Arithmetic device and program for injection molding machine

Abstract

Provided is a technology of an arithmetic device for an injection molding machine, wherein a heat transfer amount of each of multiple heaters disposed in a barrel can be accurately determined with a simple structure. An arithmetic device 10 for an injection molding machine 1 comprises: a first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 that calculates an energy change amount of a molding material and a shear heat generation amount ES by a screw 23 on the basis of molding material temperature information, operation information, and characteristic information, and calculates a total heater heat transfer amount ET from heaters 24a to 24d to the molding material; a heater heat transfer amount acquisition unit 32 that acquires a heater heat generation amount EHi of each heater 24a to 24d; a heater heat generation amount difference calculation unit 33 that calculates a difference in heater heat generation amounts (EHi to E'Hi) during molding and when molding is stopped while temperature control is being continued; a second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 that calculates a heater heat transfer amount ETi (i = 0, 1, 2) for each of the other heaters 24a to 24c excluding a specified heater 24d; a third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35 that calculates a heater heat transfer amount ET3 for the specified heater 24d on the basis of the total heater heat transfer amount ET and the heater heat transfer amounts ETi (i = 0, 1, 2) for the other heaters 24a to 24c excluding the specified heater 24d; and an output unit 20 that outputs the calculation results of at least the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35.

Description

Calculation unit and program for injection molding machine

[0001] This disclosure relates to a computing device and program for an injection molding machine.

[0002] Conventionally, injection molding machines are known that plasticize pellets placed in a hopper within a barrel and then inject them into a mold. A heater is placed on the outer circumference of the barrel of the injection molding machine. The heater heats the barrel, causing the pellets (molding material) to plasticize. In addition, the molding material is kneaded and plasticized by rotating a screw located inside the barrel. In this way, the molding material is plasticized by heat transfer from the heater and shear heat generated by the shear action when the screw rotates. Examples of this type of technology can be found in Patent Documents 1 to 3.

[0003] International Publication No. 2024 / 100765, International Publication No. 2024 / 100763, International Publication No. 2008 / 149742

[0004] In injection molding, the molding material is plasticized by heat transfer from heaters on the outer circumference of the barrel and shear heat generated by the screw inside the barrel. However, the balance of these energies varies greatly depending on the molding conditions, affecting the plasticization state of the material and, consequently, the quality of the molded product. Furthermore, in configurations where multiple heaters are arranged from the base end to the tip of the barrel, the amount of heat transferred in the region of each heater also has significant implications for the plasticization state of the material. For example, when molding liquid crystal polymers, it is known that a stable plasticization state is achieved when the heat transfer amount from the heater at the base of the barrel is high and the shear heat generation is low. The balance between the heat transfer amount from each heater and the shear heat generation from the screw can be used as an indicator to evaluate the plasticization state.

[0005] Furthermore, a significant amount of energy is lost to the surrounding environment from a high-temperature barrel, including heat dissipation to the mold, heat dissipation from the barrel surface, heat dissipation to the cooling water at the barrel's material supply port, and heat dissipation to the injection molding machine body. It is known that the balance of these energies also changes greatly depending on the molding conditions. For example, if the set temperature at the base of the barrel is high and the set temperature of the material supply port cooling section is low, heat dissipation to the cooling water at the barrel's material supply port becomes dominant.

[0006] However, users of injection molding machines lacked information about the balance of these energies, making it difficult to effectively adjust molding conditions to improve the quality and energy efficiency of molded products. While it is possible to measure various energies at an experimental level by installing numerous additional sensors on the barrel, this could lead to increased costs, reduced barrel strength, and worsened maintainability in mass production. To support the adjustment of molding conditions that leads to improved molded product quality and energy efficiency, there is a need for a system that is applicable to mass production and allows for easy understanding of the energy balance during plasticization.

[0007] This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that enables accurate determination of the heat transfer amount of multiple heaters arranged in the barrel and the shear heat generation amount by the screw in a simple configuration for a calculation device of an injection molding machine.

[0008] This disclosure relates to a calculation device for calculating the energy around the barrel of an injection molding machine comprising a barrel, a plurality of heaters arranged axially in the barrel, and a screw arranged inside the barrel, comprising: a temperature information acquisition unit that acquires molding material temperature information indicating the temperature of the molding material when the barrel is loaded and when it is injected; an operation information acquisition unit that acquires operation information relating to the operation of the heaters and the screw; a characteristic information acquisition unit that acquires the characteristics of the molding material and the injection molding machine as characteristic information; and a calculation device that calculates the amount of energy change of the molding material and the amount of shear heat generated by the screw based on the molding material temperature information, the operation information and the characteristic information, and calculates the total heater energy from the heaters to the molding material. The calculation device for an injection molding machine comprises: a first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit for calculating the amount of heat transfer; a heater heat amount acquisition unit for acquiring the amount of heat generated by each heater; a heater heat amount difference calculation unit for calculating the difference between the amount of heat generated by the heater during molding and when molding is stopped while temperature control is being continued; a second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit for calculating the amount of heat transfer by each of the heaters other than a specific heater, which is at least one of the plurality of heaters; a third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit for calculating the amount of heat transfer by the specific heater based on the total amount of heat transfer and the amount of heat transfer by the heaters other than the specific heater; and an output unit for outputting the calculation results of at least the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit.

[0009] Furthermore, this disclosure relates to a program for operating a computer as a calculation device for calculating the energy around the barrel of an injection molding machine comprising a barrel, a plurality of heaters arranged axially in the barrel, and a screw arranged inside the barrel, the program comprising: a temperature information acquisition function for acquiring molding material temperature information indicating the temperature of the molding material when the barrel is loaded and when it is injected; an operation information acquisition function for acquiring operation information relating to the operation of the heaters and the screw; a characteristic information acquisition function for acquiring the characteristics of the molding material and the injection molding machine as characteristic information; and based on the molding material temperature information, the operation information and the characteristic information, the program calculates the amount of energy change of the molding material and the amount of shear heat generated by the screw, and calculates the amount of energy change of the molding material from the heater to the molding material This program enables a computer to implement the following functions: a first heater heat transfer calculation function for calculating the total heater heat transfer amount; a heater heat transfer amount acquisition function for acquiring the heater heat transfer amount of each heater; a heater heat transfer amount difference calculation function for calculating the difference between the heater heat transfer amount during molding and when molding is stopped while temperature control is being maintained; a second heater heat transfer calculation function for calculating the heater heat transfer amount of each heater other than a specific heater, which is at least one of the multiple heaters; a third heater heat transfer calculation function for calculating the heater heat transfer amount of the specific heater based on the total heater heat transfer amount and the heater heat transfer amounts of the other heaters excluding the specific heater; and an output function for outputting the calculation results of at least the second heater heat transfer calculation function and the third heater heat transfer calculation function.

[0010] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an injection molding machine according to the first embodiment. This is a perspective view showing a heater arranged in the barrel according to the first embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the injection molding machine and the energy balance during molding. This is a functional block diagram of the calculation device of the injection molding machine according to the first embodiment. This is a schematic diagram explaining the relationship between the screw and the metering stroke in the barrel. This is a diagram comparing the heat balance during molding and when molding is stopped using an equation. This is a flowchart showing an example of the calculation process flow by the calculation device of the injection molding machine according to the first embodiment. This is a functional block diagram of the calculation device of the injection molding machine according to the third embodiment. This is a flowchart showing an example of the calculation process flow by the calculation device of the injection molding machine according to the third embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example of a bar graph displayed on a display device by the output unit of the fifth embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example of a line graph displayed on a display device by the output unit of the fifth embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example of a pie chart displayed on a display device by the output unit of the fifth embodiment. This is a functional block diagram of the calculation device of the injection molding machine according to the sixth embodiment.

[0011] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the second and subsequent embodiments, components common to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0012] [First Embodiment] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an injection molding machine 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing heaters 24a to 24d arranged in the barrel 22 of the injection molding machine 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the injection molding machine 1 and the energy balance during molding.

[0013] The injection molding machine 1 of this embodiment comprises an injection unit 2, a mold clamping unit 3, a calculation device 10, and a display device 6. The injection molding machine 1 performs molding of the molding material based on molding conditions such as barrel setting temperature, metering rotation speed, metering back pressure, and cooling time.

[0014] The injection unit 2 is an injection device comprising a hopper 21, a barrel 22, a screw 23, a cooling jacket 26, and a material supply port 28. The barrel 22 is, for example, a cylindrical body. Resin stored in the hopper 21 is supplied to the barrel 22 through the material supply port 28. The screw 23 is located inside the barrel 22 and conveys the resin to the tip of the barrel 22 by rotation. A screw head 30 is positioned at the tip of the screw 23 to prevent backflow during injection.

[0015] The cooling jacket 26 is a cooling device designed to prevent the resin from melting and solidifying near the material supply port 28 of the barrel 22, which would prevent the resin from entering the screw 23. The cooling jacket 26 circulates cooling water to cool the inside of the barrel 22 (for example, the base portion of the inside of the barrel 22).

[0016] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, multiple heaters 24a to 24d are arranged along the axial direction of the barrel 22 in which the screw 23 is located. Multiple heaters 24a to 24d are arranged from the nozzle portion 25 at the axial tip of the barrel 22 to the base end at the root.

[0017] In this embodiment, four heaters 24a to 24d are arranged in the barrel 22 along the axial direction so as to cover the outer circumference of the barrel 22. Heater 24a is one of the tip-side heaters located in the nozzle section 25. Heaters 24b to 24d are located upstream of the nozzle section 25 in the pellet transport direction. Heater 24b is one of the tip-side heaters located closest to the nozzle section 25 and is located in the metering section of the screw 23 inside the barrel 22. Heater 24c is located between heaters 24b and 24d and is located in the compression section of the screw 23 inside the barrel 22. Heater 24d is located at the base side, furthest from the nozzle section 25, and is located in the supply section of the screw 23 inside the barrel 22. Note that the number and positions of heaters 24a to 24d are not limited to the configuration of this embodiment.

[0018] The barrel 22 is heated by heaters 24a to 24d, causing the pellets to melt. The molten pellets are transported to the nozzle section 25 by screw 23 and injected into the mold 5.

[0019] The mold clamping part 3 is a device for clamping a mold 5. A molded product is molded by clamping the mold 5 with the mold clamping part 3.

[0020] The heat balance in a case where four heaters 24a to 24d are arranged on a barrel 22 as shown in Fig. 3 will be described. In the following description, the subscript i is a subscript that takes a numeral indicating the position of the heaters 24a to 24d, and is set to 0, 1, 2, 3 in order from the nozzle part 25 side to the root side. The heater 24a corresponds to i=0, the heater 24b corresponds to i=1, the heater 24c corresponds to i=2, and the heater 24d corresponds to i=3.

[0021] E in Fig. 3 Ｈｉ (i=0, 1, 2, 3) is the heater heating value, and E Ｒｉ (i=0, 1, 2, 3) is the heat radiation amount from the barrel surface, and E Ｔｉ (i=0, 1, 2, 3) is the heater heat transfer amount. The heater heat transfer referred to herein is heat transmitted from the heat generated by the heaters 24a to 24d to the internal resin via the metal barrel 22. E Ｎ is the heat radiation amount to the mold 5. During molding, the nozzle part 25 is in contact with the mold 5, and when the temperature difference between the nozzle part 25 and the mold 5 is large, a large amount of heat is radiated to the mold 5.

[0022] E ｗ is the heat radiation amount from the material supply port 28 to the cooling water. E Ｂ is the heat radiation amount to the main body of the injection molding machine 1, and E Ａｉ (i=0, 1, 2, 3) is the moving heat amount in the barrel 22. E Ｓ is the shear heating value by the screw 23, E Ｄ is the rotational driving energy of the screw 23. The shear heating referred to herein is a combination of frictional heat generation between resin pellets caused by rotation of the screw 23 and heat generation caused by shear deformation of the molten resin.

[0023] The energy input for plasticizing the molding material is the heater heating value E Ｈｉ and the rotational driving energy E of the screw 23 Ｄ The sum of the above. The energy for plasticizing the molding material, which is the energy received by the molding material, is the heater heat transfer amount E Ｔｉand the shear heat generated by screw 23 E Ｓ The sum of these amounts. The energy released into the surrounding environment is the amount of heat released to the mold 5, E. Ｎ and the amount of heat dissipated from the surface of the barrel 22 E Ｒｉ and the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water from the material supply port 28 E Ｗ and the amount of heat dissipated to the main body of the injection molding machine 1 E Ｂ This is the sum of the two. The energy balance of injection molding machine 1 can be expressed as shown in equation 1 below.

[0024]

[0025] Next, the calculation unit 10 will be described. The calculation unit 10 calculates the energy around the barrel 22 of the injection molding machine 1.

[0026] The computing device 10 of the injection molding machine 1 according to the first embodiment is configured using a computer equipped with memory such as ROM (read-only memory) and RAM (random access memory), a CPU (central processing unit), a storage device, and a communication control unit, all connected to each other via a bus. The functions and operations of each functional unit of the computing device 10, which will be described later, are achieved through the cooperation of the CPU, memory, and control programs stored in the memory installed in the computer.

[0027] The display device 6 is, for example, an output device such as a liquid crystal display or a touch panel display.

[0028] Next, the functions of the arithmetic unit 10 will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a functional block diagram of the arithmetic unit 10 of the injection molding machine 1 according to the first embodiment. The functional units described with reference to Figure 4 are realized by programs stored in memory or storage devices such as RAM.

[0029] The arithmetic unit 10 includes, as functional units, a temperature information acquisition unit 11 (temperature information acquisition function) executed by the CPU, an operation information acquisition unit 12 (operation information acquisition function), a characteristic information acquisition unit 13 (characteristic information acquisition function), a calculation unit 15 (calculation function), and an output unit 20 (output function). The arithmetic unit 10 also has a storage unit 50 for storing various information for performing calculations.

[0030] The temperature information acquisition unit 11 acquires the temperature of the molding material at the time of barrel loading and injection as molding material temperature information. Various methods can be used to acquire the molding material temperature. For example, the temperature information acquisition unit 11 can acquire the set temperature of the cooling jacket 26 of the material supply port 28 of the barrel 22 and the tip of the barrel 22 as molding material temperature information. Alternatively, the temperature information acquisition unit 11 may acquire the detected temperatures of the temperature sensor (not shown) of the cooling jacket 26 of the material supply port 28 of the barrel 22 and the temperature sensor (not shown) that controls the tip of the barrel 22 as molding material temperature information. Furthermore, the temperature information acquisition unit 11 may acquire the detected temperatures of additional temperature sensors provided at the cooling jacket 26 of the material supply port 28 of the barrel 22 and the tip of the barrel 22 as molding material temperature information. Or, the temperature information acquisition unit 11 may acquire any value entered by the user as molding material temperature information.

[0031] The operation information acquisition unit 12 acquires operation information regarding the operation of the heaters 24a to 24d and the operation of the screw 23.

[0032] In this embodiment, the operational information relating to heaters 24a to 24d is the operating rate of each heater 24a to 24d. The operating rate is an indicator of the operating state, for example, expressed as 0 to 100%. The operating rate is determined, for example, based on the output of heaters 24a to 24d, such as voltage. Information relating to the operation of screw 23 includes, for example, the motor current (load current) during metering, the rotational angular velocity of screw 23, the metering start position, the metering completion position, etc. The operational information acquisition unit 12 may also acquire power supply voltage, etc., as operational information.

[0033] The characteristic information acquisition unit 13 acquires characteristic information indicating the characteristics of the molding material and the injection molding machine 1. For example, the characteristic information acquisition unit 13 acquires characteristic information that is pre-stored from the storage unit 50 of the arithmetic unit 10.

[0034] The characteristic information includes, for example, the melt density and specific heat of the molding material and the capacities of the heaters 24a to 24d. The capacities of the heaters 24a to 24d here refer to the rated capacity such that they produce 1500W at 200V. The characteristic information acquisition unit 13 also acquires information regarding the characteristics of the screw 23 as characteristic information. Information regarding the characteristics of the screw 23 includes, for example, the reduction ratio and mechanical efficiency between the screw 23 and the motor that rotates the screw 23, and the torque constant of the rotary motor that rotates the screw 23. The characteristic information acquisition unit 13 may also acquire information regarding the shape of the barrel 22 and the screw 23 as characteristic information.

[0035] The calculation unit 15 calculates the heater heat transfer amount E of each heater 24a to 24d based on the acquired molding material temperature information, operation information, and characteristic information. Ｔｉ Shear heat generated by screw 23 E Ｓ Calculate.

[0036] The calculation unit 15 of this embodiment includes a first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 (first heater heat transfer amount calculation function), a heater heat generation amount acquisition unit 32 (heater heat generation amount acquisition function), a heater heat generation amount difference calculation unit 33 (heater heat generation amount difference calculation function), a second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 (second heater heat transfer amount calculation function), and a third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35 (third heater heat transfer amount calculation function).

[0037] The first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 calculates the total heater heat transfer amount E transmitted from heaters 24a to 24d to the molding material based on the molding material temperature information acquired by the temperature information acquisition unit 11, the operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition unit 12, and the characteristic information acquired by the characteristic information acquisition unit 13. Ｔ Calculate.

[0038] First, the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 calculates the total heat amount E received by the molding material. ＭTo calculate this as the energy change of the molding material inside the barrel 22, the mass m of the molding material is calculated. The mass m can be calculated using Equation 2. In Equation 2, it is preferable to use the value of the melt density ρ of the molding material at the temperature of the tip of the barrel 22. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the screw 23 inside the barrel 22 and the metering stroke. As shown in Figure 5, the metering stroke S can be calculated from the difference between the metering start position and the metering completion position obtained from the operation information acquisition unit 12.

[0039] ρ: Melt density of the molding material D: Barrel inner diameter S: Metering stroke

[0040] Total heat energy E received by the molding material Ｍ This can be calculated based on the following formula 3. The mass m of the molding material in formula 3 can be calculated using formula 2 as described above. The specific heat c of the molding material is the physical property value for each material. Since specific heat is temperature dependent, it is preferable to use the average value of the material temperature from before heating to after heating. The temperature change amount ΔT of the material in barrel 22 can be calculated from the temperature difference of the molding material at the time of loading and injection of barrel 22 (temperature difference between before heating and after heating) obtained by the temperature information acquisition unit 11. The melt density ρ, specific heat c, and barrel inner diameter D are obtained by the characteristic information acquisition unit 13 and are used.

[0041] m: Mass of the molding material c: Specific heat of the molding material ΔT: Temperature change of the material in barrel 22

[0042] Next, the first heater heat transfer calculation unit 31 calculates that the energy from the rotation of the screw 23 is converted into heat generated by the resin with very high efficiency, and therefore the shear heat generated by the screw 23 E Ｓ The rotational drive energy E of the motor that rotates the screw 23 during weighing. Ｄ Calculate as follows: Shear heat generation E ＳThis can be calculated by integrating the rotational torque and rotational angular velocity during measurement over time, using Equation 4. Each parameter in Equation 4 is obtained, for example, by the characteristic information acquisition unit 13. Note that, considering that a portion of the motor's output is lost due to friction, the friction torque may be subtracted based on the results measured beforehand in an idle state. This allows for a more accurate calculation of the shear heat generation E. Ｓ It is possible to calculate this.

[0043] K Ｔ : Torque constant of the motor r Ｍ : Motor current value during weighing R: Reduction ratio between motor and screw 23 ω: Rotational angular velocity of screw during weighing η: Mechanical efficiency t ０ :Weighing start time t １ : Weighing completion time

[0044] Total heat energy E received by the molding material Ｍ This is the total heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ and the shear heat generated by screw 23 E Ｓ It is the sum of the following. The first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 calculates the total heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ This can be calculated using formula 5.

[0045]

[0046] Next, the heater heat output acquisition unit 32 and the heater heat output difference calculation unit 33 will be explained.

[0047] The heater heat output acquisition unit 32 acquires the heater heat output E of each heater 24a to 24d. Ｈｉ The heater heat generation amount acquisition unit 32 acquires, for example, the heater heat generation amount E of each heater 24a to 24d over a predetermined time while the barrel 22 is maintained at a preset temperature. Ｈｉ The heater heat generation unit 32 calculates the heater heat generation amount E based on the difference between the rated voltage of heaters 24a to 24d and the actual power supply voltage of the injection molding machine 1. Ｈｉ You may perform the calculation.

[0048] The heater heat output acquisition unit 32 calculates the heater heat output E using formula 6. Ｈｉ It is possible to calculate this. Note that the heater rated capacity is a specific voltage VＲ The power consumption shown is at (for example, 220V), but the voltage supplied to the injection molding machine 1 may actually be different. Therefore, the operation information acquisition unit 12 acquires the value of the power supply voltage V and corrects it as shown in equation 7 before calculating the heater heat output E. Ｈｉ You may also perform the calculation on V in formula 7. Ｒ V is a specific voltage, and V is the power supply voltage.

[0049] W ｉ : Heater rated capacity r ｉ : Heater utilization rate t2: Calculation start time t3: Calculation end time

[0050]

[0051] The heater heat output difference calculation unit 33 calculates the difference in heat output between molding and molding stoppage while temperature control is being maintained, based on the operation information and characteristic information.

[0052] Figure 6 is a diagram comparing the heat balance during molding and when molding is stopped using an equation. As shown in Figure 6, the difference in heat generation between the molding process and the molding stop while temperature control is being maintained for each heater 24a to 24d is (1) E Ｈ０ -E' Ｈ０ (2) E Ｈ１ -E' Ｈ１ (3) E Ｈ２ -E' Ｈ２ (4) E Ｈ３ -E' Ｈ３ This is the result.

[0053] The second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 calculates the heater heat transfer amount E for each region of heaters 24a to 24c, excluding heater 24d, which is a specific heater, from among heaters 24a to 24d. Ｔｉ (i = 0, 1, 2) are calculated. Thus, in this embodiment, the heater 24d corresponding to i = 3, located on the root side, becomes the specific heater.

[0054] If the set temperature difference between adjacent regions of heaters 24a to 24d is large, the amount of heat transferred within the barrel 22 E Ａｉ (See Figure 3) Although this also increases, the heater heat transfer amount E is usually Ｔｉ Heat dissipation amount E ＲｉSince it is sufficiently small compared to, ignoring it will result in little error in the calculation. In this embodiment, in order to avoid complicating the calculation, the difference in the set temperature of the barrel 22 in the regions of each heater 24a to 24d is assumed to be zero or small, and the heater heat transfer amount E for each region is assumed to be zero. Ｔｉ This is calculated. Furthermore, the amount of heat transferred within the barrel 22 can be calculated using Fourier's law based on the temperature gradient, thermal conductivity, and cross-sectional area within the barrel 22, thus further improving the calculation accuracy.

[0055] For heaters 24a to 24c, excluding heater 24d located on the base side of i=3, the amount of heat dissipated to the mold 5 is E Ｎ and heat dissipation E from the barrel surface Ｒｉ Since the difference between the molding process and the molding stop time is small, it can be assumed that the following equation 8 holds true.

[0056]

[0057] When formula 8 is applied to formulas (1) to (3) used to calculate the difference in heat generation between molding and molding stoppage in Figure 6, formula 9 can be derived below in the range i = 0, 1, 2. That is, in heater 24a, E Ｔ０ = E Ｈ０ -E' Ｈ０ Therefore, in heater 24b, E Ｔ１ = E Ｈ１ -E' Ｈ１ Therefore, with heater 24c, E Ｔ２ = E Ｈ２ -E' Ｈ２ This is the result. Note that the heater heat output E Ｈｉ This can be obtained by the heater heat output acquisition unit 32 described above.

[0058]

[0059] In the heater 24d located at the base of i=3, a large amount of energy needs to be supplied to the material during molding, resulting in a very large difference in heater operating rate between molding and molding stoppage. This leads to a large difference in heater surface temperature between molding and molding stoppage, and the amount of heat dissipated from the heater surface E Ｒ３The difference between the molding process and the process when molding is stopped also becomes large. In addition, during molding, the molding material continuously supplied to the material supply port 28 absorbs heat from the cooling jacket 26, so the amount of heat dissipated from the material supply port 28 to the cooling water E Ｗ The difference between the molding process and the molding stop time becomes large. Therefore, the relationship shown in equation 10 occurs. For this reason, the heater heat transfer quantity E in the region of heater 24d at the root (i=3) is determined in the same way as in the regions corresponding to the other heaters 24a to 24c. Ｔ３ Calculating this can result in large errors. Therefore, heater heat transfer E Ｔ３ The calculation is performed by a different method by the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35.

[0060]

[0061] The third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35 calculates the total heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ Heat transfer amount E of the other heaters 24a to 24c, excluding heater 24d, which is a specific heater. Ｔ０ Heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ１ Heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ２ Based on this, the heater heat transfer amount E of heater 24d Ｔ３ Calculate.

[0062] Total heater heat transfer E Ｔ The amount of heat transferred to the heater in each region is E. Ｔｉ It is the sum of the following, and can be expressed by formula 11 below. Heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ０ Heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ１ and heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ２ These are all calculated by the second heater heat transfer calculation unit 34 and are known. Also, the total heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ This is also calculated by the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31. Therefore, the heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ３ This can be calculated using formula 12.

[0063]

[0064]

[0065] Through the above series of processes, the calculation unit 15 calculates the heater heat transfer amount E of each heater 24a to 24d. Ｔｉ and the shear heat generated by the screw 23 EＳ is calculated.

[0066] The output unit 20 outputs information for displaying the calculation result of the calculation unit 15 to the display device 6. The display device 6 displays the calculation result output by the output unit 20 as an image. The calculation result displayed on the display device 6 includes the heater heat transfer amount E for each region of the heaters 24a to 24d Ｔｉ (heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ0 , heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ１ , heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ２ , heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ３ ) and the shear heat generation amount E by the screw 23 Ｓ is included. The displayed calculation result may include the total heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ and other numerical values calculated in the calculation process.

[0067] Note that the output unit 20 may be configured to output the calculation result of the calculation unit 15 to an external computer connected to the injection molding machine 1, which is different from the display device 6 of the injection molding machine 1.

[0068] Next, a series of flow of the calculation process will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the calculation process performed by the calculation device 10 of the injection molding machine 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0069] In step S1, the characteristic information acquisition unit 13 acquires characteristic information indicating characteristics of the molding material and the injection molding machine 1 from the storage unit 50 or the like.

[0070] In step S2, the temperature information acquisition unit 11 acquires molding material temperature information from a set temperature stored in the storage unit 50 or the like, or a temperature sensor (not shown) or the like.

[0071] In step S3, the operation information acquisition unit 12 acquires operation information stored in the storage unit 50 or the like.

[0072] In step S4, the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 calculates the total heat amount E received by the molding material based on the mass, specific heat, temperature change amount and the like of the molding material Ｍ is calculated.

[0073] In step S5, the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 time-integrates the rotational torque and rotational angular velocity during measurement to obtain the shear heat generation amount E Ｓ is calculated.

[0074] In step S6, the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 calculates the total heat amount E received by the molding material Ｍ by subtracting the shear heat generation amount E Ｓ therefrom to calculate the total heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ .

[0075] In step S7, the heater heat generation amount acquisition unit 32 acquires the heater heat generation amount E of each of the heaters 24a to 24d during molding Ｈｉ and the heater heat generation amount E' of each of the heaters 24a to 24d when molding is stopped Ｈｉ , and the heater heat generation amount difference calculation unit 33 acquires the difference in heat generation amount between during molding and when molding is stopped for each of the heaters 24a to 24d.

[0076] In step S8, the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 calculates the heater heat transfer amount E for each of the regions of heaters 24a to 24c excluding the heater 24d that is a specific heater Ｔｉ (heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ０ , heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ１ , heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ２ ).

[0077] In step S9, the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35 calculates the heater heat transfer amount E of the heater 24d that is a specific heater Ｔ３ .

[0078] In step S10, the output unit 20 executes processing for causing the display device 6 to display information based on the calculation result of the calculation unit 15. The output unit 20 executes processing for displaying information based on the calculation result of the calculation unit 15, such as the shear heat generation amount E Ｓ and the heater heat transfer amount E for each region of the heaters 24a to 24d Ｔｉ , by means of numerical values, characters, symbols, drawings, or combinations thereof, etc.

[0079] After processing by the output unit 20 in step S10, the process moves to step S11. In step S11, if the operation of the injection molding machine 1 continues, the arithmetic unit 10 returns to step S2 and executes the processing from step S2 onward again (step S11; Yes). On the other hand, if the arithmetic unit 10 detects that the operation of the injection molding machine 1 has stopped, it executes processing to stop molding and terminates the flow (step S11; No). The continuation or cessation of the molding process is determined by the arithmetic unit 10 based on, for example, whether the user's operation or the plasticization state satisfies predetermined conditions.

[0080] The calculation device 10 of the injection molding machine 1 according to the first embodiment described above provides the following effects. The calculation device 10 of the injection molding machine 1 of this embodiment includes a temperature information acquisition unit 11 that acquires molding material temperature information indicating the temperature of the molding material when it is loaded into the barrel 22 and when it is injected, an operation information acquisition unit 12 that acquires operation information relating to the operation of the heaters 24a to 24d and the screw 23, a characteristic information acquisition unit 13 that acquires the characteristics of the molding material and the injection molding machine 1 as characteristic information, and calculates the amount of energy change of the molding material and the amount of shear heat generated by the screw 23 based on the molding material temperature information, operation information and characteristic information. Ｓ The total heater heat transfer amount E from heaters 24a to 24d to the molding material is calculated. Ｔ The first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 calculates the heater heat output E of each heater 24a to 24d. Ｈｉ The heater heat generation amount acquisition unit 32 acquires the difference in heater heat generation amount (E) between molding and when molding is stopped while temperature control is being continued. Ｈｉ -E' Ｈｉ A heater heat output difference calculation unit 33 calculates the heater heat output difference E of each of the heaters 24a to 24c, excluding heater 24d, which is a specific heater that is at least one of the multiple heaters 24a to 24d. Ｔｉ The second heater heat transfer calculation unit 34 calculates (i = 0, 1, 2), and the total heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ Heat transfer amount E of the other heaters 24a to 24c, excluding heater 24d, which is a specific heater. Ｔｉ Based on (i = 0, 1, 2), the heat transfer amount E of the specific heater, heater 24d. Ｔ３The system includes a third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35 that calculates the amount of heat, and an output unit 20 that outputs the calculation results of at least the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35.

[0081] This allows us to calculate the shear heat generated by the screw 23 E using a simple calculation method. Ｓ Heater heat transfer amount E for each region of heaters 24a to 24d Ｔｉ It can accurately calculate the heat transfer E for each region of the molding material. It can output information that provides clues to understanding the plasticization state of the molding material, and the user can determine the heater heat transfer E for each region of heaters 24a to 24d. Ｔｉ and the shear heat generated by screw 23 E Ｓ This allows for understanding the balance of these factors. This makes it easier to grasp the plasticization state and can be used as a clue for adjusting molding conditions to improve molding quality. Furthermore, if there is a recommended optimal distribution of each heat quantity depending on the molding material used, it is also possible to adjust the molding conditions so that the breakdown of the output energy approaches that optimal distribution.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the specific heater in the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35 is the heater 24d located on the base end side of the barrel 22.

[0083] As described above, the region of the heater 24d at the base is where the amount of heat dissipated from the surface of the barrel 22 E Ｒ３ and the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water from the material supply port 28 E Ｗ The difference between the molding process and the molding stop time is large, and the heater heat transfer amount E is the same as in the other heater regions 24a to 24c. Ｔ３ Calculating this may result in a large error. In this embodiment, since heater 24d is set as a specific heater, the heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ３ However, the difference between the heat transfer E of other heaters 24a to 24c during molding and when molding is stopped is small. Ｔ０ Heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ１ Heater heat transfer amount E Ｔ２ It is calculated accurately using [this method].

[0084] The configuration of the first embodiment has been described above. Below, embodiments with configurations different from the first embodiment will be described.

[0085] [Second Embodiment] Here, the heater heat transfer amounts E for each region of heaters 24a to 24d are calculated by the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35. Ｔｉ Let's consider the case where the value is negative. Heater heat transfer E Ｔｉ If the value is negative, it indicates that the heat emitted by heaters 24a to 24d is not being transferred to the resin inside the barrel 22, and that heat is flowing from the inside of the barrel 22 to the outside. In this case, by definition, the amount of heat transferred from heaters 24a to 24d to the molding material is considered to be 0.

[0086] This is because the rotation of the screw 23 generates excessive heat near the inner wall surface of the barrel 22. This heat is naturally due to the rotational drive energy E of the screw 23. Ｄ Because of E Ｓ ≠E Ｄ Therefore, the rotational drive energy E Ｄ This indicates that some of the heat is being dissipated into the surrounding environment. In other words, a portion of the driving energy of the screw 23's rotation motor is dissipated as excess shear heat.

[0087] To account for excessive shear heat generation, the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 of the second embodiment uses formula 13 to calculate the shear heat generation amount E by the amount of the negative heat transfer amount. Ｓ Correct the rotational drive energy E in equation 13. Ｄ This was calculated once by the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 using equation 4. Also, E in equation 13 Ｔｉ This is the heater heat transfer amount E calculated by the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35. Ｔｉ Of these, only those with negative values ​​are used.

[0088]

[0089] As described above, in the second embodiment, the first heater heat transfer calculation unit 31 calculates the shear heat generated by the screw 23 based on the calculation results of the second heater heat transfer calculation unit 34 and the third heater heat transfer calculation unit 35. Ｓ Correct it.

[0090] This allows us to consider the heat dissipation caused by excessive heat generated by the screw rotation, and thus the amount of shear heat generated by the screw 23 E Ｓ It can accurately calculate the heater heat transfer amount E. Ｔｉ and the shear heat generated by screw 23 E Ｓ Understanding the balance of these factors allows for more effective adjustments to molding conditions that are tailored to the actual situation.

[0091] [Third Embodiment] Next, with reference to Figure 8, the configuration of the calculation device 10a of the third embodiment will be described. Figure 8 is a functional block diagram of the calculation device 10a of the injection molding machine 1 according to the third embodiment. As shown in Figure 8, the basic configuration of the calculation device 10a of the third embodiment is the same as that of the calculation device 10 of the first or second embodiment. In the third embodiment, the calculation unit 15a includes a heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​in addition to the configuration of the calculation unit 15 of the first embodiment.

[0092] The heat dissipation calculation unit 36 ​​calculates the amount of heat dissipated to the surrounding environment E for each region of each heater 24a to 24d. Ｌｉ The following equation 14 is obtained by rearranging the energy balance equations in each region. The heat output of each heater in equation 14 E Ｈｉ and the heat transfer amount E of each heater Ｔｉ Since this is known, the heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​calculates the amount of heat dissipated to the surrounding environment in each region E using formula 14. Ｌｉ It is possible to calculate this.

[0093]

[0094] Next, the sequence of calculation processing in the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the calculation processing flow by the calculation device 10a of the injection molding machine 1 according to the third embodiment.

[0095] The processes in steps S1 to S9 in the flowchart shown in Figure 9 are the same as the processes in steps S1 to S9 in Figure 7 of the first embodiment, so their explanation is omitted. In the third embodiment, after the process in step S9, the process moves on to step S20.

[0096] In step S20, the heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​calculates the amount of heat dissipated to the surrounding environment in each region E using formula 14.Ｌｉ Calculate.

[0097] In step S21, the output unit 20 performs processing to display information based on the calculation result of the calculation unit 15a on the display device 6. The output unit 20 displays the shear heat generation amount E in numerical values, characters, symbols, pictures, or combinations thereof. Ｓ Heater heat transfer amount E for each region of heaters 24a to 24d Ｔｉ and heat dissipation amount E Ｌｉ The system executes a process to display information based on the calculation results of the calculation unit 15.

[0098] After processing by the output unit 20 in step S21, the process moves to step S22. In step S22, if the operation of the injection molding machine 1 continues, the arithmetic unit 10a returns to step S2 and executes the processing from step S2 onward again (step S22; Yes). On the other hand, if the arithmetic unit 10 detects that the operation of the injection molding machine 1 has stopped, it executes processing to stop molding and terminates the flow (step S22; No).

[0099] Furthermore, for each region i=0 to 2 corresponding to heaters 24a to 24c, the heater heat output E' at the time of molding stoppage is as follows: Ｈｉ The amount of heat released to the surrounding environment (E Ｌi It can also be considered equivalent to E in equation 14. Ｌ０ , E Ｌ１ , E Ｌ２ No further calculations are needed.

[0100] As explained above, the calculation device 10 of the injection molding machine 1 of the third embodiment calculates the amount of heat dissipated from the barrel 22 to the surrounding environment E Ｌｉ The system further includes a heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​that calculates the amount for each of the multiple divided regions.

[0101] As a result, the amount of heat dissipated to the surrounding environment E in each region of heaters 24a to 24d Ｌｉ It can calculate and output the amount of heat dissipated to the surrounding environment for each region. Ｌｉ This allows us to understand the heat dissipation amount E of heaters 24a to 24d, and use this as a clue to adjust conditions for improving energy efficiency. ＬｉFor areas where a large proportion of the heat source is present, measures such as lowering the heater setting temperature or wrapping insulation material around the corresponding heaters 24a to 24d can be taken.

[0102] [Fourth Embodiment] Next, the heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​calculates the heat dissipation amount E of the heater 24d on the base side. Ｌ３ Next, we will describe the calculation device 10a of the fourth embodiment, which calculates the breakdown of the above in more detail.

[0103] As shown in equation 15 below, the heat dissipation amount E of the heater 24d at the base Ｌ３ The amount of heat dissipated from the surface of the barrel 22 is E. Ｒ３ And the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water from the material supply port 28 E Ｗ And the amount of heat dissipated to the main body of the injection molding machine 1 E Ｂ It is the sum of and . Therefore, if you know any two of these, you can automatically calculate the remaining one.

[0104]

[0105] Heat dissipation from the surface of the barrel 22 occurs through convection and radiation. Of these, the heat transfer coefficient of convection varies considerably depending on the shape and surface condition of the object, as well as the velocity and temperature of the surrounding fluid. Similarly, the emissivity of radiation also changes depending on the type of material and surface condition. This means that the parameters for heat dissipation calculations change significantly depending on the operating environment of the molding machine. Therefore, the amount of heat dissipated from the surface of the barrel 22 E... Ｒ３ The precise calculation of this is relatively difficult. Therefore, the heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​of the fourth embodiment calculates the amount of heat dissipated from the surface of the barrel 22 E Ｒ３ , the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water from the material supply port 28 E Ｗ and the amount of heat dissipated to the main body of the injection molding machine 1 E Ｂ Of these, the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water from the material supply port 28, E, can be calculated relatively easily. Ｗ and the amount of heat dissipated to the main body of the injection molding machine 1 E Ｂ The heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​then calculates the amount of heat dissipated E from the material supply port 28 to the cooling water. Ｗ and the amount of heat dissipated to the main body of the injection molding machine 1 E Ｂ Therefore, the amount of heat dissipated from the surface of the barrel 22 E Ｒ３ Calculate.

[0106] First, the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water from the material supply port 28 E Ｗ An example of the calculation method is explained below. The amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water from the material supply port 28 E Ｗ This can be calculated from the energy change of the cooling water. In the fourth embodiment, the temperature information acquisition unit 11, the characteristic information acquisition unit 13, and the operation information acquisition unit 12 determine the amount of heat dissipated into the cooling water at the material supply port 28 E Ｗ Information regarding the cooling water is obtained for calculation purposes. More specifically, the temperature information acquisition unit 11 obtains the inlet and outlet temperatures of the cooling water. The characteristic information acquisition unit 13 obtains the density and specific heat of the cooling water. The operation information acquisition unit 12 obtains the flow rate of the cooling water.

[0107] The heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​of the fourth embodiment calculates the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water from the material supply port 28 based on the information about the cooling water obtained by the temperature information acquisition unit 11, the characteristic information acquisition unit 13, and the operation information acquisition unit 12, and the following formula 16. Ｗ Calculate.

[0108] q Ｗ : Cooling water flow rate ρ Ｗ : Density of cooling water c Ｗ Specific heat of cooling water ΔT Ｗ : The difference between the inflow and outflow temperatures of the cooling water.

[0109] Next, the amount of heat dissipated to the main body of the injection molding machine 1 E Ｂ An example of the calculation method is explained below. Heat dissipation E from the main body of injection molding machine 1. Ｂ This is generated by contact heat transfer between the barrel 22 and the body of the injection molding machine 1. Therefore, the amount of heat E released to the body of the injection molding machine 1 is... Ｂ This can be calculated using Fourier's law based on the temperature gradient, thermal conductivity, and contact area between the barrel 22 and the body of the injection molding machine 1. In the fourth embodiment, the temperature information acquisition unit 11 and the characteristic information acquisition unit 13 determine the amount of heat dissipated to the body of the injection molding machine 1 E Ｂ Information regarding the body of the injection molding machine 1 is obtained for the purpose of calculating the following. More specifically, the temperature information acquisition unit 11 acquires the temperature of the barrel 22 and the body of the injection molding machine 1. The characteristic information acquisition unit 13 acquires the thermal conductivity and contact area of ​​the barrel 22 and the body of the injection molding machine 1.

[0110] The heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​of the fourth embodiment calculates the amount of heat dissipated to the body of the injection molding machine 1 based on the information about the body of the injection molding machine 1 obtained by the temperature information acquisition unit 11 and the characteristic information acquisition unit 13, and the following formula 17. Ｂ This is calculated. In this example, the thermal conductivity of the barrel 22 and the body of the injection molding machine 1 are assumed to be equal, but it can be easily calculated even if they are different.

[0111] λ Ｂ : Thermal conductivity of barrel 22 and the body of injection molding machine 1 A Ｂ ΔT: Contact area between barrel 22 and the body of injection molding machine 1 Ｂ ΔX: Temperature difference between barrel 22 and the main body of injection molding machine 1 Ｂ : Distance corresponding to temperature difference

[0112] The heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​calculates the heat dissipation amount E of the heater 24d. Ｌ３ The amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water from the material supply port 28, E, was calculated. Ｗ The amount of heat dissipated to the main body of the injection molding machine 1, calculated as E, is... Ｂ By substituting the above into equation 18, we can obtain the amount of heat dissipated from the surface of the barrel 22 E Ｒ３ Calculate.

[0113]

[0114] As described above, in the fourth embodiment, the heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36 ​​calculates the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water at the material supply port 28 of the barrel 22 E Ｗ and the amount of heat dissipated from the barrel 22 to the main body of the injection molding machine 1 E Ｂ Calculate.

[0115] This results in a heat dissipation amount E to the surrounding environment. Ｌ It can calculate and output the heat dissipation amount E in more detail. Ｌ This allows us to understand the breakdown of the process and make more effective adjustments to the molding conditions to improve energy efficiency.

[0116] [Fifth Embodiment] Next, with reference to Figures 10 to 12, a calculation device 10a of the fifth embodiment, which displays a graph plotting the calculation results of the calculation unit 15 on the display device 6 via the output unit 20, will be described.

[0117] In the following explanation, "B1 heater" in the graph refers to heater 24b with i=1, "B2 heater" refers to heater 24c with i=2, and "B3 heater" refers to heater 24d with i=3. Furthermore, the heater 24a at the nozzle section 25 is omitted from the graph because its value is smaller than that of the other heaters 24b to 24d.

[0118] Figure 10 shows an example of a bar graph displayed on the display device 6 by the output unit 20 of the fifth embodiment. In Figure 10, the amount of heat received by each molding material for "B1 heater heat transfer," "B2 heater heat transfer," "B3 heater heat transfer," and "screw shear heat generation" is displayed in the form of a bar graph.

[0119] The amount of heat in "B1 Heater Heat Transfer" in Figure 10 is the amount of heat transferred by the second heater heat transfer calculation unit 34, E. Ｔ１ It corresponds to the heat quantity of "B2 heater heat transfer", and the heat quantity E calculated by the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 is an absolute value. Ｔ２ It corresponds to the following. The heat quantity of "B3 heater heat transfer" is an absolute value, and the heater heat transfer quantity E calculated by the third heater heat transfer quantity calculation unit 35. Ｔ３ It corresponds to the following. Furthermore, the amount of heat generated by the screw shear is an absolute value, and the amount of shear heat generated E is calculated by the first heater heat transfer calculation unit 31. Ｓ It supports this.

[0120] Figure 11 shows an example of a line graph displayed on the display device 6 by the output unit 20 of the fifth embodiment. In Figure 11, the changes in the amount of heat received by each molding material according to the number of shots for "B1 heater heat transfer," "B2 heater heat transfer," "B3 heater heat transfer," and "screw shear heat generation" are displayed in line graph form. The correspondence between "B1 heater heat transfer," "B2 heater heat transfer," "B3 heater," and "screw shear heat generation" in Figure 11 and the calculation results of the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34, the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35, and the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31 is the same as in Figure 11.

[0121] Figure 12 shows an example of a pie chart displayed on the display device 6 by the output unit 20 of the fifth embodiment. Figure 11 shows the amount of heat dissipated to the surrounding environment EＬ The proportions accounted for by "B1 heater heat dissipation," "B2 heater heat dissipation," "B3 heater heat dissipation," and "screw heat dissipation" are shown in pie chart format.

[0122] The proportion of heat energy for "B1 heater heat dissipation" in Figure 12 is the heat dissipation amount E calculated by the heat dissipation amount calculation unit 36. Ｌ１ This is based on the following: Similarly, the proportion of heat from "B2 heater heat dissipation" is the amount of heat dissipated E Ｌ２ Based on this, the proportion of heat energy from "B2 heater heat dissipation" is the amount of heat dissipation E. Ｌ３ This is based on the following: "Screw heat dissipation" refers to the dissipation of a portion of the driving energy of the rotating motor of screw 23 as excess shear heat.

[0123] The proportion of heat from "screw heat dissipation" is based on the correction value of shear heat generation calculated by the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31, and the heater heat transfer amount E becomes a negative value. Ｔｉ It is based on the sum of the following.

[0124] Thus, the output unit 20 may display the absolute value of each heat quantity included in the calculation result of the calculation unit 15, or it may display it as a percentage. It may also be displayed in graph format, including positive and negative signs. For example, the amount of heat transferred to each heater region E of the resin of the molding material, out of the energy received by the resin. Ｔi Shear heat generated by screw 23 E Ｓ The proportions accounted for may be displayed in graph format. Furthermore, the graph format is not limited to bar graphs, line graphs, or pie charts; the calculation results may be plotted on other types of graphs such as bar graphs or scatter plots, or the proportions based on the calculation results may be displayed.

[0125] As described above, in the fifth embodiment, the output unit 20 outputs the calculation results in at least one of the following formats: pie chart, bar graph, band graph, line graph, and scatter plot.

[0126] This results in a plasticization state (shear heat generation E) within the barrel 22. Ｓ Heat transfer amount E of each heater Ｔｉ Heat dissipation amount E from the surface of barrel 22 Ｒi , the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water from the material supply port 28 EＷ and the amount of heat dissipated to the main body of the injection molding machine 1 E Ｂ The balance of each energy (etc.) can be displayed in a visually easy-to-understand format. Users can understand the balance of each energy more intuitively, making it easier to adjust molding conditions.

[0127] [Sixth Embodiment] Next, with reference to Figure 13, the configuration of the calculation device 10b of the sixth embodiment will be described. Figure 13 is a functional block diagram of the calculation device 10b of the injection molding machine 1 according to the sixth embodiment. As shown in Figure 13, the basic configuration of the calculation device 10b of the third embodiment is the same as the configuration of the calculation device 10 of the third to fifth embodiments. In the third embodiment, the calculation unit 15b includes a determination unit 37 in addition to the configuration of the calculation unit 15 of the third to fifth embodiments.

[0128] The determination unit 37 determines the plasticization state based on the calculation result of at least one of the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31, the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34, and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35.

[0129] The determination unit 37 determines, for example, the amount of heat generated by shearing due to the screw 23 from the energy received by the resin, which is the molding material. Ｓ The plasticization state is determined based on the proportion of the material. In this determination of the plasticization state, the amount of heat generated by shearing due to the screw 23 E Ｓ The plasticization state can be determined in stages, such as when the proportion is too high, normal, or too low. More specifically, the determination unit 37 determines the shear heat generation amount E Ｓ When the proportion of is greater than or equal to a predetermined first set value, the shear heat generated by the screw 23 E Ｓ The determination unit 37 determines that the proportion of is too high. Ｓ When the proportion of is less than the second set value set in advance, the shear heat generated by the screw 23 E Ｓ The determination unit 37 determines that the proportion of is too small. Similarly, the determination unit 37 determines the shear heat generation amount E Ｓ If the proportion of [the specified value] is less than the first setting value and equal to or greater than the second setting value, it is determined to be normal.

[0130] Alternatively, the determination unit 37 determines the plasticization state by determining the amount of heat dissipated to the surrounding environment E. Ｌ Of these, the amount of heat dissipated E from the heater 24d at the base of the barrel 22. Ｌ３ It is also possible to determine whether the proportion of is too high or not. In this determination of the plasticization state, the amount of heat dissipated from heater 24d E Ｌ３ A third setting value is pre-configured to determine whether the proportion is too high or not.

[0131] The output unit 20 outputs information for displaying a message on the display device 6 based on the determination result of the determination unit 37.

[0132] For example, the determination unit 37 determines the amount of heat generated by shearing due to the screw 23 E Ｓ If the output unit 20 determines that the proportion of is too high, it displays a message on the display device 6 such as "There is a possibility of resin deterioration due to excessive shear heat generation" or "We recommend raising the barrel setting temperature or lowering the metering rotation speed or back pressure." In addition, the determination unit 37 determines the amount of shear heat generation E due to the screw 23. Ｓ If the output unit 20 determines that the proportion of is too small, it displays a message on the display device 6 such as, "Insufficient shearing may result in insufficient mixing of the resin," or "It is recommended to lower the barrel temperature setting or increase the metering rotation speed or back pressure."

[0133] Furthermore, the determination unit 37 determines the E of the surrounding environment. Ｌ Of these, the amount of heat dissipated E from the heater 24d at the base of the barrel 22. Ｌ３ If the output unit 20 determines that the proportion is too high, it will display a message on the display device 6 such as, "It is possible that a lot of energy is being wasted in the base heater," or "We recommend lowering the set temperature of the barrel base or raising the set temperature of the material supply port cooling section."

[0134] Furthermore, the calculation unit 10 may have an interface for setting judgment criteria such as the first set value, second set value, and third set value of the judgment unit 37, allowing the user to set the judgment criteria as appropriate.

[0135] As described above, the calculation device 10b of the sixth embodiment further includes a determination unit 37 that determines the plasticization state based on the calculation result, and the output unit 20 outputs a message based on the determination result of the determination unit 37.

[0136] This allows the system to communicate the quality of the molding conditions to the user via message. By referring to the outputted message, the user can make more effective adjustments to the molding conditions.

[0137] [Seventh Embodiment] Next, the determination unit 37 determines the heater heat transfer amount E set according to the type of molding material. Ｔｉ and the shear heat generated by screw 23 E Ｓ The configuration of the calculation device 10b of the seventh embodiment, which determines the plasticization state based on the recommended value of the ratio, will be described.

[0138] Heater heat transfer amount E Ｔｉ and the shear heat generated by screw 23 E Ｓ The balance may have a preferred value depending on the type of molding material. For example, for liquid crystal polymer (LCP), the heater heat transfer amount E at the base of the barrel 22 is... Ｔ３ For accuracy, it is desirable for the energy balance to be 70% or higher. Thus, there is a preferred energy balance for each type of molding material.

[0139] In the seventh embodiment, the characteristic information acquisition unit 13 uses the type of molding material used for molding and the heater heat transfer amount E set for each type of molding material as information used for determination by the determination unit 37. Ｔｉ and the shear heat generated by screw 23 E Ｓ Obtain the recommended value that shows the percentage.

[0140] For example, the type of molding material and the recommended value corresponding to that type of molding material are stored in the memory unit 50 in association with each other, and the characteristic information acquisition unit 13 acquires the recommended value corresponding to the type of molding material to be injection molded from the memory unit 50. The recommended value may be a value or numerical range that has been empirically determined in advance through experiments, etc., or it may be based on a value or numerical range specified by the molding material manufacturer, etc.

[0141] The determination unit 37 determines the heater heat transfer amount E calculated by the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 34 and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35. Ｔｉ And the shear heat generation amount E by the screw 23 calculated by the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 31. Ｓ The ratio of and is calculated. Then, the determination unit 37 determines the calculated heater heat transfer amount E Ｔｉ and shear heat of generation E Ｓ The ratio and recommended value are compared. The calculated heater heat transfer amount E Ｔｉ and shear heat of generation E Ｓ If the ratio is a value that can be judged as appropriate based on the recommended value, the determination unit 37 determines that the plasticization state is good. The determination result of the determination unit 37 is output to the output unit 20, and the output unit 20 outputs the heater heat transfer amount E in each region of heaters 24a to 24d. Ｔｉ Shear heat generation E Ｓ The judgment result is output to the display device 6 along with information indicating the amount of heat, etc.

[0142] Heater heat transfer amount E Ｔｉ Recommended value and shear heat of death E Ｓ If the ratio is determined to be appropriate, the output unit 20 will set the heater heat transfer amount E Ｔｉ Recommended value and shear heat of death E Ｓ The display device 6 will show that the ratio is appropriate, along with other heat quantity information. Heater heat transfer quantity E Ｔｉ Recommended value and shear heat of death E Ｓ If the ratio is not determined to be appropriate, the output unit 20 will determine the heater heat transfer amount E Ｔｉ Recommended value and shear heat of death E Ｓ The display device 6 will show that the ratio is not appropriate, along with other information such as heat quantity.

[0143] As described above, in the seventh embodiment, the characteristic information acquisition unit 13 acquires the type of molding material used for molding and the heater heat transfer amount E for each type of molding material. Ｔｉ and the shear heat generated by screw 23 E Ｓ The determination unit 37 then obtains a recommended value indicating the proportion of and makes a determination based on the recommended value.

[0144] As a result, the determination unit 37 can make more accurate determinations based on the recommended values. The user can then make more effective adjustments to the molding conditions based on the message outputted based on the accurate determination result.

[0145] In the above embodiment, the specific heater, heater 24d, is located on the root side, but the location of the specific heater is not limited to the root side. For example, if a significant difference in heat generation occurs between molding and molding stoppage in a heater at a specific location, the heater at that specific location can be treated as the specific heater and the heater heat transfer amount can be calculated accordingly.

[0146] The series of processes described above can be executed by hardware or by software. In other words, the functional configuration described above is merely illustrative and not particularly limiting. That is, it is sufficient for the computer to have the functionality to execute the series of processes described above as a whole, and the type of functional block used to realize this functionality is not particularly limited to the example above. Furthermore, the location of the functional block is not particularly limited and can be arbitrary. For example, a single functional block may consist of hardware alone, software alone, or a combination of both. When the series of processes are executed by software, the programs that make up that software are installed on the computer or other device from a network or storage medium. The computer may be a computer embedded in dedicated hardware. Alternatively, the computer may be a computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs, such as a server, a general-purpose smartphone, or a personal computer.

[0147] Such recording media containing programs may consist not only of removable media (not shown) distributed separately from the main device to provide programs to users, but also of recording media provided to users, etc., pre-installed in the main device. Since programs can be distributed via a network, the recording media may be installed on or accessible from a computer connected to or capable of connecting to a network. Furthermore, the steps for writing the program to be recorded on the recording media include not only processes performed chronologically in that order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed chronologically, but are executed in parallel or individually.

[0148] While this disclosure has been described in detail, it 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 this disclosure or from the spirit of this disclosure derived from the claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, these embodiments can be implemented in combination. 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.

[0149] Further details regarding the above embodiments and modifications are disclosed below. (Note 1) A calculation device (10, 10a, 10b) for calculating the energy around the barrel (22) of an injection molding machine (1) comprising a barrel (22), a plurality of heaters (24a to 24d) arranged axially in the barrel (22), and a screw (23) arranged inside the barrel (22), comprising: a temperature information acquisition unit (11) for acquiring molding material temperature information indicating the temperature of the molding material when the barrel (22) is inserted and when it is injected; an operation information acquisition unit (12) for acquiring operation information relating to the operation of the heaters (24a to 24d) and the screw (23); and a characteristic information acquisition unit (13) for acquiring the characteristics of the molding material and the injection molding machine (1) as characteristic information. A first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit (31) calculates the energy change amount of the molding material and the shear heat generated by the screw (23) based on the molding material temperature information, the operation information and the characteristic information, and calculates the total heater heat transfer amount from the heaters (24a to 24d) to the molding material; a heater heat transfer amount acquisition unit (32) acquires the heater heat amount of each heater (24a to 24d); a heater heat transfer amount difference calculation unit (33) calculates the difference between the heater heat amount during molding and when molding is stopped while temperature control is being continued; a second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit (34) calculates the heater heat transfer amount of each of the heaters (24a, 24b, 24c) excluding a specific heater (24d) which is at least one of the plurality of heaters (24a to 24d); A calculation device (10, 10a, 10b) for an injection molding machine (1) comprising: a third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit (35) that calculates the heater heat transfer amount of the specific heater (24d) based on the total heater heat transfer amount and the heater heat transfer amounts of the other heaters (24a, 24b, 24c) excluding the specific heater; and an output unit (20) that outputs the calculation results of at least the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit (34) and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit (35).

[0150] (Note 2) In the calculation devices (10, 10a, 10b) of the injection molding machine (1) described in Note 1, the specific heater (24d) in the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit (34) and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit (35) is the heater (24d) located on the base end side of the barrel (22).

[0151] (Note 3) In the calculation devices (10, 10a, 10b) of the injection molding machine (1) described in Note 1 or 2, the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit (31) corrects the shear heat generation amount by the screw (23) based on the calculation results of the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit (34) and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit (35).

[0152] (Note 4) The calculation device (10a, 10b) of the injection molding machine (1) described in any of Notes 1 to 3 further includes a heat dissipation amount calculation unit (36) that calculates the amount of heat dissipated from the barrel (22) to the surrounding environment for each of the multiple divided regions.

[0153] (Note 5) In the calculation device (10a, 10b) of the injection molding machine (1) described in Note 4, the heat dissipation amount calculation unit (36) calculates the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water at the material supply port (28) of the barrel (22) and the amount of heat dissipated from the barrel (22) to the main body of the injection molding machine (1).

[0154] (Note 6) In the calculation device (10, 10a, 10b) of the injection molding machine (1) described in any of Notes 1 to 5, the output unit (20) outputs the calculation result in at least one of the following formats: pie chart, bar graph, band graph, line graph, scatter plot.

[0155] (Note 7) The calculation unit (10b) of the injection molding machine (1) described in any of Notes 1 to 6 further comprises a determination unit (37) that determines the plasticization state based on the calculation result, and the output unit (20) outputs a message based on the determination result of the determination unit (37).

[0156] (Note 8) In the calculation device (10b) of the injection molding machine (1) described in Note 7, the characteristic information acquisition unit (13) further acquires the type of molding material used for molding and recommended values ​​for each type of molding material that show the ratio of the heater heat transfer amount to the shear heat generation amount by the screw, and the determination unit (37) makes a determination based on the recommended values.

[0157] (Note 9) A program to operate a computer as a calculation unit (10, 10a, 10b) for calculating the energy around the barrel (22) of an injection molding machine (1) comprising a barrel (22), a plurality of heaters (24a to 24d) arranged axially on the barrel (22), and a screw (23) arranged inside the barrel (22), the program comprising: a temperature information acquisition function (11) for acquiring molding material temperature information indicating the temperature of the molding material when the barrel is loaded and when it is injected; an operation information acquisition function (12) for acquiring operation information relating to the operation of the heaters and the screw; a characteristic information acquisition function (13) for acquiring the characteristics of the molding material and the injection molding machine as characteristic information; and a first heater heat transfer amount calculation function (31) for calculating the total heater heat transfer amount from the heaters (24a to 24d) to the molding material by calculating the amount of energy change of the molding material and the amount of shear heat generated by the screw (23) based on the molding material temperature information, the operation information and the characteristic information. A program for a computer to implement the following functions: a heater heat generation acquisition function (32) for acquiring the heat generation amount of each heater (24a to 24d); a heater heat generation difference calculation function (33) for calculating the difference between the heat generation amount of the heaters during molding and when molding is stopped while temperature control is being continued; a second heater heat transfer amount calculation function (34) for calculating the heat transfer amount of each of the heaters (24a to 24c) excluding a specific heater (24d), which is at least one of the multiple heaters (24a to 24d); a third heater heat transfer amount calculation function (35) for calculating the heat transfer amount of the specific heater (24d) based on the total heat transfer amount and the heat transfer amounts of the other heaters (24a to 24c) excluding the specific heater (24d); and an output function (20) for outputting the calculation results of at least the second heater heat transfer amount calculation function (34) and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation function (35).

[0158] 1. Injection molding machine 10, 10a, 10b. Calculation unit 11. Temperature information acquisition unit 12. Operation information acquisition unit 13. Characteristic information acquisition unit 15, 15a, 15b. Calculation unit 20. Output unit 31. First heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 32. Heater heat generation amount acquisition unit 33. Heater heat generation amount difference calculation unit 34. Second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 35. Third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit 36. Heat dissipation amount calculation unit 37. Determination unit

Claims

1. A calculation device for calculating the energy around the barrel of an injection molding machine comprising a barrel, a plurality of heaters arranged axially in the barrel, and a screw arranged inside the barrel, comprising: a temperature information acquisition unit that acquires molding material temperature information indicating the temperature of the molding material when the barrel is loaded and when it is injected; an operation information acquisition unit that acquires operation information relating to the operation of the heaters and the screw; a characteristic information acquisition unit that acquires the characteristics of the molding material and the injection molding machine as characteristic information; a first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit that calculates the energy change amount of the molding material and the shear heat generation amount by the screw based on the molding material temperature information, the operation information and the characteristic information, and calculates the total heater heat transfer amount from the heaters to the molding material; a heater heat generation amount acquisition unit that acquires the heater heat generation amount of each heater; a heater heat generation amount difference calculation unit that calculates the difference between the heater heat generation amount during molding and when molding is stopped while temperature control is being continued; and a second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit that calculates the heater heat transfer amount of each heater excluding a specific heater which is at least one of the plurality of heaters. A calculation device for an injection molding machine, comprising: a third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit that calculates the heater heat transfer amount of the specified heater based on the total heater heat transfer amount and the heater heat transfer amounts of other heaters excluding the specified heater; and an output unit that outputs the calculation results of at least the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit.

2. The calculation device for an injection molding machine according to claim 1, wherein the specified heater in the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit is the heater located on the base end side of the barrel.

3. The calculation device for an injection molding machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first heater heat transfer amount calculation unit corrects the amount of shear heat generated by the screw based on the calculation results of the second heater heat transfer amount calculation unit and the third heater heat transfer amount calculation unit.

4. The calculation device for an injection molding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a heat dissipation amount calculation unit that calculates the amount of heat dissipated from the barrel to the surrounding environment for each of the multiple divided regions.

5. The calculation device for an injection molding machine according to claim 4, wherein the heat dissipation amount calculation unit calculates the amount of heat dissipated to the cooling water at the material supply port of the barrel and the amount of heat dissipated from the barrel to the main body of the injection molding machine.

6. The calculation device for an injection molding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the output unit outputs the calculation result in at least one of the following formats: pie chart, bar graph, band graph, line graph, or scatter plot.

7. The calculation device for an injection molding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a determination unit that determines the plasticization state based on the calculation result, and the output unit outputs a message based on the determination result of the determination unit.

8. The calculation device for an injection molding machine according to claim 7, wherein the characteristic information acquisition unit further acquires the type of molding material used for molding and recommended values ​​for each type of molding material, which indicate the ratio of the heater heat transfer amount to the shear heat generation amount by the screw, and the determination unit makes a determination based on the recommended values.

9. A program for operating a computer as a calculation device for calculating the energy around the barrel of an injection molding machine comprising a barrel, a plurality of heaters arranged axially in the barrel, and a screw arranged inside the barrel, comprising: a temperature information acquisition function for acquiring molding material temperature information indicating the temperature of the molding material when the barrel is loaded and when injection is performed; an operation information acquisition function for acquiring operation information relating to the operation of the heaters and the screw; a characteristic information acquisition function for acquiring the characteristics of the molding material and the injection molding machine as characteristic information; a first heater heat transfer calculation function for calculating the total heater heat transfer amount from the heaters to the molding material by calculating the energy change amount of the molding material and the shear heat generation amount by the screw based on the molding material temperature information, the operation information and the characteristic information; a heater heat generation amount acquisition function for acquiring the heater heat generation amount of each heater; and a heater heat generation amount difference calculation function for calculating the difference in the heater heat generation amount between molding and when molding is stopped while temperature control is being continued. A program for a computer to implement: a second heater heat transfer calculation function that calculates the amount of heat transferred to each of the heaters other than a specific heater, which is at least one of the multiple heaters; a third heater heat transfer calculation function that calculates the amount of heat transferred to the specific heater based on the total amount of heat transferred and the amount of heat transferred to the heaters other than the specific heater; and an output function that outputs the calculation results of at least the second heater heat transfer calculation function and the third heater heat transfer calculation function.

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