JPH07290547A - Remote control method of injection molding machine, local controller and remote control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To omit the time and cost altering the program of a host computer system when an injection molding machine is remotely controlled by the host computer system and the kind of an injection molding machine to be connected is altered. CONSTITUTION:Local input and output devices 1, 2, a communication part 7 performing the transmission and reception with the outside and a mechanical control part 6 controlling the operations of a plurality of injection molding machines are provided. Local controllers 71, 72, 73 consisting of screen defining files 81, 82, 83 preliminarily storing the specification conditions and screen control programs to a plurality of the injection molding machines, the screen control part 53 concerned with a display part 3 and an input part 4 and the screen control part 51 concerned with the outside through the communication part 7 and a remote operation part consisting of an input part 12, a display part 10 and a communication part 8 transmitting and receiving data with respect to the communication part 7 are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote control device for an injection molding machine, which can be connected to a host computer system for centralized management.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a remote control device for a conventional injection molding machine, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system showing the relationship with the conventional injection molding machine. Local controller 7
The machine control units 6 of 6, 77, 78 are injection molding machines 91, 9
This is the place where the program that operates 2, 93 is stored. The screen control unit 5 is a place where a program for managing data among the machine control unit 6, the display unit 3, the input unit 4, and the communication unit 7 is stored. Further, the screen control unit 9 of the host computer system 66 stores the programs of the screen control unit 5 of the local controllers 76, 77, and 78 that match the host computer system 66. Data (molding data) for performing the operations of the injection molding machines 91, 92, 93 is normally input from the input device 2 to the input unit 4
It is converted by the screen control unit 5 via the and sent to the machine control unit 6. On the contrary, the measurement value (measurement data) input to the machine control unit 6 is converted by the screen control unit 5 and displayed on the display device 1 via the display unit 3.

When remotely controlling the injection molding machine, molding data is sent from the host computer system 66 to the machine control unit 6 via the communication unit 7 by serial communication. In this way, the injection molding machines 91, 92, 9
3 can be operated from the host computer system 66 as well as being operated by the control device (local controllers 76, 77, 78) attached to the injection molding machines 91, 92, 93.

[0004]

The host computer system 66 has three injection molding machines 91, 9 of different models.
2, 93 are connected. In this case, the local controllers 76, 77, 78 side needed three types of screens and a control program for operating the injection machine. The host computer system 66 side is also the local controller 7
In order to display the screen of the host computer system 66, three kinds of screen control programs A, B, and C are required corresponding to the screen control units 5 of 6, 77, and 78, and the program of the host computer system 66 is complicated. Met.

Even if only one injection molding machine is connected to the host computer system 66, if the specifications of the injection molding machines 76, 77, 78 are changed, the program of the host computer system 66 will be adapted accordingly. Had to change.

[0006]

A remote control method for an injection molding machine according to the present invention comprises a plurality of injection molding machines (91, 92, 9).
3) The specification conditions and the screen control program for each of them are stored in advance in the screen definition file (81, 82, 83), and the specification conditions and the screen control program stored in the screen definition file (81, 82, 83) are stored at the machine start-up. Input to the screen control unit (53) and the screen control unit (51), the screen control unit (53) controls the input and output of data relating to the display device (1) and the input device (2), and the screen control unit (51) ) Is characterized by transmitting and receiving data to and from the outside through the communication unit (7).

Further, the local controller of the injection molding machine according to the present invention comprises a display section (3) for controlling the display apparatus (1), an input section (4) for controlling the input apparatus (2), and an external and external data. Specification conditions for each of the communication unit (7) for transmission / reception, the machine control unit (6) for controlling the operation of the plurality of injection molding machines (91, 92, 93), and the plurality of injection molding machines (91, 92, 93) A screen definition file (81, 82, 83) in which the screen control program is stored in advance, the specification condition and the screen control program stored in the screen definition file (81, 82, 83) are input at the time of machine start-up, and a display device (1) And a screen control unit (53) for controlling input / output of data relating to the input device (2), screen definition files (81, 82, 83)
The screen control unit (51) is characterized in that the specification conditions and the screen control program stored in (1) are input at the time of machine startup and data is transmitted and received to and from the outside via the communication unit (7).

Further, the remote controller of the injection molding machine of the present invention is a local controller (71, 72, 73).
And an input unit (12) for controlling the input device (13) and a drawing command for a basic figure or character transmitted from the communication unit (7) of the local controller (71, 72, 73). A remote operation unit (61) including a communication unit (8) for transmitting molding data and the like sent from (12) to the communication unit (7) and a display unit (10) for controlling the display device (11). It is characterized by being composed of.

[0009]

The screen control unit and the screen control unit of the local controller of the present invention input molding data from the input device based on the specification conditions stored in the screen definition file, process the data, and send it to the machine control unit. send. Further, it receives various measurement data from the machine control unit, processes the data, and displays the processed data on the display device. Further, various data are transmitted and received via the communication unit. The machine controller of the local controller is a part that directly controls the injection molding machine, and sends measurement data such as speed, position, pressure, and temperature to the screen controller and the screen controller. Further, the machine control section operates the injection molding machine based on the screen control section and the molding data sent from the screen control section. The data transmitted and received by the communication unit of the local controller is transmitted and received by the communication unit of the remote operation unit and displayed on the display device or input from the input device.

[0010]

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a remote control device for an injection molding machine according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a system showing the relationship with the injection molding machine according to the present invention. This control device includes local controllers 71, 72, 73, a remote operation unit 61, screen definition files 81, 82, 83,
The display device 11 (CRT display, etc.), the input device 13 (keyboard, key panel, etc.), and the communication line 14 are included.

A screen definition file 81, 82, 83 containing specification conditions such as screen specifications, keyboard function allocation, molding data configuration, etc. for each of the plurality of injection molding machines 91, 92, 93 and a screen control program is stored in advance in a simple language compiler. Create using. This screen definition file 81, 8
The specification conditions and screen control programs of Nos. 2 and 83 are, for example,
By the file transmission cable 15, the injection molding machines 91, 9
When starting 2, 93, the local controllers 71, 7
2, 73 are sent to and stored in the screen control unit 53 and the storage device of the screen control unit 51.

The part for performing local control of the local controllers 71, 72, 73 is the screen control unit 5.
3, a display unit 3, a display device 1, an input unit 4, and an input device 2, and a remote control unit is a screen control unit 5.
1 and a communication unit 7, both of which are related to the machine control unit 6. Local controllers 71, 72, 73
The program closely related to the screen control unit 53 and the hardware (electronic circuit) of the screen control unit 51 is created regardless of the specification condition and the screen control program depending on the model of the injection molding machine. , Screen control unit 51
Be prepared for. Screen control unit 53 and screen control unit 51
Are different in the output target and the input target of molding data and measurement data. The screen control unit 53 is used when the target is the display device 1 and the input device 2 of the local controllers 71, 72, 73, and the input / output control of local data is performed. The display unit 3 controls the display device 1, and the input unit 4
Controls the input device 2. The screen control unit 51 transmits / receives molding data and measurement data to / from the outside via the communication unit 7. Further, the screen control unit 53 and the screen control unit 51 include a storage device for holding the contents of the screen definition files 81, 82 and 83. Specifically, it is a flash memory or the like. The display device 1 may be a color liquid crystal display device, a black and white liquid crystal display device, a cathode ray tube display, or the like. The machine control unit 6 controls the operation of the injection molding machine and inputs / outputs molding data measurement data, so as to input / output an analog signal input / output device, a digital input / output device, a position detector,
Control elements including a temperature control device and a sequence control device and controlling them (microcomputer,
Digital signal processor).

The remote control unit 61 may be, for example, a central management host computer (main body of a personal computer). The remote operation unit 61 converts the graphic and character data sent from the communication unit 8 to be suitable for display, and further controls the display device 11, and the molding data input from the input device 13. Is converted into communication data and further controls the input device 13, and a basic drawing command of graphics or characters transmitted from the communication unit 7 is received and transmitted to the display unit 10 and is also transmitted from the input unit 12. The communication unit 8 that transmits the sent molding data and the like to the communication unit 7.
It consists of and. The display device 11 is, for example, a cathode ray tube display or a liquid crystal display of a personal computer.
The input device 13 is, for example, a terminal keyboard of a computer or a keyboard of a personal computer.

Here, the software closely related to the hardware (electronic circuit) of the communication unit 8, the display unit 10, and the input unit 12 of the remote operation unit 61 is related to the specification condition depending on the model of the injection molding machine in advance. Created without communication section 8,
The display unit 10 and the input unit 12 are prepared in advance.

The data passing through the communication line 14 between the communication section 7 and the communication section 8 is data such as coordinate values of the screen, display contents (graphics and characters), and input values from the keyboard. (Of course, it is necessary to process the data for the communication line.) Screen specifications such as displaying a data value at a predetermined position on the screen of the display device 11 connected to the remote operation unit 61, similarly from the input device 13 The specification conditions related to the model of the injection molding machine such as the contents of the data input method are screen definition files 81 and 8
It is stored in 2, 83.

Next, the operation of the control device of this injection molding machine will be described focusing on the flow of data. When the power of the injection molding machine 91, 92, 93 is turned on, the data and the screen control program, which have been previously input to the screen definition files 81, 82, 83 and which determine the specification condition, are displayed on the screen control unit 53.
Is sent to and stored in the screen control unit 51. Data such as molding data (speed, position, pressure, etc.) input from the input device 2 of the local controllers 71, 72, 73 is first sent to the input unit 4. In order to facilitate handling in the local controllers 71, 72, 73 at the input section 4,
The data is converted and sent to the screen control unit 53. In the screen control unit 53, the screen definition files 81, 82, 8
Data processing such as data conversion is performed based on the data holding format of No. 3, and the data is sent to the machine control unit 6. The machine control unit 6 directly controls the injection molding machine using the sent data.

Data such as measurement data measured from the sensors 101, 102, 103 attached to the injection molding machine by the machine control unit 6 are displayed on the screen control unit 53 and the screen control unit 5.
Sent to 1. The data sent to the screen control unit 53 is
Data is processed based on the measurement data holding format of the screen definition files 81, 82, 83, and data necessary for display such as drawing data is added and sent to the display unit 3.
The display unit 3 converts the data into a format used for display and sends it to the display device 1, and the display device 1 displays the data. On the other hand, the data sent to the screen control unit 51 is processed in the same manner as the data sent to the screen control unit 53 based on the measurement data holding format of the screen definition files 81, 82 and 83. At this time, the data is converted into a format suitable for communication, and the data necessary for display is added.
This data is sent to the communication unit 8 of the remote operation unit 61 via the communication unit 7 and the communication line 14. Further, this data is sent to the display unit 10, converted into a format used for display, sent to the display device 11, and displayed.

Data such as molding data sent from the input device 13 to the input section 12 of the remote operation section 61 is converted into a format used by the local controllers 71, 72, 73 and a format suitable for communication, and the communication section Sent to 8.
The communication section 8 sends this data to the screen control section 51 of the local controllers 71, 72, 73 via the communication line 14 and the communication section 7 of the local controllers 71, 72, 73. In the screen control unit 51, the screen definition file 81,
Data processing such as data conversion is performed based on the molding data holding format of 82 and 83, and the data is sent to the machine control unit 6.
The machine control unit 6 directly controls the injection molding machine using the sent data. As mentioned above, the injection molding machine
Regardless of which one of the local controllers 71, 72, 73 and the remote operation unit 61 is operated, it is controlled based on the contents of the screen definition files 81, 82, 83.

[0019]

According to the control method and apparatus for an injection molding machine of the present invention, when a host computer system provided for centralized management is connected to a plurality of injection molding machine control devices of different models by communication lines. However, the program of the host computer system does not need to be changed at all, and the economical efficiency and reliability are improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a remote control device for an injection molding machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a system showing a relationship with an injection molding machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a remote control device of a conventional injection molding machine.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a system showing a relationship with a conventional injection molding machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 14 communication line 15 file transmission cable 51 screen control unit 53 screen control unit 61 remote operation unit 66 host computer system 71, 72, 73 local controller 76, 77, 78 local controller 81, 82, 83 screen definition file 91, 92, 93 Injection molding machine

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A remote control method for an injection molding machine, wherein specification conditions and a screen control program for each of a plurality of injection molding machines (91, 92, 93) are stored in advance in a screen definition file (81, 82, 83), The specification condition and the screen control program stored in the screen definition file (81, 82, 83) are input to the screen control unit (53) and the screen control unit (51) at the time of machine start, and the screen control unit (53)
Controls input / output of data relating to the display device (1) and the input device (2), and the screen control unit (51) is a communication unit (7).
A remote control method for an injection molding machine, characterized in that data is transmitted and received to and from the outside via the. 2. In a local controller of an injection molding machine, a display unit (3) for controlling a display device (1), an input unit (4) for controlling an input device (2), and data transmission / reception with the outside. Communication unit (7), multiple injection molding machines (91, 9
2, 93) A machine control unit (6) for controlling each operation, and a screen definition file (81, 82) in which specification conditions and a screen control program for each of the plurality of injection molding machines (91, 92, 93) are stored in advance. , 83), the specification conditions and the screen control program stored in the screen definition file (81, 82, 83) are input at the time of machine startup, and the input / output of data relating to the display device (1) and the input device (2) is performed. Screen control unit (53) for controlling the screen definition file (81, 8)
2, 83), and a screen control unit (51) for inputting the specification conditions and the screen control program at the time of machine startup and transmitting / receiving data to / from the outside through the communication unit (7). Local controller of injection molding machine. 3. The local controller (7) according to claim 2.
1, 72, 73), an input unit (12) for controlling the input device (13), and the local controller (71, 7).
2, 73) and the input unit (12) which receives a drawing command of a basic figure or character transmitted from the communication unit (7).
A remote operation unit (61) comprising a communication unit (8) for transmitting molding data and the like sent from the communication unit (7) and a display unit (10) for controlling the display device (11). A remote control device for an injection molding machine characterized by being configured.