Apparatus for taking out molded product

An apparatus for taking out a molded product, comprising:

• a vacuum suction device including a suction member operable to suck up a molded product, a vacuum generator connected to the suction member via a pipe to apply a vacuum pressure to the suction member, a pressure valve operable to control the vacuum pressure to be applied from the vacuum generator to the suction member, and a pressure detector operable to detect a pressure to be applied to the suction member;
• a moving mechanism operable to move the suction member to take out the molded product from a mold of a molding machine;
• a controller operable to perform operation control of the vacuum generator and the pressure valve, and drive control of the moving mechanism;
• a pressure data storing section operable to store a change in the pressure detected by the pressure detector as time-series pressure data;
• and
• a suction error cause determining section operable to determine if a suction error by the suction member occurs and/or a suction error is likely to occur, and a cause thereof, wherein:
• the suction error cause determining section determines if a suction error by the suction member occurs and/or a suction error is likely to occur, and a cause thereof on a basis of a result of comparing the time-series pressure data with predetermined time-series reference data;
• wherein the time-series pressure data includes an idle suction pressure in the pipe before the suction member sucks up the molded product, a suction start pressure that indicates the suction member has started sucking up the molded product, a post take-out pressure that indicates a pressure after the suction member together with the molded product has been elevated to a predetermined position after the suction member has sucked up the molded product, and a peak pressure that is a maximum pressure out of pressures in the pipe after the idle suction pressure has been detected and until the post take-out pressure is detected;
• and
• wherein the time series reference data include one or more reference pressure values determined in advance by testing, and information on a plurality of time-series pressure change patterns collected in advance that are associated with causes of suction errors;
• and,
• the suction error cause determining section determines that no suction error occurs in conditions that the idle pressure is lower than the reference pressure value and the post take-out pressure and the peak pressure are lower than the reference pressure;
• determines that the suction error occurs or the suction error is likely to occur when the conditions are not satisfied;
• and outputs information on causes of suction errors occurring or likely to occur on a basis of the result of comparing and the plurality of time-series pressure change patterns when it determines that the suction error occurs or the suction error is likely to occur.