Molded Product Takeout Teaching With Virtual Die-Surface Projection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing teaching methods for systems that take out molded products rely on operator intuition and visual observation with multiple imaging devices, making it difficult to accurately determine if the attachment interferes with the die, leading to increased operation time and potential collisions.

Innovation Solution

A system using a single imaging device to capture and display images of the die and attachment, with a virtual plane projection of the attachment's image onto the die's opening end surface, allowing for precise position correction before interference, and including indicators for dimension ratio determination to prevent collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If multiple imaging devices are used to capture images around the die and attachment, then the operator can view the positioning relationship from multiple angles, but the system complexity increases and it becomes difficult to accurately determine interference between the attachment and die

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual information completenessVSAvoidnumber of imaging devices
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple imaging devices into a single imaging device that captures the entire working area including both the die and attachment in one field of view. This consolidation reduces system complexity while maintaining complete visual information about the positioning relationship between components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a virtual dimension by projecting the attachment's three-dimensional position and shape onto a two-dimensional plane that represents the die's opening end surface. This virtual projection allows the operator to visualize the attachment's position relative to the die in a way that reveals interference conditions that cannot be seen from any single physical camera angle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the operator relies on intuition to align the attachment with the die by viewing the lateral direction, then the operation can be performed without additional equipment, but the operation time increases and positioning accuracy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidteaching operation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a virtual copy of the attachment's position and shape information and displays it on the die's surface. This visual copy provides the operator with immediate feedback about the attachment's positioning accuracy, eliminating the need for intuitive alignment and reducing teaching operation time while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If the attachment is advanced into the die without visual verification, then the operation speed increases, but the risk of collision between the attachment and die increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation speedVSAvoidcollision prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary visual verification by displaying the attachment's projected position on the die's surface before the attachment is actually advanced into the die. This allows the operator to confirm that the attachment will not interfere with the die, enabling faster operation speeds while maintaining high reliability through advance collision detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3978217B1Teaching method for system for taking out molded product and apparatus for taking out molded product
Publication Date: 2023.03.29 YUSHIN PRECISION EQUIP CO LTD
  • EP3978217B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3978217B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3978217B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

There is provided a teaching method for a system for taking out a molded product. A projected image PI obtained by projecting an attachment (47, 48) mounted to an elevating frame 45 onto a virtual plane IP, or a maximum-dimension virtual projected image MPI of the projected image PI, is displayed as is superposed on the virtual plane IP, the virtual plane IP including a captured image CI of an opening end surface 7A, 11A of a die 7, 11 that is opened, the captured image CI being captured by a single imaging device 49, before the attachment (47, 48) is advanced into the die 7, 11. The range of the die 7, 11 that is opened in which the attachment (47, 48) is to be lowered is checked through visual observation.