APPARATUS FOR CHECKING A STATE OF A MACHINE PART

• US 20170131694A1
• Filed: 11/03/2016
• Published: 05/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Engel Austria GmbH (Engel Holding GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Engel Austria GmbH (Engel Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: PICHLER, Kurt, KLINGLMAYR, Johannes, KILIAN, Friedrich Johannes, PFEIL, Reimar
• Granted Patent: US 10,203,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76026 Energy, power
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/7604 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76083 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76163 Errors, malfunctioning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76933 The operating conditions are corrected immediately, during the same phase or cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76936 The operating conditions are corrected in the next phase or cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/7666 of power or energy, e.g. integral function of force
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/768 Detecting defective moulding conditions B29C45/84 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/78 of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/80 of relative position of mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/406 characterised by monitoring or safety G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37234 Monitor tool before, after and during machining
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37256 Wear, tool wear
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50083 Power loss, measures again loss of power

Abstract

Apparatus for checking a state of a machine part of a shaping machine, comprising an evaluation unit, at least one power loss sensor for ascertaining a power loss measurement signal which is representative of a power loss in and/or at the machine part, and at least one movement sensor for ascertaining a movement measurement signal which is representative of a movement of the machine part, wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to compute a damage indicator for the machine part from the power loss measurement signal and from the movement measurement signal.

Claims

1. Apparatus for checking a state of a machine part of a shaping machine, comprising

an evaluation unit,

at least one power loss sensor for ascertaining a power loss measurement signal which is representative of a power loss in and/or at the machine part, and

at least one movement sensor for ascertaining a movement measurement signal which is representative of a movement of the machine part,

wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to compute a damage indicator for the machine part from the power loss measurement signal and from the movement measurement signal.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 comprising a wear sensor, preferably a particle counter or oil condition sensor, for ascertaining the wear of the machine part, wherein that ascertained wear can be communicated as a wear measurement signal to the evaluation unit which additionally takes account of that wear measurement signal for calculating the damage indicator.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the machine part is a drive unit, preferably a transmission, particularly preferably a ball screw drive, of a shaping machine.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to use the power loss measurement signal for correction of an ambient temperature measurement signal representing an ambient temperature, to obtain a cleaned temperature measurement signal.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein provided on the shaping machine or in the region of the shaping machine is an ambient temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature and for outputting the ambient temperature measurement signal.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the movement sensor is in the form of a vibration sensor, a speed sensor or an acceleration sensor.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein different vibration frequency ranges can be output as frequency bands with the acceleration sensor.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the evaluation unit calculates a chipping indicator from measurement values of the wear sensor and/or from the features, preferably frequency peaks or pulse signals, of the frequency bands.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the evaluation unit calculates a friction indicator from the power loss measurement signal, preferably from the cleaned temperature measurement signal.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the evaluation unit calculates an abrasion wear indicator from the movement measurement signal.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein the damage indicator is composed from the chipping indicator the friction indicator and the abrasion wear indicator.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the evaluation unit additionally calculates the damage indicator from at least one electrical signal of the shaping machine.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the at least one electrical signal of the shaping machine represents a position and/or a direction of movement of the machine part of the shaping machine.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the at least one electrical signal of the shaping machine represents a temperature of a part, for example a spindle of the shaping machine, and said signal is also incorporated into ascertainment of the power loss.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the power loss sensor is in the form of a temperature sensor for determining the waste heat or in the form of a virtual sensor which ascertains the power loss from a difference between power fed into the shaping machine and issuing from the shaping machine.

18. A shaping machine, in particular an injection molding machine or injection press, comprising an apparatus as set forth in claim 1.

19. A shaping machine as set forth in claim 18 wherein the shaping machine has an open-loop or closed-loop control unit in signal-transmitting relationship with the evaluation unit for open-loop or closed-loop control of the shaping machine.

20. A shaping machine as set forth in claim 19 wherein the open-loop or closed-loop control unit provides for open-loop or closed-loop control of the shaping machine in dependence on the damage indicator communicated by the evaluation unit to the open-loop or closed-loop control unit and possibly shuts down the machine part.

21. A shaping machine as set forth in claim 19 wherein a warning signal can be output by way of the open-loop or closed-loop control unit in dependence on the damage indicator communicated by the evaluation unit to the open-loop or closed-loop control unit when the communicated damage indicator reaches a fixed threshold value.

22. A shaping machine as set forth in claim 18 wherein the damage indicator can be displayed by way of a display device.

23. A method of checking a state of a machine part of a shaping machine, in particular with an apparatus as set forth in claim 1, comprising the steps:

ascertaining a power loss in and/or at the machine part,

ascertaining a movement of the machine part, and

calculating a damage indicator for the machine part by an evaluation unit from the power loss and from the movement.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 comprising the step of ascertaining a wear of the machine part with a wear sensor, wherein the wear is taken into consideration for calculation of the damage indicator.

3. Apparatus for checking a state of a machine part of a shaping machine comprising

an evaluation unit, and

a wear sensor for ascertaining the wear of the machine part, wherein a wear measurement signal which is representative of that ascertained wear (VS) can be communicated to the evaluation unit,

wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to compute a damage indicator for the machine part from the wear measurement signal.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 comprising

at least one power loss sensor for ascertaining a power loss measurement signal which is representative of a power loss in and/or at the machine part, and/or

at least one movement sensor for ascertaining a movement measurement signal which is representative of a movement of the machine part,

wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to calculate a damage indicator for the machine part from the power loss measurement signal and/or from the movement measurement signal together with the wear measurement signal.

25. A method of checking a state of a machine part of a shaping machine, in particular with an apparatus as set forth in claim 3, comprising the steps:

ascertaining a wear of the machine part, and

calculating a damage indicator (SI) for the machine part by an evaluation unit from the ascertained wear.

26. A method as set forth in claim 25 comprising the steps:

ascertaining a power loss in and/or at the machine part, and/or

ascertaining a movement of the machine part, and

calculating a damage indicator for the machine part by the evaluation unit, wherein in addition the power loss and/or the movement is/are taken into consideration for calculation of the damage indicator.