A monitoring apparatus for molds includes a control unit connectable to a first and second sensor associable with the mold and configured for emitting respective signals representative of a deformation parameter and temperature parameter of the mold. The control unit, in order to define an alert condition, is configured for: defining a value of a threshold parameter as a function of the temperature of the mold and comparing such value of the deformation parameter with a value of a threshold parameter defined as a function of the temperature of the mold; or normalizing, at a reference temperature, the value of the deformation parameter determined at the temperature of the mold and comparing a value of a threshold parameter, defined at the reference temperature, with the value of the normalized deformation parameter at the same reference temperature. Also forming the object of the present invention is a monitoring method and a data medium.

A control device for a handling device includes a storage medium, a processing unit, an output for outputting signals, and an input for receiving signals from the handling device. A waiting phase is conducted before an actuation of an end-of-arm tool mounted to an end-of-arm of a handling arm. The signals received by the input represent a dynamic parameter of the end-of-arm and a threshold value corresponds to a specific dynamic parameter of the end-of-arm stored in the storage medium. The signals received by the input can be compared with the threshold value by a comparison unit of the control device, and an end of the waiting phase can be determined when reaching the threshold value. Depending on a curve of the dynamic parameter, the threshold value can be determined and the end of the waiting phase can be determined when reaching the threshold value.

An acceleration distance for acceleration at a set acceleration rate, required for an ejection start position passing speed in an ejection start position, is obtained, and a position behind the ejection start position by the acceleration distance is set as an advance start position of an ejector. Thus, an ejector plate can start to move at an optimal speed.

A control device for a handling device includes a storage medium, a processing unit, an output for outputting signals, and an input for receiving signals from the handling device. A waiting phase is conducted before an actuation of an end-of-arm tool mounted to an end-of-arm of a handling arm. The signals received by the input represent a dynamic parameter of the end-of-arm of the handling arm and the threshold value corresponds to a specific dynamic parameter of the end-of-arm stored in the storage medium. The received signals can be compared with the threshold value by a comparison unit of the control device, and the end of the waiting phase can be determined when reaching the threshold value. Depending on the curve of the dynamic parameter, the threshold valuecan be determined and the end of the waiting phase can be determined when reaching the threshold value (G.sub.t).