Molding machine diagnosis system and molding machine

Abstract

To provide a diagnosis system in a molding machine capable of preventing the generation of defects that automatic operation must be stopped or a molded product not accompanied by required quality is produced.SOLUTION: A diagnosis system 70 of a molding machine 1 in this invention diagnoses operations regarding an accumulator 23 in the molding machine 1 provided with the accumulator 23. The diagnosis system comprises: a storage part for storing periodic time information in which the diagnosis must be practiced; a display screen 78 for displaying information for promoting diagnosis regarding the accumulator 23 based on the periodic time information stored in the storage part; and a diagnosis control part 71 for performing diagnosis regarding the accumulator 23 and apparatuses related with the operation of the accumulator 23 in the middle of the stop of molding operations by the molding machine 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a diagnostic system applied to molding machines such as die casting machines and injection molding machines. [Background technology]

[0002] In molding machines such as die-casting machines and injection molding machines, molding operations are automatically performed according to a control device. Patent Document 1 proposes a molding diagnosis device that continuously diagnoses the operational stability of the molding machine during this operation, displays the diagnosis results on a display device, and informs the molding machine operator of the diagnosis. In the diagnostic system of Patent Document 1, when the judgment unit judges that the deviation of the measurement value for the number of shots deviates from the reference value stored in the memory unit, the control means displays specific judgment information corresponding to the type of measurement value on the monitor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-226890 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when diagnosis is performed during automatic operation, not only may the operation have to be stopped depending on the judgment result, but there is also a risk that molded products not meeting the required quality may be manufactured. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a diagnosis system for a molding machine that can prevent such problems from occurring. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention relates to a diagnosis system for diagnosing the operation of an accumulator in a molding machine equipped with an accumulator. The diagnostic system of the present invention includes a memory unit that stores periodic time information for when a diagnosis should be performed, a display unit that displays information prompting a diagnosis of an accumulator based on the temporal information stored in the memory unit, and a diagnostic control unit that performs a diagnosis of the accumulator and equipment related to the operation of the accumulator while the molding operation by the molding machine is stopped.

[0006] In the present invention, the information prompting diagnosis preferably includes information for selecting whether or not to start diagnosis. When starting the diagnosis is selected, the diagnosis control unit executes a diagnosis on the accumulator to be diagnosed and devices related to the accumulator.

[0007] In the present invention, the storage unit preferably stores one or more reference values ​​related to the diagnostic object, and the diagnosis control unit compares actual values ​​obtained by measuring one or more items corresponding to the reference values ​​with the reference values, and diagnoses whether the actual values ​​match or do not match the reference values.

[0008] In the diagnostic control unit of the present invention, preferably, when it is diagnosed that the actual measurement value does not match the reference value, the diagnostic control unit causes the display unit to display that the actual measurement value does not match the reference value and the level of the mismatch.

[0009] The device relating to the operation of the accumulator in the present invention preferably includes a hydraulic pump that discharges hydraulic oil to the accumulator, and an electric motor that drives the hydraulic pump. The diagnosis control unit also measures one or more of an actual measurement value related to the accumulator, an actual measurement value related to the discharge pressure of the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump, and an actual measurement value related to the current supplied to the electric motor.

[0010] The diagnostic control unit in the present invention preferably measures, as the actual value related to the accumulator, one or both of an actual value related to the charge in the accumulator and an actual value related to the gas pressure in the accumulator.

[0011] The molding machine in the present invention is preferably a die casting machine or an injection molding machine. When the molding machine is a die-casting machine, the accumulator is involved in the injection of molten metal, and when the molding machine is an injection molding machine, the accumulator is involved in the injection of molten resin.

[0012] According to the present invention, there is provided a molding machine including a molding machine main body having an accumulator, and a diagnostic system for diagnosing an operation related to the accumulator. Any of the diagnostic systems described above can be applied to this diagnostic system. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the diagnostic system of the present invention, diagnosis can be performed periodically while the molding operation of the molding machine is stopped, thereby preventing problems such as having to stop operation or producing molded products that do not meet the required quality. Furthermore, according to the diagnosis system of the present invention, information that prompts diagnosis of the accumulator is displayed, so that the operator of the molding machine is prevented from coming into contact with this information and thereby impairing the diagnosis of the accumulator. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a molding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a diagnostic system for the molding machine of the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 shows an example of a display screen in the diagnostic system according to the present embodiment, and is a screen showing switching to a diagnostic screen. [Figure 4] 1 shows an example of a display screen in the diagnostic system according to the present embodiment, which prompts the user to select whether or not to start a diagnosis. [Diagram 5] 1 shows an example of a display screen in the diagnostic system according to the present embodiment, and is a screen showing an example of displaying a diagnostic result. [Figure 6]13 shows an example of a display screen in the diagnostic system according to the present embodiment, and is a screen showing another example of displaying diagnostic results. [Figure 7] 13 shows an example of a display screen in the diagnostic system according to the present embodiment, and is a screen showing another example of displaying diagnostic results. [Figure 8] 1 shows an example of a display screen in the diagnostic system according to the present embodiment, and is a screen showing a display example of items that deviate from the criteria as a result of diagnosis. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a fixed form report in the diagnostic system according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of a fixed form report in the diagnostic system according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of a fixed form report in the diagnostic system according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] A diagnostic system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, a diagnostic system for a die-casting machine will be described as an example of a molding machine 1. The diagnostic system according to this embodiment periodically prompts an operator of the molding machine 1 to perform a diagnosis, and includes an accumulator 23 used for injecting molten metal as a diagnostic target. Below, the configuration of the molding machine 1 will be described, and then the operation of the diagnostic system will be described. The diagnostic system according to this embodiment is performed while the molding machine 1 is stopped.

[0016] [Schematic configuration of molding machine 1: Figure 1] The configuration of the molding machine 1 will be described below with reference to Fig. 1. As described above, in this embodiment, a die-casting machine is taken as an example, but the present invention is not limited to die-casting machines and can be applied to other molding machines, such as injection molding machines for obtaining resin molded bodies and extrusion press machines for obtaining metal molded bodies. The molding machine 1 includes an injection unit 10 that pours molten metal into a mold M, and a clamping unit 50 that applies a clamping force to the mold. The mold M includes a fixed mold M1 and a movable mold M2, and the clamping force is applied to the mold M by pressing the movable mold M2 against the fixed mold M1 by the clamping unit 50. The molding machine 1 also includes a diagnostic system 70 that controls the operation of the molding machine 1. The diagnostic system 70 includes a diagnostic control unit 71 that stores and executes a diagnostic sequence program according to this embodiment, and an operation unit 77 that receives instructions from an operator and sends the instructions to the diagnostic control unit 71. This diagnostic system 70 constitutes an example of the configuration of the diagnostic system of the present invention. In addition, in the molding machine 1, a front-rear direction L and a height direction H are specified as shown in Fig. 1. With respect to the front-rear direction L, the side where the accumulator 23 is provided is referred to as the rear (B), and the opposite side is referred to as the front (F). The front-rear direction L and the height direction H have a relative relationship with each other.

[0017] [Injection section 10: Figure 1] As shown in FIG. 1, the injection unit 10 includes a hydraulic mechanism 20 and an injection mechanism 30 that operates by hydraulic oil supplied from the hydraulic mechanism 20. The hydraulic mechanism 20 includes an injection cylinder 21 that hydraulically drives the injection mechanism 30, an accumulator 23 that supplies pressurized hydraulic oil to the injection cylinder 21, a hydraulic pump 25 that supplies hydraulic oil to the accumulator 23, an electric motor 27 that drives the hydraulic pump 25, and an oil tank 29 that stores the hydraulic oil Ho. The hydraulic pump 25, the electric motor 27, and the oil tank 29 can be dedicated to the hydraulic mechanism 20, or can be shared with the mold clamping unit 50. The hydraulic pump 25, the electric motor 27, and the oil tank 29 in this embodiment are shared with the mold clamping unit 50. The hydraulic mechanism 20 includes valves such as an on-off valve and a check valve, and other devices in the piping through which the hydraulic oil flows that connects the injection cylinder 21, the accumulator 23, the hydraulic pump 25, and the oil tank 29, but these devices are not shown in the drawings.

[0018] [Injection cylinder 21] The injection cylinder 21 includes a cylindrical hollow cylinder body 21A and a piston 21B, and the piston 21B moves forward when it obtains pressure oil from an accumulator 23. Although not shown in the figure, the piston 21B moves backward when it receives pressure oil from a hydraulic pump 25. The piston 21B includes a piston head 21B1 disposed inside the cylinder body 21A, a piston rod 21B2 fixed to the piston head 21B1 and partially protruding outside the cylinder body 21A, and a coupling 21B3 fixed to the tip of the piston rod 21B2.

[0019] The inside of the cylinder body 21A is divided into an oil inlet chamber C1 and an oil discharge chamber C2 by the piston head 21B1. The oil inlet chamber C1 is connected to the accumulator 23. Therefore, the oil inlet chamber C1 of the injection cylinder 21 obtains pressurized oil from the accumulator 23. The oil discharge chamber C2 is connected to an oil tank 29. By adjusting the flow rate of hydraulic oil flowing into the oil inlet chamber C1 or the flow rate of hydraulic oil discharged from the oil discharge chamber C2, and adjusting the rate of increase in the volume of the pressurized oil flowing from the accumulator 23 into the oil inlet chamber C1 of the injection cylinder 21, the injection speed by the plunger 33 described later can be controlled.

[0020] [Accumulator 23] The accumulator 23 accumulates the pressure of the hydraulic oil while compressing the enclosed gas, and can release the accumulated pressure of the hydraulic oil (charge pressure) at an appropriate time. The accumulator 23 and the hydraulic pump 25 correspond to the hydraulic source of the injection unit 10. The accumulator 23 includes a cylindrical, hollow cylinder 23A, and a piston 23B that is provided so as to be movable up and down inside the cylinder 23A. That is, the accumulator 23 according to this embodiment is a piston-type accumulator, but is not limited to this, and other types of accumulators, for example, a bladder-type accumulator, can also be used.

[0021] The cylinder 23A is divided into an oil chamber C3 provided at the bottom in the figure and a gas chamber C4 provided at the top in the figure, with the piston 23B as the boundary. The oil chamber C3 is connected to the oil inlet chamber C1 of the injection cylinder 21 via a hydraulic manifold, a hydraulic block, etc. In addition, the gas chamber C4 is filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas to store pressure in the hydraulic oil, regardless of whether it is a piston type or a bladder type. However, since it is difficult to completely seal the gas chamber C4, an inert gas supply source (not shown) for refilling the gas chamber C4 with inert gas, for example, a gas cylinder filled with inert gas, is connected when necessary. When pressure is to be stored in the accumulator 23 , hydraulic oil in the oil storage tank 29 is pumped to the accumulator 23 by the hydraulic pump 25 . Although only a single accumulator 23 is shown in FIG. 1, multiple accumulators 23 may be provided in this embodiment.

[0022] [Hydraulic pump 25 and electric motor 27] The hydraulic pump 25 is driven by an electric motor 27, sucks hydraulic oil from an oil tank 29, and discharges the hydraulic oil toward the accumulator 23 of the injection cylinder 21. Similarly, the hydraulic pump 25 also discharges hydraulic oil toward a hydraulic cylinder 69 of the mold clamping unit 50, which will be described later. The hydraulic pump 25 and the electric motor 27 may have any form as long as they can suck in hydraulic oil and discharge it to the target device. Although Fig. 1 shows only one set of the hydraulic pump 25 and the electric motor 27 as a minimum unit, in this embodiment, multiple sets of the hydraulic pump 25 and the electric motor 27 may be provided. In this case, one set of the hydraulic pump 25 and the electric motor 27 may be dedicated to the operation of the accumulator 23, another set may be dedicated to the operation of the hydraulic cylinder 69, and still another set of the hydraulic pump 25 and the electric motor 27 may be dedicated to the operation of another device. The hydraulic pump 25 and the electric motor 27 are devices related to the operation of the accumulator 23.

[0023] [Injection mechanism 30] Next, the injection mechanism 30 will be described. The injection mechanism 30 includes a sleeve 31 provided on a fixed platen 53, and a plunger 33 provided so as to be movable forward and backward relative to the sleeve 31. A rod 33A of the plunger 33 is coupled to a piston rod 21B2 of the injection cylinder 21 of the hydraulic mechanism 20 via a coupling 21B3. The sleeve 31 is provided with a pouring port 31A for pouring molten metal such as an aluminum alloy. After the molten metal is poured into the inside of the sleeve 31 from the pouring port 31A, the plunger 33 is advanced toward the mold M by the injection cylinder 21, whereby the molten metal is pushed out from inside the sleeve 31 by the tip 33B of the plunger 33, passes through runners and gates formed in the fixed mold M1, and is injected toward a cavity formed between the fixed mold M1 and the movable mold M2.

[0024] [Mold clamping section 50: Figure 1] Next, the mold clamping unit 50 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the mold clamping unit 50 is a mold clamping device that uses a hydraulically driven toggle link mechanism. The mold clamping section 50 includes a base 51, a fixed platen 53 fixed to the rear end of the base 51, and a movable platen 55 arranged opposite the fixed platen 53 and movable in a forward and backward direction L of the base 51. A mold M consisting of a fixed mold M1 attached to the fixed platen 53 and a movable mold M2 attached to the movable platen 55 is disposed between the fixed platen 53 and the movable platen 55. By moving the movable platen 55 in the forward and backward direction L, the movable mold M2 can be opened and closed relative to the fixed mold M1. In addition, a link housing 57 is provided in front of the movable platen 55 and opposite the movable platen 55.

[0025] The movable platen 55 constitutes one element of the toggle link mechanism, and other elements of the toggle link mechanism are provided in front of it. The toggle link mechanism includes toggle links 61, 61 whose rear ends are rotatably connected above and below the movable platen 55 by pins (not shown), and toggle links 63, 63 whose rear ends are rotatably connected to the pair of toggle links 61, 61 and whose front ends are rotatably connected to the link housing 57. Between the toggle links 63 and 63, there are provided crosshead links 65, 65 whose one ends are rotatably connected to the toggle links 63, 63, and crossheads 67 whose other ends are rotatably connected to the crosshead links 65, 65.

[0026] Next, the toggle link mechanism includes a hydraulic cylinder 69 for clamping, which is a drive source of the toggle link mechanism. The hydraulic cylinder 69 includes a cylinder body 69A and a cylinder rod 69B that moves forward and backward relative to the cylinder body 69A. The hydraulic cylinder 69 has the cylinder body 69A fixed to the link housing 57, while the cylinder rod 69B passes through the link housing 57 and has its rear end connected to the crosshead 67.

[0027] The hydraulic cylinder 69 is actuated by receiving hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump 25 driven by the electric motor 27 described above, and can move the cylinder rod 69B forward and backward. This action moves the crosshead 67 in the mold opening / closing direction, and also bends and stretches the toggle link, thereby moving the movable platen 55 in the mold opening / closing direction.

[0028] [Diagnostic system 70: Figure 1] Next, the diagnosis system 70 that controls the operation of the molding machine 1 will be described. The diagnostic system 70 comprises a diagnostic control unit 71 that stores and executes a diagnostic sequence program, an operation unit 77 that receives instructions from an operator and transmits these instructions to the diagnostic control unit 71, and a terminal 80 for creating standard reports.

[0029] [Diagnosis control unit 71: Figure 1] The diagnostic control unit 71 is composed of a computer device and has a calculation function executed by, for example, a microprocessor (MPU: Micro-Processing Unit). The diagnostic control unit 71 also has an auxiliary storage device (storage) such as a hard disk drive (HDD: Hard Disk Drive) or a solid state drive (SSD: Solid State Drive), and a main storage device (main memory) such as a random access memory (RAM: Random Access Memory). The same is true for the operation unit 77. The diagnosis control unit 71 executes diagnosis by a calculation processing function in accordance with a diagnostic sequence program stored in the main storage device. The operation of the diagnosis executed based on the diagnostic sequence program will be described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0030] Although not described in this embodiment, an automatic manufacturing sequence program for automatically and continuously manufacturing die-cast products is stored in the diagnosis control unit 71 of the molding machine 1, and the die-cast products are automatically and continuously manufactured in accordance with this automatic manufacturing sequence program. The diagnosis sequence program according to this embodiment is executed while the molding operation for manufacturing the die-cast products is stopped. The diagnosis control unit 71 also has time information such as the current date, time, and day of the week, as well as other general information. The operation unit 77 has the same.

[0031] [Operation unit 77: Figure 1] The operation unit 77 has a display screen 78. This display screen 78 has a touch panel function, and an operator of the molding machine 1 issues instructions for the operation of the molding machine 1 by operating the touch panel of the display screen 78. These instructions include instructions related to the manufacture of die-cast products and instructions related to diagnosis. The display screen 78 displays various screens associated with the execution of diagnosis. Specific examples of these display screens will be described later. The display screen 78 corresponds to the display unit in the present invention. The operation unit 77 also includes a storage (auxiliary storage device) 79 similar to that included in the diagnosis control unit 71. The storage 79 stores diagnostic information including measured actual values ​​and diagnostic results, which will be described later. This diagnostic information can be output to the outside as a file in a specific format, for example, a CSV format file. The storage 79 corresponds to the memory unit in the present invention.

[0032] [Terminal 80: Figure 1] The terminal 80 creates a fixed form report BR that summarizes the results of the diagnosis based on actual values ​​measured by an ammeter 73, a pressure gauge 74, and a thermometer 75, which will be described later. The terminal 80 is capable of sending and receiving data to and from an operation unit 77, and receives diagnostic information output from a storage 79 of the operation unit 77, and creates the fixed form report BR by a report creation program provided in the terminal 80. Specific examples of this fixed form report BR will be described later.

[0033] [Other equipment: Figure 1] The diagnostic system 70 includes measuring devices for performing the diagnosis. Specifically, the diagnostic system 70 includes an ammeter 73 that measures the value of the current supplied to the electric motor 27, a pressure gauge 74 that measures the pressure of the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump 25, and a thermometer 75 that measures the temperature of the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump 25. The ammeter 73, pressure gauge 74, and thermometer 75 measure their respective objects during diagnosis, and the measurement information is provided to the diagnosis control unit 71 and operation unit 77. The provided measurement information is displayed on the display screen 78, and is also provided to the terminal 80 via the operation unit 77 and used to create the standard report BR.

[0034] [Diagnosis: Figures 2 to 11] Next, diagnosis of the molding machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The diagnosis according to this embodiment is performed while no die-cast products are being manufactured and the automatic operation of the molding machine 1 is stopped. However, for the diagnosis according to this embodiment, periodic time information for performing the diagnosis, i.e., a schedule, is stored in advance in the diagnosis control unit 71. This schedule includes the time and day of the week when the diagnosis is to be performed, and is set in advance by the operator via the touch panel of the display screen 78. The set schedule is stored in the main storage device of the diagnosis control unit 71.

[0035] [Schedule detection: Figure 2 S101] The diagnosis control unit 71 compares a preset diagnosis schedule (time and day of the week) with the current time and day of the week to determine whether they match (FIG. 2, S101 YES, NO). This comparison is also performed while the molding machine 1 is operating to manufacture die-cast products, but as will be described later, even if the diagnosis schedule matches the current time, etc., diagnosis will not start unless an operator instructs it. Note that the current time and day of the week may be abbreviated to the current time, etc. For example, the time of the diagnosis schedule is set to "15:00" and the day of the week to "Friday." This setting example is based on the premise that diagnosis is performed once a week, but by including the date, the present invention can also perform periodic diagnosis at any time interval, such as once a month. The options for "day of the week" include "every day," and by selecting "every day" as the setting, diagnosis can be performed every day.

[0036] [Diagnosis preview: Fig. 2 S101, S103 Fig. 3] When the diagnostic schedule and the current time, etc. match (FIG. 2, S101, YES), the diagnostic control unit 71 displays on the display screen 78 a message indicating that the screen will move to a screen for confirming the start of the diagnosis. An example of this display is shown in FIG. 3, which reads, "The self-check start conditions have been met, so the screen will be switched shortly." In other words, by displaying this message, the diagnostic control unit 71 notifies the operator that the time to perform the diagnosis is approaching. However, it is possible that the operator will not even notice this warning display. Here, "the self-check start conditions have been met" means that "the diagnostic schedule and the current time, etc. match."

[0037] [Select to start diagnosis: Figure 2 S105 Figure 4] After the diagnosis preview screen is displayed, a message prompting the user to start the diagnosis is displayed on the display screen 78. An example is shown in Figure 4. This display example shows, as a specific example of diagnosis, that "A check of the pump's discharge pressure, flow rate, etc. will be carried out." Regarding this display, when the operator presses the "Self-check start" button B1, diagnosis will begin. On the other hand, when the operator presses the button B3 labeled "EXIT," the current diagnosis will not be performed and the process will end (S105 No (4) → (4) → "Exit").

[0038] [First diagnostic operation: S107 to S207 in FIG. 2] When the "Self-check start" button B1 is pressed, the molding machine 1 is diagnosed (checked) in the following procedure. Note that the items diagnosed here are just an example, and some of them may be omitted in the present invention, and other diagnostic items may be added. Also, the following procedure, that is, the order of S107, S109, S201, S203, S205, and S207 in Fig. 2, is just an example, and changing the order will not affect the respective diagnostic results.

[0039] The diagnostics include: Measurements on the accumulator 23 and the equipment involved in the operation of the accumulator 23 in the present invention. Measuring the motor current (Fig. 2 S107) Measurement of hydraulic pump discharge pressure (S109) Measurement of accumulator charge time (S201) Measurement of accumulator gas pressure (S203) Measurement of the charge current of accumulator 23 (ACC) (S205) Measurement of charge completion holding time of accumulator 23 (ACC) (S207)

[0040] Measuring the motor current (S107) refers to measuring the value of the current supplied to the electric motor 27 that drives the hydraulic pump 25. This current measurement is performed by the ammeter 73, and is performed to diagnose whether the electric motor 27 and the hydraulic pump 25 are operating normally. Measuring the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump 25 (S109) refers to measuring the pressure of the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump 25. This pressure measurement is performed by the pressure gauge 74, and is performed to diagnose whether the operation of the hydraulic pump 25 is normal or not.

[0041] Measurement of the charge time of the accumulator 23 (S201) refers to measuring the time required from the start of the supply of hydraulic oil to the oil chamber C3 of the accumulator 23 until the completion of the supply of a predetermined amount of hydraulic oil. This time is measured by a clock function provided in the diagnosis control unit 71. If the hydraulic pump 25 and the electric motor 27 are operating normally, the charge time will also fall within the range of the reference value. Therefore, the charge time of the accumulator 23 is measured to diagnose whether the hydraulic pump 25 and the electric motor 27 are operating normally.

[0042] Measuring the gas pressure of the accumulator 23 (S203) refers to measuring the pressure of the inert gas, for example, nitrogen gas, in the gas chamber C4 before it is compressed by the piston 23B. This gas pressure may be measured by measuring the pressure inside the gas chamber C4, or may be measured based on the discharge pressure of the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump 25. If the nitrogen gas leaks into the oil chamber C3 and the pressure is lower than the specified pressure, or if the nitrogen gas pressure is higher than the specified pressure, there is a risk that a molded product not meeting the required quality will be manufactured due to insufficient power or stall of the injection cylinder.

[0043] Measuring the charge current of the accumulator (ACC) (S205) refers to measuring the value of the current supplied to the electric motor 27 from the start of the supply of hydraulic oil to the oil chamber C3 of the accumulator 23 until the completion of the supply of a predetermined amount of hydraulic oil. This current measurement is also performed by the ammeter 73, and is performed to diagnose whether the operation of the electric motor 27, in particular the current supplied during charging, is normal or not. Measurement of the charge completion retention time of the accumulator (ACC) (S207) refers to measuring the time required for the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the oil chamber C3 to drop by a certain level relative to the specified pressure due to leakage of the hydraulic oil supplied into the accumulator after the supply of hydraulic oil to the oil chamber C3 is completed, and for the hydraulic oil to automatically start being resupplied to the accumulator. This retention time measurement is performed to diagnose whether the piston 23B or the equipment related to the accumulator 23 is normal or not.

[0044] [Comparison of actual values ​​and standard values: Fig. 2 S209~S301 Fig. 5~Fig. 8] When a predetermined type of actual measurement value is obtained, the actual measurement value is stored and accumulated in the main memory device of the diagnosis control unit 71 (S209). In the diagnosis control unit 71, each of the accumulated measured values ​​is compared with each of the predetermined reference values, and it is determined whether or not each of the measured values ​​deviates from the reference values ​​(S211). If the actual measurement value is out of the standard value (S211 YES), information that allows the items that are out of the standard value and the degree of deviation to be recognized, i.e., the diagnosis result, is displayed on the display screen 78 having a touch panel function (S301). The items that are out of the standard value and the information that allows the items that are out of the standard value and the degree of deviation to be recognized may hereinafter be collectively referred to as out-of-standard information. If the measured value is within the range of the reference value (S211 NO), the process proceeds to the next diagnosis (S303).

[0045] FIG. 5 shows an example image on the display screen 78 during the comparison of the actual measured value with the reference value. This example image indicates that the actual measured value is being compared with the reference value by displaying the message "Self-check in progress. Please wait." The image in FIG. 5 also displays the actual measured value in real time. The actual measured values ​​in FIG. 5 are as follows: Pump loading: This displays the actual measured value of the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump 25. In this example, two hydraulic pumps 25, P1 and P2, are provided. Pump motor: This displays the actual measured value of the current supplied to the electric motor 27. ACC1, ACC2: For the two accumulators 23, the actual measured values ​​of the pressure of the hydraulic oil charged in the oil chamber C3 are displayed. Other: The measurement results of the first diagnosis described above are displayed.

[0046] Next, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show an example of an image in which the actual measured values ​​and the reference values ​​are compared on a display screen 78. In FIG. 6 and 7, the upper and lower limit values ​​indicate the upper and lower limits of the reference values ​​for each measurement item. For example, in Fig. 6, the upper limit value XXX and the lower limit value XXX of the current (motor no-load current) supplied to the electric motor 27 are displayed in the upper part of the image, while the actual measured value of the current is displayed in the lower part. Here, five measurements are performed, so the five actual measured values ​​are displayed.

[0047] 6 and 7 are provided with a button B5 for instructing to transfer data relating to the displayed actual measurement values ​​to a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, and a button B7 for instructing to remove the USB to which the data has been transferred from the molding machine 1. The USB to which the data has been transferred is attached to a terminal 80, which will be described later, and is used to create a standard report BR.

[0048] If any information outside the standard is found as a result of comparing the actual measurement value with the standard value, this information is displayed on the display screen 78. Figure 8 shows an example of this. In the example of Figure 8, the content of the nonstandard information is shown in the "Error Message" column. In this example, the following three items are shown as nonstandard information: Example 1: "M4400 0 P1 loading 6.9Mpa pressure check lower limit abnormal" Example 2: "M4401 0 P1 loading 6.9Mpa pressure check upper limit abnormal" Example 3: "M4404 0 Injection retraction time standard over abnormal"

[0049] If you place the cursor over Example 2, the second from the top, the following explanation will be displayed in the lower line of the "Error Message" section: "The loading pressure setting was 6.9Mpa, and the actual measured value exceeded "***" Mpa. An investigation of the related equipment is required." When the operator of the molding machine 1 sees this display, after the series of diagnostic operations is completed, he or she inspects the hydraulic pump 25, which is the device in question, and the electric motor 27, which is the drive source of the hydraulic pump 25, and adjusts them as necessary. In FIG. 8, when the cursor is placed on Example 1 or Example 3, the same explanation as for Example 2 is displayed for each.

[0050] In the example of Fig. 8, multiple levels of "abnormality levels," specifically four levels, are displayed in the lower right column of the image. The four levels are categorized by the symbols (numbers) "0," "1," "2," and "3," and are assigned to "0: warning," "1: cycle stop," "2: immediate stop," and "3: hydraulic pump stop," respectively. The "0," which is the second item from the left in the "error message" shown in Fig. 8, indicates that all of the out-of-standard information in Examples 1 to 3 corresponds to "0: warning" out of the four levels. In the example of Figure 8, the larger the numerical value, the greater the degree of abnormality. However, conversely, the larger the numerical value, the less the degree of abnormality can be indicated, and other symbols such as "A", "B", "C", and "D" may be used instead of numerical values.

[0051] In the example of Fig. 8, a button B9 for "alarm stop" and a button B11 for "abnormality reset" are displayed. Pressing the "alarm stop" button B9 will stop the alarm buzzer. Pressing the "abnormality reset" button B11 will erase the corresponding error message.

[0052] [Second diagnostic operation (after completion of injection): S303 to S309 in Fig. 2] If there is no out-of-standard information in the first diagnostic operation (S211 NO), or if out-of-standard information identified in the first diagnostic operation is displayed on the display screen 78 (S211 YES, S301), then a second diagnostic operation corresponding to the completion of injection is performed. This second diagnostic operation starts with measuring the time it takes for the injection cylinder 21 to retreat to a predetermined position after the required molten metal is injected (S303). The measured injection retreat time is stored and accumulated in the main memory device of the diagnosis control unit 71 (S305). In the diagnosis control unit 71, the accumulated actual measurement value of the injection retreat time is compared with a predetermined reference value, and it is determined whether or not it deviates from the reference value (S307). If the actual measurement value is outside the reference value (YES in S307), the information indicating that the actual measurement value is outside the reference value is displayed on the display screen 78 (S309). After the information is displayed, the series of diagnostic operations is completed. If the actual measurement value is within the range of the reference value (S307 NO), the series of diagnostic operations is completed.

[0053] [Standard Report BR: Figure 1, Figure 9 to Figure 11] The molding machine 1 can instantly display the results of the diagnosis on the display screen 78, and can also output the accumulated measured values ​​as a standard report BR. Below, examples of the standard report BR will be described with reference to Figs. 9 to 11 in addition to Fig. 1.

[0054] The standard report BR is output by operating a terminal 80, which is a component of a diagnostic system 70, as shown in FIG. When the USB to which the aforementioned data has been transferred is inserted, the terminal 80 reads the data and, by performing the necessary operations on the terminal 80, can output a standard report BR from a printer (not shown). It is connected to a diagnostic control unit 71 (described later) via, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) so as to be capable of data communication, and by performing necessary operations on a terminal 80, a standard report BR can be output from a printing machine (not shown).

[0055] FIG. 9 is an example of the standard report BR, which shows a report on consumable parts used in the molding machine 1. In other words, this report on consumables displays four types of information: information about the owner of molding machine 1 (Customer Information), information about the operating status of the molding machine (Operation Data), the history of use of consumables goods (Consumables goods), and warnings about consumables goods (Alert for Consumables goods). The history of consumable goods shows the criterion of exchange, total count, last change, date of last change, and judgment result for each consumable. The total count is calculated based on the operation data of the actuator corresponding to each consumable. In the example of the usage history of consumable goods in Figure 9, the diagnosis results show that the corbel liner and ACC1 (packing) need to be replaced, and comments based on these diagnosis results are displayed in the Alert for Consumables goods column.

[0056] FIG. 10 is an example of the standard report BR, in which the history of the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump 25 is shown in a table format. This tabular report includes the date, time, tolerance (reference value), actual measurement value, and judgment result, and by referring to this report, the user can recognize not only the fluctuation status of the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump 25, but also the status of warnings issued when the actual measurement value deviates from the reference value.

[0057] FIG. 11 is an example of the standard report BR, which shows the progress of the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump 25 in a graph format. By referring to this graph-format report, the user can visually recognize the fluctuation status of the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump 25, as well as the status of a warning issued when the actual measured value deviates from the reference value.

[0058] 〔effect〕 The effects achieved by the molding machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described. [Essential Effects] First, the diagnostic system 70 according to this embodiment targets the accumulator 23 and devices related to the accumulator 23. It is difficult to judge and diagnose the accumulator 23 and devices related to the accumulator 23 while the molding machine 1 is operating because the measurement results are affected by the molding conditions, the material of the product, and the state of the mold M. However, the diagnostic system 70 can perform diagnosis periodically while the molding operation by the molding machine 1 is stopped. Therefore, the diagnostic system 70 not only makes it easy to judge and diagnose, but also prevents problems such as having to stop operation or manufacturing molded products that do not meet the required quality.

[0059] Furthermore, according to the diagnostic system 70 of this embodiment, information that prompts the operator to diagnose the accumulator 23 is displayed, so that the operator of the molding machine 1 is prevented from coming into contact with this information and impairing the diagnosis of the accumulator 23. Here, as described above, since it is difficult to completely seal the gas chamber C4, the inert gas leaks out of the gas chamber C4 over time. Therefore, in the diagnostic system 70 of this embodiment, the accumulator 23 and the devices related to the accumulator 23 are subject to diagnosis, so that the accumulation of hydraulic oil in the accumulator 23 can be appropriately maintained, and further, signs of failure can be detected for the devices related to the operation of the accumulator 23, and measures can be taken to prevent failure.

[0060] [Effects of choosing to start diagnosis] According to the diagnostic system 70 of this embodiment, the information prompting the operator to start the diagnosis includes information for selecting whether or not to start the diagnosis. Therefore, when the operator of the molding machine 1 judges that the diagnosis is necessary, the diagnosis is performed, whereas when the operator judges that the diagnosis is unnecessary at that time, the diagnosis is not performed. For example, this is the case when the machine needs to be operated for setup work.

[0061] [Effect of comparing actual values ​​with standard values] According to the diagnosis system 70 of this embodiment, the actual measurement value is compared with a preset reference value, and whether the actual measurement value matches the reference value or not is diagnosed, so that an objective diagnosis result that eliminates the subjectivity of the operator can be obtained. In particular, according to the diagnosis system 70 of this embodiment, the actual measurement value obtained when no operation for molding is being performed is compared with the reference value, so that it is not necessary to consider the influence of equipment other than the molding machine 1, and therefore it is easy to identify the cause of deviation from the reference value.

[0062] [Display diagnostic results] According to the diagnostic system 70 of this embodiment, when the actual measurement value is diagnosed as not matching the reference value, in addition to the fact that the actual measurement value does not match the reference value, the level of the mismatch is displayed on the display screen 78. Therefore, an operator who comes across this display can select an appropriate response depending on the displayed level.

[0063] [Subject of diagnosis] According to the diagnostic system 70 of this embodiment, in addition to the accumulator 23, the devices related to the accumulator 23 include the hydraulic pump 25 and the electric motor 27 that drives the hydraulic pump 25. Then, an actual measurement value related to the accumulator 23, an actual measurement value related to the discharge pressure of the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump 25, and an actual measurement value related to the current supplied to the electric motor 27 are measured. Therefore, it is possible to estimate which device related to the accumulator 23 deviates from the reference value.

[0064] The diagnostic system 70 according to this embodiment measures the actual value related to the charge of the accumulator 23 and the actual value related to the gas pressure of the accumulator 23. Therefore, it is easy to estimate which part of the accumulator 23 deviates from the reference value.

[0065] In addition to the above, the configurations given in the above embodiments can be selected or appropriately changed to other configurations without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In this embodiment, the accumulator 23 and the equipment related to the operation of the accumulator 23 may include other measurement targets. For example, the present invention can measure the rise curve (waveform) of the gas pressure in the accumulator 23 during charging. Also, in this embodiment, the hydraulic pump 25, which supplies hydraulic oil to the accumulator 23 and is equipment related to the operation of the accumulator 23, also supplies hydraulic oil to the hydraulic cylinder 69. Therefore, the measurement target of the fluctuation in pressure of the hydraulic pump 25 that supplies pressure oil to the hydraulic cylinder 69 during mold clamping of the mold M is included in the present invention.

[0066] In addition, in this embodiment, data related to diagnosis is provided to the terminal 80 using a USB, but the present invention is not limited to this. The terminal 80 and the diagnosis control unit 71 may be connected to each other via a LAN (Local Area Network) for data communication, for example, and the data related to diagnosis may be transmitted to the terminal 80.

[0067] Also, in the present embodiment, the diagnostic system 70 is exemplified as being composed of three separate structures, the diagnostic control unit 71, the operation unit 77, and the terminal 80. However, in the diagnostic system of the present invention, the functions of the diagnostic control unit 71, the operation unit 77, and the terminal 80 may be realized by a single structure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1 Molding machine 10 Injection part 20 Hydraulic mechanism 21 Injection cylinder 21A Cylinder body 21B Piston 21B1 Piston head 21B2 Piston rod 21B3 Coupling 23 Accumulator 23A Cylinder 23B Piston 25 Hydraulic Pump 27 Electric Motor 29 Oil storage tank 30 Injection mechanism 31 Sleeve 31A Pouring spout 33 Plunger 33A Rod 33B Chip 50 Mold clamping part 51 Foundation 53 Fixed plate 55 Movable plate 57 Link housing 61,63 Toggle Link 65 Crosshead link 67 Crosshead 69 Hydraulic Cylinder 69A Cylinder body 69B Cylinder rod 70 Diagnostic Systems 71 Diagnostic control unit 73 Ammeter 74 Pressure Gauge 75 Thermometer 77 Control section 78 Display screen 79 Storage (auxiliary storage device) 80 Terminals C1 Oil inflow chamber C2 Oil discharge chamber C3 oil chamber C4 Gas Chamber M mold M1 Fixed mold M2 movable mold L Anteroposterior direction H Height direction Ho Hydraulic oil BR Standard Report B1, B3, B5, B7, B9, B11 buttons

Claims

1. A diagnosis system for diagnosing an operation related to an accumulator in a molding machine that performs injection molding of a material using an accumulator, comprising: The diagnostic system comprises: a storage unit that stores periodic time information when the diagnosis should be performed; a display unit that displays information prompting the diagnosis of the accumulator based on the periodic time information stored in the storage unit; and a diagnosis control unit that executes the diagnosis on the accumulator and devices related to the operation of the accumulator while a molding operation by the molding machine is stopped.

2. a diagnosis control unit that executes the diagnosis on the accumulator and a device related to the accumulator; The diagnostic information includes: Including information for selecting whether to start the diagnosis, The diagnosis control unit: When starting the diagnosis is selected, the diagnosis is executed on the accumulator and devices related to the accumulator, which are targets of diagnosis. The diagnosis system for a molding machine according to claim 1 .

3. The storage unit is storing one or more reference values ​​relating to the diagnostic subject; The diagnosis control unit: measuring one or more items corresponding to the reference value for the diagnostic subject, and comparing the actual measured value with the reference value, and diagnosing whether the actual measured value matches or does not match the reference value; The diagnosis system for a molding machine according to claim 2.

4. When the diagnosis control unit diagnoses that the actual measurement value does not match the reference value, the diagnosis control unit causes the display unit to display a signal indicating that the actual measurement value does not match the reference value and a level of the mismatch; The diagnosis system for a molding machine according to claim 3.

5. The equipment involved in the operation of the accumulator is: a hydraulic pump that discharges hydraulic oil to the accumulator; an electric motor that drives the hydraulic pump; The diagnosis control unit: the actual measurement for the accumulator; and The actual measured value regarding the discharge pressure of the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump; and the actual value relating to the current supplied to the electric motor. The diagnosis system for a molding machine according to claim 3 or 4.

6. The diagnosis control unit: The actual measured values ​​of the accumulator are as follows: an actual measurement of the charge of the accumulator; and and an actual measurement value of the gas pressure in the accumulator. The diagnosis system for a molding machine according to any one of claims 3 to 5.

7. The molding machine comprises: It is a die casting machine or an injection molding machine, When the molding machine is a die-casting machine, the accumulator is involved in the injection of molten metal, The diagnostic system according to claim 1 , wherein when the molding machine is an injection molding machine, the accumulator is involved in injection of molten resin.

8. a molding machine body including an accumulator; and a diagnostic system according to any one of claims 1 to 7 for diagnosing an operation relating to the accumulator. A molding machine characterized by:

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