Height adjustment assistance device, height adjustment assistance system, and height adjustment assistance program

Abstract

A height adjustment assistance device according to the present disclosure comprises: a first input unit for inputting a plurality of levelness values at a plurality of positions on a base frame of a base on which an industrial machine is to be placed; a second input unit for inputting a plurality of heights from an installation surface or a place corresponding thereto at a plurality of locations of the base frame; a calculation unit that calculates a plurality of target heights at the plurality of locations on the basis of a combination of the plurality of levelness values and the plurality of heights in order to approximate the entire base frame to being horizontal; and a display unit that displays the plurality of target heights.

Description

Height adjustment assistance device, height adjustment assistance system, and height adjustment assistance program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a height adjustment assistance device, a height adjustment assistance system, and a height adjustment assistance program that have a function of assisting an operator in adjusting the height of a base frame of an industrial machine.

[0002] When installing industrial machinery such as an injection molding machine, the levelness of the base can affect the accuracy of the machine's operation, so adjusting the height of the base to ensure it is level is an important task. Conventionally, a technique for measuring the levelness of the base and displaying the measurement results together with an overhead view of the industrial machinery has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This technique allows a worker to adjust the height of the base while checking the levelness of the base displayed together with the overhead view of the industrial machinery. However, the worker must consider the position at which the height of the base should be adjusted and how much the height should be adjusted while checking the levelness of the base. As a result, adjusting the height of the base of industrial machinery is subject to variations in quality depending on the worker, and is a very time-consuming task.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-1082

[0004] There is a demand for improved workability in adjusting the height of the base of industrial machinery.

[0005] The height adjustment assistance device of the present disclosure comprises a first input unit for inputting multiple horizontal degrees at multiple positions on a base frame of a base on which industrial machinery is placed, a second input unit for inputting multiple heights from the installation surface or an equivalent location at multiple locations on the base frame, a calculation unit for calculating multiple target heights at multiple locations based on combinations of multiple horizontal degrees and multiple heights in order to approximate the entire base frame to horizontal, and a display unit for displaying the multiple target heights.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of an injection molding machine according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the injection molding machine of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a jig used to measure the height of the mount of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 is a hardware configuration diagram of a control device of an injection molding machine according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a functional configuration diagram of a control device of an injection molding machine according to this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a supplementary diagram for explaining a trained model stored in the memory unit of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a height adjustment support screen displayed on the display unit of FIG. 5.

[0007] The injection molding machine according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having substantially the same functions and configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be given only when necessary.

[0008] The injection molding machine according to this embodiment has a function (height adjustment support function) that assists an operator in adjusting the height of the base frame of the injection molding machine so that the entire base frame is approximately horizontal. The entire base frame being approximately horizontal means that all of the multiple horizontalities measured by multiple levels located at multiple positions on the base frame are within a tolerance range. For example, in an injection molding machine, the levelness of the position on the base frame where the clamping unit is located is more important than the levelness of the position on the base frame where the injection unit is located because it affects the accuracy of the molded product, and therefore requires a higher levelness. Therefore, the tolerance value may be a constant value regardless of the position on the base frame, or may be a variable value depending on the position on the base frame. Typically, an injection molding machine with a height adjustment support function is configured as follows.

[0009] 1 and 2, an injection molding machine 1 according to this embodiment includes a base 3. The base 3 has a base frame 7 and a plurality of mounts 8. An injection unit 4 and a mold clamping unit 5 are disposed on the base frame 7. The injection molding machine 1 performs molding by injecting molten resin from the injection unit 4 into a mold 5a and clamping the mold with the mold clamping unit 5.

[0010] A plurality of levels 9 are installed at a plurality of positions on the base frame 7. The levels 9 measure the horizontality in one axial direction and output the measurement results to a control device (not shown) of the injection molding machine 1. A plurality of mounts 8 are provided at a plurality of locations on the bottom surface of the base frame 7. The mounts 8 are supports interposed between the base frame 7 and an installation surface or an equivalent location, and have the function of adjusting their height. By adjusting the plurality of heights corresponding to the plurality of mounts 8, the heights from the installation surface or an equivalent location at the plurality of locations on the base frame 7 can be changed, thereby adjusting the horizontality of the base frame 7. In other words, the height of one location on the base frame 7 from the installation surface or an equivalent location can be considered to be the height of the mount 8.

[0011] In this embodiment, the coordinate system of the device has a predetermined position of the injection molding machine 1 as the origin, and the length direction in which the injection section 4 and the mold clamping section 5 of the injection molding machine 1 are arranged is defined as the X-axis direction, the width direction as the Y-axis direction, and the height direction as the Z-axis direction.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2 , nine levels 9a to 9i are installed at nine positions on the base frame 7. Three levels 9d, 9e, and 9f are located in the center of the width of the base frame 7, dispersed in the X-axis direction. The three levels 9d, 9e, and 9f measure the levelness in the Y-axis direction (width direction). Three levels 9a, 9b, and 9c are located near one of the left and right edges of the base frame 7, dispersed in the X-axis direction. The three levels 9a, 9b, and 9c measure the levelness in the X-axis direction (length direction). Three levels 9g, 9h, and 9i are located near the other edge of the base frame 7, dispersed in the X-axis direction. The three levels 9g, 9h, and 9i measure the levelness in the X-axis direction (length direction). Note that the levels 9 may measure the levelness in two axes rather than in one axis direction. As shown in FIG. 2, four mounts 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d are provided along the X-axis direction on one of the left and right edges of the bottom surface of the base frame 7, and four mounts 8e, 8f, 8g, and 8h are provided along the X-axis direction on the other edge.

[0013] A method for measuring the height of the mount 8 will be described below with reference to FIG. 3 . FIG. 3 shows an example of a jig used when measuring the height of the mount 8. This jig 50 is used to position the digital height gauge 60 at the same position relative to the mount 8 at all times. The digital height gauge 60 is a device that measures and displays the height from an arbitrary position. In this embodiment, the digital height gauge 60 measures the height of the mount 8 and displays the height in absolute value notation. The jig 50 has a plate-like base 51 that is approximately an isosceles triangle. Support pieces 52 are provided at three corners of the base 51 to support the jig 50 against the installation surface. An abutment plate 53 having an inner peripheral surface that matches the outer peripheral surface of the mount 8 is provided at a portion corresponding to the base of the base 51. An end portion of the abutment plate 53 functions as an abutment portion 55 that abuts against the base frame 7. Furthermore, a storage portion 57 is provided at the center of the base 51 to store the base of the digital height gauge 60 in a unique orientation. The worker can always position the jig 50 in the same position relative to the mount 8 by abutting the inner peripheral surface of the abutment plate 53 against the outer peripheral surface of the mount 8 and abutting the abutment portion 55 against the base frame 7 or a corresponding portion thereof (see FIG. 3( b)). The worker can then fit the base of the digital height gauge 60 into the housing portion 57 of the jig 50, thereby always positioning the digital height gauge 60 in the same position relative to the mount 8 (see FIG. 3( c)). By using the jig 50, the worker can always measure the height of the mount 8 using the digital height gauge 60 at the same position. This reduces variation in measurement results, improves the quality of the training data, and can improve the accuracy of calculating the target height.

[0014] 4 is a hardware configuration diagram of the control device 2 provided in the injection molding machine 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 2 is configured by connecting a RAM 12, a ROM 13, a storage device 14, a level I / F 15, an input device 18, and a display device 19 to a processor 11 via a data / control bus 10. The processor 11 is realized by a CPU, a GPU, etc. The RAM 12 functions as the main memory, work area, etc. of the processor 11. The ROM 13 stores the BIOS, the OS, etc. The storage device 14 stores a height adjustment assistance program. Various data stored in the storage device 14, such as the height adjustment assistance program, may be recorded on removable media (non-temporary storage media) such as a USB and distributed to users, or may be distributed by being downloaded to the control device 2 via a network.

[0015] A plurality of levels 9 are connected to the level I / F 15. A plurality of horizontal degrees measured by the plurality of levels 9 are input to the control device 2 via the level I / F 15. The input device 18 is realized by a keyboard, a mouse, a jog, etc. A user can input various information to the control device 2 via the input device 18. The display device 19 is realized by an organic EL display, an LCD, etc. The display device 19 displays various screens according to the control of the processor 11.

[0016] 5 is a functional block diagram of the control device 2 provided in the injection molding machine 1. When the height adjustment assistance program loaded from the storage device 14 to the RAM 12 is executed by the processor 11, the control device 2 functions as a levelness input unit (first input unit) 21, a height input unit (second input unit) 22, a screen creation unit 23, a display unit 24, a machine learning unit 25, a storage unit 26, and a calculation unit 27.

[0017] The level input unit 21 inputs to the control device 2 a plurality of level degrees respectively corresponding to a plurality of positions on the base frame 7. The height input unit 22 inputs to the control device 2 a plurality of heights respectively corresponding to a plurality of mounts 8 as a plurality of heights from the installation surface or an equivalent location at a plurality of locations on the base frame 7. The screen creation unit 23 creates a height adjustment assistance screen and the like according to a predetermined format. The display unit 24 is a function related to the display device 19 in FIG. 4 and displays the height adjustment assistance screen created by the screen creation unit 23.

[0018] The machine learning unit 25 uses multiple training data to create a trained model for calculating multiple target heights from combinations of multiple horizontal degrees and multiple heights. The trained model created by the machine learning unit 25 is stored in the memory unit 26. The target height is a target value of the height from the installation surface or an equivalent location at one location on the base frame 7 in order to approximate the horizontality of the base frame 7. A worker can approximate the horizontality of one location on the base frame 7 by adjusting the height from the installation surface or an equivalent location at that location on the base frame 7 to the target height. In this embodiment, the target height corresponds to the target value of the height of the mount 8. The memory unit 26 is a function related to the storage device 14 in FIG. 2 and stores data necessary for creating a height adjustment assistance screen and trained model data as various information related to the processing of the height adjustment assistance program. The data necessary for creating the height adjustment assistance screen includes the screen format, material data, etc. The calculation unit 27 uses the trained model stored in the memory unit to calculate multiple target heights from combinations of multiple horizontal degrees and multiple heights.

[0019] The trained model machine-learned by the machine learning unit 25 will be described below with reference to FIG. 6 . As shown in FIG. 6 , the trained model is machine-learned to output multiple target heights from combinations of multiple horizontal degrees and multiple heights. In machine learning, multiple training data are used. Typically, the training data is generated each time the mount 8 is adjusted to approximate the entire base frame 7 to be horizontal. The training data includes multiple horizontal degrees when the entire base frame 7 is not approximated to be horizontal, multiple heights corresponding to the multiple mounts 8 at that time, and multiple heights corresponding to the multiple mounts 8 when the entire base frame 7 is approximated to be horizontal as a result of adjusting the heights of the multiple mounts 8. The multiple heights corresponding to the multiple mounts 8 when the entire base frame 7 is approximated to be horizontal as a result of adjusting the heights of the multiple mounts 8 are so-called label data, and correspond to multiple target heights, which are output data when the trained model is actually used.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 6 , the training data may include data representing the positional relationships between levels 9, data representing the positional relationships between mounts 8, data related to the installation environment, data related to the installation surface, and data related to the industrial machinery on which the levels 9 are to be installed. For example, the data representing the positional relationships between levels 9 is given as the position coordinates of other levels 9 when the position where the reference level 9 is installed is taken as the origin. Similarly, the data representing the positional relationships between mounts 8 is given as the position coordinates of other mounts 8 when the position where the reference mount 8 is installed is taken as the origin. The data related to the installation environment includes temperature data, humidity data, etc. The data related to the installation surface includes the inclination of the installation surface, data related to the material of the installation surface, and physical properties of the installation surface (friction, hardness, etc.). The data related to the industrial machinery includes the type and model number of the industrial machinery.

[0021] The height adjustment support screen will be described below with reference to FIG. 7 . FIGS. 7( a) and 7(b) show the screen before and after calculation, respectively. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the height adjustment support screen 100 displays a table 110 summarizing multiple horizontal degrees corresponding to multiple levels 9, a table 120 summarizing multiple heights corresponding to multiple mounts 8, and a calculation button 130 that triggers calculation of multiple target heights. The table 120 includes multiple input fields 121 for inputting multiple heights. Multiple heights corresponding to multiple mounts 8 are input into the multiple input fields 121, and multiple target heights are calculated upon operation of the calculation button 130. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the height adjustment support screen 100 displays a table 140 summarizing multiple target heights corresponding to multiple mounts 8. Among the multiple target heights, the target height corresponding to the mount 8 that is highest in the order of adjustment is displayed separately from the other target heights. The order of adjustment may be predetermined or may be in descending order of adjustment amount. The mount 8 with the highest order may be only the mount 8 with the first order, or may be a mount 8 within the top three orders. For example, as shown in Fig. 7(b) , among the multiple mounts 8, the first mount 8 with the largest amount of height adjustment and its corresponding target height are displayed highlighted relative to the other target heights.

[0022] The height adjustment assistance function of the injection molding machine 1 according to this embodiment described above provides the following advantages. That is, the height adjustment assistance function can present a plurality of target heights corresponding to the plurality of mounts 8 to the operator. The operator can adjust the height of the mounts 8 while checking the presented target heights, thereby efficiently approximating the horizontality of the base frame 7 of the injection molding machine 1. Furthermore, the target heights presented to the operator are expressed as absolute values ​​rather than as deviations from the current height. This eliminates the need for the operator to take notes of the current height or to check how much the height has deviated from the current height. The operator can simply adjust the height of the mounts 8 while looking at the values ​​on the digital height gauge, thereby more efficiently adjusting the height of the mounts 8.

[0023] Furthermore, the height adjustment assistance function uses a trained model that has been machine-learned to output multiple target heights from combinations of multiple horizontal degrees and multiple heights. The target height is expressed as an absolute value, not as a variation from the current height. When the target height is expressed as a variation, for example, changing the height of the mount 8 from 10 mm to 15 mm has the same meaning as changing the height of the mount 8 from 30 mm to 35 mm, and the effect of the height of the mount 8 itself on the horizontality of the base frame 7 cannot be taken into consideration. On the other hand, when the target height is expressed as an absolute value, the effect of the height of the mount 8 itself on the horizontality of the base frame 7 can be taken into consideration, thereby improving the accuracy of calculating the target height.

[0024] In the present embodiment, the control device 2 of the injection molding machine 1 has been described as having a height adjustment assistance function. However, an information processing device (height adjustment assistance device) having the height adjustment assistance function may be configured as a standalone computer device separate from the injection molding machine 1. Furthermore, the height adjustment assistance device may constitute a height adjustment assistance system together with a level that measures the level of the base frame. Of course, the height adjustment assistance system may also include a measuring device that automatically measures the height of the mount 8. Furthermore, the height adjustment assistance device may have the functions of inputting multiple levels of level, inputting multiple heights, calculating multiple target heights from combinations of the multiple levels of level and the multiple heights, and transmitting the multiple target heights. As long as the multiple target heights, which are the calculation results, are displayed on a user terminal such as a smartphone, the device does not necessarily have the function of displaying the multiple target heights.

[0025] In addition, the industrial machinery that can be used for height adjustment assistance is not limited to injection molding machines, but can include any industrial machinery that requires height adjustment when installed in a factory, etc., such as machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, machining centers, and electric discharge machines, manufacturing equipment such as presses, welding equipment, board mounting equipment, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, inspection equipment such as visual inspection equipment and component analysis equipment, and transportation systems consisting of conveyors, cranes, and elevators.

[0026] In this embodiment, the control device 2 of the injection molding machine 1 notifies the user of the multiple target heights, which are the calculation results, by displaying them on the display unit 24, but the method of notifying the user is not limited to displaying them. For example, the control device 2 may be provided with a speaker and notify the user of the multiple target heights corresponding to the multiple mounts 8 by voice. In this case, it is desirable that the order in which the multiple target heights are notified is the order in which the mounts 8 whose heights are to be adjusted are to be adjusted. For example, the order in which the mounts 8 whose heights are to be adjusted corresponds to the order in which the mounts 8 whose heights are adjusted have the largest height adjustment amounts from the current height to the target height.

[0027] The following supplementary notes are further disclosed regarding this embodiment and the modified examples. (Supplementary Note 1) The height adjustment assistance device 2 includes a first input unit 21 that inputs multiple horizontal degrees at multiple positions on the base frame 7 of the base 3 on which the industrial machine 1 is placed, a second input unit 22 that inputs multiple heights from the installation surface or an equivalent location at multiple locations on the base frame 7, a calculation unit 27 that calculates multiple target heights at the multiple locations based on combinations of the multiple horizontal degrees and the multiple heights in order to approximate the entire base frame 7 to a horizontal position, and a display unit 24 that displays the multiple target heights. (Supplementary Note 2) In the height adjustment assistance device 2 described in Supplementary Note 1, the calculation unit 27 calculates multiple target heights from combinations of the multiple horizontal degrees and the multiple heights using a trained model, and the trained model has been machine-learned using as training data multiple horizontal degrees and multiple heights when the entire base frame 7 is not approximately horizontal and multiple heights when the entire base frame 7 is approximately horizontal. (Supplementary Note 3) The height adjustment assistance device 2 described in Supplementary Note 1 further includes a plurality of height-adjustable mounts 8 corresponding to a plurality of locations on the base frame 7, and the display unit 24 displays, among the plurality of target heights, the target height corresponding to the mount 8 that is highest in the order of adjustment, distinguished from the other target heights. (Supplementary Note 4) In the height adjustment assistance device 2 described in Supplementary Note 1, the display unit 24 displays, among the plurality of target heights, the target height that has the largest difference from the height of the corresponding location, distinguished from the other target heights. (Supplementary Note 5) The height adjustment assistance system includes a plurality of spirit levels 9 that measure a plurality of levels at a plurality of locations on the base frame 7 of the base 3 on which the industrial machine 1 is placed, and an information processing device 2 connected to each of the plurality of spirit levels 9. The information processing device 2 has an input unit 22 for inputting multiple heights from the installation surface or an equivalent location at multiple locations on the base frame 7, a calculation unit 27 for calculating multiple target heights at multiple locations based on combinations of multiple horizontal degrees and multiple heights in order to approximate the entire base frame 7 to be horizontal, and a display unit 24 for displaying the multiple target heights.(Appendix 6) The height adjustment assistance program causes the computer to function as: a means for inputting a plurality of horizontal degrees at a plurality of positions on the base frame of the base on which the industrial machinery is placed; a means for inputting a plurality of heights from the installation surface or an equivalent location at a plurality of locations on the base frame; a means for calculating a plurality of target heights at a plurality of locations based on a combination of the plurality of horizontal degrees and the plurality of heights in order to approximate the entire base frame to horizontal; and a means for displaying the plurality of target heights.

[0028] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, the present disclosure is not limited to the individual embodiments described above. Various additions, substitutions, modifications, partial deletions, etc. are possible in these embodiments without departing from the gist of the invention or the concept and spirit of the present invention derived from the content of the claims and their equivalents. For example, in the above-described embodiments, the order of each operation and the order of each process are shown as examples and are not limited to these. The same applies when numerical values ​​or mathematical expressions are used in the description of the above-described embodiments.

[0029] 1... injection molding machine, 2... control device, 3... base, 4... injection section, 5... mold clamping section, 7... base frame, 8... mount, 9... spirit level

Claims

1. A height adjustment assistance device comprising: a first input unit for inputting a plurality of horizontal degrees at a plurality of positions on a base frame of a base on which industrial machinery is placed; a second input unit for inputting a plurality of heights from the installation surface or an equivalent location at a plurality of locations on said base frame; a calculation unit for calculating a plurality of target heights at said plurality of locations based on a combination of said plurality of horizontal degrees and said plurality of heights in order to approximate the entire base frame to horizontal; and a display unit for displaying said plurality of target heights.

2. The height adjustment assistance device described in claim 1, wherein the calculation unit uses a trained model to calculate the multiple target heights from combinations of the multiple horizontal degrees and the multiple heights, and the trained model is machine-learned using as training data the multiple horizontal degrees and the multiple heights when the entire base frame is not approximately horizontal, and the multiple heights when the entire base frame is approximately horizontal.

3. A height adjustment assistance device as described in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of height-adjustable mounts corresponding to a plurality of locations on the base frame, and the display unit displays the target height corresponding to the mount that is highest in the order of adjustment among the plurality of target heights, distinguishing it from the other target heights.

4. The height adjustment assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays, among the plurality of target heights, the target height that has the largest difference from the height of the corresponding location in a manner that distinguishes it from other target heights.

5. A height adjustment support system comprising: a plurality of spirit levels for measuring a plurality of horizontal degrees at a plurality of positions on a base frame of a base on which industrial machinery is placed; and an information processing device connected to each of the plurality of spirit levels, wherein the information processing device has: an input unit for inputting a plurality of heights from the installation surface or an equivalent location at a plurality of positions on the base frame; a calculation unit for calculating a plurality of target heights at the plurality of positions based on a combination of the plurality of horizontal degrees and the plurality of heights in order to approximate the entire base frame to horizontal; and a display unit for displaying the plurality of target heights.

6. A height adjustment assistance program that causes a computer to function as: a means for inputting a plurality of horizontal degrees at a plurality of positions on a base frame of a base on which industrial machinery is placed; a means for inputting a plurality of heights from the installation surface or an equivalent location at a plurality of locations on said base frame; a means for calculating a plurality of target heights at said plurality of locations based on a combination of said plurality of horizontal degrees and said plurality of heights in order to approximate the entire base frame to horizontal; and a means for displaying said plurality of target heights.

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