnetic disk device or a non-volatile memory. 【0020】 The storage device 73 stores an event identification information table Te, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The event identification information table Te includes an event identification information set Ks related to event E that occurs in the injection molding machine 1. 【0021】 The event identification information set Ks includes a code K1, a message K2, and severity information K3. Code K1 is information used to identify event E. Code K1 is set to a unique number (identification number) assigned to event E. Message K2 is set to a message (text) corresponding to event E identified by code K1. Severity information K3 is set to the severity level of event E. The severity levels are "S", "A", "B", and "C", in descending order of severity. Initially, the severity information K3 for each event E is set to "C", and this can be changed. Figure 3 shows the event identification information table Te in its initial state, and Figure 4 shows the event identification information table Te after the severity information K3 for some event E has been changed from the initial state. 【0022】 The storage device 73 stores the alarm information table Ta, as illustrated in Figure 5. The alarm information table Ta includes an alarm information set Js related to event E that actually occurred in the injection molding machine 1. 【0023】 The alarm information set Js includes a number J1, a code J2, and an occurrence time J3. Number J1 is set to a number indicating the order in which the alarm information set Js was added to the alarm information table Ta. Code J2 is set to an identification number assigned to event E related to the alarm information set Js. Occurrence time J3 is set to the date and time when event E occurred. The control device 78 can use code J2 as a search key to obtain message K2 and severity information K3 for event E related to the alarm information set Js from event identification information set Ks which contains code K1 that matches code J2. Therefore, the alarm information set Js essentially includes a number J1, a code J2, an occurrence time J3, a message K2, and severity information K3. 【0024】 The control device 78 has a computer. The control device 78 is communicatively connected to the display device 71, the input device 72, and the storage device 73. 【0025】 The control device 78 displays various information on the display device 71 and performs operations in response to the input device 72. The display device 71 and the input device 72 may be, for example, a tablet device or a laptop computer connected to the control device 78 via wireless communication. 【0026】 The control device 78 is communicatively connected to the clamping drive mechanism 23, heater 34, screw drive mechanism 36, and ejection mechanism 41. The control device 78 is also connected to various sensors (not shown). Based on the molding conditions read from the storage device 73, the control device 78 controls the clamping drive mechanism 23, heater 34, screw drive mechanism 36, and ejection mechanism 41, etc., to perform a molding operation in conjunction with the molding machine body 10 to mold the product. The control device 78 also uses the outputs of each mechanism and various sensors to determine whether or not event E has occurred. 【0027】 When the control device 78 determines that event E has occurred, it creates an alarm information set Js related to event E and adds it to the top of the alarm information table Ta (the very top in Figure 5). In the alarm information table Ta shown in Figure 5, the alarm information sets Js are arranged from top to bottom in order from the most recent occurrence time J3. The alarm information table Ta can contain, for example, 400 alarm information sets Js. When the alarm information table Ta is full and the control device 78 creates a new alarm information set Js, it deletes the oldest alarm information set Js at the end of the alarm information table Ta and adds the newly created alarm information set Js to the top of the alarm information table Ta. 【0028】 Furthermore, the control device 78 may, for example, delete the oldest alarm information set Js in which severity information K3 is set to "C" when it creates a new alarm information set Js when the alarm information table Ta is completely filled. If there is no alarm information set Js in which severity information K3 is set to "C" in the alarm information table Ta, the control device 78 may delete the oldest alarm information set Js in which severity information K3 is set to "B". The same applies to alarm information set Js in which severity information K3 is set to "S" or "A". In this configuration, alarm information set Js in which severity information K3 is set to "S" or "A" may not be deleted automatically, but only when an operator inputs a delete operation into the input device 72. 【0029】 Next, we will explain the alarm history screen displayed on the display device 71. 【0030】 The control unit 7 has an alarm history screen Gh. When a predetermined alarm history display operation is input to the input device 72 by the operator, the control device 78 displays the alarm history screen Gh on the display device 71. 【0031】 Figures 6 to 10 show examples of the alarm history screen Gh. The alarm history screen Gh displays a list of display information sets Ls related to event E that occurred in the injection molding machine 1. The display information set Ls is created based on the alarm information set Js contained in the alarm information table Ta, and includes the code J2, occurrence time J3, message K2, and severity information K3 of the alarm information set Js. Message K2 and occurrence time J3 are alarm information. 【0032】 The alarm history screen Gh includes a display importance selection button Gh1, an importance display unit Gh2, an information name unit Gh3, and an information display unit Gh4. 【0033】 The display importance selection button Gh1 and the importance display unit Gh2 are arranged horizontally at the top of the alarm history screen Gh. 【0034】 The Display Importance Selection button Gh1 is used to display the Display Importance Input screen Gi. The Alarm History screen Gh displays the Display Information Set Ls, in which the importance level selected using the Display Importance Input screen Gi is set in Importance Information K3. 【0035】 When the display importance selection button Gh1 is tapped while the display importance input screen Gi is not displayed, the control device 78 displays the display importance input screen Gi overlaid on the alarm history screen Gh, as shown in Figure 9. The importance display unit Gh2 displays the currently selected importance level. When all importance levels are selected, "All" is displayed on the importance display unit Gh2. In its initial state, the control device 78 has all importance levels selected. 【0036】 The display importance input screen Gi has a list section Gi1, a confirmation button Gi2, and a delete button Gi3. The list section Gi1 includes multiple selection buttons Gi11 to Gi15. As shown in Figure 9, the control device 78 displays the selection buttons Gi11 to Gi15 on the list section Gi1, corresponding to "S", "A", "B", "C", and "All". "All" refers to all importance levels. 【0037】 Immediately after displaying the display importance input screen Gi, the control device 78 highlights the selection button corresponding to the currently selected importance level (the importance level displayed in the importance display unit Gh2). In each figure, the highlighted area is indicated by a dotted area. When one of the multiple selection buttons is tapped (selection operation 1), the control device 78 highlights the selection button selected by that operation. Subsequently, when the confirmation button Gi2 is tapped (selection operation 2), the control device 78 considers the importance level corresponding to the highlighted selection button to be selected, displays that importance level in the importance display unit Gh2, and clears the display importance input screen Gi. The control device 78 then updates the display on the alarm history screen Gh (information display unit Gh4) according to the selected importance level. When the clear button Gi3 is tapped, the control device 78 clears the display importance input screen Gi without changing the currently selected importance level. Selection operation 1 and selection operation 2 are display importance selection operations that select the importance of event E related to the display information set Ls (alarm information) to be displayed on the display device 71. 【0038】 The information name section Gh3 is located below the display importance selection button Gh1 and the importance display section Gh2. The control device 78 displays "No.", "Alarm History Message", "Code", "Time of Occurrence", and "Importance" in the information name section Gh3 from left to right. 【0039】 The information display unit Gh4 is located below the information name unit Gh3. The control device 78 displays the display information set Ls in chronological order on the information display unit Gh4. 【0040】 Specifically, the control device 78 extracts alarm information sets Js from among multiple alarm information sets Js contained in the alarm information table Ta that match the currently selected importance level (the importance level displayed in the importance display unit Gh2) for the importance information K3. If all importance levels are selected, all alarm information sets Js are extracted. Based on the extracted alarm information sets Js, the control device 78 creates display information sets Ls and displays the message K2, code J2, occurrence time J3, and importance information K3 for each display information set Ls in order from left to right on the information display unit Gh4. In Figure 6, for the sake of explanation, the display information sets Ls are enclosed in dotted-dotted ellipses, but these ellipses are not actually displayed. In the information display unit Gh4, the message K2, code J2, occurrence time J3, and importance information K3 are arranged corresponding to the "Alarm History Message," "Code," "Occurrence Time," and "Importance" in the information name unit Gh3. Furthermore, the control device 78 displays each display information set Ls in order from the most recent occurrence time J3, from top to bottom. The multiple display information sets Ls displayed on the information display unit Gh4 are scrollable vertically. 【0041】 For example, if the currently selected importance level is "All," the control device 78 extracts all of the alarm information sets Js contained in the alarm information table Ta and displays the display information set Ls created using the extracted alarm information sets Js on the information display unit Gh4 (Figures 6 and 8). 【0042】 Furthermore, if the currently selected severity level is "A", the control device 78 extracts alarm information sets Js from among the multiple alarm information sets Js included in the alarm information table Ta that have "A" set in severity information K3, and displays the display information set Ls created using the extracted alarm information sets Js on the information display unit Gh4 (Figure 10). 【0043】 The section of the information display unit Gh4 where each display information set Ls is displayed is an operation section where operations to display the setting importance input screen Gk are entered. A new importance level is set in the importance information K3 of the event identification information set Ks using the setting importance input screen Gk. 【0044】 When the setting importance input screen Gk is not displayed and a display information set Ls displayed on the information display unit Gh4 is tapped, the control device 78 highlights the tapped display information set Ls, as shown in Figure 7, and overlays the setting importance input screen Gk on top of the alarm history screen Gh. The setting importance input screen Gk is displayed below the tapped display information set Ls. 【0045】 The setting importance input screen Gk has a list section Gk1, a confirmation button Gk2, and a delete button Gk3. The list section Gk1 includes a plurality of selection buttons Gk11 to Gk14. As shown in Figure 7, the control device 78 displays the selection buttons Gk11 to Gk14 corresponding to "S", "A", "B", and "C" on the list section Gi1. 【0046】 Immediately after displaying the setting importance input screen Gk, the control device 78 highlights the selection button corresponding to the importance information K3 of the tapped display information set Ls. Then, when one of the multiple selection buttons is tapped (setting operation 1), the control device 78 highlights the selection button selected by that operation. Subsequently, when the confirmation button Gk2 is tapped (setting operation 2), the control device 78 assumes that the importance corresponding to the highlighted selection button has been specified, sets that importance to the importance information K3 of the event identification information set Ks which includes code K1 that matches code J2 of the tapped display information set Ls, and then clears the setting importance input screen Gk. Then, the control device 78 updates the display on the alarm history screen Gh (information display unit Gh4). When the clear button Gk3 is tapped, the control device 78 clears the setting importance input screen Gk without changing the importance information K3 of the event identification information set Ks. Setting operations 1 and 2 are importance setting operations that set a new importance for event E. 【0047】 Next, an example of an operator's operation and the alarm history screen Gh displayed on the display device 71 as a result of that operation will be explained with reference to Figures 6 to 10. 【0048】 In the initial state of the injection molding machine 1, the importance information K3 of each event identification information set Ks, that is, the importance information K3 of each event E, is set to "C", and all importance levels are selected as the importance level of event E related to the display information set Ls displayed on the alarm history screen Gh. The importance display unit Gh2 displays "All". When the operator inputs an alarm history display operation into the input device 72, the alarm history screen Gh is displayed on the display device 71, as shown in Figure 6. 【0049】 Next, when the operator taps one of the multiple display information sets Ls (display information set No. 2 Ls) displayed on the information display section Gh4 of the alarm history screen Gh, the setting importance input screen Gk is displayed overlaid on the alarm history screen Gh, as shown in Figure 7. On the setting importance input screen Gk, the selection button Gk14 corresponding to the importance information K3 ("C") of the tapped display information set Ls is highlighted. 【0050】 Next, when the operator taps the selection button Gk12 ("A") on the setting importance input screen Gk, the selection button Gk12 is highlighted. Subsequently, when the operator taps the confirmation button Gk2, the importance setting operation is considered to have been entered into the input device 72, and the importance corresponding to the selection button Gk12 is set to the importance information K3 of event E related to the tapped display information set Ls (Figure 4), and the setting importance input screen Gk is cleared. Then, as shown in Figure 8, the display on the alarm history screen Gh is updated. In Figure 8, the importance information K3 of display information set Ls No. 2 is updated from "C" to "A", and the importance information K3 of display information sets Ls (No. 7, 12, 17, 22) related to the same event E as this display information set Ls is also updated from "C" to "A". 【0051】 Next, when the operator taps the display importance selection button Gh1, the display importance input screen Gi is displayed overlaid on the alarm history screen Gh, as shown in Figure 9. On the display importance input screen Gi, the selection button Gi15 corresponding to the currently selected importance level ("All") is highlighted. 【0052】 Next, when the operator taps the selection button Gi12 ("A") on the display importance input screen Gi, the selection button Gi12 is highlighted. Subsequently, when the operator taps the confirmation button Gi2, the display importance selection operation is considered to have been input to the input device 72, the importance corresponding to the selection button Gi12 is displayed on the importance display unit Gh2, and the display importance input screen Gi is cleared. Then, as shown in Figure 10, the display on the alarm history screen Gh is updated. In Figure 10, only the display information set Ls with importance information K3 set to "A" is displayed on the alarm history screen Gh. 【0053】 As described above, the injection molding machine 1 has a memory device 73 and a control device 78. The memory device 73 stores the importance level (importance information K3) set for an event E (code K1) that occurs in the injection molding machine 1. When the control device 78 receives an input from the input device 72 for an importance setting operation to set a new importance level for an event E, it stores the importance level specified by the importance setting operation in the memory device 73 as the importance level to be set for that event E. In this way, the operator can input an importance setting operation into the input device 72 and retrospectively set an appropriate importance level for each event E. Therefore, the operator can set an appropriate importance level for each event E that occurs in the injection molding machine 1. 【0054】 Furthermore, the storage device 73 stores alarm information sets Js. Alarm information sets Js include the time of occurrence of event E (occurrence time J3) and substantially include the message corresponding to event E (message K2). When a display importance selection operation is input to the input device 72 to select the importance of event E related to a display information set Ls created based on alarm information sets Js and displayed on the display device 71, the storage device 73 extracts alarm information sets Js related to event E whose importance matches the importance selected by the display importance selection operation, and displays the display information set Ls created based on the extracted alarm information sets Js on the display device 71. In this way, display information sets Ls containing alarm information can be displayed for each importance level. Therefore, the number of display information sets Ls displayed at one time can be reduced, making it easier to find the desired display information set Ls. 【0055】 Although this specification describes an injection molding machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to injection molding machines. The present invention is also applicable to other types of molding machines, such as die-casting machines. 【0056】 Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these examples. Additions, deletions, and design modifications of components, or combinations of features of the embodiments as appropriate by those skilled in the art, are also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols] 【0057】 1...Injection molding machine, 10...Molding machine main body, 2... Clamping device, 21... Fixed die plate, 22... Movable die plate, 23... Clamping drive mechanism, 3...Injection device, 31...Cylinder, 35...Screw, 36...Screw drive mechanism, 4...Ejecting device, 41...Ejection mechanism, 7...Control unit, 71...Display device, 72...Input device, 73...Storage device, 78...Control device, 81... Fixed mold, 82... Movable mold, 83... Cavity Gh... Alarm history screen, Gh1... Display importance selection button, Gh2... Importance display section, Gh3... Information name section, Gh4... Information display section Gi...Display importance input screen, Gk...Setting importance input screen, Ks...Event identification information set, Js...Alarm information set, Ls...Display information set Ta…Alarm information table, Te…Event identification information table

Claims

[Claim 1] A molding machine having a memory device and a control device, The memory device stores the importance level set for events occurring in the molding machine. A molding machine characterized in that, when the control device receives an input device for an importance setting operation to set a new importance level for the event, it stores the importance level specified by the importance setting operation as the importance level to be set for the event in the storage device. [Claim 2] The storage device stores alarm information including a message corresponding to the event and the time the event occurred. The molding machine according to claim 1, wherein when a display importance selection operation is input to the input device for selecting the importance of the event related to the alarm information to be displayed on the display device, the device extracts from the alarm information stored in the storage device those alarm information whose importance of the event related to the alarm information matches the importance selected by the display importance selection operation, and displays the extracted alarm information on the display device.

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