In an injection molding system, a holding force changing means reduces a holding force to a predetermined level or less if a predetermined or higher load is detected by an external load detection means after a molded article is transported to a work area of an operator by a molded article transport device. Thus, the operator can easily take out and inspect the molded article.

A method for the continuous storage of internal operating states and visualization of past sequences of operations, as well as to a robot and/or robot controller, wherein the robot is preferably mounted on or next to a processing machine, in particular an injection molding machine and serves for the removal, handling, manipulation or further processing of injection molded parts which have just been produced. The robot controller records data, in particular changes of state, positions, internal parameters, time stamps, etc., and in case of occurrence of an error this most recently recorded information is linked to the error and stored, whereby the changes of state until the occurrence of the respective error are simulated and visually displayed for an analysis on the basis of a virtual model of the physical robot.

A cycle time administration section 3 of an apparatus for taking out a molded product of the present invention includes: a measurement section 5 for measuring a cycle time for every one cycle of taking out a molded product; a setting and storing section 7 for setting and storing a target cycle time; a comparison section 9 for comparing the measured cycle time and the target cycle time for every one cycle; a counting section 11 for counting the number of times that the measured cycle times consecutively exceed target time, following the measured cycle time that has first exceeded the target cycle time, if it is determined that the measured cycle time has exceeded the target cycle time as a result of the comparing; and an outputting section 13 for outputting a detection signal if the counted number of times is more than n times.

An apparatus for taking out a molded product that is capable of suppressing displacement vibration of an attachment in a shorter time than ever without using a large-scaled electric actuator. An active controller performs active control in conjunction with the positioning, control by the servomotor. At the beginning of the active control, the positioning control is primarily performed by the servomotor, and then the active control is positively performed by the active controller using an electric actuator. Compared with when only the active control is performed for vibration suppression, a lighter and smaller electric actuator can be employed.

A molding system capable of performing highly accurate work on a molded article with a molded article removal device. The molding system includes a molding machine, a molded article removal device capable of removing a master work installed in a mold of the molding machine, a measurement section configured to measure a position of the master work when the master work is removed by the molded article removal device, a displacement calculation section configured to calculate a difference between a reference position and a detected position of the master work measured by the measurement section as a displacement, and a correction section configured to, on the basis of the displacement calculated by the displacement calculation section, correct a work position for when the molded article removal device performs work on a molded article.

An automated in-mold label handling and product unloading device for use with a plastic material injection molding machine includes a label handling arm provided with a label holder at an outer end thereof, and a product unloading arm provided with a product gripper at an outer end thereof. The device has a stationary frame and a first linear guide device that supports the label handling arm so as to reciprocate along a y-axis direction. The device has a second linear guide device that supports the product unloading arm so as to reciprocate along a y-axis direction. The first and second linear guide devices are guided relative to the frame to be movable parallel to the x-axis. A label handling arm x-axis drive mechanism has a first drive motor mounted on the frame and a first transmission coupled to said first drive motor and to the first linear guide device.

A method of operating an injection molding machine includes translating a movable platen from a closed position to a part transfer position by overshooting the transfer position in an opening direction away from a stationary platen to an over-travel position, and then translating the moving platen back to the transfer position in a closing direction, opposite the opening direction. Movement of a take-out device towards an advanced position, in which the take-out device reaches between mold halves carried by the stationary and movable platens, occurs while the movable platen is moving between the over-travel and transfer positions, prior to coming to rest in the transfer position. When resting in the transfer position, the method includes transferring molded articles from a first mold section mounted to the movable platen to retained engagement on the take-out device reaching between the platens.

The invention relates to a device for handling and/or transporting workpieces (5), in particular for removal of injection-molded items from an injection-molding machine, wherein a handling robot (4) having a programmable control and regulating unit (10) is provided that comprises a gripper (6) having at least one suction nozzle (7) for grasping of the workpiece (5) or fixating it by suction. In the gripper (6) of the handling robot (4) a distance-measuring device (8) for detection of the distance (a.sub.1+a.sub.2) from the gripper (6) to a reference point or a reference surface (9), for example to the mold tool half (2), which is preferably movable, with the workpiece (5), is provided. The measured value of the distance-measuring device (8) is fed into the control and regulation unit (10). The distance-measuring device (8) can be a light-transit time measuring device, in particular a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor.

An injection molding system includes an injection molding section that molds a workpiece by injection molding, a robot that transports the workpiece, an inspection section that inspects the workpiece transported by the robot, and a control section that controls the injection molding section, the robot and the inspection section, wherein the control section has, as control modes of the robot, a first control mode, which is performed when the inspection section is not inspecting the workpiece, and a second control mode, which is performed when the inspection section is inspecting the workpiece, and in which the robot is operated to suppress vibration of the inspection section more than is in the first control mode.

A molding system capable of performing highly accurate work on a molded article with a molded article removal device. The molding system includes a molding machine, a molded article removal device capable of removing a master work installed in a mold of the molding machine, a measurement section configured to measure a position of the master work when the master work is removed by the molded article removal device, a displacement calculation section configured to calculate a difference between a reference position and a detected position of the master work measured by the measurement section as a displacement, and a correction section configured to, on the basis of the displacement calculated by the displacement calculation section, correct a work position for when the molded article removal device performs work on a molded article.