Injection molding machine and communication inspection method

Abstract

To provide an injection molding machine that can be easily inspected for communication with external device.SOLUTION: A subject is an injection molding machine (1) equipped with a communication connector (27) to which a communication cable (29) with an external device (28) is connected. The injection molding machine (1) is provided with communication inspection means (35) so that the communication inspection means (35) acquires at least one side communication signal of transmission and reception on the communication connector (27) side for the communication carried out through the communication connector (27).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2B

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an injection molding machine that includes a communication connector, connects a communication cable, and communicates with an external device, and a communication inspection method for communication implemented in the injection molding machine.

Background Art

[0002] An injection molding machine includes a mold clamping device, an injection device, etc. By clamping a mold in the mold clamping device and injecting an injection material from the injection device, a molded product can be molded. When implementing a molding cycle for molding a molded product, the injection molding machine needs to cooperate with external devices such as a molded product take-out machine for taking out the molded product and a mold temperature control device for adjusting the temperature of the mold. Therefore, as described in Patent Document 1 for example, a communication connector is provided in the injection molding machine, and these external devices are connected by a communication cable to communicate with each other.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In factories, problems can sometimes occur with the operation of injection molding machines, particularly in their coordination with external equipment. When a problem arises, it's necessary to investigate the cause, but troubleshooting communication issues presents several challenges. For example, when a communication problem occurs, it's necessary to determine whether the cause lies in the communication program of the injection molding machine, the communication program of the external equipment, or in hardware such as communication cables or connectors. To isolate the cause, one might connect a protocol analyzer between the injection molding machine and the external equipment to examine the communication signals. This allows for determination of whether the problem lies in the communication program or the hardware. However, factories don't always have protocol analyzers or similar equipment readily available, making investigation difficult.

[0005] This disclosure provides an injection molding machine that allows for easy inspection of communication with external devices.

[0006] Other challenges and novel features will become apparent from the description and accompanying drawings in this specification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This disclosure pertains to injection molding machines equipped with communication connectors to which communication cables for external devices are connected. The controller includes a software suite for communication signal inspection processing. We have established Communication signal inspection processing For communications conducted via a communication connector, the communication connector acquires at least one of the transmission and reception communication signals. and test I will try to do so. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] This disclosure allows for the inspection of communication signals to investigate the causes of problems occurring in communications. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1A] This is a front view showing the injection molding machine and external equipment according to this embodiment. [Figure 1B]This is a front view showing the injection molding machine according to this embodiment. [Figure 2A] This is a block diagram showing the communication testing means and external equipment according to this embodiment. [Figure 2B] This is a block diagram showing the communication inspection means according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart of the communication testing method according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a communication inspection screen according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The following describes specific embodiments in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments are not limited to those described below. For clarity, the following descriptions and drawings have been simplified as appropriate. In each drawing, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations have been omitted where necessary. Also, hatching has been omitted in some parts of the drawings to avoid clutter.

[0011] <Injection molding machine> The injection molding machine 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a mold clamping device 2, an injection device 3, etc., as shown in Figure 1A. The injection molding machine 1 is equipped with a control device, i.e., a controller 4, and the mold clamping device 2, injection device 3, etc., are controlled by the controller 4. The controller 4 is equipped with a monitor 4a on which various screens are displayed.

[0012] <Mold clamping device> The mold clamping device 2 comprises a fixed platen 7 fixed to the bed B, a movable platen 8 slidably mounted on the bed B, and a mold clamping housing 9. The fixed platen 7 and the mold clamping housing 9 are connected by a plurality of tie bars 11, 11, ..., and the movable platen 8 is slidably mounted between the fixed platen 7 and the mold clamping housing 9. A mold clamping mechanism, specifically a toggle mechanism 13 in this embodiment, is provided between the mold clamping housing 9 and the movable platen 8. The fixed platen 7 and the movable platen 8 are each provided with a fixed mold 15 and a movable mold 16. Therefore, when the toggle mechanism 13 is driven, the molds 15 and 16 are opened and closed.

[0013] <Injection device> The injection device 3 comprises a heating cylinder 19, a screw 20 located inside the heating cylinder 19, and a screw drive device 22. The heating cylinder 19 is supported by the screw drive device 22, and the screw 20 is driven by the screw drive device 22 in both the rotational and axial directions. The heating cylinder 19 is provided with a hopper 23 and an injection nozzle 24. When the screw 20 is rotated to supply injection material from the hopper 23, the injection material is melted and metered at the tip of the heating cylinder 19. When the screw 20 is driven in the axial direction, the injection material can be injected.

[0014] <Communication Interface> In this embodiment, the injection molding machine 1 has a communication board 26 located within the bed B. The communication board 26 is equipped with a communication connector 27 and is connected to an external device 28 by a communication cable 29. The communication connector 27 and communication cable 29 may be composed of serial communication hardware such as RS422 or RS485, or they may be composed of Ethernet or other communication hardware. The external device 28 connected to the injection molding machine 1 may be, for example, a mold temperature control device or a molded product removal device, and may be one or more devices, as schematically shown in Figure 1A. The external device 28 is equipped with a connector 31 and to which the communication cable 29 is connected. The injection molding machine 1 communicates with the external device 28 via the communication cable 29.

[0015] The injection molding machine 1 according to this embodiment is characterized in that another connector is further provided on the communication substrate 26. Specifically, an inspection connector 33 is provided. As will be described later, the inspection connector 33 is used during communication inspection, and a simulated communication inspection can be performed only by the injection molding machine 1 even in the absence of the external device 28. This inspection connector 33 is an element constituting the communication inspection means described below.

[0016] <Communication inspection means> In the injection molding machine 1 according to this embodiment, the communication inspection means 35 for inspecting communication is composed of a software group provided in the controller 4 and the inspection connector 33 as shown in FIG. 2A. The controller 4 is provided with a program not included in the communication inspection means 35 and a program constituting the communication inspection means 35. The former program is a communication program 41 for communicating with the external device 28. The latter program includes a communication signal inspection process 42 and a virtual device communication program 44 that constitute the communication inspection means 35. The communication program 41 is software provided for communication with the external device 28, and generates a communication signal and transmits it to the external device 28 via the communication connector 27. Alternatively, it processes the communication signal transmitted from the external device 28 and received from the communication connector 27.

[0017] The communication signal inspection process 42 is a program that performs a plurality of processes in this embodiment. First, the communication signal inspection process 42 is configured to acquire the communication signal transmitted by the communication program 41 via the communication connector 27 and the communication signal received via the communication connector 27. The acquired communication signal will be inspected for normality as will be described later. Other processes will be described in conjunction with the virtual device communication program 44 described below.

[0018] The virtual device communication program 44 is a program that emulates communication by mimicking the external device 28 and is provided according to the external device 28. The virtual device communication program 44 may mimic all communication processes corresponding to all functions of the external device 28, or may mimic only simple communication processes. As will be described later, when the external device 28 is not connected, the virtual device communication program 44 transmits and receives communication signals via the inspection connector 33, and communicates as if the external device 28 exists.

[0019] The communication signal inspection process 42 is configured to acquire the communication signals transmitted and received by the virtual device communication program 44 via the inspection connector 33. Then, it compares with the communication signals transmitted and received by the communication program 41 via the communication connector 27 to inspect whether the communication signals match, that is, whether there are any deficiencies or the like.

[0020] <Communication inspection method> The communication inspection method according to the present embodiment to be described hereinafter can be implemented in various situations. For example, before shipping the injection molding machine 1 (see FIG. 1A), communication can be inspected in a state where the external device 28 does not exist. Alternatively, when there may be a problem with the communication between the injection molding machine 1 and the external device 28, the external device 28 can be disconnected from the injection molding machine 1 and communication can be inspected only with the injection molding machine 1. Hereinafter, the communication inspection method according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0021] Disconnect the external device 28 (see FIG. 1A) from the communication cable 29, and as shown in FIG. 1B, connect the communication cable 29 to the inspection connector 33. That is, connect the communication cable 29 to the communication connector 27 and the inspection connector 33. This state is also shown in FIG. 2B.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the communication program 41 transmits a signal (step S1). That is, the communication program 41 generates and transmits a normal communication signal as if an external device 28 (see Figure 1A) were present. The communication signal inspection process 42 (see Figure 2B) acquires this transmitted communication signal. This process is shown as step S2 in Figure 3. It then checks whether the communication signal is normal or not (step S3). That is, the communication signal inspection process 42 (see Figure 2B) checks whether the communication signal transmitted by the communication program 41 is correct using parity, checksum, CRC, etc. If an abnormality in the communication signal is detected here (step S3 is NO), step S4 is executed, it is determined that the communication program is abnormal, and a warning message is output to monitor 4a (see Figure 1B). On the other hand, if it is normal (step S3 is YES), it proceeds to step S5.

[0023] In Figure 2B, the communication signal is transmitted via the communication connector 27, the communication cable 29, and the test connector 33, and received by the virtual device communication program 44. The communication signal inspection process 42 acquires the communication signal sent from the test connector 33 to the virtual device communication program 44, as shown in step S5 of Figure 3. The communication signal inspection process 42 (see Figure 2B) compares the communication signal acquired in step S2 of Figure 3 with the communication signal acquired in step S5 (step S6). If the two communication signals do not match and there is a loss in the communication signal (step S6 is NO), step S7 is executed. That is, the communication signal inspection process (see Figure 2B) determines that at least one of the communication connector 27, the communication cable 29, and the test connector 33 is faulty, i.e., it is a hardware failure, and outputs a warning message to monitor 4a (see Figure 1B). On the other hand, if it is normal (step S6 is YES), it proceeds to step S8.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, in step S8, the virtual device communication program 44 (see Figure 2B) transmits the signal. That is, the virtual device communication program 44 processes the communication signal received from the communication program 41, generates a communication signal for transmission to the communication program 41, and transmits it. The communication signal inspection process 42 (see Figure 2B) performs steps S9 and S10 in Figure 3. That is, it acquires the communication signal on the inspection connector 33 (see Figure 2B) side and then acquires the communication signal on the communication connector 27 (see Figure 2B) side. Next, it performs step S11 in Figure 3 to check whether these communication signals match. If they do not match (step S11 is NO), it is determined in step S12 that there is a hardware failure and a warning message is output to monitor 4a (see Figure 1B). On the other hand, if it is normal (step S11 is YES), the communication inspection is completed.

[0025] <Communication Test Screen> The injection molding machine 1 according to this embodiment (see Figure 1A) is capable of displaying communication signals on a screen when communicating with an external device 28 and when communicating with a virtual device communication program 44 (see Figure 2B). Figure 4 shows a communication test screen 50 as an example of such a screen. This communication test screen 50 displays communication signals when communicating via Ethernet. Packets flowing through the communication connector 27 (see Figure 1A), communication cable 29, etc. are displayed.

[0026] <Variation> The communication inspection method according to this embodiment can be modified in various ways. For example, in the communication inspection method described in Figure 3, the communication signal transmitted from the communication program 41 to the virtual device communication program 44 is inspected, and then the communication signal transmitted from the virtual device communication program 44 to the communication program 41 is inspected. However, the order of inspecting the transmitted and received communication signals is not limited. For example, if communication is initiated when the communication program 41 receives a communication signal transmitted from the virtual device communication program 44, then the inspection of the received communication signal is performed first, followed by the inspection of the transmitted communication signal from the communication program 41.

[0027] In the communication inspection method according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1B, the communication cable 29 is disconnected from the external device 28 and connected to the inspection connector 33 for the inspection. However, as shown in Figure 1A, communication can also be inspected with the injection molding machine 1 and the external device 28 connected. In this case, as shown in Figure 2A, the communication signal inspection process 42 can only acquire the communication signal between the communication program 41 and the communication connector 27, but it can inspect whether this communication signal is normal or not.

[0028] The present invention has been described in detail above based on embodiments, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments already described, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. The multiple examples described above can also be implemented in combination as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 1 Injection molding machine 2 Mold clamping device 3. Injection device 4. Controller 7 Fixed plate 8 Movable plate 9-type clamping housing 11 tie bars 13 Toggle mechanism 15 Fixed side mold 16 Movable mold 19 Heating cylinder 20 Screw 22 Screw drive mechanism 23 Hopper 24 Injection nozzle 26 Communication board 27 Communication connector 28 External devices 29 Communication cables 33 Inspection connector 35 Communication inspection means 41 Communication program 42 Communication signal inspection process 44 Virtual device communication program 50 Communication inspection screen

Claims

1. A controller and A communication connector to which a communication cable to an external device is connected, Equipped with a communication inspection means, The communication inspection means includes a communication signal inspection process consisting of software provided in the controller, The aforementioned communication signal inspection process is configured to acquire and inspect at least one of the transmission and reception communication signals at the communication connector side for communication performed via the communication connector by a communication program provided in the controller.

2. The injection molding machine according to claim 1, wherein the communication testing means includes a testing connector, and when the communication connector and the testing connector are connected by a communication cable, the testing connector can communicate as a virtual external device.

3. The injection molding machine according to claim 2, wherein the communication testing means comprises a virtual device communication program provided in the controller, which is software that mimics and communicates with an external device, and the virtual device communication program communicates and tests via the testing connector.

4. The injection molding machine according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the communication signal inspection process is configured to acquire and inspect at least one of the transmission and reception communication signals on the inspection connector side for communication performed via the inspection connector.

5. The injection molding machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a warning message is output to the controller when an abnormality is detected in the communication signal acquired by the communication inspection means.

6. A communication testing method for testing communication with external equipment in an injection molding machine, The injection molding machine is equipped with a controller, a communication connector, and an inspection connector. A communication testing method comprising connecting the communication connector and the test connector with a communication cable, treating the test connector as a virtual external device, performing communication between the communication connector and the test connector using a communication program provided in the controller, and testing the communication data using a communication signal testing process consisting of software provided in the controller.

7. The communication inspection method according to claim 6, wherein, by the communication signal inspection process, the communication signal transmitted from the communication connector side and the communication signal received on the inspection connector side are compared and, if they are different, it is determined that at least one of the communication connector, the inspection connector, and the communication cable is abnormal.

8. The communication inspection method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein software provided in the controller, a virtual device communication program that mimics the communication of the external device, transmits a communication signal from the inspection connector side, and compares it with the communication signal received on the communication connector side by the communication signal inspection process, and if there is a difference, it is determined that at least one of the communication connector, the inspection connector, and the communication cable is abnormal.

9. The communication inspection method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein if an abnormality is detected by the communication signal inspection process, a warning message is output to the controller of the injection molding machine.

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