System for use in performance of injection molding operations

• US 8,280,544 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mold Masters 2007 Limited (Hillenbrand Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mold Masters 2007 Limited (Hillenbrand Incorporated)
• Inventors: Catoen, Bruce, Gorgenyi, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnes-Bullock, Crystal J
• Application Number:
  US12/611,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 700/197, 700/200, 700/201, 700/204, 700245-247, 700/250, 700/253, 700/254, 700/257, 700259-262, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 702/182, 702/184, 702/187, 702/188, 340/1.1, 340/6.1, 340/8.1, 340/286.01, 340988-990, 340/995.1
• US Class Current: 700/204
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/76 Measuring, controlling or regulating measuring in general G01; controlling or regulating in general G05

Abstract

There is provided a system for use in performance of injection molding operations, wherein the system can include a plurality of injection molding assembly components. In one embodiment, the system can be operative so that various information respecting components of the system can be recorded within a component database. The component database can be a computer implemented database and in one embodiment can be utilized to output information that indicates past and/or present conditions prevailing within the system.

Claims

1. A system for use in performance of injection molding operations, said system for use in a facility in which injection molding assembly components can be moved between work cells and a storage location, and in which an injection molding assembly component can be associated to different combinations of associated injection molding assembly components to define different injection molding assembly configurations, the system comprising:

first and second injection molding assembly components, each being of a component type selected from the group consisting of a mold, injection molding machine, dryer, chiller, and robot;

wherein the system is operative to determine a current location of each of the first and second injection molding assembly components,

wherein the system is operative to output a facility map indicating a current location of each of the first and second injection molding assembly components.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes a computer implemented database that records information indicating a migration of the first and second injection molding assembly components over time, and wherein the system is operative to output a facility map indicating a location of each of a plurality of injection molding assembly components at an operator designated time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the facility map includes designators for a plurality of work cells and an indicator for an injection molding assembly component within at least one work cell.

4. A system for use in performance of injection molding operations, the system comprising:

a computer implemented database having recorded therein information defining an injection molding assembly configuration determined to be operational, the information including identifying information for a plurality of injection molding assembly components of the configuration;

wherein the system is operative to determine information indicating a current location of a component of the injection molding assembly configuration determined to be operational, the component being of a component type selected from the group consisting of a mold, injection molding machine, dryer, chiller, and robot; and

wherein the system is further operative to output the information indicating a current location of the component.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the system is operative to determine that the injection molding assembly configuration is operational responsively to a monitoring of a production run cycle.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the system is operative to determine that the injection molding assembly configuration is operational responsively to an operator input command input to designate the injection molding assembly configuration as being operational.

7. A system for use in performance of injection molding operations, the system comprising:

a user interface allowing an operator to selectively output information respecting an injection molding assembly component, the injection molding assembly component being selected from the group consisting of a mold, an injection molding machine, a dryer a chiller and a robot;

wherein the system is operative to determine information indicating a current location of the injection molding assembly component;

wherein the system is further operative to output the information indicating a current location of the injection molding assembly component.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is operative to output a facility map in which a current location of the injection molding assembly component is highlighted.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the user interface is incorporated in a mobile workstation computer that is transportable between work cells of an injection molding facility.