Flaskless Molding Line Mold Shift Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flaskless molding machines experience mold shifts of cope and drag during the manufacturing process, leading to inefficiencies and prolonged downtime due to the difficulty in determining the cause of these shifts.
Innovation Solution
A method and flaskless molding line that involves measuring specific data at positions where mold shifts occur, comparing them to an allowable range, and taking corrective actions to prevent or optimize mold shifts, including modifying the allowable range based on occurrence data and using a controller to implement these actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional flaskless molding machines operate without measurement systems, then the manufacturing process is simple, but mold shift occurs and causes prolonged downtime due to difficulty in determining the cause
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by measuring specific data (acceleration, impact, vibration, position) at critical positions before mold shift occurs. The measurement system is set up in advance to detect potential issues during the manufacturing process, allowing preventive action to be taken before mold shift happens, thus improving reliability without requiring complex real-time intervention systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by comparing measured specific data against predetermined allowable ranges. When measurements fall outside acceptable ranges, the system provides feedback about potential mold shift causes, enabling operators to take corrective action. This feedback mechanism improves mold shift prevention while keeping the system relatively simple by using straightforward comparison logic rather than complex control algorithms.
2Productivity
If operators manually determine the cause of mold shift, then the system remains simple, but significant time is spent on cause determination reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the system to automatically determine mold shift causes through measurement and comparison. Instead of relying on operators to manually investigate, the measurement system automatically detects anomalies by comparing specific data against allowable ranges, providing cause information without human intervention. This significantly reduces cause determination time and improves productivity while maintaining operational simplicity.
3Measurement precision
If measurement systems are implemented to detect mold shift, then mold shift can be detected in real-time, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the measurement system into distinct functional components: acceleration sensors for detecting shock, impact sensors for measuring force, vibration sensors for monitoring oscillation, and position sensors for tracking location. Each sensor type measures a specific parameter, and the system processes each measurement independently against its own allowable range. This segmentation improves measurement precision for different types of mold shift while keeping each individual measurement function relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
Providing a method for reducing occurrences of a mold shift of a cope and a drag that have been molded by a flaskless molding machine and have been assembled by estimating a cause of a mold shift based on measurements and by taking appropriate measures, and a flaskless molding line that uses the method. The method for reducing occurrences of a mold shift of a cope and a drag (1, 2) that have been molded by a flaskless molding machine (200) and have been assembled comprises a step of measuring specific data at positions where a mold shift may occur during a process for manufacturing or taking out the cope and the drag, and a step of determining if the obtained specific data are within an allowable range.