Manufacturing apparatus control method, manufacturing system, control apparatus, and molded article manufacturing method

A manufacturing system comprising:

• a manufacturing apparatus;
• and
• a control apparatus capable of controlling the manufacturing apparatus,
• wherein the manufacturing apparatus includes
• an injection nozzle configured to inject resin,
• an injection cylinder configured to store resin to be supplied to the injection nozzle,
• an injection plunger configured to press the resin stored in the injection cylinder, and
• a movable unit configured to move the injection plunger,
• wherein the movable unit has a ball screw including a moving member configured to move in a direction in which the injection plunger moves, and a screw shaft configured to rotate to move the moving member,
• wherein the moving member is movable to at least a first position, a second position, and a third position in a direction along the screw shaft,
• wherein, by moving of the moving member, a first injection operation, a second injection operation that is performed after the first injection operation, and a third injection operation that is performed after the second injection operation are performed,
• wherein the first position is a position of the moving member when an amount of resin to be injected in the second injection operation is stored in the injection cylinder,
• wherein the second position is a position of the moving member when injection of the resin from the injection cylinder is completed in the second injection operation,
• wherein the third position is a position where a distance from a position of a part of the moving member in the second position to a position of the part of the moving member in the third position is larger than a distance from a position of the part of the moving member in the first position to the position of the part of the moving member in the second position,
• wherein the control apparatus moves the moving member to the third position in an interval between the first injection operation and the third injection operation,
• wherein the moving member is a member capable of separating from the injection plunger,
• wherein the moving member is further configured to move to a fifth position,
• wherein the fifth position is between the first position and the second position in the direction in which the injection plunger moves, and
• wherein, when the resin is supplied to the injection cylinder in a state where the moving member is separated from the injection plunger, the injection plunger pushed by the resin comes into contact with the moving member and moves the moving member from the fifth position to the first position.

A control apparatus that controls a manufacturing apparatus that includes

• an injection nozzle configured to inject resin,
• an injection cylinder configured to store resin to be supplied to the injection nozzle,
• an injection plunger configured to press the resin stored in the injection cylinder, and
• a movable unit configured to move the injection plunger, wherein the movable unit has a ball screw that includes a moving member and a screw shaft, the moving member being configured to move in a direction in which the injection plunger moves, the screw shaft being configured to rotate to move the moving member,
• wherein the moving member is movable to at least a first position, a second position, and a third position in a direction along the screw shaft, the control apparatus comprising:
• one or more processors configured to cause the control apparatus to:
• perform, by the moving of the moving member, a first injection operation, a second injection operation that is performed after the first injection operation, and a third injection operation that is performed after the second injection operation,
• wherein the first position is a position of the moving member when an amount of the resin to be injected in the second injection operation is stored in the injection cylinder,
• wherein the second position is a position of the moving member when injection of the resin from the injection cylinder is completed in the second injection operation,
• wherein the third position is a position where a distance from the second position to the third position is larger than a distance from the first position to the second position, and
• wherein the moving member is moved to the third position in an interval between the first injection operation and the third injection operation,
• wherein the moving member is a member capable of separating from the injection plunger,
• wherein the moving member is further configured to move to a fifth position,
• wherein the fifth position is between the first position and the second position in a direction in which the injection plunger moves, and
• wherein, when the resin is supplied to the injection cylinder in a state where the moving member is separated from the injection plunger, the injection plunger pushed by the resin comes into contact with the moving member and moves the moving member from the fifth position to the first position.