US 10,987,841 B2Granted

Determining process parameter values in an injection moulding process

AssigneeBTMT GmbH

InventorsHolger Mensler, Josef Maertl

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Abstract

The invention describes a method of determining a number of process parameter values within an injection mould (1F) during an injection moulding process, which method comprises the steps of determining geometric data of the injection mould (1F) and/or of a form part (1, 1′, 1″) to be manufactured, determining a virtual part-specific pressure curve (pS) of an injection moulding process, determining a part-specific event pattern (MS) on the basis of the virtual part-specific pressure curve (pS), carrying out an injection moulding process using the injection mould (1F) and determining a measured pressure curve (pm) during the injection moulding process and determining a measurement event pattern (Mm) on the basis of the measured pressure curve (pm). Process parameter values are derived on the basis of the virtual event pattern and the measurement event pattern. The invention further describes a corresponding process parameter value determining apparatus and an injection mould arrangement.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of determining a number of process parameter values within an injection mould during an injection moulding process, the method comprising:

determining geometric data of the injection mould and/or of a form part to be manufactured in the injection mould,
determining a virtual part-specific pressure curve of an injection moulding process on the basis of the geometric data,
determining a part-specific event pattern on the basis of the virtual part-specific pressure curve, whereby the part-specific event pattern comprises a plurality of unique virtual events linked to characteristic event locations of the part geometry, to each of which is assigned at least one relative time information and/or virtual actuator position as well as at least one position datum, which defines a position of a melt front of the injection moulding material in a mould cavity of the injection mould,
carrying out an injection moulding process using the injection mould and determining a measured pressure curve during the injection moulding process,
determining a measurement event pattern in the mould cavity on the basis of the measured pressure curve, wherein the measured pressure curve comprises a plurality of unique measurement events in the mould cavity, to each of which is assigned at least one time information and/or actuator position,
assigning virtual events of the part-specific event pattern to measurement events of the measurement event pattern in the mould cavity, and
deriving process parameter values on the basis of the position data assigned to the virtual events and on the basis of the time information and/or actuator positions assigned to the measurement events in the mould cavity that were matched to these virtual events.

4 more elements

A process parameter value determining apparatus for determining a number of process parameter values in an injection moulding procedure inside an injection mould, comprising

a first interface for determining geometry data of the injection mould and/or a form part to be manufactured in the injection mould,
a pressure gradient determining unit adapted to determine a virtual part-specific pressure gradient of an injection moulding procedure on the basis of the geometry data,
a pattern determining unit adapted to determine a part-specific event pattern on the basis of the virtual part-specific pressure gradient, whereby the part-specific event pattern comprises a plurality of singular virtual events linked to characteristic event locations of the form part geometry, to each of which is assigned at least one relative time information and/or a virtual actuator position in addition to at least one position information that defines a position of a melt front of the injection material in a mould cavity of the injection mould,
a second interface to acquire a measurement pressure gradient during an injection moulding procedure for an injection moulding arrangement using that injection mould,
a pattern determining unit adapted to determine a measurement event pattern on the basis of the measurement pressure gradient, whereby the measurement event pattern comprises a plurality of singular measurement events in the mould cavity to which are assigned at least one time information and/or actuator position,
an assignment unit adapted to assign virtual events of the part-specific event pattern to measurement events of the measurement event pattern in the mould cavity,
an analysis unit adapted to derive process parameter values on the basis of the position data assigned to the virtual events and on the basis of the time information and/or actuator positions assigned to the measurement events in the mould cavity that were matched to these virtual events.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/570,760Filed 29 Mar 2016
Priority: DE 10 2015 107 024.36 May 2015
Published: US 2018/0117816 A13 May 2018
Granted: 27 Apr 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

B29C 45/766
Measuring, controlling or regulating: the setting or resetting of moulding conditions, e.g. before starting a cycle
B29C 45/7693
Measuring, controlling or regulating: using rheological models of the material in the mould, e.g. finite elements method
B29C 45/77
Measuring, controlling or regulating: of velocity or pressure of moulding material
G05B 19/042
Program control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers: using digital processors