US-12623388-B2 - Controller of injection molding machine, injection molding machine, and program

US12623388B2US 12623388 B2US12623388 B2US 12623388B2US-12623388-B2

Abstract

A controller of an injection molding machine includes a receiving part configured to receive a selection of an injection molding process and a selection of an item that indicates either setting information indicative of a setting of the process or a performance value detected in the process, and an output part configured to output display information that graphically represents changes in the setting information or in the performance value based on the item preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection was received when the receiving part receives the selection of the process.

Inventors

Daigo Hotta
Takuya Mizunashi
Takasue Yamaguchi

Assignees

SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220809
Priority Date: 20210811

Claims (11)

1 . A controller of an injection molding machine comprising: a processor configured to: store, in a process correspondence information storage part, information on items, at least one of the items being preliminarily associated with at least two of a plurality of different processes that are performed for injection molding in order, at least one of the items that are preliminarily associated with one of the at least two of the plurality of different processes being different from at least one of the items that are preliminarily associated with another one of the at least two of the plurality of different processes, said information on the item being displayed when one of the process corresponding to the item of the plurality of the different processes is selected, said information on the item indicating either setting information indicative of a setting of the process corresponding to the item or a performance value detected in the process corresponding to the item; wherein the items include: a first item to be displayed when displaying a first process of the plurality of different processes is stored in association with the first process before receiving an operation to display the first process, and a second item to be displayed when displaying a second process of the plurality of different processes is stored in association with the second process before receiving an operation to display the second process, said first item being different from the second item, and wherein, when an operation to display the first process is received, the processor displays the first item for the first process, and when an operation to display the second process is received, the processor displays the second item for the second process; receive, after storing the information on the items in the process correspondence information storage part, a selection of one of the first process and the second process; and output display information that graphically represents changes in the setting information based on the item preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection was received when the processor receives the selection of the process, or display information that graphically represents changes in the performance value based on the item preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection was received when the processor receives the selection of the process, wherein each of the first process and the second process that is performed for injection molding is one of measuring process, mold closing process, pressure-boosting process, clamping process, filling process, pressure-holding process, cooling process, depressurization process, mold opening process, or ejection process.
2 . The controller of an injection molding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to output the display information according to the setting information displayed which is preliminary associated with each item, or scale information indicating a range for displaying the performance value.
3 . The controller of an injection molding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to output inquiry display information to inquire whether to switch to the item preliminarily associated with the selected injection molding process is received, and wherein the processor is configured to output the display information of the item preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection is received when the processor receives the selection for switching the item.
4 . The controller of an injection molding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to output a screen indicating the display information of the item preliminarily associated with the process to the display, in a different area of a screen display for each of a plurality of processes.
5 . The controller of an injection molding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive an operation to change the item preliminarily associated with the process, and wherein the processor is configured to output the display information of the item preliminarily associated with the process based on the change when the processor receives the selection of the process.
6 . The controller of an injection molding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises a storage medium configured to store, in association with each of the plurality of the injection processes, information of items to be displayed when the process is selected, and wherein the information of the items includes scale information indicating a maximum value and a minimum value to be displayed for each of the items.
7 . The controller of an injection molding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the information on the items includes information to specify each of the items and scale information that indicates a maximum value and a minimum value to be displayed for each of the items.
8 . The controller of an injection molding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the information on items that are stored in the process correspondence information storage part includes scale information indicating a range for displaying the performance value so as to associate the plurality of different processes with the items and the scale information, and the processor is configured to automatically output display information that graphically represents changes in the setting information based on the item and the scale information that are preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection was received when the processor receives the selection of the process, or display information that graphically represents changes in the performance value based on the item and the scale information that are preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection was received when the processor receives the selection of the process.
9 . The controller of the injection molding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to output a screen so as to receive an instruction to automatically display the first item according to a selection of the first process or display the second item according to a selection of the second process.
10 . An injection molding machine comprising: a processor configured to: store, in a process correspondence information storage part, information on items, at least one of the items being preliminarily associated with at least two of a plurality of different processes that are performed for injection molding in order, at least one of the items that are preliminarily associated with one of the at least two of the plurality of different processes being different from at least one of the items that are preliminarily associated with another one of the at least two of the plurality of different processes, said information on the item being displayed when one of the process corresponding to the item of the plurality of the different processes is selected, said information on the item indicating either setting information indicative of a setting of the process corresponding to the item or a performance value detected in the process corresponding to the item; wherein the items include: a first item to be displayed when displaying a first process of the plurality of different processes is stored in association with the first process before receiving an operation to display the first process, and a second item to be displayed when displaying a second process of the plurality of different processes is stored in association with the second process before receiving an operation to display the second process, said first item being different from the second item, and wherein, when an operation to display the first process is received, the processor displays the first item for the first process, and when an operation to display the second process is received, the processor displays the second item for the second process; receive, after storing the information on the items in the process correspondence information storage part, a selection of the one of the first process and the second process; and output display information that graphically represents changes in the setting information based on the item preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection was received when the processor receives the selection of the process, or display information that graphically represents changes in the performance value based on the item preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection was received when the processor receives the selection of the process, wherein each of the first process and the second process that is performed for injection molding is one of measuring process, mold closing process, pressure-boosting process, clamping process, filling process, pressure-holding process, cooling process, depressurization process, mold opening process, or ejection process.
11 . A recording medium configured to record a program for a computer to execute a process, comprising: storing, in a process correspondence information storage part, information on items, at least one of the items being preliminarily associated with at least two of a plurality of different processes that are performed for injection molding in order, at least one of the items that are preliminarily associated with one of the at least two of the plurality of different processes being different from at least one of the items that are preliminarily associated with another one of the at least two of the plurality of different processes, said information on the item being displayed when one of the process corresponding to the item of the plurality of the different processes is selected, said information on the item indicating either setting information indicative of a setting of the process corresponding to the item or a performance value detected in the process corresponding to the item; wherein the items include: a first item to be displayed when displaying a first process of the plurality of different processes is stored in association with the first process before receiving an operation to display the first process, and a second item to be displayed when displaying a second process of the plurality of different processes is stored in association with the second process before receiving an operation to display the second process, said first item being different from the second item, and wherein, when an operation to display the first process is received, the processor displays the first item for the first process, and when an operation to display the second process is received, the processor displays the second item for the second process; receiving, after storing the information on the items in the process correspondence information storage part, a selection of the one of the first process and the second process; and outputting display information that graphically represents changes in the setting information based on the item preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection was received when the processor receives the selection of the process, or display information that graphically represents changes in the performance value based on the item preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection was received when the processor receives the selection of the process, wherein each of the first process and the second process that is performed for injection molding is one of measuring process, mold closing process, pressure-boosting process, clamping process, filling process, pressure-holding process, cooling process, depressurization process, mold opening process, or ejection process.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to Patent Application No. 2021-131362 filed on Aug. 11, 2021 with the Japan Patent Office, and the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-131362 are hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a controller of an injection molding machine, an injection molding machine, and a program. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various sensors are provided in an injection molding machine. Therefore, in an injection molding machine, there has been proposed a technique for displaying waveform data in which the results of various operations during injection molding based on a detection signal from a sensor or the setting information by a user is represented by a waveform on a display. In recent years, various techniques have been proposed for displaying waveform data on a display of an injection molding machine. For example, conventionally, a technique is proposed in which a scale is displayed for each of a plurality of items when waveform data indicating detection results is displayed, so that the injection molding machine functions as a measuring instrument. SUMMARY A controller of an injection molding machine includes a receiving part configured to receive a selection of an injection molding process and a selection of an item that indicates either setting information indicative of a setting of the process or a performance value detected in the process, and an output part configured to output display information that graphically represents changes in the setting information or in the performance value based on the item preliminarily associated with the process for which the selection was received when the receiving part receives the selection of the process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a state of an injection molding machine according to a first embodiment when opening of a mold is completed; FIG. 2 illustrates a state of the injection molding machine according to the first embodiment when the mold is clamped; FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating components of a controller according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a table structure of a process correspondence information storage part according to the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a display screen output by the output part according to the first embodiment; FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a pop-up screen output by the output part when a process change operation in a trigger field is received in the first embodiment; FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a display screen output by the output part according to the first embodiment; FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control performed when a selection of the process is received in the controller according to the first embodiment; FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a display screen output by the output part according to a second embodiment; FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a pop-up screen output by the output part when a process change operation in the trigger field is received in the second embodiment; FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a display screen output by the output part according to the second embodiment; and FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the control performed when the selection of the process is received in the controller according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With conventional techniques, items to be displayed and the like are preset for each process. However, the items that users want to display often vary depending on the situation. For this reason, technologies that allow users to select items to be displayed have also been proposed. However, if items to be displayed for each process are selectable, the user must select the item to be displayed from multiple items each time the process is switched. The large number of selectable items makes the operations required when switching processes complicated and places a heavy operational burden on the user. One aspect of the present invention provides technology to reduce the burden of operation when switching the display of processes in an injection molding machine. According to one aspect of the invention, the user's operational burden is reduced by automatically switching to an item that corresponds to a process. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding reference numerals are assigned to the same or corresponding configurations, and descriptions thereof are omitted. FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a state when a mold opening of an injection molding machine according to a first embodiment is completed. FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a state when a mold of the injection molding machine according to the first embodiment is clamped. In this sp