Processing System and Coating Mold Forming Method for Forming a Coating Mold on a Mold

Abstract

To provide a working system and coat forming method that does not require a preheating oven in forming a coat on a metal mold.SOLUTION: A working system for forming a coat on a metal mold is allowed to form a coat, by heating a partial area of a coat-forming face of a metal mold W with a heat gun 18 provided at a tip of an arm 16 of a robot 15 and, if detecting that the coat-forming face heated is at a temperature in a suitable temperature band for forming a coat by a radiative thermometer 30, spraying a coating agent to the heated coat-forming face from a spray gun 17 provided at the tip of the arm 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing system for forming a coating mold on a surface of a mold for casting that contacts a molten metal, a coating mold forming method, and the like.

Background Art

[0002] In a mold for forming a casting using a molten metal, a "coating mold" (togata) has conventionally been formed on the mold surface for the purpose of protecting the mold surface from the heat of the molten metal, improving the casting surface, and preventing sintering. The coating mold is formed as follows. First, a base material obtained by grinding an inorganic material such as silica or zircon is dissolved in a diluent to prepare a coating mold liquid, and this is sprayed onto a surface (coating mold formation surface) of a mold heated to a predetermined appropriate temperature range (about 180 degrees to 230 degrees) and fixed (hereinafter, this heat treatment to the predetermined appropriate temperature range is referred to as "preheating"). In coating mold formation, if the temperature is below the appropriate temperature range, the coating mold liquid may drip, and if the temperature is above the appropriate temperature range, a layer of evaporated gas of the coating mold liquid may be generated under the coating mold liquid, inhibiting the adhesion of the coating mold liquid. Therefore, it is important to preheat so as to fall within the appropriate temperature range. Note that the appropriate temperature range is set within a narrower range depending on conditions such as the type and concentration content of the coating mold liquid. In the preheating process, generally, the mold is housed in a preheating furnace, and the entire mold is preheated using a heating device such as a gas burner or a heater to a predetermined appropriate temperature range, and the mold is conveyed downstream so that an operator sprays the coating mold liquid onto the coating mold formation surface. If a coating mold with sufficient thickness cannot be formed in one spray, the preheating and spraying are repeated several times. That is, the process of once returning the conveyed downstream mold to the upstream preheating furnace side is repeatedly performed. Then, when the coating mold has been formed as planned, this mold is conveyed to a firing furnace and heated and fired at a temperature higher than the appropriate temperature range (usually about 400 degrees). The heating in this firing furnace is performed to remove the bound water remaining in the coating mold. This heating and firing treatment completes the coating mold. Note that the above coating mold forming method is an example. Patent Document 1 is shown as an example of a mold with such a coating mold formed thereon.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the conventional mold coating formation method had several problems as follows. (1) Generally, since the coating liquid is manually sprayed by an operator, individual differences will occur depending on habits and skills, etc., resulting in variations in quality. Also, since the operator has to check whether the mold is within the predetermined appropriate temperature range and whether it has the predetermined film thickness, it takes time and effort. (2) The mold must be preheated to the predetermined appropriate temperature range in advance, and a preheating furnace is required for this purpose, so the cost and space of the preheating furnace must be considered. (3) Since the entire mold is preheated and the coating liquid is sprayed, it takes time to spray the entire coating - to - be - formed surface of the mold, and in many cases, the temperature drops below the appropriate temperature range during the operation. Therefore, since it is necessary to return the mold to the preheating furnace and preheat it again, the entire operation including the temperature check for whether it has dropped below the appropriate temperature range requires time and effort. (4) Since it is finally necessary to heat - bake in a firing furnace, two furnaces are required in the processing line, which is disadvantageous in terms of cost. Also, since two furnaces are required, the processing line becomes long, which is also disadvantageous in terms of space. (5) The temperature check of the mold is to be appropriately inspected by the operator holding a temperature sensor and holding it over the mold carried out from the preheating furnace, so the operator cannot concentrate on the coating operation of the coating liquid, which is inefficient. The present invention provides a processing system, a coating formation method, etc. for forming a coating on a mold that solves such various problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, as means 1, there are provided a loading area, a processing area for performing a processing operation of forming a coating mold on the mold carried in from the loading area, an unloading area from which the mold after the coating mold is formed is unloaded from the processing area, a robot equipped with an injection device for injecting a coating agent at the tip or near the tip of the arm, a heating device for heating a part of the coating mold forming surface of the mold disposed in the processing area, and a detecting means for detecting the temperature of the coating mold forming surface heated by the heating device. The coating mold forming surface is heated by the heating device, and it is detected by the detecting means that the heated coating mold forming surface is at a temperature within an appropriate temperature range for forming a coating agent. Then, the arm is driven to control the injection device to inject the coating agent onto the coating mold forming surface having reached the temperature within the appropriate temperature range. Accordingly, since the arm of the robot is operated to inject the coating agent onto a part of the coating mold forming surface heated by the heating device, individual differences such as habits and skills when implemented by an operator are less likely to occur, and a coating mold with stable quality can be formed. In addition, since a preheating furnace for heating the entire mold is not required, it contributes to cost reduction.

[0006] For the "robot", for example, the teaching box is operated by an operator, and three-dimensional data of the mold is obtained by off-line teaching or on-line teaching. In the case of off-line teaching, for example, three-dimensional data of the mold on which the coating mold is to be formed in advance may be stored in a storage device, and corresponding shape data may be selected according to the actual mold. In the case of on-line teaching, a program is constructed on the spot according to the mold. For example, the arm may be operated along the model mold, and the movement of the robot (arm) along the model mold at that time may be acquired as teaching point position data and stored in the control device. The distance (interval) from the coating mold forming surface may be taught, or the data measured by a distance meter at all times when the arm is operated may be updated to set the distance. "Mounting an injection device that injects a mold release agent at the tip or near the tip of the arm" means that the injection device may be arranged not only at the tip but also at a position slightly retracted from the tip. The arm may have a multi-axis configuration with a plurality of axes, for example, five or more axes, in order to achieve smooth and complex movements. The "heating device" may be, for example, a heat radiation type that emits hot air, flame, high-energy laser light, etc. onto the surface to be formed with the mold release agent, or a resistance heating type that utilizes Joule heat (resistance heat) due to electric resistance. In the case of the heat radiation type, the heating device may be arranged on the arm. Since it is a "heating device that heats a part of the surface to be formed with the mold release agent of the mold", it is not necessary to heat the entire mold, which reduces the heating energy. "The temperature of the surface to be formed with the mold release agent after heating is the temperature in the appropriate temperature range for forming the mold release agent" may mean, for example, either when the heated surface to be formed with the mold release agent dissipates heat and drops to the temperature in the appropriate temperature range, or when the surface to be formed with the mold release agent is heated to exactly the temperature in the appropriate temperature range. The "detection means for detecting the temperature of the surface to be formed with the mold release agent" may be, for example, a non-contact temperature sensor, a thermocouple sensor, etc. The "injection device" may be, for example, a spray-type coating device using air pressure that can adjust the injection amount and injection pressure. The injection timing may be a batch-type injection that concentrates a strong pressure in a certain area, or a type that continuously injects. The definitions of these terms are the same for each of the following means.

[0007] Also, as means 2, the injection device is controlled to inject the mold release agent onto the surface to be formed with the mold release agent while shifting the injection position. For example, when the area sprayed and applied from the injection device is larger than the area to be heated, spraying while shifting in this way can cover all the heated areas. In this case, the injection device may be in a continuous injection state, or it may stop injection once and then apply pressure to inject successively with a high-pressure injection force. Further, as means 3, when the detection means detects that the temperature of the coating mold formation surface has become equal to or lower than the appropriate temperature range, the injection operation of the coating mold agent by the injection device is temporarily stopped, the coating mold formation surface is reheated by the heating device, and when the detection means detects again that the appropriate temperature range has been reached, the injection operation of the coating mold agent by the injection device is restarted under control. This is because if the temperature of the coating mold formation surface cooled by the outside air and radiating heat becomes equal to or lower than the appropriate temperature range, the applied coating agent will drip, so it is necessary to reheat it to raise the temperature to the appropriate temperature range.

[0008] Further, as means 4, the heating device is of a heat radiation type that is mounted at the tip or near the tip of the arm and radiates heat from the radiation outlet. When the heating device is arranged in such a position, it becomes possible to heat the coating mold formation surface pinpoint following the movement of the arm. Since it is "at the tip or near the tip of the arm", the heating device does not necessarily have to be exactly at the arm tip, and it may be arranged at a position slightly retracted from the arm tip. Further, as means 5, when heating by radiating heat from the radiation outlet, the distance between the radiation outlet and the mold is controlled to be maintained at a predetermined interval. Thereby, the temperature and area of the heating region are homogenized, and when the coating mold agent is injected by the injection device, the injection position and injection amount do not vary depending on the heating region, and the control of the processing system becomes easy to execute. Further, as means 6, the injection port of the injection device is arranged at a position advanced from the arm when injecting the coating mold agent, and the radiation outlet of the heating device is arranged at a position relatively retracted with respect to the injection port. Thereby, the heat does not directly hit the atomized coating mold agent injected from the injection device, and the problem that it dries before being applied does not occur. Further, as means 7, the heating device is of a resistance heating type that attaches electrodes to the mold and uses the resistance heat between the electrodes for heating. In such a heating device, when the coating agent is ejected from the ejection device, the atomized coating agent is not directly exposed to heat.

[0009] Also, as means 8, a process in which a part of the region of the surface to be coated is heated by the heating device and the ejection process of the coating agent by the ejection device for that part of the region is completed is defined as one ejection step. When one ejection step is completed, the arm is moved along a pre-programmed path and is controlled to execute the next one ejection step for the next part of the region of the surface to be coated. Thereby, the coating agent can be successively ejected batchwise onto a part of the surface to be coated to form a coating, and finally a coating can be formed on the entire surface to be coated. That is, even if there is no preheating furnace, a coating can be formed on the entire surface to be coated by heating a part of the surface to be coated and repeating the coating formation. Also, as means 9, when the coating agent is ejected by the ejection device, the distance between the ejection port and the mold is controlled to be maintained at a predetermined interval. Thereby, the area and thickness of the coating agent ejected and spread on the surface to be coated are less likely to vary, and a uniform coating film can be formed. The measurement of the distance is preferably based on the distance information obtained by a measuring means such as a laser rangefinder that can measure the distance at a position less affected by heat and at a distance, so as to keep the distance between the ejection port and the mold at a predetermined interval. Also, as means 10, the control is performed by a control means. The control means may be arranged in the teaching box of the robot, or may be arranged in a computer device connected to the teaching box. Also, as means 11, the mold is moved from the loading area to the unloading area by a conveyor device. This is because a conveyor device is stable and easy to drive and control when transporting a solid workpiece such as a mold.

[0010] Also, as means 12, it is a mold coating formation method for forming a coating on a surface in contact with the molten metal of the mold, A part of the region of the coating formation surface of the mold is heated by a heating means, and when the heated coating formation surface reaches the temperature in the appropriate temperature range for forming a coating agent, a coating agent is injected near the tip or the tip of the arm. A robot equipped with an injection device is made to inject the coating agent onto the heated coating formation surface. As a result, since the coating agent is injected by operating the arm of the robot for a part of the heated coating formation surface, individual differences such as habits and techniques when implemented by an operator are less likely to occur, and a coating with stable quality can be formed. In addition, since a preheating furnace for heating the entire mold is not required, it contributes to cost reduction. Means 11 is the content specified from the methodological viewpoint of the same inventive concept as means 1. "The heated coating formation surface reaches the temperature in the appropriate temperature range" may be, for example, even when the heated coating formation surface dissipates heat and falls below the temperature in the appropriate temperature range, or either when the coating formation surface is heated and just reaches the temperature in the appropriate temperature range. Also, as means 13, the injection device injects the coating agent onto the coating formation surface while shifting the injection position. For example, when the area sprayed and applied from the injection device is larger than the area to be heated, by spraying while shifting in this way, all the heated areas can be covered. In this case, the injection device may be in a constant injection state, or the injection may be stopped once and the pressure may be applied to inject successively with a high-pressure injection force. Also, as means 14, when the coating formation surface reaches a temperature below the appropriate temperature range, the injection operation of the coating agent by the injection device is temporarily stopped, the coating formation surface is heated again, and when it reaches the appropriate temperature range again, the injection operation of the coating agent by the injection device is restarted. This is because if the coating formation surface reaches a temperature below the appropriate temperature range, the applied coating agent will drip, so it is necessary to reheat it to raise the temperature to the appropriate temperature range. Also, as means 15, a process in which a partial area of the mold-forming surface is heated and the injection process of the mold-forming agent for that partial area is completed is defined as one injection process. When the one injection process is completed, the arm is moved along a pre-programmed path so that the next one injection process is executed for the next partial area of the mold-forming surface. In this way, the mold-forming agent can be successively injected batchwise onto a part of the mold-forming surface to form a mold, and finally a mold can be formed on the entire mold-forming surface. That is, even without a preheating furnace, a mold can be formed on the entire mold-forming surface by heating a part of the mold-forming surface and repeating the mold formation. Also, as means 16, at the stage when the injection process of the mold-forming agent in the one injection process is completed, the mold-forming surface is heated to perform a firing process. In this way, the mold-forming surface where the injection process of the mold-forming agent is completed can be heated and fired, and the bound water remaining in the mold can be removed. Also, as means 17, at the stage when the injection process of the mold-forming agent is completed for all the mold-forming surfaces of the mold, the arm is moved again along the path, and the mold-forming surface is heated by the heating means to perform a firing process. In this way, the mold-forming surface where the injection process of the mold-forming agent is completed can be heated and fired, and the bound water remaining in the mold can be removed.

[0011] The inventions shown in the above means 1 to 17 can be arbitrarily combined. For example, it may be configured to add at least a part of the configuration of at least one invention after means 2 to all or a part of the configuration of the invention shown in means 1. In particular, it is preferably an invention in which at least a part of the configuration of at least one invention after means 2 is added to the invention shown in means 1. Also, any configuration may be extracted from the inventions shown in means 1 to means 17, and the extracted configurations may be combined. The applicant of this application intends to obtain rights for inventions including these configurations. Also, even if there is a description such as "in the case of ~" or "when ~", it is not described as a configuration limited to that case or that time. It also discloses configurations other than these cases and times and intends to obtain rights. Also, the order described is not limited to this order. It also discloses configurations in which some parts are deleted or the order is changed and intends to obtain rights.

Effects of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, since the robot arm is operated to inject the mold coating agent onto a part of the heated mold forming surface, individual differences such as habits and techniques when the operator performs the operation are less likely to occur, and a mold coating with stable quality can be formed. In addition, since a preheating furnace for heating the entire mold is not required, it contributes to cost reduction.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, a processing system and a coating mold forming method for forming a coating mold on a mold, which are an embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1(a), the processing system 1 of the present embodiment includes a loading area 2 that serves as a loading path for the mold W, a coating mold processing area 3 that performs all of preheating the mold W, spraying a coating agent, and heat baking, and an unloading area 4 that serves as an unloading path for the processed mold W. FIG. 1(b) shows a conventional processing system 5. In the conventional processing system 5, downstream of the loading area 2 that serves as the loading path, there are in order a preheating area 6 having a preheating furnace, a firing area 7 having a firing furnace for heat baking the preheated mold W, and an unloading area 8 that serves as an unloading path for the processed mold W. That is, the processing system 1 of the present embodiment does not have a preheating furnace and a firing furnace. Hereinafter, the specific configuration of the processing system 1 will be described.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the processing system 1 includes a first roller conveyor device 11 on the loading side that constitutes the loading area 2. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a light emitter 12a and a light receiver 12b of a transmissive infrared sensor for detecting a mold W passing over the rollers are arranged on the first roller conveyor device 11. Since FIGS. 2 and 4 are schematic diagrams, the support members of the light emitter 12a and the light receiver 12b are omitted. A second roller conveyor device 13 that constitutes the mold coating area 3 is arranged downstream of the first roller conveyor device 11. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a robot 15 is arranged at a position adjacent to the second roller conveyor device 13. The robot 15 of the present embodiment includes an arm 16 having a six-axis configuration, and a spray gun 17 and a heat gun 18 are attached to the tip of the arm 16. As shown in FIG. 4, a mold coating agent circulation device 19 for supplying a mold coating agent to the spray gun 17 is arranged adjacent to the robot 15. The mounting states of the spray gun 17 and the heat gun 18 on the arm 16 will be described later. As shown in FIG. 3, a positioning device 20 is arranged at a position that is the diagonal line across the second roller conveyor device 13. The positioning device 20 includes an electric cylinder device 21, and a holding portion 21b that engages with a corner portion of a base B on which the mold W is placed is attached to the tip of a rod 21a that extends and moves forward and backward from the cylinder device 21. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a shape recognition sensor 22 is arranged obliquely laterally of the second roller conveyor device 13. The shape recognition sensor 22 recognizes a mark indicating the model number of the mold W marked on the base B of the mold W. Since FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram, the support member of the shape recognition sensor 22 is omitted. Downstream of the second roller conveyor device 13, a third roller conveyor device 23 that constitutes a carry-out area 4 where the processed mold W is carried out is disposed. In the third roller conveyor device 23, a light emitter 24a and a light receiver 24b of a transmissive infrared sensor for detecting the mold W passing over the rollers are disposed. Since FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram, the support members of the light emitter 24a and the light receiver 24b are omitted. As shown in FIG. 2, motors 25, 26, and 27 are disposed below the first to third roller conveyor devices 11, 13, and 23, respectively.

[0016] Next, the spray gun 17, the heat gun 18 of the arm 16 of the robot 15, and the surrounding configuration will be described. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, an electric cylinder device 28 as an actuator is disposed at the tip of the arm 16. The spray gun 17 and the heat gun 18 are detachably attached to the cylinder device 28. The spray gun 17 and the heat gun 18 are respectively attached to the tip of a rod 29 protruding from the cylinder device 28. The rod 29 is screwed into a ball screw (not shown) inside the cylinder device 28 and advances and retreats according to the rotation of the ball screw. The spray gun 17 as an injection device sprays a liquid coating agent supplied from a tank (not shown) in a mist form from the tip of the nozzle by air. The spray gun 17 is an intermittent injection type that intermittently sprays a certain amount of the coating agent when compressed air is supplied from a compressor (for example, a reciprocating compressor or a screw compressor). The heat gun 18 as a heating device heats the object by injecting hot air generated by Joule heat with compressed air from the compressor. The heat gun 18 controls the hot air heater as a heat source by voltage and adjusts the temperature by controlling the opening and closing amount of the adjustment valve of the compressor to adjust the ejection amount of the hot air. In the present embodiment, one spray gun 17 and one heat gun 18 are set, and three sets are disposed adjacent to each other in the cylinder device 28. Therefore, six motors 36 for rotating the respective ball screws for advancing and retreating the six rods 29 in total are disposed inside the cylinder device 28. On the side surface of the housing 28a of the cylinder device 28, a radiation thermometer 30 as a heat sensor is disposed one by one for each heat gun 18. The radiation thermometer 30 measures the temperature of the surface of an object (in this embodiment, the mold W) disposed in front of the heat gun 18. Laser measuring devices 31 are disposed at positions adjacent to the respective spray guns 17 and heat guns 18 on the bottom surface of the housing 28a. The laser measuring device 31 is a measuring device that measures the distance to the object (in this embodiment, the mold W), and measures the distance from the spray gun 17 and the heat gun 18 to the surface of the mold W.

[0017] Next, the electrical configuration of the processing system 1 will be described based on the block diagram of FIG. 8. The processing system 1 includes a main controller MC. The main controller MC includes an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) 33 as control means. A ROM 34 and a RAM 35 are connected to the MPU 33. The ROM 34 stores an application program for system driving, a control program for operating the spray gun 17 and the heat gun 18 according to the operation of the arm 16, a calculation program based on information of various sensors (shape recognition sensor 22, infrared sensor, radiation thermometer 30, laser measuring device 31, etc.), an application program for loading mold shape data, and the like. The RAM 35 temporarily stores various loaded data (for example, work shape data, arm line data, etc.) or programs. Further, a CD-ROM drive 38 as data interface means, a keyboard 39 and a mouse 40 as data input means, and a monitor 41 as data output means and display means are connected to the MPU 33 via interfaces (not shown). The CD-ROM drive 38 drives a CD-ROM 43. The CD-ROM 43 stores mold shape data, information on the movement lines of the arm (line data) associated with each mold shape data, and the like. The operator executes various operations from start to end in the system operation on the GUI screen of the monitor 38. In addition, various devices such as the motors 25, 26, 27 of the roller conveyor devices 11, 13, 23, the motor 36 of the cylinder device 28, the compressor motor 45 of the spray gun 17, the hot air heater 46 of the heat gun 18, the motor 47 for adjusting the valve opening and closing of the compressor of the heat gun 18, and the motor 48 of the cylinder device 21 are connected to the MPU 33 via interfaces (not shown). Further, the MPU 33 is connected to the sub-controller SC of the robot 15 adjacent to the main controller MC. In addition, the MPU 33 is connected with a shape recognition sensor 22, transmissive infrared sensors (light emitters 12a, 24a, light receivers 12b, 24b), a radiation thermometer 30, a laser measuring device 31, etc. for acquiring various information for controlling the above various devices via interfaces (not shown). In such a configuration, the MPU 33 controls the motor 36 of the cylinder device 28 to advance the spray gun 17 and execute the injection operation of the coating agent. When executing the injection operation, the compressor motor 45 of the spray gun 17 is driven and controlled to intermittently inject a predetermined amount of the coating agent from the spray gun 17. In addition, the MPU 33 controls the motor 36 of the cylinder device 28 to advance the heat gun 18 and execute the heating operation, and controls the motor 36 to retract the heat gun 18 in the heating pause state. During the heating operation, the MPU 33 controls the output of the hot air heater 46 of the heat gun 18 and the motor 47 for adjusting the valve opening and closing of the compressor (that is, controls the wind force) so as to supply the set maximum amount of heat, and conversely controls these to obtain the minimum amount of heat in the heating pause state.

[0018] Next, an example of a specific processing method in the processing system 1 will be described together with the control executed by the MPU 33. Note that the following steps are an example, and the mold W may be processed by other processing methods or control methods. (1) Loading of the mold and placement at the processing position The operator places the mold W at the upstream position of the first roller conveyor device 11 in the loading area 2. Then, the processing system 1 is driven. After the operator turns on the main switch, an input for executing the processing program is made using an input means such as the mouse 40 on the monitor 41. The MPU 33 drives the motor 25 of the first roller conveyor device 11 to move the mold W on the first roller conveyor device 11 downstream. At the same time, the MPU 33 also drives the motor 26 of the second roller conveyor device 12. When the front end and the rear end of the base B on which the mold W is placed on the first roller conveyor device 11 are simultaneously detected by the transmissive infrared sensors (the light emitter 12a and the light receiver 12b), the initial position of the mold W is determined. When a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed since reaching this initial position, the mold W reaches the processing position of the second roller conveyor device 12. Therefore, the MPU 33 temporarily stops the motors 25 and 26 of the first and second roller conveyor devices 11 due to the elapse of the predetermined time. At this time, the mold W stops at the processing position of the second roller conveyor device 12. Then, simultaneously with the stop, the MPU 33 drives the motor 43 of the cylinder device 21 of the positioning device 20, advances the rod 21a, and engages the holding portion 21b with the corner of the base B to fix the mold W so that it does not move. By being fixed in this way, even if there is a slight deviation in the stop position, the mold W is corrected. This position is set as the processing position of the mold W.

[0019] (2) Formation of the coating mold on the surface of the mold to be coated Next, the MPU 33 analyzes the shape of the mold W based on the information of the shape recognition sensor 22, and sends line data corresponding to the mold shape data to the sub - controller SC of the robot 15 based on the result. The sub - controller SC causes the arm 16 of the robot 15 to make a predetermined movement along the surface of the mold W at the processing position. At the same time, the MPU 33 controls the compressor motor 45 of the spray gun 17, the hot air heater 41 of the heat gun 18, and the motor 47 for adjusting the valve opening and closing of the compressor of the heat gun 18 to form the coating mold. More specifically, the coating mold formation is executed in the following steps. (a) Operation of the arm For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the robot 15 moves the tip of the arm 16 along a path determined for each mold W according to the line data while keeping the distance from the mold W substantially constant while facing the mold W. At this time, it will stop on this path and perform heating and spraying of the mold release agent by the heat gun 18 and the spray gun 17. That is, based on the command from the MPU 33, the arm 16 moves while stopping little by little, and forms a mold coating along the line data. (b) Regarding the spray gun A total of three spray guns 17 are arranged at the tip of the arm 16. Since the distances and directions of the spray guns 17 from the tip of the arm 16 are various, the distances between each spray gun 17 and the mold W facing them are not constant. Also, the distance to the surface of the mold W facing the spray gun 17 may vary depending on the shape of the mold. Therefore, the three spray guns 17 move forward and backward independently. The distance to the mold W is measured by the laser measuring instrument 31 for each spray gun 17, and based on the measured value of the laser measuring instrument 31, the MPU 33 controls so that the distance between each spray gun 17 and the mold W facing them becomes constant. The advancing amount of the spray gun 17 is determined by controlling the rotation amount of the motor 36 of the cylinder device 28. The MPU 33 adjusts the rotation amount of the motor 36 of the corresponding spray gun 17 based on the measured value of the laser measuring instrument 31. As a result, the mold coating surface of the area where the mold release agent is applied by one injection of the mold release agent sprayed by the spray gun 17 (hereinafter, one injection area) is homogenized. The spray gun 17 sets the rotation speed of the compressor motor 40 in advance as the amount of one ejection. (c) Regarding the heat gun There are a total of three heat guns 18 arranged at the tip of the arm 16, and they will heat different positions simultaneously. The area heated by one heat gun 18 is wider than the single spray area of the spray gun 17. For the heat gun 18 as well, the distance from the mold W is measured by the laser measuring device 31, and the MPU 33 controls so that the distance between each heat gun 18 and the mold W facing them remains constant. The advancement amount of the heat gun 18 is determined by controlling the rotation amount of the motor 36 of the cylinder device 28. The MPU 33 adjusts the rotation amount of the motor 36 of the heat gun 18 based on the measured value of the laser measuring device 31. The heat gun 18 sets the output of the hot air heater 41 and the wind force during heating in advance.

[0020] II) Specific control of the spray gun and the heat gun The MPU 33 controls the advancement and retreat of the spray gun 17 and the heat gun 18 arranged at the initial position in the retracted state at the position where the arm 16 stops, as well as the accompanying spraying operation or heating operation. First, as shown in Fig. 6(a), the heat gun 18 is advanced in the direction of the mold W and the heating operation is controlled for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds) with the maximum output of the set hot air heater 41 and the set maximum wind force. At this time, as shown in Fig. 7, the distance from the mold W is measured and the heat gun 18 is activated (high-temperature hot air is radiated) at the advancement position corresponding to the distance to the mold W. After the heating is completed, as shown in Fig. 6(b), the heat gun 18 is first retracted, and instead, the spray gun 17 is advanced. At the same time as retracting the heat gun 18, the MPU 33 minimizes the output of the hot air heater 41 of the heat gun 18 and the wind force during heating. The surface of the mold W heated by the heat gun 18 is constantly measured for temperature by the radiation thermometer 30. When the MPU 33 determines based on the measured value that it is in an appropriate temperature range (about 180 degrees to 230 degrees) where the mold release agent may be sprayed, it controls the spray gun 17 to perform the spraying operation of the mold release agent. Although not shown, similar to the heat gun 18, the spray gun 17 is also activated (the spraying operation is executed) at an advancing position according to the distance to the mold W. The spraying interval of the spray gun 17 is determined by the spraying amount of the mold release agent and the capacity of the compressor, and is, for example, executed at intervals of 0.2 seconds.

[0021] Here, the area heated by the heat gun 18 in a certain stopped state is wider than the single spraying area of the spray gun 17. In this embodiment, the heating area is about three times that of the single spraying area. Therefore, in each heating, the MPU 33 controls to change the spraying angle of the arm 16 and execute a total of four sprays at different positions in the heating area. The angle to be changed is set based on the mounting positions of the heat gun 18 and the spray gun 17 and the distance to the mold W. Also, when making multiple sprays of the mold release agent, if the MPU 33 determines in the measurement by the radiation thermometer 30 that the temperature in the heating area has become lower than the appropriate temperature range (about 180 degrees to 230 degrees), it temporarily interrupts the spraying operation of the spray gun 17 and retracts it to the initial position. Then, it controls to advance the heat gun 18 again and heat for a predetermined time. And when the MPU 33 determines in the measurement by the radiation thermometer 30 that it is again in an appropriate temperature range (about 180 degrees to 230 degrees) where the mold release agent may be sprayed, it controls the spray gun 17 to continue the spraying operation of the remaining mold release agent.

[0022] When the spraying of the mold release agent a predetermined number of times (that is, four times here) in a certain stopped state in the heating area is completed, the MPU 33 determines that the application of the mold release agent over the entire area of the heating area is completed, retracts the spray gun 17 to the initial position, and advances the heat gun 18 again to heat for a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds). This heating is a heat baking process for removing the bound water from the applied mold release agent. Thereby, the mold coating at that position is formed. Next, the MPU 33 moves the arm 16 to the coating mold formation surface on the path of the adjacent line data, and controls the forward and backward movement of the spray gun 17 and the heat gun 18 and the accompanying spraying operation or heating operation in the same manner as above to form a coating mold. In this way, the arm 16 is gradually moved along the path of the line data to form a coating mold on the surface of the mold W.

[0023] (3) Removal of the mold In the above (2), when the MPU 33 determines that the arm 16 has passed through all the paths of the mold W and the coating mold formation at the last position is completed, the MPU 33 drives the motor 43 of the cylinder device 21 of the positioning device 20 to retract the rod 21a and release the mold W from the fixed state. At the same time, the MPU 33 drives the motors 26 and 27 of the second and third roller conveyor devices 11 to convey the mold W downstream. When the mold W reaches the third roller conveyor device 11, the MPU 33 determines that the removal of the mold W is completed when the front end and the rear end of the base B are simultaneously detected by the transmissive infrared sensors (the light emitter 24a and the light receiver 24b), and stops the motors 26 and 27 of the second and third roller conveyor devices 11.

[0024] With the configuration as described above, the following effects are achieved in the processing system 1 of the embodiment. (1) When forming a coating mold on the mold W, it is not necessary to preheat the entire mold W, and a preheating furnace is not required. Also, when the coating mold is formed, conventionally, the mold W had to be transported to a firing furnace for heating and firing, but such a firing furnace is also not required. Since the preheating furnace and the firing furnace are not required, the equipment cost and the energy cost for heating are reduced, and the space for the preheating furnace and the firing furnace is not required, so the enlargement of the entire system can be suppressed. (2) Even when the temperature drops due to the passage of time when repeatedly spraying the coating agent by the spray gun 17 in a certain heating area, it is possible to heat the heating area to a temperature at which the coating agent can be sprayed again by reheating. Therefore, even if the heating area is large, the coating agent can be formed into a film in that area. (3) Even if the surface shape of the mold W is not uniform, the advancing positions of the spray gun 17 and the heat gun 18 can be advanced to optimal positions, so that a uniform coating mold can be formed with any mold W.

[0025] The present invention can also be embodied in a modified form as follows, for example. · The above embodiment is an example. It may be implemented in other forms. For example, only the coating mold processing area 3 may be provided without using the conveyor devices 11, 13, and 23. Also, for example, an arm other than the 6-axis arm 16 may be used as the robot. Also, for example, the outer shape of the mold W may be taught and the arm may be moved along the path using the line data thereof. The heating time and the number of sprayings of the coating mold agent are also merely examples above. · The specifications of the spray gun 17 and the heat gun 18 used above are examples, and various forms can be used as the form. For example, in the above embodiment, there were three spray guns 17 at the tip of the arm 16, but there may be one, two, or four or more. Also, as the spray gun, the coating mold agent may be sprayed by another mechanism, and as the heat gun, other heating means other than Joule heat, for example, heating by a burner that burns fossil fuel or an electromagnetic wave with high energy such as a laser beam may be used. · In the above embodiment, the number of sprayings of the coating mold agent by the spray gun 17 was four times for a certain heating area, but this number can be appropriately changed according to the area of the heating area and the area of a single spraying area. If the heating area and the single spraying area coincide, it is not necessary to spray the coating mold agent a plurality of times. · In the above embodiment, one laser measuring instrument 31 was attached to the cylinder device 28 for each set of the spray gun 17 and the heat gun 18, but one laser measuring instrument 31 for three sets may be used. This is because the distance can be calculated based on the position of the cylinder device 28 even with only one laser measuring instrument 31. · In the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which heat baking for removing bound water from the coating agent is performed for each heating region. However, for example, the heat baking may be performed by moving the arm 16 along the path based on the line data again and heating and baking with the heat gun 18 after the film formation on the surfaces that require coating formation of all the molds W is completed. · The various sensors (shape recognition sensor 22, transmissive infrared sensors (light emitters 12a, 24a, light receivers 12b, 24b), radiation thermometer 30, laser measuring instrument 31, etc.) used above are merely examples, and information may be acquired by other methods as long as they perform the same functions. · In the above-described embodiment, the heat gun 18 is used as the heating means (heating device). However, not only heat energy is applied from the outside in this way, but for example, a heating means by resistance heating in which an electrode is brought into contact with the mold W itself and a current is passed between the electrodes to generate Joule heat may also be used.

[0026] The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-described embodiments. The constituent elements of the above-described embodiments and modification examples may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Also, any constituent element of each embodiment or modification example may be arbitrarily combined with any constituent element described in the means for solving the invention or a constituent element embodying any constituent element described in the means for solving the invention. We also have the intention to obtain rights in the amendment or divisional application of this application. Also, by filing a change application for a design application, we have the intention to obtain rights for the overall design or partial design. Although the drawings depict the entire apparatus in solid lines, the drawings include not only the overall design but also partial designs claimed for a part of the apparatus. For example, it goes without saying that a part of the members of the apparatus can be a partial design, and the drawings include a partial design of a part of the apparatus regardless of the members. As a part of the apparatus, it may be a part of the members of the apparatus or a part of the members.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0027] 1... Processing system, 2... Loading area, 3... Processing area, 4... Unloading area, 15... Robot, 16... Arm, 17... Spray gun as a spraying device, 18... Heat gun as a heating device, 30... Radiation thermometer as a detection means, W... Mold.

Claims

1. An input area, a processing area for performing a processing operation to form a coating mold on the mold carried in from the input area, an output area where the mold after the coating mold is formed is carried out from the processing area, a robot equipped with an injection device for injecting a coating agent at the tip or near the tip of an arm, a heating device for heating the coating mold forming surface of the mold disposed in the processing area, and a detecting means for detecting the temperature of the coating mold forming surface heated by the heating device, the heating device is of a heat radiation type mounted at the tip or near the tip of the arm and radiating heat from the radiation outlet, while heating a partial area of the coating mold forming surface by the heating device, detecting by the detecting means that the coating mold forming surface after heating is at a temperature within an appropriate temperature range for forming a coating agent, and controlling to drive the arm and inject a coating agent onto the coating mold forming surface having reached the temperature within the appropriate temperature range by the injection device. A processing system for forming a coating mold on a mold, characterized in that.

2. The processing system for forming a coating mold on a mold according to claim 1, wherein the injection device is controlled to inject a coating agent onto the coating mold forming surface while shifting the injection position.

3. When the detecting means detects that the coating mold forming surface has reached a temperature equal to or lower than the appropriate temperature range, the injection operation of the coating agent by the injection device is temporarily stopped, the coating mold forming surface is reheated by the heating device, and the injection operation of the coating agent by the injection device is resumed by detecting again by the detecting means that the appropriate temperature range has been reached. A processing system for forming a coating mold on a mold according to claim 2, characterized in that.

4. The processing system for forming a coating mold on a mold according to claim 1, wherein when heating by radiating heat from the radiation outlet, the distance between the radiation outlet and the mold is controlled to be maintained at a predetermined interval.

5. The processing system for forming a coating mold on a mold according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the injection port of the injection device is disposed at a position advanced from the arm when injecting a coating agent, and the radiation outlet of the heating device is disposed at a position relatively retracted with respect to the injection port.

6. A process in which a part of the mold-forming surface is heated by the heating device and the injection process of the mold-forming agent by the injection device for that part of the area is completed is defined as one injection process. When one injection process is completed, the arm is moved along a pre-programmed path and controlled to execute the next injection process for the next part of the mold-forming surface. A processing system for forming a mold coating according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that.

7. A processing system for forming a mold coating according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that when the injection device injects the mold-forming agent, the distance between the injection port and the mold is controlled to be maintained at a predetermined interval.

8. A processing system for forming a mold coating according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control is performed by control means.

9. A processing system for forming a mold coating according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the mold is moved from the loading area to the unloading area by a conveyor device.

10. A mold coating formation method for forming a coating on the surface of a mold in contact with the molten metal of the mold, A part of the mold-forming surface of the mold is heated by a heat-radiating type heating means that is mounted at the tip or near the tip of the arm and radiates heat from the injection port. When the heated mold-forming surface reaches the temperature in the appropriate temperature range for forming the mold-forming agent, the injection device for injecting the mold-forming agent is mounted at the tip or near the tip of the arm, and the mold-forming agent is injected onto the heated mold-forming surface. A mold coating formation method for forming a coating on a mold, characterized in that.

11. The mold coating formation method for forming a coating on the mold according to claim 10, characterized in that the injection device injects the mold-forming agent onto the mold-forming surface while shifting the injection position.

12. When the temperature of the mold-forming surface becomes equal to or lower than the appropriate temperature range, the injection operation of the mold-forming agent by the injection device is temporarily stopped, the mold-forming surface is reheated, and when the temperature reaches the appropriate temperature range again, the injection operation of the mold-forming agent by the injection device is restarted. A mold coating formation method for forming a coating on the mold according to claim 11, characterized in that.

13. A step in which a part of the mold-forming surface is heated and the injection process of the mold-forming agent for that part of the region is completed is defined as one injection step. When the one injection step is completed, the arm is moved along a pre-programmed path, and the next injection step is performed for the next part of the mold-forming surface. The mold-forming method for forming a mold according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that this is done.

14. The mold-forming method for forming a mold according to claim 13, characterized in that the mold-forming surface is heated and a firing process is performed at the stage when the injection process of the mold-forming agent in the one injection step is completed.

15. The mold-forming method for forming a mold according to claim 13, characterized in that when the injection process of the mold-forming agent is completed for all of the mold-forming surfaces of the mold, the arm is moved again along the path, and the mold-forming surface is heated by the heating means to perform a firing process.

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