US 6,258,303 B1Granted

Apparatus and method of monitoring injection molding operation wherein sprue gate closing point of time is indicated together with displayed parameter waveforms

AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Meiki Seisakusho

InventorsKouzou Hibi, Mitsunori Seki

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Abstract

Apparatus and method of monitoring an injection molding machine for molding a disc substrate, wherein a display device is controlled based on sensor outputs to display waveforms of operating parameters of the machine, including at least four parameters selected from among a speed and a pressure of injection of a material into a mold cavity, a mold clamping pressure, a backward movement amount of a movable mold half and a position of an injecting screw of the machine, such that each waveform represents a chronological change of a value of the corresponding parameter, and the display device is further controlled to indicate a point of time at which a sprue gate through which the material is injected into the mold cavity is closed, such that the point of time is indicated together with the displayed waveforms of the operating parameters displayed. Also disclosed is a computer-accessible recording medium storing a control program to be executed to practice the method.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A monitoring apparatus for monitoring an operating condition of an injection molding machine adapted to mold a disc substrate by injection molding, said injection molding machine including a mold device having a stationary and a movable mold half which cooperate to define a mold cavity to be filled with a material to mold said disc substrate, and a sprue gate through which said material is injected into said mold cavity, said injection molding machine further including an injecting screw for injecting said material into said mold cavity through said sprue gate, said monitoring apparatus comprising a display device for displaying operation data relating to an operation of said machine, said monitoring apparatus further comprising:

first display control means operable on the basis of output signals of sensors provided on said injection molding machine, for controlling said display device to simultaneously or selectively display, as said operation data, waveforms of a plurality of operating parameters including at least four operating parameters selected from a group consisting of a speed of injection of said material into said mold cavity, a pressure of injection of said material into said mold cavity, a clamping pressure of said mold device, an amount of backward movement of said movable mold half, and a position of said injecting screw, said waveforms representing chronological changes of values of said plurality of operating parameters, respectively;
and
second display control means for controlling said display device to indicate a first point of time at which said sprue gate is closed, such that said first point of time is indicated together with said waveforms of said plurality of operating parameters displayed under the control of said first display control means.

A control apparatus for controlling an operation of an injection molding machine adapted to mold a disc substrate by injection molding, said injection molding machine including a mold device having a stationay and a movable mold half which cooperate to define a mold cavity to be filed with a material to mold said disc substate, and a sprue gate through which the material is injected into said mold cavity said injection noding machine further including an injecting screw for injecting said material into said mold cavity through said sprue gate, said control apparatus comprising:

a monitoring apparatus for monitoring an operating condition of said injection molding maching, said monitoring apparatus comprising:
a display device for displaying operation data relating to the operation of said injection molding machine;
first display control means operable on the basis of output signals of sensors provided on said injection molding machine, for controlling said display device to simultaneously or selectively display, as said operation data, waveforms of a plurality of operating parameters including at least four operating parameters selected from a group consisting of a speed of injection of said material into said mold cavity, a pressure of injection of said material into said mold cavity, a clamping pessure of said mold device, an amount of backward movement of said movable mold half, and a position of said injecting screw, said waveforms representing chronological changes of values of said plurality of operating parameters, resnectively;
and
second display control means for controlling said display device to indicate a first point of time at which said sprue gate is closed, such that said first point of time is indicated together with said waveforms of said plurality of operating parameters displayed under the control of said first display control means;
and
a sprue-gate-closing data input device for setting said first point of time as a time period from a second point of time at which said pressure of injection of said material into said mold cavity is reduced from an initial level to a hold level lower than said initial level.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.