Mold monitoring device and mold monitoring method

Abstract

To provide a practical mold monitoring device and mold monitoring method that can handle a larger mold.SOLUTION: Each image taken by a plurality of cameras 11-14 directed toward the inside of a pair of molds 91, 92 is sent to a main unit 2, where it is compared with a reference image to determine whether a molding situation is normal or abnormal. Each of the cameras 11-14 can be mounted to capture images of each of four individual areas, or any two cameras can be mounted to capture a common area in an overlapping manner. A mode for acquiring images from each camera is selected on a mode setting screen shown on a display 22 of the main unit 2 and is recorded in a configuration information file 35.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The invention of this application relates to a mold monitoring device and a mold monitoring method for monitoring molds in a molding device used for molding various articles. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, molding devices equipped with dies have been used to mold various articles. For example, in an injection molding machine, which is a type of molding device, a thermoplastic resin is heated to soften it, filled into a die, and then cooled to mold an article of a desired shape. As the die, a set of dies consisting of one or more dies is used. For example, a pair of dies consisting of a fixed die and a movable die is used. Hereinafter, the molding process in which material is filled into a die in this way is referred to as a molding cycle.

[0003] In such molding devices, it is often necessary to monitor the mold. For this reason, a mold monitoring device is used. The mold monitoring device has a camera that takes pictures of the inside of the mold and a judgment unit that processes the images taken by the camera and judges whether the molding situation is normal or abnormal. The camera is often installed in a position where it can take pictures of the inside of the movable mold.

[0004] There are two main reasons for monitoring molds with cameras. One reason is to monitor the molding status after molding, while the article is held in the mold. This type of monitoring is called primary monitoring. In primary monitoring, the shape of the article on the mold is checked to determine whether it has been molded correctly. If the article has a chip or other defect and is determined to be an incorrect shape, the primary monitoring results in an abnormality, and the mold monitoring device outputs a primary monitoring abnormality. The output of the mold monitoring device is input to the main control unit of the molding device, and when a primary monitoring abnormality is output, the main control unit controls the molding device to stop operation. Then, an operator investigates the cause of the incorrect molding.

[0005] Another purpose of mold monitoring is to check whether the mold opens after molding and the article is properly removed, mainly for the next molding. This type of monitoring is called secondary monitoring. In secondary monitoring, images of the inner surface of the mold are used to determine whether the article has not been properly removed and remains, or whether some material remains. If the article has not been released or some material remains, a secondary monitoring abnormality is output, and control is exercised to stop the operation of the molding device in the same way. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6584472 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6798794 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In various molding machines in which mold monitoring devices are used, the molds tend to become larger. The reason for the increase in mold size may be the increase in the size of the articles to be molded, but it may also be due to the desire to increase productivity by increasing the number of articles to be molded at one time. Conventional mold monitoring devices used one camera for monitoring, but as molds become larger, it has become necessary to use multiple cameras. When the mold becomes larger, one camera may be sufficient if a wide-angle camera is used with a long shooting distance. However, the image quality may deteriorate, affecting the monitoring work. Therefore, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the inside of the mold is divided into multiple areas and a camera is installed for each area to take pictures.

[0008] When using multiple cameras as described above, in addition to taking pictures of each area separately, other shooting methods may be required. For example, one camera may be required to take pictures of the entire inside of the mold, and another camera may be required to take pictures of only a specific area that requires special monitoring. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a practical mold monitoring device and mold monitoring method that can accommodate larger molds. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the mold monitoring device of the invention disclosed in this specification is a mold monitoring device that monitors the inside of the molds that are opened after molding in a molding apparatus in which a set of molds, at least one of which is a movable mold, is kept closed while an article is molded inside the molds and then the molds are opened to remove the article. This mold monitoring device is equipped with four or more cameras facing the inside of an open mold, and a judgment unit that judges whether the molding state is normal or abnormal based on the images of the inside of the mold taken by the cameras. Each camera is attached to take an image of an individual area obtained by dividing the inside of the mold into four or more areas, and the judgment unit compares the images sent from each camera with a reference image set for each area to judge whether the molding state is normal or abnormal. In addition, in order to solve the above problem, the mold monitoring device can be configured so that at least one of the four cameras is installed so as to photograph areas inside the mold that are hidden from view by the other cameras and cannot be captured.

[0010] In addition, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a mold monitoring device according to another invention disclosed in this specification is a mold monitoring device that monitors the inside of the molds that have been opened after molding in a molding apparatus in which a set of molds, at least one of which is a movable mold, is kept closed while an article is molded inside the molds and then the molds are opened to remove the article. This mold monitoring device includes a plurality of cameras capable of photographing the inside of an open mold, a judgment unit that judges whether the molding state is normal or abnormal based on the images of the inside of the mold photographed by the cameras, a memory unit, and a mode setting unit that sets the acquisition mode of the images photographed by each camera. Department The mode setting unit is a setting unit in which, for each camera, a type of an image to be taken is set, in addition to a type of an image for determining whether the image is normal or abnormal, and a type of an image to be taken is set. It is a setting section that allows different types of settings to be made for each camera. do. In order to solve the above problem, in this mold monitoring device, the type of the image captured may be either a still image or a video image. In order to solve the above problems, the type of the image captured by this mold monitoring device is either an image captured by visible light or an image captured by infrared light. This allows the temperature status to be obtained. It may be of a type that is a thermographic image.

[0011] In addition, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a mold monitoring method according to another invention disclosed in this specification is a method for monitoring the inside of a mold that has been opened after molding in a molding apparatus in which a set of molds, at least one of which is a movable mold, is kept closed while an article is molded inside the molds and then the molds are opened to remove the article. This mold monitoring method includes a photographing step of photographing the inside of the mold in an open state with a camera, and a judgment step of judging whether the molding state is normal or abnormal based on the image photographed by at least one camera in the photographing step. The photographing step is a step in which two cameras photograph a common area inside the mold in an overlapping manner, and the two cameras photograph images having different characteristics from each other. In order to solve the above problem, in this mold monitoring method, the photographing step may be a step of having one of the two cameras photograph a still image and the other photograph a video image. In order to solve the above problems, in the mold monitoring method, the photographing step includes having one of the two cameras photograph using visible light and having the other photograph using infrared light. By taking a picture, the temperature status can be obtained.This may be a step of taking a thermographic image. Effect of the Invention

[0012] As described below, the mold monitoring device according to the disclosed invention uses four or more cameras, and each camera monitors the inner area of ​​the mold, which is divided into four or more individual areas, so that a sufficiently fine monitoring image can be obtained even for a larger mold. Therefore, the device can be suitably used for monitoring the molds of molding machines, which are becoming larger. In addition, a configuration in which at least one of the four or more cameras is installed to photograph a portion that is hidden from the other cameras and cannot be captured is suitable for molding an article with a complex structure or when the inner surface of the mold has a complex shape. In particular, since four or more cameras are used, it is possible to photograph the inside of the mold from diagonal directions above, below, left, and right, and it is possible to photograph all exposed portions inside the mold unless the structure is extremely complicated. According to another disclosed invention, the mold monitoring device can set the image acquisition mode for each camera and can acquire images according to the purpose of the camera's installation, so the acquired images can be used for each monitoring according to the settings in the mode setting section, or can be saved in the memory section for reference. This expands the scope of use of multiple cameras and allows for optimization of their use. Furthermore, according to a mold monitoring method of yet another disclosed invention, two cameras capture overlapping images of a common area inside the mold (take superimposed images), and since the nature of the images captured by the two cameras are different from each other, monitoring can be optimized according to the contents of the mold and molding process. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a mold monitoring device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a first example of the installation positions of the cameras. [Diagram 3]FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing a second example of the installation positions of the cameras. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a mode setting screen. [Diagram 5] 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a folder structure provided in a storage unit for storing image files; FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a monitoring sequence program of a first example. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a monitoring sequence program of a second example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG 1 is a schematic diagram of a mold monitoring device according to an embodiment. The mold monitoring device shown in Fig. 1 includes a plurality of cameras 11-14 and a device main body 2 to which the cameras 11-14 are connected. The molding device 9 includes a movable mold 91, a fixed mold 92, a moving mechanism 93 for moving the movable mold 91, a material injection system 94 for injecting material into the closed molds 91, 92, a main control unit 90 for controlling each part, etc. In addition, although not shown, the device includes an ejection mechanism for performing an ejection operation for removing an article after molding, etc.

[0015] In this embodiment, up to four cameras can be connected to the device body 2 to acquire images. Figures 2 and 3 are schematic perspective views showing examples of the installation positions of the cameras. Of these, Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a first example of the installation positions, and Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a second example of the installation positions. Figures 2 and 3 show a state immediately after the molds 91 and 92 are opened, and show a state in which the molded article P is held on the movable mold 91. The first example shown in Fig. 2 is an installation example in which four cameras 11 to 14 are used. The second example shown in Fig. 3 is an installation example in which three cameras 11 to 13 are used. In either installation example, the cameras 11 to 14 are attached to a fixed mold 92.

[0016] First, an example of installation when four cameras 11-14 are used will be described. In Fig. 2, the four cameras 11-14 are mounted so as to capture images of each of the areas (hereinafter referred to as individual areas) obtained by dividing the area inside the molds 91, 92 into areas equal to the number of cameras. In this example, the inside of the molds 91, 92 is generally rectangular, and is partitioned vertically and horizontally into four individual areas. The installation position and attitude of each camera are adjusted so as to capture an image of each individual area.

[0017] Each of the cameras 11-14 is directed toward the movable mold 91 and captures an image of the inner surface of the movable mold 91. Immediately after molding is completed and the molds 91, 92 are opened, the article P is held by the movable mold 91. Therefore, each of the cameras 11-14 also captures an image of the exposed surface of the molded article P. The "exposed surface" is the surface that is not in contact with the inner surface of the movable mold 91. 2, in this example, the two cameras 11, 12 on the left side are mounted so as to capture areas that are hidden from the view of the two cameras 13, 14 on the right side. Conversely, the two cameras 13, 14 on the right side are mounted so as to capture areas that are hidden from the view of the two cameras 11, 12 on the left side. The "areas that are hidden and cannot be captured" may be a specific area on the exposed surface of the article P, or a specific area on the inner surface of the movable mold 91.

[0018] In this embodiment, the device body 2 is a portable computer device equipped with a processor 21, a display 22, an input / output interface 23, and the like. Specifically, for example, a tablet PC equipped with a display of about 10 to 12 inches can be used as the device body 2. Each of the cameras 11 to 14 is connected to the input / output interface 23 of the device body 2 by a dedicated cable. The input / output interface 23 has ports (four ports) to which each of the cameras 11 to 14 is connected, and each of the cameras 11 to 14 is connected to each port. Incidentally, each of the cameras 11 to 14 may be connected to the device body 2 via wireless communication such as NFC.

[0019] The device body 2 includes a mode setting section that sets the acquisition mode of the images sent from the cameras 11 to 14, a determination section that determines whether the molding state is normal or abnormal based on the acquired images, and the like. The device body 2 also has a storage unit 3 such as an SSD or HDD. The storage unit 3 stores a setting information file 35 that records the acquisition modes set for the cameras 11 to 14, a monitoring sequence program 31 that controls the entire sequence of mold monitoring, each monitoring program 331, 332 that performs primary monitoring and secondary monitoring based on the monitored and acquired images, and each reference image file 32 that each monitoring program 331, 332 refers to. Therefore, in this embodiment, the mode setting unit is composed of the storage unit 3 and the setting information file 35 stored in the storage unit 3. The judgment unit is composed of the device body 2 and each monitoring program 331, 332 implemented in the device body 2.

[0020] In addition to the above, device body 2 is equipped with an imaging control program (not shown) that outputs control signals to each of cameras 11-14 to capture still images and start and end video capture. The imaging control program is called and executed by monitoring sequence program 31. Device body 2 is also provided with a memory (not shown) in addition to storage unit 3 for temporarily storing image data of still images, etc.

[0021] The display 22 also functions as a touch panel and serves as an input section for various setting information, and a setting information registration program 36 is implemented in the device main body 2. The setting information registration program 36 is a program that displays an input screen for various setting information on the display 22 and records the input setting information in a setting information file 35. The mold monitoring device is connected to the main control unit 90 of the molding device 9, and when an abnormality is detected in the primary or secondary monitoring, it outputs a message to that effect to the main control unit 90 via the input / output interface 23. The connection to the main control unit 90 may also be made via wireless communication such as NFC.

[0022] Next, the acquisition mode for acquiring images from each of the cameras 11 to 14 will be described. The acquisition mode indicates what type of image is acquired from each of the cameras 11-14, and is set in advance and recorded in the setting information file 35. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a mode setting screen displayed on the display by a mode setting module which is an element of the setting program.

[0023] In this embodiment, four acquisition modes can be set: still image monitoring mode, video monitoring mode, video reference mode, and thermography mode. The still image monitoring mode is a mode in which still images are acquired from the camera for primary and secondary monitoring. The video monitoring mode is a mode in which a video is captured by the camera and an image (still image) at a predetermined timing is used for primary and secondary monitoring. The video reference mode is a mode in which a video is captured by the camera but is not used for primary or secondary monitoring but is used for reference. The thermography mode is an acquisition mode that is set when the camera is a thermography camera.

[0024] 4, in this embodiment, the mode setting screen is provided with acquisition mode input fields 41 to 44 for each of the four cameras 11 to 14. In this example, the acquisition mode input fields 41 to 44 are radio buttons for selecting one of the modes, but they may be in other formats such as a pull-down list. The setting information registration program 36 includes a mode record module that records the values ​​entered in the acquisition mode input fields 41 to 44 in the setting information file 35. When an OK button 45 provided on the mode setting screen shown in FIG. 4 is pressed, the mode record module is executed and the mode information is recorded in the setting information file 35.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a folder structure provided in the storage unit for storing image files. The storage unit 3 is provided with a data storage folder 30, and under that (as a lower directory) are provided folders (hereinafter, camera data folders) 51, 61, 71, and 81 for storing image files 34 from the cameras 11 to 14. In this example, under the camera data folders 51, 61, 71, and 81, a still image folder 52 is provided. , Under the still image folders 52, 62, 72, 82, video folders 53, 63, 73, 83, and thermography folders 54, 64, 74, 84, are provided. Under the still image folders 52, 62, 72, 82, primary monitoring folders 521, 621, 721, 821 and secondary monitoring folders 522, 622, 722, 822 are further provided.

[0026] In this embodiment, image files (still images or videos) 34 for images captured by each camera 11-14 are files with the time of capture as the file name. It is possible to identify which camera an image file was taken from by an identification number set for each camera 11-14 or a port number in the input / output interface 23. For example, if the image file is a still image from the first camera 11 during primary monitoring, the monitoring sequence program 31 will select the first camera 11 as the file name. 11 Camera data folder for 51 If the image is a still image taken during secondary monitoring, it is saved in a secondary monitoring folder 522 under the first camera 11 as necessary. If the image is a video, it is saved in a camera data folder for the first camera 11 under the second camera 11 as necessary. 51 Video below for If the first camera 11 is a thermography camera, the thermography data is stored in the camera data folder 51 for the first camera 11. for The image files 34 are stored in the folder 54 as necessary. The same applies to the second to fourth cameras 12 to 14.

[0027] The monitoring sequence program 31 is a program for carrying out a sequence corresponding to the acquisition mode thus set for each of the cameras 11 to 14. This point will be described below. First, an example of the monitoring sequence program 31 when all of the four cameras 11 to 14 are in the still image monitoring mode will be described. Hereinafter, this example will be referred to as the first example. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the monitoring sequence program of the first example.

[0028] The monitoring sequence program 31 is always in an executed state while the molding device 9 is in operation, and in a standby state, it waits for the input of an operating status signal from the molding device 9. A constant is given to the monitoring sequence program 31 as the time from when molding is started to the timing of primary monitoring. This time includes the time from when the set of molds 91, 92 are closed to when the molds 91, 92 are opened, that is, the time from when the molds 91, 92 are closed, the material is injected, and until solidification is completed, and is a little longer than that. Hereinafter, this time is referred to as the molding time.

[0029] The monitoring sequence program 31 starts a timer count when it receives a signal indicating that the molds 91, 92 are closed at a certain time (hereinafter, referred to as a molding start signal). Then, when the timer count reaches the molding time, it stops the timer count and resets it to zero. Then, the photography control program causes each of the cameras 11-14 to take a still image at that time, and each still image is acquired. Then, primary monitoring is performed for each of the cameras 11-14.

[0030] That is, the monitoring sequence program 31 acquires a reference image for primary monitoring for the first camera 11 from the storage unit 3, passes it as an argument to the primary monitoring program 331 together with the still image acquired from the first camera 11, and executes the primary monitoring program 331. The primary monitoring program 331 determines whether the difference between the acquired still image and the reference image is within a predetermined range, and outputs a normal return value if it is within the predetermined range. If it exceeds the predetermined range, it outputs an abnormal return value. These return values ​​are temporarily stored in variables.

[0031] Similarly, a reference image for second camera 12 is obtained from storage unit 3 and passed as an argument to primary monitoring program 331 together with the still image obtained from second camera 12 to execute primary monitoring program 331, and the return value is stored in another variable. Primary monitoring processing is similarly performed on still images from third camera 13 and fourth camera 14, and each return value of primary monitoring program 331 is stored in a different variable.

[0032] Then, if any of the return values ​​is abnormal, the monitoring sequence program 31 outputs a primary monitoring abnormality to the main control unit 90 of the molding device 9. At this time, information specifying which camera's result was abnormal is also output. When a primary monitoring abnormality is output, the operation of the molding device 9 is stopped, so the primary monitoring program 331 is also interrupted and returned to a standby state (a standby state for a molding start signal). If the primary monitoring is normal (return values ​​from all four cameras are normal), the monitoring sequence program 31 restarts the timer count as shown in FIG. If the execution result of the primary monitoring program 331 is abnormal, the primary monitoring program 331 in the camera data folder for the camera that captured the abnormal still image is for The image file 34 of the still image is stored in the folder.

[0033] On the other hand, the time from the timing of the primary monitoring to the timing of the secondary monitoring is given as a constant to the monitoring sequence program 31. This time includes the time required for the pushing-out operation. Hereinafter, this time will be referred to as the pushing-out time. 6, if the primary monitoring is normal, the monitoring sequence program 31 restarts the timer. Then, when the timer count reaches the protruding time, the monitoring sequence program 31 causes each of the cameras 11-14 to capture a still image at that time and acquires each still image. Then, secondary monitoring is performed for each of the cameras 11-14.

[0034] That is, the monitoring sequence program 31 acquires a reference image for secondary monitoring for the first camera 11 from the storage unit 3, passes it as an argument to the secondary monitoring program 332 together with the still image acquired from the first camera 11, and executes the secondary monitoring program 332. Then, the return value is temporarily stored in a variable. The return value of the secondary monitoring program 332 is also normal or abnormal. If the difference between the acquired still image and the reference image is within a predetermined range, a value indicating that secondary monitoring is normal is returned, and if it exceeds the predetermined range, a value indicating that secondary monitoring is abnormal is returned.

[0035] Similarly, a reference image for second camera 12 is obtained from storage unit 3 and passed as an argument to secondary monitoring program 332 together with the still image obtained from second camera 12 to execute secondary monitoring program 332, and the return value is stored in another variable. Secondary monitoring processing is similarly performed for still images from third camera 13 and fourth camera 14, and each return value of secondary monitoring program 332 is stored in a different variable.

[0036] If any of the return values ​​is abnormal, the monitoring sequence program 31 outputs a secondary monitoring abnormality to the main control unit 90 of the molding device 9. At this time, information specifying which camera's result was abnormal is also output. In addition, the monitoring sequence program 31 saves the image file 34 of the still image for which the secondary monitoring abnormality occurred in a secondary monitoring folder under the camera data folder for that camera. The timer count is stopped when the ejection time is reached and is reset to 0. Whether the secondary monitoring is normal or abnormal, the monitoring sequence program 31 waits for the next molding start signal.

[0037] Next, an example of a monitoring sequence program in which two of the four cameras are in still image monitoring mode and one is in video reference mode will be described. Hereinafter, this example will be referred to as a second example. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing a monitoring sequence program 31 of the second example. The installation positions of the cameras 11-14 in this configuration correspond to the example shown in Fig. 3. As an example, the first and second cameras 11 and 12 in Fig. 3 are in the still image monitoring mode, and the third camera 13 is in the video reference mode. For the fourth camera 14, "stop" is selected on the mode setting screen, and this is recorded in the setting information file 35. 3, the first camera 11 is installed so as to photograph the left half area of ​​the movable mold 91, and the second camera 12 is installed so as to photograph the right half area of ​​the movable mold 91. The third camera is installed so as to photograph a video of the entire movable mold 91. That is, the direction and zoom are adjusted so that the movable mold 91 in the closed position and the movable mold 92 in the open position are within the field of view.

[0038] In this embodiment, one video is taken for one molding cycle (i.e., one video file is generated). Therefore, in one molding cycle, the monitoring sequence program 31 transmits a control signal for starting video shooting and a control signal for ending video action shooting to the third camera 13. At this time, in order to make video reference more effective and to prevent the capacity for saving videos from becoming excessive, the timing for starting video shooting and the timing for ending video shooting are set based on the monitoring timing (the timing for determining whether the molding situation is normal or abnormal).

[0039] In this embodiment, the timing before the primary monitoring is the timing of start of video recording, and the timing after the secondary monitoring is the timing of end of video recording. Hereinafter, the time width preceding the primary monitoring is referred to as the leading time, and the time width delayed from the secondary monitoring is referred to as the delay time.

[0040] 7, in this example as well, when a molding start signal is received, the monitoring sequence program 31 starts counting the timer. Then, when the value reaches the value of (molding time-advance time), a video capture start signal is sent to the third camera 13. After that, when the timer count reaches the molding time, the timer count is stopped and reset to zero. Then, as in the above example, a control signal for still image capture is sent to each of the first and second cameras 11 and 12. Then, a reference image for primary monitoring for the first camera 11 is acquired from the storage unit 3, and passed as an argument to the primary monitoring program 331 together with the still image acquired from the first camera 11 to execute the primary monitoring program 331, and the return value is stored in a variable. Also, a reference image for the second camera 12 is acquired from the storage unit 3, and passed as an argument to the primary monitoring program 331 together with the still image acquired from the second camera 12 to execute the primary monitoring program 331, and the return value is stored in another variable.

[0041] If any of the return values ​​is abnormal, the monitoring sequence program 31 outputs a primary monitoring abnormality to the main control unit 90 of the forming device 9. Also, the image file 34 of the still image taken by the abnormal camera is saved in the primary monitoring folder under the camera data folder for that camera. Then, the program returns to a standby state for a new forming start signal.

[0042] If all the return values ​​are normal, the monitoring sequence program 31 restarts the timer count. Then, when the timer count reaches the protruding time, a control signal for still image capture is sent to each of the first and second cameras 11 and 12 to perform secondary monitoring. That is, a reference image for secondary monitoring for the first camera 11 is obtained from the storage unit 3, and passed as an argument to the secondary monitoring program 332 together with the still image obtained from the first camera 11, and the secondary monitoring program 332 is executed and its return value is stored in a variable. Also, a reference image for secondary monitoring for the second camera 12 is obtained from the storage unit 3, and passed as an argument to the secondary monitoring program 332 together with the still image obtained from the second camera 12, and the secondary monitoring program 332 is executed and its return value is stored in a variable.

[0043] If any of the return values ​​is abnormal, the monitoring sequence program 31 outputs a secondary monitoring abnormality to the main control unit 90 of the molding device 9. Also, the image file 34 of the still image taken by the abnormal camera is saved in a secondary monitoring folder under the camera data folder for that camera.

[0044] After that, when the timer count reaches the ejection time + delay time, the monitoring sequence program 31 stops the timer count and resets it to zero, and transmits a control signal to the third camera 13 to end video capture. Then, it waits for a new molding start signal. At this time, if the result of the primary monitoring is abnormal or the result of the secondary monitoring is abnormal in the molding cycle, the monitoring sequence program 31 saves the image file 34 of the captured video in the camera data folder for the third camera 13. 71 Save it in the video folder 73 under.

[0045] In the monitoring sequence program 31 of the second example, if the primary monitoring results in an abnormality, a control signal to end the image capture may be output to the third camera 13 at that time to end the image capture. As for the secondary monitoring, the video capture may be ended at the time of the abnormality, but it may be better to continue the video capture with a predetermined delay time. For example, the ejection operation of the molded article may not go well, and the article may be caught in the die at the time of the secondary monitoring, but may fall naturally shortly thereafter, resulting in an irregular movement. In this case, when the worker goes to the die, the article is ejected normally, so the cause of the secondary monitoring abnormality is not clearly understood. If the video capture is continued, such irregular movements can be confirmed in the video, which is preferable.

[0046] The following describes the overall operation of the mold monitoring device of this embodiment and the overall operation of the molding device 9. In the following description, an example is taken in which the cameras 11-14 are installed as shown in Fig. 2 and all of the cameras 11-14 are in the still image monitoring mode. In a manufacturing line for an article in which molding is performed using the molding device 9, an operator sets up the mold monitoring device. That is, each camera 11-14 is installed at a required location relative to the molds 91, 92 to be monitored, and is directed in a desired direction. Then, settings such as the zoom state (magnification) are performed on each camera 11-14. Then, after each camera 11-14 is connected to the device main body 2 with a dedicated cable, setting information for each camera 11-14 is input. That is, a mode setting screen is displayed on the display, the still image monitoring mode is selected for all cameras 11-14, the OK button 45 is pressed, and the setting information is recorded in the setting information file 35. In addition, the molding time and ejection time are also set. Then, the mold monitoring device is operated, and molding is performed by the molding device 9.

[0047] The molding device 9 injects material into the molds 91, 92 with the set of molds 91, 92 closed. At this time, a molding start signal is sent to the mold monitoring device. Upon receiving the molding start signal, the monitoring sequence program 31 executed on the device main body 2 starts counting the timer. The molding device 9 moves the movable mold 91 and opens the molds 91, 92 until the set molding time is reached. Then, when the molding time is reached, the monitoring sequence program 31 sends a control signal to each of the cameras 11 to 14 to capture a still image at that time, and the primary monitoring program 331 is executed.

[0048] If the primary monitoring result is determined to be abnormal for any of the still images from the cameras, a primary monitoring abnormality is sent from the device body 2 to the main control unit 90 of the molding device 9. This causes the main control unit 90 to operate and interrupt the molding cycle. If no primary monitoring abnormality is output, the molding device 9 performs an ejection operation. This ejects the article and removes it from the molds 91, 92.

[0049] On the other hand, when the timer of the mold monitoring device reaches the molding time, it is reset to 0 and restarted. When the timer count reaches the ejection time, the mold monitoring device stops the timer count and resets it to 0, and performs secondary monitoring. If an abnormality is returned for the still image from any of the cameras, the monitoring sequence program 31 outputs a secondary monitoring abnormality to the main control unit 90 of the molding device 9. The main control unit 90 of the molding device 9, which receives the output of the secondary monitoring abnormality, stops the next molding cycle and leaves the molds 91, 92 open. If the secondary monitoring is normal, the molding device 9 closes the molds 91, 92 again, injects material, and performs the next molding cycle. A molding start signal is input to the mold monitoring device, and the monitoring sequence program 31 starts counting the timer. Thereafter, the same process is repeated.

[0050] According to the embodiment of the mold monitoring device relating to the above operation, four cameras 11-14 are used, and the inner area of ​​the molds 91, 92 divided into four individual areas is monitored by each camera 11-14, so that a sufficiently fine monitoring image can be obtained even for a larger mold. Therefore, it can be preferably used for monitoring the molds of molding machines that are becoming larger.

[0051] At this time, at least one of the four cameras 11-14 is installed so as to photograph a portion that is hidden from the other cameras and cannot be captured, which is particularly suitable when molding an article with a complex structure or when the inside of the mold has a complex shape. This point is closely related to the use of four cameras 11-14. That is, by using four cameras 11-14, it is possible to photograph the inside of the mold from oblique directions of up, down, left, and right as shown in FIG. 2, and all exposed portions inside the mold can be photographed unless the structure is extremely complicated. This effect is further enhanced by using five or more cameras, but with a minimum of four cameras, it is possible to handle almost all molds.

[0052] In addition, in the mold monitoring device of the embodiment, the image acquisition mode can be set for each of the cameras 11 to 14, and images can be acquired according to the purpose for which the camera is installed. The acquired images can be used for each monitoring according to the setting in the mode setting unit, or can be stored in the storage unit 3 for reference. This expands the range of use of multiple cameras, and allows for optimization of their use.

[0053] Next, a supplementary explanation will be given of the embodiment of the invention of the mold monitoring method. The mold monitoring method of the embodiment is a method in which two cameras overlap and capture a common area inside the mold. Therefore, as an example, in the mold monitoring device of the above-mentioned embodiment, when three cameras 11 to 13 are installed as shown in Fig. 3, the first camera 11 or the second camera 12 and the third camera 13 are set in the mode setting unit so as to capture images of different natures. For example, as described above, this is the case when the first and second cameras 11 and 12 are in the still image monitoring mode and the third camera 13 is in the video reference mode. In addition to the above, the first and second cameras 11 and 12 may be in a video monitoring mode, and the third camera 13 may be in a still image monitoring mode. Furthermore, the first and second cameras 11 and 12 may be in a still image monitoring mode, and the third camera 13 may be in a thermography mode.

[0054] The mold monitoring method corresponds to the case where the monitoring sequence program 31 has the second example configuration in the operation of the above-mentioned mold monitoring device. After the worker installs the first to third cameras 11-13 as shown in Fig. 3, on the mode setting screen, the worker selects the still image monitoring mode for the first and second cameras 11, 12 and the video reference mode for the third camera 13. The worker selects stop for the fourth camera 14. Then, the worker presses the OK button 45 to record these setting information in the setting information file 35.

[0055] When a molding start signal is sent from the main control unit 90 of the molding device 9, the monitoring sequence program 31 starts a timer and causes the third camera 13 to start taking video at the timing of molding time-advance time. Then, when the molding time arrives, the monitoring sequence program 31 resets the timer to zero and sends a control signal for taking still images to the first and second cameras 11, 12 to acquire each still image, and executes the primary monitoring program 331. Then, if any of the return values ​​indicates a primary monitoring abnormality, a primary monitoring abnormality is output to the main control unit of the molding device. At this time, the image file 34 of the abnormal still image is saved in the still image folder for that camera.

[0056] If the primary monitoring is normal, the monitoring sequence program 31 restarts the timer. Then, when the push-out time is reached, a control signal for taking still images is sent to the first and second cameras 11, 12 to acquire each still image, and the secondary monitoring program 332 is executed. If any of the return values ​​indicates a secondary monitoring abnormality, a secondary monitoring abnormality is output to the main control unit 90 of the molding device 9. At this time, the image file 34 of the abnormal still image is saved in the still image folder for that camera.

[0057] Thereafter, when the timer count reaches the protrusion time + delay time, the monitoring sequence program 31 resets the timer to zero and outputs a control signal to the third camera 13 to end the shooting of the video. If an abnormality is found in the primary or secondary monitoring, the monitoring sequence program 31 creates a camera data folder for the third camera 13. 71 Video below for The image files 34 of the video are stored in the folder 73.

[0058] According to this mold monitoring method, two cameras take images of a common area inside the molds 91, 92 in an overlapping manner (taking images in an overlapping manner), and since the nature of the images taken by the two cameras is different from each other, monitoring can be optimized according to the mold and the contents of the molding process. That is, while performing primary and secondary monitoring by dividing the area and acquiring still images for each individual area, monitoring by video can also be performed by recording the operating status of the entire molds 91, 92 as a video. For example, if an abnormality is found in the primary and secondary monitoring by still images, the occurrence of the abnormality can be analyzed by checking the situation at that time with the video.

[0059] In the above example, the area captured by the still image is a limited area, and the area captured by the video is a wide area including the limited area, but the reverse is also possible. For example, a still image of the entire mold is captured by one camera and used for primary and secondary monitoring, while a video of only a specific limited area is captured by another camera and referred to. Also, the area may be divided into two, and the first and second cameras capture still images for primary and secondary monitoring, while the third and fourth cameras capture and refer to videos of specific locations in each individual area.

[0060] Furthermore, still images may be extracted from image data of a video to perform primary and secondary monitoring, and the still images may be used for reference. For example, a video may be taken of the entire area of ​​the mold, and still images taken at the timing of primary monitoring and still images taken at the timing of secondary monitoring may be used to determine normality and abnormality, while still images of a specific area at a specific timing may be taken for reference. For example, if a zoomed-in still image of a specific location at a specific timing is useful for analyzing the molding status, such an image may be taken by a camera other than the camera for taking the video in a superimposed manner.

[0061] As a supplement to the thermography, in the above-mentioned embodiment of the mold monitoring device, the thermography mode is a mode for taking thermography images for reference as a moving image. For example, when the first and second cameras 11 and 12 take still images of individual areas (still image monitoring mode) and the third camera 13 is in a moving image reference mode for taking a moving image of the entire mold, an infrared camera may be installed as the fourth camera 14, the thermography mode may be set, and a thermography moving image of the entire mold may be taken. The thermography moving image taken by the fourth camera 14 is referred to as necessary to check the temperature state and temperature distribution of the mold.

[0062] Thermography may also be performed for the purpose of having the judgment unit judge whether the molding situation is normal or abnormal and output the result to the main control unit 90 of the molding device 9. For example, when the temperature of the mold surface rises above a certain temperature, control may be performed to stop the molding device 9 as it is abnormal. In this case, a mold temperature monitoring program that judges whether the molding situation is normal or abnormal according to the state of the mold surface temperature is implemented in the device main body 2. Then, for example, a configuration may be adopted in which a thermography camera takes a still thermography image at the timing of primary monitoring, and the mold temperature monitoring program analyzes this to judge whether it is normal or abnormal. For example, it may be judged from the thermography image whether a specific part is hotter than a limit, or whether the average temperature of the entire mold is hotter than a limit.

[0063] Furthermore, there are cases where the insides of the molds 91, 92 are illuminated and photographed by the cameras 11-14. In this case, the wavelength of the light used for illumination may be in the visible range, but as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2007-21797 and 2003-305748, there are also cases where illumination is performed with light in the infrared range from the long wavelength side of the visible range and photographing is performed by the cameras 11-14 while avoiding external disturbances.

[0064] theseEven in this case, according to the mold monitoring method of the embodiment, it is possible to perform superimposed photography of different natures, i.e., primary and secondary monitoring using still images in visible light, or to record video using visible light for reference, thereby optimizing mold monitoring by making more effective use of multiple cameras.

[0065] In the above embodiments, an injection molding apparatus using thermoplastic resin as a material has been described as an example of the molding apparatus 9, but the use of the mold monitoring device of the present invention is not limited to this. The mold monitoring device of the present invention can be used to monitor molds in various molding apparatuses, such as injection molding apparatuses using other materials, molding apparatuses performing press molding, and molding apparatuses performing forging and casting.

[0066] Furthermore, although the device main body 2 is a portable computer device similar to a tablet PC, it may be a computer device similar to a desktop PC. Furthermore, it may be a computer device mounted in the main control unit 90 of the molding device 9. However, if the device main body 2 is portable, it is preferable because the worker can view still images and videos wherever he or she is in the factory. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 11~14 Camera 2. Device body 21 Processors 22 Display 23 Input / Output Interface 3 Storage section 31 Monitoring sequence program 32 Reference Image File 331 Primary Surveillance Program 332 Secondary Surveillance Program 34 Image files 35 Configuration information file 36 Setting information registration program 9 Molding equipment 90 Main control unit 91 Movable Mold 92 Fixed mold

Claims

1. A molding apparatus in which a set of molds, at least one of which is a movable mold, is closed to mold an article within the molds and then the molds are opened to remove the article, comprising: a mold monitoring device for monitoring the inside of the molds that are opened after molding, Four or more cameras pointed inside the open mold; A judgment unit that judges whether the molding state is normal or abnormal based on the images of the inside of the mold taken by each camera; Equipped with Each camera is attached so as to photograph an individual area obtained by dividing the inside area of ​​the mold into areas equal to the number of cameras, The mold monitoring device is characterized in that the judgment unit compares the images sent from each camera with reference images set for each camera to judge whether the molding state is normal or abnormal.

2. A mold monitoring device as described in claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the four or more cameras is installed to photograph areas inside the mold that are hidden from view by the other cameras and cannot be captured.

3. A molding apparatus in which a set of molds, at least one of which is a movable mold, is closed to mold an article within the molds and then the molds are opened to remove the article, comprising: a mold monitoring device for monitoring the inside of the molds that are opened after molding, Multiple cameras capable of photographing the inside of an open mold, a judgment unit for judging whether a molding state is normal or abnormal based on the image of the inside of the mold captured by the camera; A storage unit; A mode setting section that sets the acquisition mode of the images captured by each camera; Equipped with The mode setting unit is a setting unit that sets for each camera the type of image to be captured, whether the image is for determining whether the molding state is normal or abnormal, as well as the type of image to be captured, and is a setting unit that can set different types for each camera. This mold monitoring device is characterized in that it is a setting unit that sets for each camera the type of image to be captured.

4. 4. The mold monitoring device according to claim 3, wherein the type of the captured image is a still image or a video image.

5. A mold monitoring device as described in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the type of the image to be captured is either an image captured using visible light or a thermographic image that can obtain the temperature state by capturing an image using infrared light.

6. 1. A mold monitoring method for a molding apparatus in which a set of molds, at least one of which is a movable mold, is closed to mold an article inside the molds and then the molds are opened to remove the article, the method comprising: A photographing step of photographing the inside of the open mold with a camera; a judging step for judging whether a molding state is normal or abnormal based on the image captured by at least one camera in the photographing step; We are equipped with The mold monitoring method is characterized in that the photographing step is a step in which two cameras overlap and photograph a common area inside the mold, and the two cameras photograph images having different characteristics from each other.

7. 7. The mold monitoring method according to claim 6, wherein said photographing step is a step of causing one of said two cameras to photograph a still image and causing the other to photograph a moving image.

8. The mold monitoring method according to claim 6, characterized in that the photographing step is a step of having one of the two cameras photograph using visible light and the other photograph using infrared light to perform thermographic photography capable of obtaining the temperature state.

9. A molding apparatus in which a set of dies, at least one of which is a movable die, is closed to mold an article within the dies and then the dies are opened to remove the article, comprising: a die monitoring device for monitoring the inside of the dies that have been opened after molding, A camera that can take pictures of the inside of an open mold, A judgment unit is provided for judging whether a molding state is normal or abnormal based on the image of the inside of the mold captured by the camera, The camera is a camera capable of capturing a thermographic image capable of acquiring a temperature state by capturing an image using infrared rays, The mold monitoring device is characterized in that the judgment unit judges whether the molding state is normal or abnormal based on the temperature state inside the mold acquired by a thermographic image.

Images