Determination system and method

Abstract

The determination system according to the present disclosure comprises: a calculation condition acquisition unit that acquires calculation conditions relating to calculation of feature values relating to physical quantities detected in an injection molding machine; a data observation unit that observes time-series data relating to predetermined physical quantities as data showing a state relating to an injection molding machine; a data storage unit that stores time-series data observed by the data observation unit; and a feature value calculation unit that calculates feature values matching the calculation conditions acquired by the calculation condition acquisition unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a determination system and method.

Background Art

[0002] It has been practiced to monitor data observed during molding operation by an injection molding machine (for example, time-series data indicating transitions of injection pressure and motor torque, feature quantities thereof, etc.) to determine whether the state of a molded product or the injection molding machine is acceptable or not. For example, it is known to observe "time-series data (e.g., pressure, torque, etc.)" indicating the state of an injection molding machine for each molding cycle, and compare the data with time-series data observed in a molding cycle for non-defective products, thereby determining whether the state of a molded product or the injection molding machine is acceptable or not. Furthermore, a molding cycle for producing one molded product is composed of a plurality of molding steps (e.g., an injection step, a measurement step, etc.). Accordingly, it is also known to calculate "feature quantities (e.g., maximum injection pressure in the injection step, etc.)" in each molding step from time-series data, compare the calculated feature quantities with a predetermined allowable range, and determine whether the state of a molded product or the injection molding machine is acceptable or not.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses that various monitoring items (feature quantities of the present application) are collected for each molding cycle, and the monitoring items specified by an operator are displayed on a screen. Patent Document 2 discloses that a monitoring item specified by an operator is displayed on a screen as a trend chart so that a change in the monitoring item (the feature quantity of the present application) can be grasped. Patent Document 3 discloses that an upper limit value and a lower limit value are set for molding data (the feature quantity of the present application) serving as a monitoring item to perform quality determination of an injection molding machine, and that an alarm is issued and the operation of the injection molding machine is stopped when a defect is determined.

[0004] Patent Document 4 describes acquiring and managing the operating status information of multiple injection molding machines (control devices) via a network. Patent Document 5 describes storing time-series data and reference timings in association with each other, and after the molding cycle is completed, extracting a detected value (feature quantity of the present application) that matches a desired extraction timing from the stored time-series data and reference timings. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-273773 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-021470 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-076177 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-164026 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-177523 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The features used to determine whether an injection molding machine is malfunctioning (e.g., maximum injection pressure) are limited to those pre-installed in the control system by the machine manufacturer. Therefore, it is desirable to allow the addition of features desired by the injection molding machine operator and to perform determinations using these added features. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The judgment system disclosed herein solves the above problem by acquiring calculation conditions, which consist of multiple conditions related to the calculation of feature quantities instructed by the operator, from an input device, calculating feature quantities that match the calculation conditions based on the acquired calculation conditions and time-series data relating to physical quantities indicating the state of the injection molding machine, and enabling judgment processing using the calculated feature quantities.

[0008] Furthermore, one aspect of the present disclosure is a determination system for observing physical quantities of an injection molding machine and determining the state of the injection molding machine, comprising: an input condition storage unit that stores input conditions defining options in calculation conditions for calculating features of time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity; an input receiving unit that receives input of calculation conditions corresponding to the options based on the input conditions; a calculation condition acquisition unit that acquires the calculation conditions received by the input receiving unit; a data observation unit that observes time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine; a data storage unit that stores the time-series data observed by the data observation unit; and a feature quantity calculation unit that calculates a feature quantity from the time-series data stored in the data storage unit that matches the calculation conditions acquired by the calculation condition acquisition unit. An input device for receiving instructions from an operator, the input device being connected to the determination device via a network and comprising an input receiving unit for receiving the calculation conditions, It is a judgment system equipped with [specific features / features]. Another aspect of the present disclosure is a determination system for observing physical quantities of an injection molding machine and determining the state of the injection molding machine, comprising at least one control device for controlling the injection molding machine, and a determination device communicated with the control device. An input device that receives instructions from an operator, the input device being connected to the determination device via a network and having an input receiving unit that receives input of calculation conditions, The control device comprises: a data observation unit that observes time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine; a calculation condition receiving unit that communicates with the determination device and receives calculation conditions from the determination device for calculating the characteristics of the time-series data; a data storage unit that stores the calculation conditions received by the calculation condition receiving unit and the time-series data observed by the data observation unit; a feature quantity calculation unit that calculates a feature quantity from the time-series data stored in the data storage unit that matches the calculation conditions stored in the data storage unit; and a feature quantity transmission unit that communicates with the determination device and transmits the feature quantity calculated by the feature quantity calculation unit to the determination device. The determination device is The input device receivedThe determination system comprises a calculation condition storage unit that stores the calculation conditions, a calculation condition transmission unit that communicates with the control device and transmits the calculation conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit to the control device, and a feature quantity receiving unit that communicates with the control device and receives the feature quantity from the control device. Another aspect of the present disclosure is a determination system for observing physical quantities of an injection molding machine and determining the state of the injection molding machine, comprising at least one control device for controlling the injection molding machine, and a determination device communicated with the control device. An input device that receives instructions from an operator, the input device being connected to the determination device via a network and having an input receiving unit that receives input of calculation conditions, The control device comprises: a data observation unit that observes time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine; a calculation condition receiving unit that communicates with the determination device and receives calculation conditions from the determination device for calculating the characteristics of the time-series data; a data storage unit that stores the calculation conditions received by the calculation condition receiving unit and the time-series data observed by the data observation unit; a time-series data extraction unit that extracts partial time-series data from the time-series data stored in the data storage unit that matches the calculation conditions stored in the data storage unit; and a time-series data transmission unit that communicates with the determination device and transmits the partial time-series data extracted by the time-series data extraction unit to the determination device. The determination device is The input device received The determination system comprises: a calculation condition storage unit that stores the calculation conditions; a calculation condition transmission unit that communicates with the control device and transmits the calculation conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit to the control device; a time series data receiving unit that communicates with the control device and receives the partial time series data from the control device; and a feature quantity calculation unit that calculates feature quantities that match the calculation conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit from the partial time series data received by the time series data receiving unit. Other aspects of the present disclosure are methods performed in a determination system for observing physical quantities of an injection molding machine and determining the state of the injection molding machine, wherein one of the computers constituting the determination system performs at least the following steps: receiving input of calculation conditions corresponding to a selection based on input conditions that define selections in calculation conditions for calculating features of time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity; acquiring the received calculation conditions; observing time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine; calculating feature quantities that match the calculation conditions from the time-series data based on the acquired calculation conditions and the observed time-series data; and determining the state of the injection molding machine by comparing the calculated feature quantities with a predetermined threshold. Furthermore, when setting the calculation conditions, the step of receiving input for the calculation conditions from an input device connected via a network to the computer that makes the determination and which receives instructions from an operator is performed. It is a method. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] In one aspect of this disclosure, by using calculation conditions for calculating feature quantities desired by the injection molding machine operator, it becomes possible to add feature quantities according to the production environment of the molded product desired by the operator, in addition to the feature quantities pre-prepared by the injection molding machine manufacturer, thereby enabling the determination of the state of the injection molding machine according to diverse production environments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic hardware configuration diagram of a control device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of an injection molding machine. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing the schematic functions of a control device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the calculation conditions according to the embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of input conditions according to the embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of an input screen for calculation conditions according to the embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing another example of a calculation condition input screen according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing a display example of a determination result according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] It is a schematic hardware configuration diagram of a control device according to the second and third embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] It is a block diagram showing schematic functions of a control device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] It is a block diagram showing schematic functions of a control device according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic hardware configuration diagram showing main parts of a determination system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The determination system 1 according to the present embodiment is configured by connecting an input device 3 that receives operation input from an operator and a determination device 2 that determines the state of an injection molding machine 4 via a wired / wireless network 5. The input device 3 can be implemented, for example, on a general personal computer. The determination device 2 can be implemented, for example, as a control device that controls an industrial machine based on a control program. Further, the determination device 2 can be implemented on a personal computer attached to a control device that controls an industrial machine, a personal computer connected to the control device via the wired / wireless network 5, a cell computer, a fog computer 6, or a cloud server 7. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the determination device 2 is implemented on a personal computer connected via a network 5 to a control device that controls the injection molding machine 4 as an industrial machine.

[0012] The CPU 11 in the determination device 2 according to this embodiment is a processor that controls the determination device 2 as a whole. The CPU 11 reads the system program stored in the ROM 12 via the bus 22 and controls the entire determination device 2 according to the system program. The RAM 13 temporarily stores temporary calculation data, display data, and various data input from external sources.

[0013] The non-volatile memory 14 is composed of, for example, a battery-backed memory (not shown) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), and retains its stored state even when the power to the determination device 2 is turned off. The non-volatile memory 14 stores programs and data read from external devices 72 via interface 15, programs and data input from input devices 71 via interface 18, and programs and data acquired from injection molding machines 4 and other devices via network 5. The stored data may include, for example, data related to physical quantities such as motor current, voltage, torque, position, speed, acceleration of the drive unit, temperature of the injection cylinder, resin pressure, resin flow rate, and flow velocity detected by various sensors attached to the injection molding machine 4. The injection molding machine 4 may also be equipped with external sensors 8 in addition to the standard sensors. The external sensors 8 are installed at manufacturing sites such as factories. Examples of data related to predetermined physical quantities detected by the external sensor 8 include the temperature and pressure of the mold, the temperature and pressure of the mold temperature controller, the flow rate of the resin, the position and speed of the molded product removal machine, and vibrations generated in various parts of the injection molding machine 4. The data related to predetermined physical quantities detected by the external sensor 8 may also be acquired by the determination device 2. Programs and data stored in the non-volatile memory 14 may be expanded into the RAM 13 when executed / used. In addition, various system programs, such as known analysis programs, are pre-written in the ROM 12.

[0014] Interface 15 is an interface for connecting the CPU 11 of the determination device 2 to an external device 72 such as a USB device. From the external device 72, for example, system programs, programs related to the operation of the injection molding machine 4, and setting data can be read. In addition, programs and setting data created and edited within the determination device 2 can be stored in an external storage means via the external device 72.

[0015] Interface 20 is an interface for connecting the CPU 11 of the judgment device 2 to a wired or wireless network 5. Network 5 may communicate using technologies such as serial communication (RS-485, for example), Ethernet® communication, optical communication, wireless LAN, Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, etc. Network 5 is connected to the input device 3, a control device that controls the injection molding machine 4, a fog computer 6, a cloud server 7, etc., and exchanges data with the judgment device 2.

[0016] The display device 70 displays data, programs, and other data obtained as a result of their execution, which are loaded into memory, via the interface 17. The input device 71, consisting of a keyboard and pointing device, transmits commands and data based on operator input to the CPU 11 via the interface 18.

[0017] On the other hand, the input device 3 includes a CPU 311 that controls the input device 3 as a whole. The CPU 311 reads a system program stored in the ROM 312 via the bus 322 and controls the entire input device 3 according to the system program. The RAM 313 temporarily stores temporary calculation data, display data, and various data input from external sources.

[0018] The non-volatile memory 314 is composed of, for example, a memory backed up by a battery (not shown) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), and its stored state is maintained even when the power to the input device 3 is turned off. The non-volatile memory 314 stores programs and data read from external devices 372 via interface 315, programs and data input via input device 371, and programs and data acquired from judgment device 2 via network 5. The programs and data stored in the non-volatile memory 314 may be expanded into RAM 313 when executed / used. In addition, various system programs, such as known analysis programs, are pre-written in ROM 312.

[0019] Interface 315 is an interface for connecting the CPU 311 of the input device 3 to an external device 372 such as a USB device. From the external device 372, for example, predetermined programs and setting data can be read. Furthermore, programs and setting data created and edited within the input device 3 can be stored in an external storage means via the external device 372.

[0020] Interface 320 is an interface for connecting the CPU 311 of the input device 3 to a wired or wireless network 5. At least one determination device 2 is connected to the network 5, and it exchanges data with the input device 3.

[0021] The display device 370 displays data, programs, and other data obtained as a result of their execution, which are loaded into memory, via the interface 317. The input device 371, consisting of a keyboard and pointing device, transmits commands and data based on operator input to the CPU 311 via the interface 318.

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the injection molding machine 4. The injection molding machine 4 mainly consists of a clamping unit 401 and an injection unit 402. The clamping unit 401 is equipped with a movable platen 416 and a fixed platen 414. A movable mold 412 is attached to the movable platen 416, and a fixed mold 411 is attached to the fixed platen 414. A servo motor 50 is attached to the clamping unit 401. By driving the servo motor 50, a ball screw (not shown) is driven via power transmission means such as a belt 420 and a pulley 422, which allows the movable platen 416 to move forward or backward towards the fixed platen 414.

[0023] On the other hand, the injection unit 402 consists of an injection cylinder 426, a hopper 436 for storing resin material to be supplied to the injection cylinder 426, and a nozzle 440 provided at the tip of the injection cylinder 426. The injection unit 402 can move the injection cylinder 426 forward or backward in the direction of the fixed platen 414 by driving a servo motor (not shown).

[0024] In a molding cycle for producing a single molded product, the mold clamping unit 401 closes and clamps the mold by moving the movable platen 416, and the injection unit 402 presses the nozzle 440 against the fixed mold 411 before injecting the metered resin into the mold using the injection cylinder 426. These operations are controlled by commands from a judgment system 1 (not shown).

[0025] Furthermore, sensors (not shown) are attached to various parts of the injection molding machine 4 to detect various physical quantities necessary for controlling the molding operation. Examples of detected physical quantities include the motor current, voltage, torque, position, speed, and acceleration of the drive unit, the temperature of the injection cylinder 426, the resin pressure, the resin flow rate, the temperature and pressure of the mold, the temperature and pressure of the mold temperature controller, the position and speed of the molded product removal machine, and vibrations and sounds generated in various parts of the injection molding machine 4. The detected physical quantities are transmitted to the judgment system 1. In the judgment system 1, each detected physical quantity is stored in the RAM 13 or non-volatile memory 14, etc.

[0026] Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the functions of the determination system 1 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. Each function of the determination system 1 according to this embodiment is realized by the CPU 11 of the determination device 2 and the CPU 311 of the input device 3, shown in Figure 1, executing system programs and controlling the operation of each part of the determination device 2 and the input device 3.

[0027] The input device 3 constituting the determination system 1 of this embodiment includes an input receiving unit 380. The determination device 2 includes a calculation condition acquisition unit 110, a data observation unit 120, a feature quantity calculation unit 130, a determination unit 140, and an output unit 150. The RAM 13 to non-volatile memory 14 of the determination device 2 are pre-configured with an input condition storage unit 200 that stores input conditions which are the conditions for inputting the calculation conditions for the feature quantity, and a data storage unit 210 that stores the calculation conditions for the feature quantity and data detected by various sensors of the injection molding machine 4 and external sensors 8.

[0028] The input receiving unit 380 of the input device 3 receives input of multiple calculation conditions from the operator for calculating a feature quantity related to a predetermined physical quantity detected by the injection molding machine 4 or the external sensor 8. The input of calculation conditions may be, for example, by displaying an input receiving screen for calculation conditions on the display device 370 and receiving the input via the input device 371. Alternatively, it may accept calculation conditions that are pre-stored in a USB device as an external device 372. The input receiving unit 380 outputs the received multiple calculation conditions to the determination device 2.

[0029] Figure 4 shows an example of calculation conditions accepted by the input receiving unit 380. Calculation conditions can be set for each molding process (injection process, holding pressure process, metering process, depressurization process, cooling process, mold closing process, mold opening process, molded product ejection process, molded product removal process, etc.) that identifies the operating state in the molding cycle. The calculation conditions include the type of time series data as at least one observed value and a feature quantity calculated from the time series data. The feature quantity may be a statistic calculated from at least one time series data. Statistical quantities that can be used as features may include the minimum value, maximum value, weighted average, arithmetic mean, weighted harmonic mean, trimmed mean, root mean square of sum of squares, variance, standard deviation, etc. Alternatively, such as the maximum or minimum value, it may be a value that appears at a predetermined time in the time series data and is shifted by a predetermined time. For example, as illustrated in No. 8 of Figure 4, it may be an observed value at 300 ms after the torque of the mold opening / closing motor reaches its maximum value in the mold opening process. Furthermore, as illustrated in No. 3 of Figure 4, the statistic may be the maximum value related to the difference between a predetermined reference value (for example, each time series data obtained when a molded product is manufactured normally) and an observed value. Moreover, as illustrated in No. 4 and No. 7 of Figure 4, the value may be calculated from other time series data at a time or time range that satisfies predetermined conditions.

[0030] When the input receiving unit 380 receives input of calculation conditions from the operator, it may refer to the input conditions stored in the input condition storage unit 200 and support the operator in inputting calculation conditions based on those input conditions. Figure 5 shows an example of input conditions stored in the input condition storage unit 200. The input conditions are set by associating, for at least each molding process, the type of time-series data that can be observed as observed values ​​in that process and the method for calculating feature quantities that can be calculated from that time-series data. In the example in Figure 5, for example, as input condition No. 2, in the injection process and the holding pressure process, the position in the screw advance / return direction, the speed in the screw advance / return direction, the torque in the screw rotation direction, the nozzle temperature, the barrel temperature, the pressure, and the value detected by the external sensor 1 are set as observable observed values, and in the injection process and the holding pressure process, the minimum value, maximum value, mean, variance, and standard deviation are set as features that can be used. Based on these input conditions, the input receiving unit 380 narrows down the types of observed values ​​that the operator can input and the method for calculating feature quantities in each molding process. The input conditions stored in the input condition storage unit 200 can be read in advance from an external memory or the like via an external device 72 or the like.

[0031] Figure 6 shows an example of the input screen for feature calculation conditions displayed by the input receiving unit 380. In the example in Figure 6, the operator is attempting to input calculation conditions for the injection process. When the operator selects the injection process as the molding process, the input receiving unit 380 reads the input conditions related to the injection process from the input conditions stored in the input condition storage unit 200. Then, it displays on the input screen the type of observed value and the method of calculating the feature quantity set in the read input conditions so that they can be entered. In the example in Figure 6, the input screen is displayed so that the operator can select and input one of the following as the type of observed value in the input conditions for the injection process: position in the screw advance / reverse direction, speed in the screw advance / reverse direction, torque in the screw rotation direction, nozzle temperature, barrel temperature, pressure, or the value detected by the external sensor 1. The input screen is also displayed so that the operator can select and input one of the following as the method of calculating the feature quantity in the input conditions for the injection process: minimum value, maximum value, mean, variance, or standard deviation. Figure 7 shows another example of the input screen for feature calculation conditions displayed by the input receiving unit 380. In the example in Figure 7, the operator is attempting to input calculation conditions for the mold closing process. Comparing Figures 6 and 7, it can be seen that when the operator selects the mold closing process as the molding process, the types of observed values ​​and the method of calculating feature quantities are displayed differently than when the operator selects the injection process. In this way, by assisting the operator in inputting the types of observed values ​​and the method of calculating feature quantities according to the molding process selected by the operator, the effort required for the operator to input the calculation conditions can be reduced. Furthermore, by narrowing down the selectable items, it is possible to prevent the operator from inputting the wrong types of observed values ​​or method of calculating feature quantities.

[0032] Furthermore, when the input receiving unit 380 receives input of calculation conditions from the operator, it may also provide input support using the configuration information of the injection molding machine 4. For example, the input receiving unit 380 instructs the determination device 2 to send a list of the types of sensors used to detect observed values ​​that have already been set as calculation conditions stored in the data storage unit 210. Subsequently, the input receiving unit 380 instructs the control device of the injection molding machine 4 to send information relating to the external sensors 8 attached to the injection molding machine 4. Based on the information sent from the determination device 2 and the control device of the injection molding machine 4, the input receiving unit 380 identifies the external sensors 8 attached to the injection molding machine 4 that are not used in the calculation conditions stored in the data storage unit 210. The input receiving unit 380 may then recommend to the operator that the observed values ​​detected by the identified external sensors 8 be used in the calculation conditions. Generally, the external sensors 8 are newly installed to detect the observed values ​​required by the injection molding machine 4 installed on site. Observations detected by such external sensors 8 are often used as calculation conditions with priority. Therefore, by providing such a function, operators can be reminded not to forget to use the observations detected by the external sensors 8 as calculation conditions. The input receiving unit 380 may also record the external sensors 8 attached to the injection molding machine 4 as history each time a calculation condition is registered. When registering a new calculation condition, if there are external sensors 8 attached to the injection molding machine 4 that are not included in the history at that time, the unit may recommend to the operator that the observations detected by those external sensors 8 be used as calculation conditions. Operators often set the observations detected by an external sensor 8 as a calculation condition immediately after installing a new external sensor 8. Therefore, by providing such a function, the operator's work of registering calculation conditions can be supported.

[0033] The input receiving unit 380 may further accept input of threshold conditions used to determine the state of the injection molding machine 4 based on the calculated statistics for each calculation condition. The threshold can be set as a value that determines whether the state of the injection molding machine 4 is different above or below that value. The threshold condition may simply be a single threshold value used as a boundary value to determine the state of the injection molding machine 4 above and below it. This means setting an upper or lower limit for the feature quantity in a predetermined state. Alternatively, a range of the feature quantity may be defined using two thresholds, and the state of the injection molding machine 4 may be determined within and outside that range. This means setting both an upper and lower limit for the feature quantity in a predetermined state. Alternatively, multiple ranges of the feature quantity may be defined using multiple thresholds, and the state of the injection molding machine 4 may be determined in stages within each range, such as normal state, abnormal sign state, state requiring confirmation, abnormal state, etc. The input receiving unit 380 outputs the received threshold conditions along with the calculation conditions to the determination device 2. Another example of a threshold condition is to set upper and lower limits for the deviation amount of the feature quantity from a predetermined reference value (for example, a feature quantity calculated from each time-series data acquired when a molded product is manufactured successfully).

[0034] The calculation condition acquisition unit 110 of the determination device 2 acquires multiple calculation conditions received by the input reception unit 380. The calculation condition acquisition unit 110 stores the acquired calculation conditions in the data storage unit 210. If threshold conditions are acquired along with the calculation conditions, the threshold conditions are stored in the data storage unit 210 in association with the calculation conditions.

[0035] The data observation unit 120 observes time-series data related to predetermined physical quantities as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine 4. The predetermined physical quantities may be, for example, data related to physical quantities such as motor current, voltage, torque, position, speed, acceleration of the drive unit, temperature of the injection cylinder, resin pressure, resin flow rate, flow velocity, temperature and pressure of the mold, temperature and pressure of the mold temperature controller, position and speed of the molded product removal machine, and vibrations and sounds generated in various parts of the injection molding machine 4, as detected by various sensors attached to the injection molding machine 4 or by an external sensor 8. The data observation unit 120 stores the time-series data related to the observed predetermined physical quantities in the data storage unit 210.

[0036] The feature calculation unit 130 calculates features from the time-series data stored in the data storage unit 210 that match the calculation conditions stored in the data storage unit 210. The feature calculation unit 130 may calculate features for each molding process. The feature calculation unit 130 outputs the calculated features to the determination unit 140.

[0037] The determination unit 140 determines the state of the injection molding machine 4 based on the feature quantities input from the feature quantity calculation unit 130 and the threshold conditions stored in the data storage unit 210. The determination unit 140 outputs the determination result of the state of the injection molding machine 4 to the output unit 150.

[0038] The output unit 150 displays the judgment result of the status of the injection molding machine 4, which is input from the judgment unit 140, to the display device 70. The output unit 150 may also transmit the judgment result to the injection molding machine 4 via the network 5. Alternatively, it may transmit the result to a higher-level computer such as a fog computer 6 or a cloud server 7. Furthermore, it may output the result to a log recording area pre-provided on a non-volatile memory 14 or the like. If, for example, the judgment result indicates an operational abnormality of the injection molding machine 4, the output unit 150 may output a signal to the injection molding machine 4 to stop operation.

[0039] Figure 8 shows an example of the display output of the judgment result by the output unit 150. As illustrated in Figure 8, the output unit 150 may display the judgment result for each calculation condition. The information displayed as the judgment result may include the calculation condition, observed time-series data, calculated feature quantities, and threshold conditions. In addition, information related to the judgment result, such as the determined state of the injection molding machine 4 and a message to be shown to the operator in the determined state, may also be displayed. In the example in Figure 8, the maximum value related to the pressure in the injection process is selected as the feature quantity as the calculation condition, and a waveform graph obtained by observing time-series data of the pressure value is displayed as the observation target. A threshold condition is set so that the injection molding machine 4 is determined to be in an abnormal state if the maximum value of the pressure value in the injection process is above a predetermined upper limit or below a predetermined lower limit, and the judgment result of the feature quantity based on the set threshold condition is displayed as a graph related to the number of molding cycles. In the 10th cycle, the pressure feature quantity exceeded the upper limit, so it is determined to be abnormal. Furthermore, to allow for easy visual identification of normal and abnormal results, it is advisable to display the features identified as abnormal in a different way than those identified as normal. In the example in Figure 8, the features identified as abnormal are displayed as solid-colored circles, while those identified as normal are displayed as open-circle symbols.

[0040] The judgment system 1 according to this embodiment, equipped with the above configuration, can determine the state of the injection molding machine according to various production environments by using calculation conditions to calculate the desired features of the operator. This allows for the addition of features not only that prepared in advance by the injection molding machine manufacturer, but also features that the operator desires and that correspond to the production environment of the molded product. For example, new features related to external sensors (e.g., mold pressure sensors) added by the user after the manufacturer has shipped the injection molding machine can be added. Furthermore, since calculation conditions can be obtained from a USB device, features can be added to multiple judgment devices with simple operation, resulting in good operability. In this way, by using new features desired by the operator in the judgment, it becomes possible to determine the quality of molded products with strict accuracy, and it is expected that the outflow of defective products will be reduced. In addition, the failure to detect abnormal conditions of the injection molding machine will be improved, so production downtime can be shortened.

[0041] Conventionally, the process of calculating features was completed by the time the molding cycle was finished, so it was not possible to add and obtain new features after the molding cycle was completed. The judgment system 1 according to this embodiment has a data storage unit 210, so that the operator can obtain desired features after the molding cycle is completed using the stored time-series data and newly added calculation conditions. This makes it possible to verify the quality of the molded products in detail after the production of the molded products is completed. For example, after detecting the production of defective products, the factors of the defective products can be verified using the newly added features.

[0042] Figure 9 is a schematic hardware configuration diagram showing the main components of the determination system according to the second and third embodiments of this disclosure. The determination system 1 according to this embodiment is configured by connecting an input device 3 that receives operation input from an operator, a determination device 2 that determines the state of the injection molding machine 4, and a control device 9 that controls the injection molding machine 4 via a wired / wireless network 5. In the determination system 1 according to this embodiment, some of the functions that were provided by the determination device 2 in the determination system according to the first embodiment are implemented on the control device 9.

[0043] The determination device 2 and input device 3 that constitute the determination system 1 according to this embodiment are equipped with the same hardware as the devices according to the first embodiment.

[0044] The CPU 911 in the control device 9 according to this embodiment is a processor that controls the control device 9 as a whole. The CPU 911 reads the system program stored in the ROM 912 via the bus 922 and controls the entire control device 9 according to the system program. The RAM 913 temporarily stores temporary calculation data, display data, and various data input from external sources.

[0045] The non-volatile memory 914 is composed of, for example, a memory backed up by a battery (not shown) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), and its stored state is maintained even when the power to the control device 9 is turned off. The non-volatile memory 914 stores data acquired from the injection molding machine 4, programs and data read from external devices 972 via the interface 915, programs and data input via the input device 971, and programs and data acquired from other devices via the network 5. The programs and data stored in the non-volatile memory 914 may be expanded into the RAM 913 when executed / used. In addition, various system programs, such as known analysis programs, are pre-written in the ROM 912.

[0046] Interface 915 is an interface for connecting the CPU 911 of the control unit 9 to an external device 972 such as a USB device. From the external device 972, control programs and setting data used to control the injection molding machine 4 are read, for example. Control programs and setting data edited within the control unit 9 can also be stored in an external storage means via the external device 972. The PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) 916 executes a ladder program and outputs signals to control the injection molding machine 4 and its peripheral devices (for example, a mold changer, actuators such as robots, multiple various sensors 403 attached to the injection molding machine 4, and an external sensor 8) via the I / O unit 919. It also receives signals from various switches on the control panel located on the main body of the injection molding machine 4 and from peripheral devices, performs the necessary signal processing, and then passes them to the CPU 911.

[0047] Interface 920 is an interface for connecting the CPU 911 of the control unit 9 to a wired or wireless network 5. The network 5 is connected to the judgment device 2, input device 3, other injection molding machines 4, fog computer 6, cloud server 7, etc., and exchanges data with the control unit 9.

[0048] The display device 970 displays data obtained as a result of the execution of various data, programs, etc., loaded into memory, via the interface 917. The input device 971, consisting of a keyboard and pointing device, transmits commands, data, etc., based on operator operations to the CPU 911 via the interface 918.

[0049] The axis control circuit 930, which controls the axes of the injection molding machine 4, receives the axis movement command amount from the CPU 911 and outputs the axis command to the servo amplifier 40. The servo amplifier 40 receives this command and drives the servo motor 450 that moves the axes of the injection molding machine 4. The axis servo motor 450 has various sensors 403, such as position and speed detectors, built in and feeds back the position and speed feedback signals from these position and speed detectors to the axis control circuit 930 to perform position and speed feedback control. Although only one axis control circuit 930, servo amplifier 40, and servo motor 450 are shown in the hardware configuration diagram of Figure 9, in reality, there are as many as the number of axes of the injection molding machine 4 to be controlled. At least one of the servo motors 450 is connected to a predetermined axis of the injection molding machine 4 by a belt which serves as a power transmission unit.

[0050] Figure 10 is a schematic block diagram showing the functions of the determination system 1 according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. Each function of the determination system 1 according to this embodiment is realized by the CPU 11 of the determination device 2, the CPU 311 of the input device 3, and the CPU 911 of the control device 9, respectively, executing system programs and controlling the operation of each part of the determination device 2, the input device 3, and the control device 9, as shown in Figure 9.

[0051] The input device 3 constituting the determination system 1 of this embodiment includes an input receiving unit 380. The determination device 2 includes a calculation condition acquisition unit 110, a determination unit 140, an output unit 150, a calculation condition transmission unit 160, and a feature quantity receiving unit 175. Furthermore, the control device 9 includes a data observation unit 120, a feature quantity calculation unit 130, a calculation condition receiving unit 165, and a feature quantity transmission unit 170. The RAM 13 to non-volatile memory 14 of the determination device 2 is pre-prepared with an input condition storage unit 200 that stores input conditions which are the conditions for inputting the calculation conditions for the feature quantity, and a calculation condition storage unit 220 that is an area for storing calculation conditions input by the operator. Furthermore, the RAM 913 to non-volatile memory 914 of the control device 9 is pre-prepared with a data storage unit 210 that is an area for storing the calculation conditions for the feature quantity and data detected by various sensors 403 of the injection molding machine 4 and external sensors 8.

[0052] In the determination system 1 according to this embodiment, the determination device 2 acquires the calculation conditions input by the input device 3 and determines the state of the injection molding machine 4. Meanwhile, the control device 9 observes time-series data related to predetermined physical quantities as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine 4 and calculates feature quantities. Accordingly, it is necessary to send and receive calculation conditions and feature quantities between the determination device 2 and the control device 9. For this reason, the determination device 2 temporarily stores the calculation conditions and threshold conditions acquired by the calculation condition acquisition unit 110 in the calculation condition storage unit 220. Then, the calculation condition transmission unit 160 transmits the calculation conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit 220 to the control device.

[0053] The calculation condition receiving unit 165 of the control device 9 receives the calculation conditions transmitted from the calculation condition transmitting unit 160 of the determination device 2. The received calculation conditions are then stored in the data storage unit 210. The feature calculation unit 130 calculates features from the time-series data stored in the data storage unit 210 that match the calculation conditions stored in the data storage unit 210. The feature transmission unit 170 transmits the features calculated by the feature calculation unit 130 to the determination device 2.

[0054] In the determination device 2, the feature quantity receiving unit 175 receives the feature quantity transmitted from the feature quantity transmitting unit 170. The feature quantity receiving unit 175 outputs the received feature quantity to the determination unit 140. The determination unit 140 then determines the state of the injection molding machine 4 based on the input feature quantity and the threshold conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit 220. Other operations are the same as those described in the first embodiment.

[0055] The judgment system 1 according to this embodiment, equipped with the above configuration, similar to the judgment system 1 according to the first embodiment, uses calculation conditions to calculate the desired feature quantities for the operator. This makes it possible to add feature quantities according to the production environment of the molded product desired by the operator, in addition to the feature quantities prepared in advance by the injection molding machine manufacturer. Therefore, it is possible to determine the status of injection molding machines according to diverse production environments. Furthermore, the status of multiple injection molding machines 4 can be determined collectively by only one judgment device 2, enabling efficient management and operation of the entire factory. In addition, since the control device 9 manages time-series data and calculates the feature quantities, there is no need to send and receive time-series data between the judgment device 2 and the injection molding machines 4, which reduces the communication load on the network 5. Moreover, since the calculation of feature quantities is performed by each control device 9, the computational load on the judgment device 2 can be reduced. Therefore, even if the number of injection molding machines 4 managed by the judgment device 2 increases, there is no need to invest in equipment to enhance the hardware performance of the judgment device 2, and the cost of the judgment device 2 can be reduced.

[0056] Figure 11 is a schematic block diagram showing the functions of the determination system 1 according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. Each function of the determination system 1 according to this embodiment is realized by the CPU 11 of the determination device 2, the CPU 311 of the input device 3, and the CPU 911 of the control device 9, respectively, executing system programs and controlling the operation of each part of the determination device 2, the input device 3, and the control device 9, as shown in Figure 9.

[0057] The input device 3 constituting the determination system 1 of this embodiment includes an input receiving unit 380. The determination device 2 includes a calculation condition acquisition unit 110, a feature quantity calculation unit 130, a determination unit 140, an output unit 150, a calculation condition transmission unit 160, and a time series data receiving unit 195. Furthermore, the control device 9 includes a data observation unit 120, a calculation condition receiving unit 165, a time series data extraction unit 180, and a time series data transmission unit 190. The RAM 13 to non-volatile memory 14 of the determination device 2 are pre-prepared with an input condition storage unit 200 that stores input conditions which are the conditions for inputting the calculation conditions for feature quantities, and a calculation condition storage unit 220 that is an area for storing calculation conditions input by the operator. Furthermore, the RAM 913 to non-volatile memory 914 of the control device 9 are pre-prepared with a data storage unit 210 that is an area for storing the calculation conditions for feature quantities and data detected by various sensors 403 of the injection molding machine 4 and external sensors 8.

[0058] In the determination system 1 according to this embodiment, the determination device 2 acquires the calculation conditions input by the input device 3, calculates feature quantities, and determines the state of the injection molding machine 4. Meanwhile, the control device 9 observes time-series data related to predetermined physical quantities as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine 4. Accordingly, it is necessary to send and receive calculation conditions and time-series data between the determination device 2 and the control device 9. For this reason, the determination device 2 temporarily stores the calculation conditions and threshold conditions acquired by the calculation condition acquisition unit 110 in the calculation condition storage unit 220. Then, the calculation condition transmission unit 160 transmits the calculation conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit 220 to the control device 9.

[0059] The calculation condition receiving unit 165 of the control device 9 receives the calculation conditions transmitted from the calculation condition transmitting unit 160 of the determination device 2. The received calculation conditions are then stored in the data storage unit 210. The time series data extraction unit 180 extracts partial time series data necessary for calculating the feature quantities set in the calculation conditions from the time series data stored in the data storage unit 210. Partial time series data is, for example, the time series data acquired in the mold closing process as part of the molding process, within the time series data related to the torque of the mold opening / closing motor, as exemplified in No. 1 of Figure 4. The time series data transmission unit 190 then transmits the extracted time series data to the determination device 2.

[0060] In the determination device 2, the time-series data received from the time-series data transmission unit 190 of the control device 9 is received by the time-series data receiving unit 195. The time-series data receiving unit 195 outputs the received time-series data to the feature calculation unit 130. The feature calculation unit 130 calculates feature quantities based on the input time-series data and the calculation conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit 220. The feature calculation unit 130 outputs the calculated feature quantities to the determination unit 140. The determination unit 140 then determines the state of the injection molding machine 4 based on the input feature quantities and the threshold conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit 220. Other operations are the same as those described in the first and second embodiments.

[0061] The judgment system 1 according to this embodiment, equipped with the above configuration, similar to the judgment system 1 according to the first and second embodiments, uses calculation conditions to calculate the feature quantities desired by the operator. This makes it possible to add feature quantities according to the production environment of the molded product desired by the operator, in addition to the feature quantities pre-prepared by the injection molding machine manufacturer, thus enabling the determination of the status of injection molding machines according to diverse production environments. The status of numerous injection molding machines 4 can be determined collectively by a single judgment device 2, enabling efficient management and operation of the entire factory. Furthermore, since the control device 9 manages time-series data and transmits only the necessary time-series data to the judgment device 2, the communication load on the network 5 can be reduced to some extent. Since the calculation of feature quantities is not performed by the control device 9, the computational load on the control device 9 can be reduced. This means that there is no need to introduce an expensive control device 9 with high CPU performance or large memory capacity, and the cost of the control device 9 can be reduced.

[0062] While embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above, this disclosure is not limited to the individual embodiments described above. These embodiments can be added, replaced, modified, partially deleted, etc., in any way that does not depart from the gist of the invention or from the idea and spirit of this disclosure derived from the claims and their equivalents. For example, the order of operations and processes in the embodiments described above are shown as examples only and are not limited thereto. The same applies when numerical values ​​or mathematical formulas are used in the description of the embodiments described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0063] 1. Judgment System 2 Judgment device 3 Input device 4 Injection molding machine 5 Network 6. Fog Computer 7 Cloud Server 8. External sensors 9 Control device 110 Calculation Condition Acquisition Unit 120 Data Observation Unit 130 Feature Calculation Unit 140 Judgment section 150 Output section 200 Input condition storage unit 210 Data storage unit 380 Input Reception Section

Claims

1. A determination system for observing the physical quantities of an injection molding machine and determining the state of the injection molding machine, An input condition storage unit stores input conditions that define options for calculation conditions related to the calculation of characteristics of time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity, An input receiving unit that accepts input of calculation conditions corresponding to the selection based on the aforementioned input conditions, A calculation condition acquisition unit that acquires the calculation conditions received by the input receiving unit, A data observation unit observes time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine, A data storage unit that stores the time-series data observed by the data observation unit, A feature quantity calculation unit calculates feature quantities that match the calculation conditions acquired by the calculation condition acquisition unit from among the time-series data stored in the data storage unit, An input device for receiving instructions from an operator, the input device being connected to the determination device via a network and comprising an input receiving unit for receiving the calculation conditions, A judgment system equipped with the following features.

2. A determination system for observing the physical quantities of an injection molding machine and determining the state of the injection molding machine, The system comprises at least one control device for controlling the injection molding machine, a determination device communicated with the control device, and an input device for receiving instructions from an operator, the input device being connected to the determination device via a network and having an input receiving unit for receiving calculation conditions. The control device is A data observation unit observes time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine, A calculation condition receiving unit communicates with the determination device and receives calculation conditions from the determination device for calculating the characteristics of the time series data, A data storage unit that stores the calculation conditions received by the calculation condition receiving unit and the time-series data observed by the data observation unit, A feature calculation unit calculates feature quantities that match the calculation conditions stored in the data storage unit from among the time-series data stored in the data storage unit, A feature quantity transmission unit communicates with the determination device and transmits the feature quantity calculated by the feature quantity calculation unit to the determination device, Equipped with, The determination device is A calculation condition storage unit that stores the calculation conditions received by the input device, A calculation condition transmission unit communicates with the control device and transmits the calculation conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit to the control device, A feature quantity receiving unit that communicates with the control device and receives the feature quantity from the control device, A judgment system equipped with the following features.

3. A determination system for observing the physical quantities of an injection molding machine and determining the state of the injection molding machine, The system comprises at least one control device for controlling the injection molding machine, a determination device communicated with the control device, and an input device for receiving instructions from an operator, the input device being connected to the determination device via a network and having an input receiving unit for receiving calculation conditions. The control device is A data observation unit observes time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine, A calculation condition receiving unit communicates with the determination device and receives calculation conditions from the determination device for calculating the characteristics of the time series data, A data storage unit that stores the calculation conditions received by the calculation condition receiving unit and the time-series data observed by the data observation unit, A time-series data extraction unit extracts partial time-series data from the time-series data stored in the data storage unit that matches the calculation conditions stored in the data storage unit, A time-series data transmission unit communicates with the determination device and transmits the partial time-series data extracted by the time-series data extraction unit to the determination device. Equipped with, The determination device is A calculation condition storage unit that stores the calculation conditions received by the input device, A calculation condition transmission unit communicates with the control device and transmits the calculation conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit to the control device, A time-series data receiving unit that communicates with the control device and receives the partial time-series data from the control device, A feature quantity calculation unit calculates feature quantities that match the calculation conditions stored in the calculation condition storage unit from among the partial time series data received by the time series data receiving unit, A judgment system equipped with the following features.

4. The system further includes a determination unit that determines the state of the injection molding machine by comparing the feature quantities calculated by the feature quantity calculation unit with predetermined threshold conditions. A determination system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The calculation conditions are conditions that relate at least the molding process in which the injection molding machine molds the molded product, the type of the predetermined physical quantity to be observed, and the feature quantity calculated based on the physical quantity. A determination system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The input receiving unit receives the calculation conditions from an external device. A determination system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The feature calculation unit displays and outputs at least one of the feature quantities calculated by the feature calculation unit and the information associated with the determination result of the determination unit. The determination system according to claim 4.

8. If the determination result of the determination unit is abnormal, the operation of the injection molding machine is stopped. The determination system according to claim 4.

9. A method performed in a determination system that observes the physical quantities of an injection molding machine and determines the state of the injection molding machine, Any of the computers constituting the determination system A step of accepting input of calculation conditions corresponding to the selections, based on input conditions that define the options for calculation conditions related to the calculation of characteristics of time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity. Steps to obtain the calculation conditions received, A step of observing time-series data relating to a predetermined physical quantity as data indicating the state of the injection molding machine, A step of calculating features from the time series data that match the calculation conditions based on the acquired calculation conditions and the observed time series data. A step of determining the state of the injection molding machine by comparing the calculated feature quantity with a predetermined threshold, At least do the following: When setting the calculation conditions, the step of receiving input for the calculation conditions from an input device that is connected to the computer that makes the determination via a network and receives instructions from an operator is performed. method.

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