Mold Surface Texture Fidelity via Inclination-Based Parameter Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the manufacturing of molded products using injection molding, it is challenging to maintain the fidelity and continuity of surface textures when the mold release direction and shape complexity vary, leading to difficulties in identifying regions that require adjustments to balance evaluation items.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus is employed to acquire shape data, mold release direction, and processing parameters. It generates processing parameter maps emphasizing fidelity and continuity, calculates differences between these maps, and notifies the user about regions that require adjustments to maintain texture consistency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the height difference of irregularities is changed to improve mold releasability, then the mold release performance is improved, but the fidelity of the reproduced texture decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemold releasabilityVSAvoidtexture fidelity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different regions on the mold surface. Regions are classified based on their inclination angles relative to the mold release direction: regions with smaller inclination angles maintain the target height difference to preserve texture fidelity, while regions with larger inclination angles reduce the height difference to ensure mold releasability. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing each region to optimize for its specific geometric constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the processing parameter (height difference of irregularities) based on the inclination angle of each region. By dynamically adjusting this parameter according to local geometric conditions, the system optimizes both mold releasability and texture fidelity simultaneously, rather than applying a uniform height difference across the entire mold surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If the height difference of irregularities is gradually changed to maintain texture continuity, then the continuity of texture is improved, but the region where target texture is faithfully reproduced becomes narrow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetexture continuityVSAvoidregion width for faithful texture reproduction

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by classifying regions based on inclination angle thresholds. Regions with small inclination angles (below a predetermined threshold) maintain the target height difference to preserve texture fidelity, while regions with large inclination angles reduce the height difference. This creates a sharp boundary rather than gradual transition, maximizing the area of faithful texture reproduction while ensuring mold releasability in critical regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the mold surface into distinct regions based on inclination angle criteria. By dividing the surface into regions that require different height difference treatments, the system can optimize each segment independently, preventing the texture continuity issue that arises from gradual changes while maintaining overall functional performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the shape of the molded product is complicated or multiple molds are used, then the design flexibility is improved, but the difficulty of identifying trade-off regions increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoididentification of trade-off regions

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses visual differentiation (analogous to color changes) to display trade-off regions on the mold surface. By visually marking regions where height difference reduction is required, the system makes these trade-off areas easily identifiable even in complex molded products with multiple molds and varying release directions, thus resolving the difficulty of detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent provides feedback by visually indicating which regions require height difference adjustment. This feedback mechanism allows designers to immediately identify trade-off regions without manual analysis, facilitating quick adjustments even in complex designs with multiple molds and release directions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12322028B2Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.06.03 CANON KK

AI summary

An information processing apparatus includes a shape data acquisition unit configured to acquire shape data indicating a three-dimensional shape of a mold for forming a molded product, a mold release direction acquisition unit configured to acquire a mold release direction in separating the molded product from the mold, a processing parameter acquisition unit configured to acquire a processing parameter for processing to be applied to a surface of the mold, a calculation unit configured to calculate, based on the shape data, the mold release direction and the processing parameter, a difference between a plurality of processing parameter maps each indicating a correspondence between a position on the surface of the mold and the processing parameter, and a notification unit configured to notify information about the difference.