Simulator device

Abstract

To provide a simulator device capable of accurately controlling increases and decreases in an amount of load generated in all ranges including a maximum value and a minimum value of a facility capacity of an injection drive part to enable trial operation and adjustment.SOLUTION: A simulator device comprises: a piston cylinder part connected to an injection drive part; a load amount generating part connected to the piston cylinder part to generate a load amount for restricting an operation of the piston cylinder part; and a simulator control part that operates the load amount generating part. The simulator control part controls the load amount on the basis of a preset load generation pattern, and applies the load amount to the injection drive part via the piston cylinder part to carry out trial operation and adjustment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a simulator device for performing a test run adjustment of an injection part that injects and fills a molten molding material toward a mold cavity formed by clamping a fixed mold and a movable mold.

Background Art

[0002] The molten molding material (referred to as molten material) is roughly classified into molten resin obtained by melting a resin material and molten metal obtained by melting a metal material. Molding using molten resin is called injection molding, and molding using molten metal is called casting molding. In injection molding, a pellet-shaped resin material is supplied into a heat-adjusted cylinder barrel, and a screw with continuous spiral protrusions is rotated to plastically melt the resin material and rotationally transport it to the tip side of the screw while storing the molten resin in the cylinder barrel. Then, the screw is advanced to inject and fill the molten resin into the mold cavity to manufacture a resin molded product (also referred to as an injection molded product). An apparatus for manufacturing an injection molded product is called an injection molding machine. In casting molding, molten metal adjusted by melting in a melting furnace is supplied into an injection sleeve, and a plunger tip is advanced to inject and fill the molten metal into the mold cavity to manufacture a metal molded product (also referred to as a casting). An apparatus for manufacturing a casting is called a casting apparatus. An injection molding machine and a casting apparatus together are called a molding apparatus. Also, a driving device for injecting and filling the molten material is called an injection driving unit.

[0003] Here, in the stable production of high-quality injection molded products and castings, it is preferable to perform a test run adjustment of the molding apparatus before performing injection molding and casting molding. Examples of the test run adjustment include, in addition to performance verification of the molding apparatus such as operation confirmation of the molding apparatus, gain adjustment of control means, calibration of measurement means, error confirmation with equipment capabilities, confirmation of the presence or absence of abnormalities in the molding apparatus, etc., operation condition adjustment of the molding apparatus assuming actual injection molding and casting molding, adjustment of the quality control range of injection molded products and castings, construction of optimal molding conditions, etc. Among them, regarding the filling flow of the molten material in the mold cavity, which is greatly related to the quality of injection molded products and castings, many proposals have been made for the test run adjustment of the injection driving unit.

[0004] For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, it has been proposed to connect a trial run simulation device with an injection drive unit and perform trial run adjustments of the injection drive unit by sending and receiving simulated signals. According to this, trial run adjustments can be performed without actually performing injection molding or casting. Also, as shown in Patent Document 2, it has been proposed to perform trial run adjustments by actually performing injection molding and receiving injection molding information from the injection molding machine to simulate the optimization of, for example, control gains and control algorithms. Furthermore, although it is not a molding device, as shown in Patent Document 3, it has been proposed to perform trial run adjustments by changing the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to a hydraulic cylinder driven by a hydraulic system, thereby changing the load generated by the hydraulic cylinder and reproducing the load during actual operation. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-314627 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-175120 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-17992 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In Patent Document 1, the trial run adjustment is performed without actual injection molding or casting (referred to as no-load trial run adjustment), so the load amount that would occur during actual injection molding or casting is completely unknown. For example, if a load exceeding the limit acts on the injection drive unit, the performance of the injection drive unit may decrease significantly. Since it is not possible to accurately verify the performance of the injection drive unit, which fluctuates in response to this load amount, the results of the trial run adjustment cannot be definitively considered accurate. As a result, it is difficult to ensure a stable supply of high-quality injection molded and cast products.

[0007] In contrast, Patent Document 2 describes a trial run adjustment that actually performs injection molding (referred to as a real-world molding trial run adjustment), which allows for accurate evaluation of the load during actual injection molding and is considered to be more accurate than a no-load trial run adjustment. However, from the standpoint of protecting the injection molding die used, trial run adjustments with excessive or insufficient loads cannot be performed. For example, if injection molding is performed with an excessive load, the resin burrs ejected from the mold cavity may damage the injection molding die. As a result, real-world molding trial run adjustments can only be performed within a very limited range of the equipment capacity of the injection drive unit. The equipment capacity in areas where trial run adjustments have not been performed remains completely unknown.

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes a configuration in which the load generated by a hydraulic cylinder can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic cylinder (called meter-in control). Generally, in meter-in control, the amount of load generated increases in proportion to the increase in the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied, and the rate of increase in the generated load increases in proportion to the rate of increase in the supply amount. For this reason, the magnitude and rate of increase of the load depend on the performance of the hydraulic equipment that supplies the hydraulic fluid, making it difficult to perform trial run adjustments that anticipate abnormal situations such as instantaneous increases in load. Also, even if the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied is reduced, only the rate of increase in the load decreases, and the amount of load generated cannot be reduced. For this reason, a hydraulic fluid discharge line called a bleed board or return pressure line is provided in the hydraulic fluid supply line, and the load can be reduced by discharging the hydraulic fluid from this discharge line. In other words, the rate of decrease in the load depends on the discharge rate of the hydraulic fluid from this exhaust line, and is not controlled, so it is not suitable for trial run adjustments that require highly accurate increases and decreases in load.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a simulator device that can accurately control the increase or decrease in the generated load over the entire range, including the maximum and minimum values ​​of the injection drive unit's equipment capacity, and adjust the trial run accordingly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The simulator device of the present invention is In a simulator device for performing trial run adjustments on an injection drive unit that injects and fills a mold cavity formed by clamping a fixed mold and a movable mold, The system comprises a piston cylinder section connected to the injection drive section, a load generation section connected to the piston cylinder section and generating a load that limits the operation of the piston cylinder section, and a simulator control section that operates the load generation section. The simulator control unit controls the load amount based on a preset load generation pattern, and applies the load amount to the injection drive unit via the piston cylinder section to perform trial run adjustments.

[0011] In the simulator device of the present invention, The load generation pattern is preferably the filling resistance generated during the injection filling process.

[0012] Furthermore, in the simulator device of the present invention It is preferable that the load generation pattern be set within the entire range, including the maximum and minimum values ​​of the injection drive unit's equipment capacity.

[0013] In the simulator device of the present invention, The piston cylinder section comprises a piston hydraulic chamber for storing hydraulic fluid, a piston for pressing the hydraulic fluid in the piston hydraulic chamber, a connecting section for connecting the piston and the injection section, and a cylinder housing for housing the piston hydraulic chamber and the piston. Preferably, the piston slides in the forward and backward direction in conjunction with the injection drive unit, and the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the piston hydraulic chamber changes based on the sliding of the piston.

[0014] In the simulator device of the present invention, The load amount generation unit includes a hydraulic circuit unit that stores hydraulic oil, a hydraulic tank unit that stores the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic circuit unit, a hydraulic servo valve disposed between the hydraulic circuit unit and the hydraulic tank unit, and a servo valve control unit. The simulator control unit transmits an operation command to the servo valve control unit based on the load generation pattern. The servo valve control unit preferably operates the hydraulic servo valve based on the operation command to adjust the discharge amount of the hydraulic oil, and the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic circuit unit changes based on the discharge amount of the hydraulic oil.

[0015] Also, in the simulator device of the present invention, It is preferable that the piston hydraulic chamber communicates with the hydraulic oil of the hydraulic circuit unit, and the pressure changes of the hydraulic oil in the piston hydraulic chamber and the hydraulic circuit unit are interlocked.

[0016] In the simulator device of the present invention, It is preferable to act on the injection drive unit via the piston and the connecting portion using the pressure changes of the hydraulic oil in the piston hydraulic chamber and the hydraulic circuit unit as the load amount.

[0017] Furthermore, in the simulator device of the present invention, It is preferable to further include a position sensor that measures the sliding position of the piston and a pressure sensor that measures the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic circuit.

[0018] In the simulator device of the present invention, The simulator control unit preferably operates the servo valve control unit based on an injection operation signal transmitted from the injection drive unit.

[0019] In the simulator device of the present invention, The simulator control unit preferably operates the servo valve control unit based on measurement signals from the position sensor and the pressure sensor.

[0020] In the simulator device of the present invention, It is preferable that the simulator control unit has a function of comparing the injection operation signal and the measurement signal to determine the presence or absence of abnormalities in the injection drive unit and the simulator device.

[0021] In the simulator device of the present invention, It is preferable that the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic tank portion is supplied to the hydraulic circuit portion and the piston hydraulic chamber by the sliding of the piston and the operation of the hydraulic servo valve.

[0022] Also, in the simulator device of the present invention, It is preferable to include a hydraulic oil replenishment unit for replenishing hydraulic oil to the hydraulic tank portion.

[0023] Furthermore, in the simulator device of the present invention, It is preferable to include a temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic tank portion to a predetermined temperature.

Effects of the Invention

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a simulator device that can accurately control the increase and decrease of the generated load amount and perform trial operation adjustment in all ranges including the maximum value and the minimum value of the equipment capacity of the injection drive unit.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] It is a conceptual diagram showing a casting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a conceptual diagram showing an injection molding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a conceptual diagram showing a simulator device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing a load generation pattern using the simulator device shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the trial operation adjustment of the first embodiment according to the present invention. <s [Figure 6]This figure shows the trial run adjustment of the second embodiment according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the inventions of each claim. Furthermore, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solutions of the inventions of each claim. Also, in these embodiments, the scale and dimensions of some components may be exaggerated, or some components may be omitted.

[0027] (Casting equipment) First, a casting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 1. The casting apparatus 100 shown in Figure 1 comprises a mold 10, an injection unit 20, and an injection drive unit 30.

[0028] The mold 10 comprises a fixed mold 11 and a movable mold 12 supported by a clamping means (not shown). The fixed mold 11 and the movable mold 12 are clamped together to form a mold cavity 13 and a mold gate 14. Here, in order to stabilize the surface temperature of the mold cavity 13 and the temperature of the casting and shorten the casting cycle, it is preferable to provide the fixed mold 11 and the movable mold 12 with cooling means including a cooling circuit (not shown). Furthermore, in order to improve the release properties when pushing the casting out of the mold cavity 13 using an extrusion means (not shown) arranged in the fixed mold 11 or the movable mold 12, it is preferable to apply a release agent or the like to the mold cavity 13. Alternatively, the mold 10 may be provided with a vacuum suction means (not shown) to suction the inside of the mold cavity 13 in synchronization with the casting process.

[0029] The injection unit 20 comprises a cylindrical injection sleeve 21 arranged horizontally, a pouring port 22 for supplying molten metal M such as aluminum alloy into the injection sleeve 21, a plunger tip 23 that slides in the front-rear direction within the injection sleeve 21, and a plunger rod 24 connecting the injection drive unit 30 and the plunger tip 23. Here, the injection sleeve 21 and the plunger tip 23 are provided with cooling means (not shown) through which a cooling medium flows, as needed. Furthermore, it is preferable to apply a lubricant to the sliding surfaces of the injection sleeve 21 and the plunger tip 23 to prevent wear damage to the plunger tip 23, stabilize the sliding state, and prevent adhesion of molten metal M residue. Alternatively, the injection sleeve 21 may be provided with a vacuum suction means (not shown) to suction the inside of the injection sleeve 21 in synchronization with the casting process.

[0030] The tip of the injection sleeve 21 is connected to the mold gate 14 of the mold 10, and the injection sleeve 21 and the mold cavity 13 are in communication via the mold gate 14. Here, with respect to the sliding of the plunger tip 23, the direction approaching the mold gate 14 is defined as forward F, sliding toward forward F is defined as forward movement, the direction away from the mold gate 14 is defined as backward R, and sliding toward backward R is defined as backward movement. Due to the forward movement of the plunger tip 23, the molten metal M supplied into the injection sleeve 21 passes through the mold gate 14 and fills the mold cavity 13.

[0031] The injection drive unit 30 comprises a power unit 31, a control unit 32, a rod 33 that moves forward and backward, and a connecting unit 34. The connecting unit 34 connects the rod 33 and the plunger rod 24, integrating the injection drive unit 30 and the injection unit 20. As a result, the control unit 32 controls the forward and backward movement of the plunger tip 23 by operating the power unit 31. Here, the power unit 31 is a hydraulic drive means such as a hydraulic cylinder, or an electric drive means that uses a ball screw mechanism or the like that which converts the rotational motion of an electric motor into linear motion. If necessary, a hydraulic auxiliary means such as an accumulator may be used for the hydraulic drive means. Alternatively, a hybrid drive means combining a hydraulic drive means and an electric drive means may also be used.

[0032] Next, a brief explanation will be given regarding casting using the casting apparatus 100 shown in Figure 1. First, while the plunger tip 23 is retracted and waiting in a predetermined position, molten metal M is supplied into the injection sleeve 21 from the pouring port 22 using a molten metal supply means (not shown). Then, the control unit 32 operates the power unit 31 to move the plunger tip 23 forward. As the plunger tip 23 moves forward, the molten metal M in the injection sleeve 21 is injected and filled into the mold cavity 13 through the mold gate 14 (injection filling process). At this time, the plunger tip 23 is set to have multiple injection speeds, for example, a low-speed injection process to fill the injection sleeve 21 with molten metal M and a high-speed injection process to fill the mold cavity 13 with molten metal. Following the injection filling process, there is a pressure-boosting process to increase the density of the molten metal M filling the mold cavity 13 and a holding pressure process to compensate for solidification shrinkage due to the cooling of the molten metal M. This pressure-boosting and pressure-holding process is controlled by increasing or decreasing the forward pressure of the plunger tip 23 (referred to as casting pressure). Similarly, during the injection filling process, the casting pressure is also controlled simultaneously to compensate for the increased filling resistance due to the filling of the mold cavity 13 with molten metal M. The mold is then cooled and maintained in this holding pressure state (cooling process). Note that the pressure-boosting and pressure-holding processes are sometimes collectively referred to as the pressure-boosting process.

[0033] Furthermore, during the injection filling and holding pressure processes, the injection speed and casting pressure require precise control due to numerous disturbances such as thermal deformation of the injection sleeve 21, adhesion of molten metal residue, turbulence in the filling flow of molten metal M within the injection sleeve 21 and mold cavity 13, generation of excessive casting pressure due to high-speed injection (called surge pressure), cooling of the molten metal M over time, and temperature changes of the mold 10 and injection sleeve 21. After the cooling process, the mold 10 is opened and the casting is removed from the mold cavity 13 (removal process). In this removal process as well, fine adjustments to the forward and backward movement of the plunger tip 23 may be made to assist in the removal of the casting.

[0034] In order to ensure a stable supply of high-quality castings, it is preferable to perform trial run adjustments to evaluate the performance of the injection drive unit 30 by accurately reproducing the load amounts such as the filling resistance of the molten metal M generated in actual casting, the casting pressure required to increase density, and fluctuations in the load amount due to injection speed and external disturbances. However, in trial run adjustments performed in actual casting (actual casting trial run adjustments), trial run adjustments can only be performed within a very limited range of the equipment capacity of the injection drive unit 30. Performing actual casting trial run adjustments across the entire range, including the maximum and minimum values ​​of the equipment capacity of the injection drive unit 30, would require performing casting using a huge number of molds 10, which is undesirable. Furthermore, performing actual casting trial run adjustments by forcibly generating load amounts that exceed the capacity of the mold 10 carries a high risk of causing fatal damage to the mold 10, which is also undesirable. Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide a simulator device that can accurately control the increase, decrease, and fluctuation of the generated load amount and perform trial run adjustments across the entire range, including the maximum and minimum values ​​of the equipment capacity of the injection drive unit 30, regardless of the capacity of the mold 10 used. Further details will be explained using Figures 3 through 6.

[0035] (injection molding machine) Next, an injection molding machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 2. The injection molding machine 200 shown in Figure 2 comprises a mold 40, an injection unit 50, and an injection drive unit 60.

[0036] The mold 40 comprises a fixed mold 41 and a movable mold 42 supported by a clamping means (not shown). The fixed mold 41 and the movable mold 42 are clamped together to form a mold cavity 43 and a mold gate 44. Here, in order to stabilize the surface temperature of the mold cavity 43 and the temperature of the injection molded product, and to shorten the injection molding cycle, it is preferable to provide cooling means, including a cooling circuit (not shown), in the fixed mold 41 and the movable mold 42. In addition, to improve the release properties when pushing the injection molded product out of the mold cavity 43 using an extrusion means (not shown) arranged in the fixed mold 41 or the movable mold 42, a release agent or the like may be applied to the mold cavity 43. Furthermore, the mold 40 may be provided with a vacuum suction means (not shown) to vacuum-suction the inside of the mold cavity 43 in synchronization with the injection molding.

[0037] The injection molding unit 50 comprises a horizontally oriented cylindrical cylinder barrel 51, a material hopper 52 for supplying resin pellets such as thermoplastic resin into the cylinder barrel 51, and a screw 53 that rotates and slides in the front-rear direction within the cylinder barrel 51. Here, a heating means such as a heater is provided in the cylinder barrel 51 to heat and maintain it at a predetermined temperature. Alternatively, in synchronization with the injection molding, for example, a vacuum suction means (not shown) may be used to create a vacuum inside the cylinder barrel 51 from the material hopper 52, or an inert gas supply means (not shown) may be used to supply an inert gas into the cylinder barrel 51 from the material hopper 52.

[0038] The tip of the cylinder barrel 51 is connected to a hot runner circuit 45 that communicates with the mold gate 44 of the mold 40, and the cylinder barrel 51 and the mold cavity 43 are in communication via the hot runner circuit 45 and the mold gate 44. Here, with respect to the sliding of the screw 53, the direction approaching the hot runner circuit 45 is defined as forward F, sliding toward forward F is defined as forward movement, the direction away from the hot runner circuit 45 is defined as rearward R, and sliding toward rearward R is defined as rearward movement.

[0039] The screw 53 has a continuous helical projection (called a screw flight) extending from the rear R to the front F. The rotational movement of the screw 53 causes the screw flight to rotate, rotating and transporting the resin pellets supplied from the material hopper 52 to the front F of the screw 53. Due to the heat from the heated and maintained cylinder barrel 51 and the shear heat generated by the rotational movement of the screw 53, the resin pellets gradually melt and molten resin P is produced (called plasticization melting). The molten resin P is further rotated and transported to the front F side of the screw 53, passes through the screw tip component 54, and is stored at the front tip of the cylinder barrel 51. As the molten resin P is stored, the screw 53 continues its rotational movement and moves backward to the rear R side. A resistance force is applied to this backward movement of the screw 53 to adjust the density of the molten resin P (called back pressure control). When the screw 53 moves backward to a predetermined position, it stops rotating and holds the screw 53 in that position (called the metering completion position). The rotational movement of screw 53, from start to stop, is called the weighing process.

[0040] The molten resin P stored at the front F end of the cylinder barrel 51 is filled into the mold cavity 43 by the forward movement of the screw 53, passing through the hot runner circuit 45 and the mold gate 44. The screw tip 54 is configured such that a passage for the molten resin P to pass from the rear R to the front F is open during the metering process, and the passage is closed during the forward movement of the screw 53.

[0041] The injection drive unit 60 comprises a power unit 61, a control unit 62, a rod 63 that moves forward and backward, and a connecting unit 64. The connecting unit 64 connects the rod 63 and the screw 53, integrating the injection drive unit 60 and the injection unit 50. As a result, the control unit 62 operates the power unit 61 to control the forward, backward, and rotational movements of the screw 53. Here, the power unit 61 is a hydraulic drive means such as a hydraulic cylinder, or an electric drive means that uses a ball screw mechanism or the like that which converts the rotational motion of an electric motor into linear motion. If necessary, a hydraulic auxiliary means such as an accumulator may be used for the hydraulic drive means. Alternatively, a hybrid drive means combining a hydraulic drive means and an electric drive means may also be used.

[0042] Next, a brief explanation will be given regarding injection molding using the injection molding machine 200 shown in Figure 2. First, the resin pellets supplied from the material hopper 52 are stored as molten resin P in the cylinder barrel 51 through a metering process (referred to as metered resin). In the metering process, the control unit 62 operates the power unit 61 to control the rotational speed and back pressure of the screw 53. Next, the control unit 62 operates the power unit 61 to move the screw 53 forward and inject and fill the metered resin towards the mold cavity 43 (injection and filling process). In this injection and filling process, the forward speed of the screw 53's forward movement is controlled to a multi-stage injection speed to properly adjust the flow of the molten resin P in the mold cavity 43. Also, as the flow of molten resin P in the mold cavity 43 increases, the filling resistance also increases, so the forward pressure of the screw 53 (referred to as injection pressure) is properly controlled.

[0043] Following the injection filling process, a holding pressure process (adjustment of the forward pressure of the screw 53) is performed to adjust the density of the molten resin P injected into the mold cavity 43 and to compensate for the solidification shrinkage due to cooling, and a cooling process is performed to maintain the holding pressure for a predetermined time. After the cooling process, the mold 40 is opened and the injection molded product is removed from the mold cavity 43 (removal process). In addition, a metering process is performed during the cooling process to prepare for the next injection molding shot.

[0044] Here, the plasticized molten resin P undergoes oxidative degradation and thermal decomposition degradation over time, which changes, for example, the flow state during the injection filling process and the cooling solidification shrinkage behavior during the holding pressure process. Also, setting an excessive injection speed can generate surge pressure or cause a large change in filling resistance due to shear heating. Furthermore, the flow state of the molten resin P changes subtly due to temperature changes in the mold 40 and cylinder barrel 51, temperature fluctuations of the metered resin, and compositional fluctuations of the resin pellets.

[0045] Therefore, in order to ensure a stable supply of high-quality injection-molded products, it is preferable to accurately reproduce the filling resistance of the molten resin P generated in actual injection molding, the amount of injection pressure required to increase density, and the amount of load that fluctuates due to injection speed, disturbances, etc., and to perform trial run adjustments of the injection drive unit 60. However, in trial run adjustments performed in actual injection molding (actual molding trial run adjustments), trial run adjustments can only be performed within a very limited range of the equipment capacity of the injection drive unit 60. Performing actual molding trial run adjustments across the entire range, including the maximum and minimum values ​​of the equipment capacity of the injection drive unit 60, would require performing injection molding using a huge number of molds 40, which is undesirable. Furthermore, performing actual molding trial run adjustments by forcibly generating loads that exceed the capacity of the molds 40 carries a high risk of causing fatal damage to the molds 40, which is also undesirable. Moreover, if excessive loads are generated, the physical properties of the molten resin P may change significantly, resulting in unpredictable results. By performing trial run adjustments over a wider range, including these phenomena, it is possible to confirm methods for dealing with unexpected situations. Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a simulator device that can accurately control the increase, decrease, and fluctuation of the generated load and perform trial run adjustments across the entire range, including the maximum and minimum values ​​of the injection drive unit 60's equipment capacity, regardless of the capacity of the mold 40 used or the physical properties of the resin material used. Further details will be explained using Figures 3 to 6.

[0046] (Simulator device) Next, a simulator device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 3. The simulator device 700 shown in Figure 3 comprises a piston cylinder section 70 connected to the injection drive section (30, 60) of a casting apparatus 100 or an injection molding machine 200, a load generation section 80 connected to the piston cylinder section 70 and generating a load that limits the operation of the piston cylinder section 70, and a simulator control section 90 that operates the load generation section 80.

[0047] The piston cylinder section 70 includes a piston hydraulic chamber 75 for storing hydraulic fluid L, a piston 72 for pressing the hydraulic fluid L in the piston hydraulic chamber 75, a connecting section 74 for connecting the rods (33, 63) of the injection drive unit (30, 60) to the piston 72, and a cylinder housing 71 for housing the piston hydraulic chamber 75 and the piston 72. By connecting the simulator device 700 and the injection drive unit (30, 60) using the connecting section 74, the piston 72 of the simulator device 700 slides in accordance with the operation of the power unit (31, 61) operated by the control unit (32, 62) of the injection drive unit (30, 60), and the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L in the piston hydraulic chamber 75 changes. As a result, the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L in the piston hydraulic chamber 75 changes. This is the same principle as meter-in control, which controls the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to a hydraulic drive means such as a hydraulic cylinder.

[0048] The connecting portion 74 may also serve as the connecting portion (34, 64) of the casting apparatus 100 or the injection molding machine 200. Furthermore, the sliding motion of the piston 72 is the same as that defined for the casting apparatus 100 or the injection molding machine 200: forward F (forward movement) and backward R (reverse movement). The connecting portion 74 is positioned at the rear R end of the piston 72.

[0049] The load generation unit 80 includes a hydraulic circuit unit 81 for storing hydraulic fluid L, a hydraulic tank unit 84 for storing hydraulic fluid L discharged from the hydraulic circuit unit 81, a hydraulic servo valve 82 positioned between the hydraulic circuit unit 81 and the hydraulic tank unit 84 for adjusting the discharge timing, discharge volume, and discharge speed of the hydraulic fluid L, and a servo valve control unit 83 for operating the hydraulic servo valve 82. Since the hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic circuit unit 81 and the hydraulic fluid L in the piston hydraulic chamber 75 are in communication and sealed, the hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic circuit unit 81 changes pressure in conjunction with the pressure change of the hydraulic fluid L in the piston hydraulic chamber 75 due to the sliding of the piston 72.

[0050] For example, when the piston 72 moves forward, the hydraulic fluid L in the piston hydraulic chamber 75 and the hydraulic circuit section 81 is compressed, causing its pressure to rise. Conversely, when the piston 72 moves backward, the hydraulic fluid L in the piston hydraulic chamber 75 and the hydraulic circuit section 81 is released from compression, causing its pressure to fall. In this way, the forward or backward movement of the piston 72 causes the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L in the piston hydraulic chamber 75 and the hydraulic circuit section 81 to rise or fall. Also, the rate at which the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L rises or falls changes depending on the forward or backward speed of the piston 72. This change in the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L is used as a load and is applied to the injection drive unit (30, 60) via the piston 72 and the connecting section 74. Since the forward and backward movement of the piston 72 is performed by the injection drive unit (30, 60), a load is generated and changes according to the operation of the injection drive unit (30, 60).

[0051] Furthermore, by operating the hydraulic servo valve 82 with the servo valve control unit 83 to discharge the hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic circuit unit 81 and piston hydraulic chamber 75 toward the hydraulic tank unit 84, the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic circuit unit 81 and piston hydraulic chamber 75 can be changed, thereby controlling the change in load. For example, this is the same principle as meter-out control, which controls the discharge amount of hydraulic fluid from hydraulic drive means such as hydraulic cylinders. By fully opening the hydraulic servo valve 82 to maximize the discharge amount of hydraulic fluid L, the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L can be greatly reduced (reduced load). Conversely, by completely closing the hydraulic servo valve 82 to zero discharge amount of hydraulic fluid L, the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L can be greatly increased (increased load). In addition, by adjusting the hydraulic servo valve 82 within the range of fully open and fully closed, the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L can be finely adjusted (fine adjustment of load). Furthermore, by varying the opening and closing speed of the hydraulic servo valve 82, the speed of the pressure change of the hydraulic fluid L can be adjusted (adjustment of load change speed).

[0052] Furthermore, by combining the pressure change of the hydraulic fluid L due to the sliding of the piston 72 (meter-in control) and the pressure change of the hydraulic fluid L due to the operation of the hydraulic servo valve 82 (meter-out control), the adjustment range of the load amount can be set even wider. In either adjustment method, the load amount is applied to the injection drive unit (30, 60) via the piston 72 and connecting part 74 of the piston cylinder part 70 to perform trial run adjustment.

[0053] The simulator control unit 90 sends an operation command to the servo valve control unit 83 based on a preset load generation pattern. The servo valve control unit 83 operates the hydraulic servo valve 82 based on the operation command to adjust the discharge of hydraulic fluid L to the hydraulic tank 84, thereby controlling the pressure change (load change) of the hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic circuit 81 and the piston hydraulic chamber 75. This load generation pattern is set in either the simulator control unit 90 or the control units (32, 62) of the injection drive units (30, 60). If set in the simulator control unit 90, the load change is adjusted independently of the operation of the injection drive units (30, 60). If set in the control units (32, 62), the control units (32, 62) send an operation specification to the simulator control unit 90, and the hydraulic servo valve 82 is operated via the simulator control unit 90, adjusting the load change in conjunction with the operation of the injection drive units (30, 60). Alternatively, for example, different load generation patterns may be set for the simulator control unit 90 and the control units (32, 62) to adjust the load changes in both the injection drive unit (30, 60) and the simulator device 700.

[0054] Furthermore, the simulator control unit 90 may also include a position sensor SS for measuring the position of the forward and backward movement of the piston 72, and a hydraulic sensor PS for measuring the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic circuit 81 and the piston hydraulic chamber 75. The hydraulic servo valve 82 may be operated to adjust the change in load based on the measurement signals from these two sensors (SS, PS) and the load generation pattern set in the simulator control unit 90. In this case, independent operation of the simulator device 700 is possible. This is suitable, for example, when trial run adjustments are performed using the simulator device 700 instead of the molds (10, 40). Even if trial run adjustments are performed beyond the range of loads that can be tolerated by the molds (10, 40), the molds (10, 40) will not be damaged, thus enabling trial run adjustments in the entire range, including the maximum and minimum values ​​of the equipment capacity of the injection drive unit (30, 60).

[0055] Furthermore, the simulator control unit 90 may also be configured to have a function that compares measurement signals from the position sensor SS and pressure sensor PS with operation signals from the injection drive unit (30, 60) to determine whether there is an abnormality in the injection drive unit (30, 60) or the simulator device 700. For example, it is possible to prevent the wasteful production of low-quality castings or injection-molded products by starting mass production of casting or injection molding without knowing that there is an abnormality in the injection drive unit (30, 60). Alternatively, it is possible to prevent the injection drive unit (30, 60) from undergoing inappropriate trial operation adjustments as a result of being unaware that there is an abnormality in the simulator device 700, thereby preventing the production of many defective products.

[0056] Alternatively, the hydraulic servo valve 82 may be opened in conjunction with the retraction movement of the piston 72 to supply the hydraulic fluid L stored in the hydraulic tank 84 to the hydraulic circuit 81 and the piston hydraulic chamber 75. In this case, the hydraulic fluid L can be circulated and reused within the simulator device 700, making it an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient test run adjustment.

[0057] Furthermore, a hydraulic fluid supply unit 85 is provided in the hydraulic tank unit 84. From this hydraulic fluid supply unit 85, hydraulic fluid L is supplied to the hydraulic tank unit 84, for example, using a lubrication means not shown. Alternatively, the casting apparatus 100 or injection molding machine 200 may be connected to the hydraulic fluid supply unit 85, and hydraulic fluid L may be supplied to the hydraulic tank unit 84 from the casting apparatus 100 or injection molding machine 200. The hydraulic fluid L supplied to the hydraulic tank unit 84 facilitates the supply of hydraulic fluid L to the hydraulic circuit unit 81 and the piston hydraulic chamber 75 by the retraction movement of the piston 72 and the operation of the hydraulic servo valve 82.

[0058] Furthermore, a temperature control unit 86 is provided in the hydraulic tank 84 to adjust the hydraulic fluid L stored in the hydraulic tank 84 to a predetermined temperature. The hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic circuit 81 and the piston hydraulic chamber 75 experiences pressure fluctuations due to the pressure of the piston 72, and as a result, the temperature of the hydraulic fluid L also fluctuates. When the hydraulic fluid L with fluctuating temperature flows into the hydraulic tank 84 through the hydraulic servo valve 82, the temperature of the hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic tank 84 also fluctuates. If the temperature of the hydraulic fluid L fluctuates drastically, the load may fluctuate. For this reason, it is necessary to stabilize the temperature of the hydraulic fluid L, and the temperature control unit 86 is provided in the hydraulic tank 84 to stabilize the temperature of the hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic tank 84. When the hydraulic fluid L with a stable temperature is returned from the hydraulic tank 84 to the hydraulic circuit 81, the temperature of the hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic circuit 81 and the piston hydraulic chamber 75 stabilizes. Furthermore, when supplying hydraulic fluid L from a lubrication means, casting apparatus 100, or injection molding machine 200, a temperature control means may be provided in the lubrication means, casting apparatus 100, or injection molding machine 200.

[0059] Here, the hydraulic servo valve 82 is, for example, an electrically driven servo valve that converts the rotational motion of an electric servo motor into linear motion using a ball screw mechanism or the like, and controls the discharge of hydraulic fluid L by adjusting the movement position of a spool component that moves back and forth. In this case, the responsiveness and precision of opening and closing the hydraulic servo valve 82 are high, and it is suitable as a means to set a wide range of load adjustment. Alternatively, if the responsiveness and control are satisfactory, a hydraulically driven servo valve that adjusts the forward and backward movement of the spool component using the differential pressure of the hydraulics, or an electromagnetically driven flow control valve or other alternative means may be used.

[0060] (Load generation pattern) Next, the load generation pattern using the simulator device 700 shown in Figure 3 will be explained with reference to Figure 4. The horizontal axis represents elapsed time, and the vertical axis represents the opening degree of the hydraulic servo valve 82 and the pressure change of the hydraulic fluid L (amount of generated load). Both the horizontal and vertical axes increase in the direction of the arrows. In the case of trial run adjustment of the injection drive unit 30 of the casting apparatus 100, the horizontal axis may be the position of the forward movement of the plunger tip 23. Also, in the case of trial run adjustment of the injection drive unit 60 of the injection molding machine 200, the horizontal axis may be the position of the forward movement of the screw 53. Combining the casting apparatus 100 and the injection molding machine 200, the horizontal axis may be expressed as the injection stroke. Furthermore, for the sake of simplicity, the forward speed of the piston 72, which is linked to the injection drive unit (30, 60), is assumed to be constant. Note that this shows only one example of a load generation pattern and is not limited to this.

[0061] First, as shown in Fig. 4(a), for example, regarding the basic load generation pattern that imagines the behavior of the increasing filling resistance accompanying the injection filling of molten metal M or molten resin P into the mold cavities (13, 43), an explanation will be given. When the hydraulic servo valve 82 is set to a large opening degree V1, the discharge amount of the hydraulic oil L discharged to the hydraulic tank portion 84 side increases with respect to the pressing of the hydraulic oil L by the forward movement of the piston 72. As a result, the pressure of the hydraulic oil L in the hydraulic circuit portion 81 and the piston hydraulic chamber 75 decreases, showing a small load amount K1. Subsequently, from the elapsed time T1 to T2, the hydraulic servo valve 82 is set to a smaller opening degree from V1 to V2 (V1 > V2). By this operation, the pressing of the hydraulic oil L by the piston 72 becomes larger with respect to the discharge amount of the hydraulic oil L, and the pressure of the hydraulic oil L rises, rising from the load amount K1 to K2 (K1 < K2). Also, when the interval of the elapsed time (T1, T2) is widened, the change speed of the load amounts (K1, K2) becomes slower, and when the interval of the elapsed time (T1, T2) is narrowed, the change speed of the load amounts (K1, K2) can be increased.

[0062] In this way, under the condition that the forward speed of the piston 72 is constant, by operating the hydraulic servo valve 82, the change of the load amounts (K1, K2) can be freely controlled. Thereby, even without actually performing casting or injection molding, the accuracy of the test run adjustment of the injection drive units (30, 60) can be improved. Note that the load amounts (K1, K2) can also be adjusted by making the opening degree of the hydraulic servo valve 82 constant and varying the forward speed of the piston 72.

[0063] Next, as shown in Figure 4(b), we will describe a load generation pattern that simulates abnormal operating conditions that cannot be reproduced in actual casting or injection molding. Starting from a state where the hydraulic servo valve 82 is held at an opening of V3 and a stable operating load K3 is indicated, an abnormal operating condition is initiated. For example, this reproduces an abnormal condition where molten metal M or molten resin P clogs the mold cavity (13, 43) during injection filling, causing a sudden halt in flow, or an abnormal condition where molten metal M or molten resin P is overfilled into the mold cavity (13, 43). In trial operation adjustments using molds (10, 40), there is a concern about damage to the molds (10, 40), so this is not intentionally set. By using the simulator device 700 instead of molds (10, 40), abnormal conditions can be reproduced with peace of mind. From elapsed time T3 to T4, the hydraulic servo valve 82 is changed to an opening of V4 (fully closed). As a result, the load increases from a stable load K3 to a limit load K4. Reducing the time interval (T3, T4) results in a rapid increase in the load (K3, K4). In high-speed injection operation, the injection pressure rises sharply, creating a dangerous situation (called surge pressure). Load K4 corresponds to this surge pressure.

[0064] Furthermore, from elapsed time T5, the hydraulic servo valve 82 is opened to degree V5, reducing the load to K5. By adjusting the interval between elapsed times (T4, T5), the rate of change in the load (K4, K5) is controlled. This operation can reproduce, for example, an abnormal state in which clogged molten metal M or molten resin P moves and flow resumes, or an abnormal state in which the clamping force fails and the mold (10, 40) opens, causing the molten metal M or molten resin P to be ejected from the mold cavity (13, 43). This allows for trial operation verification of the behavior of the injection drive unit (30, 60) when the load increases and decreases rapidly.

[0065] Furthermore, from elapsed time T6, the hydraulic servo valve 82 is opened and closed in small increments, as shown by the opening degree V6 (this is called the vibration phenomenon or hunting phenomenon). As a result, the load amount K6 also vibrates in small increments, accurately reproducing the hunting phenomenon. This operation can be imagined as, for example, an unstable state in which molten metal residue accumulates in the injection sleeve 21 of the casting apparatus 100, and this molten metal residue rubs against the plunger tip 23, causing the forward movement of the plunger tip 23 to vibrate. Alternatively, it can be imagined as an unstable state in which the forward movement of the plunger tip 23 vibrates due to resistance caused by the heat of the molten metal M causing the injection sleeve 21 to deform significantly into a curved shape (this is called banana deformation). Or, it can be imagined as an abnormal state in which the screw 53 vibrates when the screw tip part 54 and the cylinder barrel 51 of the injection molding machine 200 rub strongly against each other while the screw 53 moves forward. By fine-tuning the opening V6, the amplitude and magnitude of the hunting phenomenon of the load K6 can be freely controlled, allowing for accurate trial operation verification of the injection drive unit (30, 60) under such abnormal conditions.

[0066] (Trial run adjustment of the first embodiment) Next, the trial run adjustment of the first embodiment of the present invention will be explained using Figure 5. In actual casting and injection molding, the change in filling resistance that occurs when molten metal M or molten resin P is injected into the mold cavity (13, 43) is set as the load generation pattern in the injection drive unit (30, 60) or simulator control unit 90, and trial run adjustment is performed. This change in filling resistance may be determined using known analytical means such as flow analysis software using an analytical model, or it may be determined from past casting and injection molding results. Figure 5 shows a configuration in which the injection drive unit 30 of the casting apparatus 100 and the simulator device 700 are connected to perform trial run adjustment in order to simplify the explanation. The same can be considered for the injection molding machine 200. The horizontal axis is the injection stroke, the vertical axis in Figure 5(a) shows the set value of the injection speed, and the vertical axis in Figure 5(b) shows the measured values ​​of the injection speed and casting pressure.

[0067] First, as shown in Figure 5(a), for the injection filling process of casting in which molten metal M is injected and filled into the mold cavity 13, the forward movement of the plunger tip 23 is set as the injection speed pattern. This injection speed pattern is determined using analysis means such as fluid analysis software. Initially, a low injection speed V1 is set to move the piston 72 forward (assuming a low-speed injection process). The forward movement of the piston 72 is performed by operating the power unit 31 of the injection drive unit 30. Next, a high injection speed V2 is set from injection stroke S1 to S2 to continue the forward movement of the piston 72 (assuming a high-speed injection process). The interval between injection strokes S1 and S2 indicates the acceleration of the piston 72. The forward movement of the piston 72 is continued at the high injection speed V2 until injection stroke S4 (assuming completion of the injection filling process).

[0068] Next, as shown in Figure 5(b), the measured values ​​of injection speed and casting pressure measured by the position sensor SS and pressure sensor PS of the simulator device 700 are displayed as waveforms. Alternatively, the measured values ​​measured by the injection drive unit 30 may be used. The measured injection speeds (Z1, Z2) are relative to the set injection speeds (V1, V2). Here, the opening degree of the hydraulic servo valve 82 is kept constant during the injection filling process of both the low-speed and high-speed injection processes. As a result, the pressure of the hydraulic fluid L in the hydraulic circuit 81 and piston hydraulic chamber 75 changes according to the injection speeds (Z1, Z2). The measured pressure of the hydraulic fluid L is taken as the measured casting pressure, and at the low injection speed Z1, the casting pressure P1 shows a low value, while at the high injection speed Z2, the casting pressure P2 shows a high value. Note that the casting pressures (P1, P2) represent the filling resistance.

[0069] Here, for example, if the mold cavity 13 has a complex shape and there are areas where the flow path of the molten metal M is narrowed, the filling resistance of the molten metal M as it passes through these areas increases, and the injection speed decreases from Z2 to Z3 after the injection stroke S3 due to the increased filling resistance (casting pressure P3). As a result, insufficient filling of the molten metal M occurs in the mold cavity 13, leading to casting defects such as product shorts, molten metal wrinkles, and casting voids. To avoid casting defects, it is necessary to adjust the injection drive unit 30 in accordance with the increase in filling resistance to maintain the injection speed Z2 during trial operation. When trial operation is performed by actually casting using the mold 10 (actual casting trial operation), the casting conditions are finely adjusted and repeated casting is performed, consuming a large amount of molten metal and requiring long trial operation adjustments, resulting in a lot of waste and a significant decrease in efficiency.

[0070] Therefore, the injection drive unit 30 is adjusted to maintain the injection speed Z2 by reproducing the decrease in injection speed due to the increase in filling resistance using the simulator device 700. The timing and amount of the increase in filling resistance and the decrease in injection speed can be determined using analytical means. Specifically, the opening degree of the hydraulic servo valve 82 is set to a small value in the injection stroke S3. As a result, the increase in casting pressure from P2 to P3 and the decrease in injection speed from Z2 to Z3 can be reproduced with good accuracy. Next, the setting value of the injection speed after the injection stroke S3 is adjusted so that the injection speed Z2 can be maintained. As a result, the injection speed is set to V3 shown by the dashed line in Figure 5(a), and the injection speed Z4 (Z2 ≈ Z4) shown by the dashed line in Figure 5(b) is obtained.

[0071] In this way, the simulator device 700 can accurately reproduce molding operations that may occur in actual casting or injection molding, allowing for trial run adjustments of the injection drive unit (30, 60). This improves the accuracy of trial run adjustments and eliminates waste, providing efficient trial run adjustments.

[0072] (Trial run adjustment of the second embodiment) Next, the trial run adjustment of the second embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figure 6. In actual molding trial run adjustment, for example, from the viewpoint of protecting the molds (10, 40), the conditions are limited to a limited range, and as a result, the trial run verification is limited to the equipment capacity of the injection drive unit (30, 60). If the trial run adjustment is performed using the entire range including the maximum and minimum equipment capacity, it will be necessary to use many molding materials such as molten metal M and molten resin P and molds (10, 40) and perform the actual molding trial run adjustment repeatedly, which is undesirable as it results in a lot of waste. Therefore, a trial run adjustment in which the load generation pattern is set using the entire range including the maximum and minimum equipment capacity of the injection drive unit (30, 60) with respect to the simulator device 700 will be explained. For the sake of simplicity, Figure 6 shows a configuration in which the injection drive unit 30 of the casting apparatus 100 and the simulator device 700 are connected to perform the trial run adjustment. The same can be assumed for the trial run adjustment of the injection molding machine 200. The horizontal axis represents the injection stroke, the vertical axis in Figure 6(a) represents the injection velocity, and the vertical axis in Figure 6(b) represents the casting pressure.

[0073] First, as shown in Figure 6(a), the range used for actual molding trial run adjustments for the maximum value VH and minimum value VL of the injection drive unit 30's equipment capacity (injection speed) is the area A enclosed by the diagonal lines. In other words, since trial run adjustments have not been performed in the range outside of area A, if casting were to be performed using a mold 10 outside of this range, stable production of high-quality castings cannot be guaranteed. For this reason, trial run adjustments are performed by setting an injection speed V4 smaller than the minimum value VL, setting an injection speed V5 larger than the maximum value VH, and further setting a load generation pattern that maximizes acceleration by reducing the injection strokes S5 and S6 to their limits. Based on the error between the set values ​​and measured values ​​of injection speed and acceleration, fine adjustments are made to the control parameters of the injection drive unit 30. Furthermore, limit values ​​such as the responsiveness of switching injection speed from low speed to high speed, actual acceleration, injection speed overshoot, and injection speed static destination time can be grasped.

[0074] Next, as shown in Figure 6(b), the range used for actual molding trial run adjustment with respect to the maximum value PH and minimum value PL of the injection drive unit 30's equipment capacity (casting pressure) is the area B enclosed by the diagonal lines, and the range outside of area B is not adjusted for trial run. Therefore, similar to Figure 6(a), a casting pressure P4 smaller than the minimum value PL and a casting pressure P5 larger than the maximum value PH are set, and a load generation pattern is set that maximizes the acceleration expressed by the injection strokes S7 and S8, and trial run adjustment is performed. Based on the error between the set values ​​and the measured values ​​of the casting pressure and acceleration, fine adjustments are made to the control parameters of the injection drive unit 30. Furthermore, limit values ​​such as the switching response of the injection pressure from low pressure to high pressure, the actual acceleration, the overshoot or decrease of the casting pressure, and the static desting time of the casting pressure can be grasped.

[0075] As shown in Figures 6(a) and (b), highly accurate trial run adjustments can be performed across the entire range, including the maximum and minimum values ​​of the injection drive unit (30, 60) equipment capacity. Furthermore, by determining the setting values ​​where the equipment capacity and the measured value are approximately equivalent, and using these as the adjusted maximum and minimum values, the true performance of the injection drive unit (30, 60) can be grasped, and the guaranteed range that enables high-precision casting can be clearly defined.

[0076] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 100 Casting apparatus 10, 40 molds 11, 41 Fixed mold 12, 42 movable molds 13, 43 mold cavity 14, 44 mold gates 20, 50 injection part 21 Injection Sleeve 22 pouring spouts 23 Plunger Tip 24 Plunger Rods 30, 60 Injection drive unit 31, 61 Power section 32, 62 Control Unit 33, 63 rods 34, 64, 74 connection part 45 Hot Runner Circuit 51 Cylinder Barrel 52 Material Hopper 53 Screw 54 Screw tip parts 200 injection molding machine 700 Simulator Devices 70 Piston Cylinder Section 71 Cylinder Housing 72 pistons 74 Connecting part 75 Piston hydraulic chamber 80 Load generation unit 81 Hydraulic Circuit Section 82 Hydraulic servo valve 83 Servo Valve Control Unit 84 Hydraulic Tank Section 85. Hydraulic fluid supply section 86 Temperature adjustment section 90 Simulator Control Unit M molten metal P molten resin F forward R rear L Hydraulic oil SS position sensor PS pressure sensor T1-T6 Elapsed Time V1~V6 opening K1~K6 Load amount S1~S8 Injection Stroke V1~V5 Injection speed (set value) Z1~Z4 Injection velocity (measured value) P1~P5 Casting pressure VH, pH maximum VL, PL minimum value A, B area

Claims

1. In a simulator device for performing trial run adjustments on an injection drive unit that injects and fills a mold cavity formed by clamping a fixed mold and a movable mold, The system comprises a piston cylinder section connected to the injection drive section, a load generation section connected to the piston cylinder section and generating a load that limits the operation of the piston cylinder section, a simulator control section that operates the load generation section, a position sensor that measures the sliding position of the piston constituting the piston cylinder section, and a pressure sensor that measures the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuit section constituting the load generation section. The load generation unit comprises a hydraulic circuit section for storing hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic tank section for storing hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic circuit section, and a hydraulic servo valve positioned between the hydraulic circuit section and the hydraulic tank section. The simulator device is characterized in that the simulator control unit controls the load amount by operating the hydraulic servo valve to adjust the discharge volume of hydraulic fluid based on a load generation pattern set in advance within the entire range including the maximum and minimum values ​​of the equipment capacity of the injection drive unit, applies the load amount to the injection drive unit via the piston cylinder section to perform trial run adjustments, and compares the injection operation signal transmitted from the injection drive unit with the measurement signals from the position sensor and the pressure sensor to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the injection drive unit and the simulator device.

2. The simulator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the load generation pattern is the filling resistance generated during injection filling.

3. The piston cylinder section comprises a piston hydraulic chamber for storing hydraulic fluid, a piston for pressing the hydraulic fluid in the piston hydraulic chamber, a connecting section for connecting the piston and the injection drive section, and a cylinder housing for housing the piston hydraulic chamber and the piston. The simulator device according to claim 1, wherein the piston slides in the forward and backward direction in conjunction with the injection drive unit, and the pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the piston hydraulic chamber changes based on the sliding of the piston.

4. The simulator device according to claim 3, wherein the hydraulic fluid in the piston hydraulic chamber and the hydraulic circuit are in communication, and the pressure changes of the hydraulic fluid in the piston hydraulic chamber and the hydraulic circuit are linked.

5. The simulator device according to claim 4, wherein the pressure change of the hydraulic fluid in the piston hydraulic chamber and the hydraulic circuit is used as the load amount and acts on the injection drive unit via the piston and the connecting part.

6. The simulator device according to claim 1, wherein the simulator control unit operates the hydraulic servo valve based on the injection operation signal transmitted from the injection drive unit.

7. The simulator device according to claim 1, wherein the simulator control unit operates the hydraulic servo valve based on measurement signals from the position sensor and the pressure sensor.

8. The simulator device according to claim 3, wherein the sliding of the piston and the operation of the hydraulic servo valve supply the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic tank to the hydraulic circuit and the piston hydraulic chamber.

9. The simulator device according to claim 8, further comprising a hydraulic fluid supply unit for supplying hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic tank unit.

10. The simulator device according to claim 8, further comprising a temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic tank to a predetermined temperature.

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