Method for injection molding

• US 6,555,035 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Machine Company Limited (Shibaura Machine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Machine Company Limited (Shibaura Machine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Matsubayashi, Haruyuki, Iimura, Yukio
• Primary Examiner(s): Silbaugh, Jan H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUSON, MONICA ANNE
• Application Number:
  US09/772,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 264/40.1, 264/40.5, 425/145
• US Class Current: 264/40.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76003 Measured parameter
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76006 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/7602 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76083 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76187 screw
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76214 drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76287 Moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76307 hydraulic fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76371 Intrusion
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76381 Injection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76498 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76665 screw
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76943 compare with thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/76 Measuring, controlling or regulating measuring in general G01; controlling or regulating in general G05

Abstract

The retreat completion position of the screw in the charging step in actual production is controlled based on the result in pilot production as follows. In pilot production, the measurement value Ts of the screw driving torque is integrated with respect to the screw position P from the forward limit to the retreat completion position Ps. When conforming item is produced in the pilot production, the value ΣTs·dP obtained as a result of the integration is stored as a reference value. After actual production begins, the measurement value Tx of the screw driving torque is integrated in real time with respect to the screw position P from the forward limit to the screw position at each time. The obtained value ΣTx·dP is monitored. When this value ΣTx·dP coincides with the reference value ΣTs·dP, it is determined that the charging step has been completed, and the retreat operation of the screw is stopped.

Claims

1. A method for injection molding for introducing and melting molding material in a barrel containing a screw, and thereafter injecting a molten material into a mold, said method comprising the steps of:

carrying out pilot production to collect data showing a relationship between a screw retreat distance from a forward limit and screw driving torque when introducing and melting the molding material in the barrel, and integrating the screw driving torque with respect to the screw retreat distance from the forward limit to a retreat completion position of the screw, thereby obtaining a first integral value;

storing as a reference value the first integral value obtained when a conforming item is produced in the pilot production;

carrying out actual production to measure screw driving torque when introducing and melting the molding material, and integrating in real time the screw driving torque with respect to the screw retreat distance from the forward limit to a screw position at each time, thereby obtaining a second integral value; and

monitoring the second integral value, when the second integral value coincides with the reference value, determining that the step of introducing the molding material is completed, and stopping a rotation of the screw.

3. A method for injection molding according to claim 1, wherein the screw is driven by an electric motor and the screw driving torque is calculated based on a current value of the electric motor.

5. A method for injection molding according to claim 1, wherein the screw is driven by a hydraulic motor and the screw driving torque is calculated based on a hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic motor.

7. A method for injection molding according to claim 1, wherein when the molding material introduced and melted in the barrel is injected into the mold, a position where an advance speed of the screw is changed is shifted at each shot with reference to the retreat completion position in the step of introducing the molding material.

2. A method for injection molding for introducing and melting molding material in a barrel containing a screw, and thereafter injecting a molten material into a mold, said method comprising the steps of:

carrying out pilot production to collect data showing a relationship between a screw retreat distance from a forward limit and screw driving torque when introducing and melting the molding material in the barrel, and integrating the screw driving torque with respect to the screw retreat distance from a reference position, which is preset near the forward limit, to a retreat completion position of the screw, thereby obtaining a first integral value;

storing as a reference value the first integral value obtained when a conforming item is produced in the pilot production;

carrying out actual production to measure screw driving torque when introducing and melting the molding material, and integrating in real time the screw driving torque with respect to the screw retreat distance from the reference position to a screw position at each time, thereby obtaining a second integral value; and

monitoring the second integral value, when the second integral value coincides with the reference value, determining that the step of introducing the molding material is completed, and stopping a rotation of the screw.

4. A method for injection molding according to claim 2, wherein the screw is driven by an electric motor and the screw driving torque is calculated based on a current value of the electric motor.

6. A method for injection molding according to claim 2, wherein the screw is driven by an electric motor and the screw driving torque is calculated based on a hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic motor.

8. A method for injection molding according to claim 2, wherein when the molding material introduced and melted in the barrel is injected into the mold, a position where an advance speed of the screw is changed is shifted at each shot with reference to the retreat completion position in the step of introducing the molding material.

9. A method for injection molding for introducing and melting molding material in a barrel containing a screw, and thereafter injecting a molten material into a mold, said method comprising the steps of:

carrying out pilot production to collect data showing a relationship between elapsed time from a beginning of retreat of the screw from a forward limit and screw driving torque when introducing and melting the molding material in the barrel, and integrating the screw driving torque with respect to the elapsed time from the forward limit to a retreat completion position of the screw, thereby obtaining a first integral value;

storing as a reference value the first integral value obtained when a conforming item is produced in the pilot production;

carrying out actual production to measure screw driving torque when introducing and melting the molding material, and integrating in real time the screw driving torque with respect to the elapsed time from the forward limit to a screw position at each time, thereby obtaining a second integral value; and

monitoring the second integral value, when the second integral value coincides with the reference value, determining that the step of introducing the molding material is completed, and stopping a rotation of the screw.

11. A method for injection molding according to claim 9, wherein the screw is driven by an electric motor and the screw driving torque is calculated based on a current value of the electric motor.

13. A method for injection molding according to claim 9, wherein the screw is driven by a hydraulic motor and the screw driving torque is calculated based on a hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic motor.

15. A method for injection molding according to claim 9, wherein when the molding material introduced and melted in the barrel is injected into the mold, a position where an advance speed of the screw is changed is shifted at each shot with reference to the retreat completion position in the step of introducing the molding material.

10. A method for injection molding for introducing and melting molding material in a barrel containing a screw, and thereafter injecting a molten material into a mold, said method comprising the steps of:

carrying out pilot production to collect data showing a relationship between elapsed time from a beginning of retreat of the screw from a forward limit and screw driving torque when introducing and melting the molding material in the barrel, and integrating the screw driving torque with respect to the elapsed time from a reference position, which is preset near the forward limit, to a retreat completion position of the screw, thereby obtaining a first integral value;

storing as a reference value the first integral value obtained when a conforming item is produced in the pilot production;

carrying out actual production to measure screw driving torque in the step of introducing and melting the molding material, and integrating in real time the screw driving torque with respect to the elapsed time from the reference position to a screw position at each time, thereby obtaining a second integral value; and

monitoring the second integral value, when the second integral value coincides with the reference value, determining that the step of introducing the molding material is completed, and stopping a rotation of the screw.

12. A method for injection molding according to claim 10, wherein the screw is driven by an electric motor and the screw driving torque is calculated based on a current value of the electric motor.

14. A method for injection molding according to claim 10, wherein the screw is driven by a hydraulic motor and the screw driving torque is calculated based on a hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic motor.

16. A method for injection molding according to claim 10, wherein when the molding material introduced and melted in the barrel is injected into the mold, a position where an advance speed of the screw is changed is shifted at each shot with reference to the retreat completion position in the step of introducing the molding material.