CABLING INTERFACE FOR A PRODUCTION MACHINE IN THE PLASTICS PROCESSING INDUSTRY AND METHOD FOR RETOOLING SUCH A PRODUCTION MACHINE

Abstract

A production machine in the plastics processing industry includes multiple cavities and multiple piezoelectric pressure transducers. At least one piezoelectric pressure transducer is arranged at each cavity and captures an internal tool pressure inside the cavity and returns an electrical charge signal for each internal tool pressure detected. A cabling interface conducts the electrical charge signal away from piezoelectric pressure transducer via an inner cable. Each of the inner cables can be connected electrically to the cabling interface via at least two different connection standards.

Claims

1. A cabling interface for a production machine in the plastics processing industry, which production machine includes multiple cavities and multiple piezoelectric pressure transducers, wherein at least one piezoelectric pressure transducer is arranged at each cavity, which piezoelectric pressure transducer captures an internal tool pressure inside the cavity and returns an electrical charge signal for each internal tool pressure detected and conducts the electrical charge signal away the cabling interface via an inner cable, the cabling interface comprising: a frame defining an inner side and an outer side disposed opposed to and facing away from the inner side; at least one inner socket carried on the inner side of the frame and that includes at least two connection ports electrically connected together in a parallel circuit relationship, each of the two connection ports being configured according to a different connection standard; and at least one outer socket carried on the outer side of the frame and that is paired with and electrically connected together in a parallel circuit relationship to the at least one inner socket.

2. The cabling interface according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of inner sockets carried on the inner face of the frame, each of the plurality of inner sockets including at least two connection ports that are electrically connected together in a parallel circuit relationship and configured according to a different electrical connection standard; and a plurality of outer sockets carried on the outer face of the frame, each of a respective one of the plurality of outer sockets being paired with and electrically connected together in a parallel circuit relationship with a respective one of the plurality of inner sockets.

3. The cabling interface according to claim 1, further comprising: at least a first indicator carried by the frame and that physically identifies both the connection standard and the paired output socket of at least one of the connection ports of at least one inner socket; and at least a second indicator carried by the frame and that physically identifies both the connection standard and the paired output socket of at least a second one of the connection ports of the at least one inner socket.

4. The cabling interface according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the indicators is configured to display when an inner cable is electrically connected to the connection port identified by the indicator.

5. The cabling interface according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the indicators is configured to display when an inner cable is not electrically connected to the connection port identified by the indicator.

6. The cabling interface according to claim 1, wherein the different connection standards are selected from the following group of connection standards: manually detachable coaxial, manually detachable pierce contact, a stripped single-wire insulation displacement contact and a crimped single-wire insulation displacement contact.

7. A method for retooling a production machine in the plastics processing industry, which production machine includes multiple cavities and multiple piezoelectric pressure transducers, wherein at least one piezoelectric pressure transducer is arranged at each cavity, which piezoelectric pressure transducer captures an internal tool pressure inside the cavity and returns an electrical charge signal for each internal tool pressure detected and conducts it away to an existing cabling interface via a respective inner cable; the method including the steps of: a) installing in the production machine a new cabling interface that is electrically connectable to the inner cables via at least two different connection standards; and b) removing the existing cabling interface from the production machine.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of connecting the new cabling interface in the production machine to a first one of the inner cables via a first one of the at least two different connection standards.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of connecting the new cabling interface in the production machine to a second one of the inner cables via a second one of the at least two different connection standards.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of connecting the new cabling interface in the production machine to a new evaluation unit.

11. A production machine in the plastics processing industry, comprising: a body that defines a plurality of cavities; a plurality of piezoelectric pressure transducers, wherein at least a respective one of the plurality of piezoelectric pressure transducers is arranged at a respective one of the plurality of cavities, which respective piezoelectric pressure transducer is configured for capturing an internal tool pressure inside the respective cavity and returning a respective electrical charge signal for each internal tool pressure detected; a plurality inner cables, wherein at least a respective one of the plurality of inner cables is connected electrically to a respective one of the plurality of piezoelectric pressure transducers and configured for conducting away a respective electrical charge signal from the respective piezoelectric pressure transducer; and a cabling interface connected electrically to the plurality of inner cables via at least two different connection standards selected from the following group of connection standards.

12. The production machine according to claim 11, further comprising: a plurality of inner sockets, each of the plurality of inner sockets including at least two connection ports that are connected together electrically in a parallel circuit relationship and configured according to a different electrical connection standard; and a plurality of outer sockets, each respective one of the plurality of outer sockets being paired with and electrically connected in a parallel circuit relationship with a respective one of the plurality of inner sockets.

13. The production machine according to any one of claims 11 to 12, further comprising: at least a first indicator that physically identifies both the connection standard and the paired output socket of at least one of the connection ports of at least one inner socket; and at least a second indicator that physically identifies both the connection standard and the paired output socket of at least a second one of the connection ports of the at least one inner socket.

14. The production machine according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the indicators is configured to display when an inner cable is electrically connected to the connection port identified by the indicator.

15. The production machine according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the indicators is configured to display when an inner cable is not electrically connected to the connection port identified by the indicator.

16. The production machine according to claim 1, wherein the different connection standards are selected from the following group of connection standards: manually detachable coaxial, manually detachable pierce contact, stripped single-wire insulation displacement contact and crimped single-wire insulation displacement contact.

17. A method for maintaining a production machine in the plastics processing industry having a cabling interface according to claim 1, the method including the steps of: c) removing from the production machine an existing piezoelectric pressure transducer configured with a first electrical connection standard; and d) installing in the production machine a new piezoelectric pressure transducer configured with a second electrical connection standard that is different than the first electrical connection standards.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] In the following section, the invention will be explained in greater detail using the drawing figures in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a production machine, partially in cross-section, of the plastics processing industry with a cabling interface according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a flowchart schematically representing the steps in a method for retooling a production machine of the plastics processing industry;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a cabling interface according to the invention with two different connection standards;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first embodiment of a cabling interface according to Fig, 3;

[0018] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a cabling interface according to the invention with two different connection standards;

[0019] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the second embodiment of a cabling interface according to FIG. 5;

[0020] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a cabling interface according to the invention with three different connection standards;

[0021] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the third embodiment of a cabling interface according to FIG. 7;

[0022] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a cabling interface according to the invention with three different connection standards;

[0023] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the fourth embodiment of a cabling interface according to FIG. 9;

[0024] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a cabling interface according to the invention with three different connection standards;

[0025] FIG. 12 is a plan view of the fifth embodiment of a cabling interface according to FIG. 11;

[0026] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a cabling interface according to the invention with three different connection standards;

[0027] FIG. 14 is a plan view of the sixth embodiment of a cabling interface according to FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a production machine 1 of the plastics processing industry having a cabling interface 10 according to the invention and an evaluation unit 20 connected electrically and mechanically to the cabling interface 10. FIG. 2 shows a flowchart with steps c), d), e) of a method for retooling such a production machine 1 of the plastics processing Industry. FIGS. 3 to 14 show several embodiments of the cabling interface 10. In FIGS. 3 to 6, each of the embodiments of the cabling interface 10 is designed for two different connection standards, which are respectively designated A or B. In FIGS. 7 to 14, each of the embodiments of the cabling interface 10 is designed for three different connection standards, which are respectively designated A or B or C or alternatively A or B or D.

[0029] Production machine 1 of the plastics processing industry according to FIG. 1 includes in its body a tool with a multi-cavity injection mold with multiple cavities 11, 11, 11. A respective runner 12, 12, 12 is provided for each respective cavity 11, 11, 11. A respective piezoelectric pressure transducer 13, 13, 13 is arranged at each respective cavity 11, 11, 11. The crystallographic orientation of each of the respective piezoelectric pressure transducers 13, 13, 13 is such that a pressure acting on it produces electrical polarisation charges. The electrical polarisation charges are proportional to the magnitude of the internal tool pressure prevailing inside the respective cavity 11, 11, 11 and are tapped via electrodes in any conventional manner. Piezoelectric pressure transducers 13, 13, 13 dynamically capture a progression of the internal tool pressure in cavities 11, 11, 11. The production machine 1 also includes a plurality of cables 14, 14, 14 that are disposed within the machine 1, and a respective one of the cables 14, 14, 14 is assigned to and electrically connected to a respective one of the respective piezoelectric pressure transducers 13, 13, 13. Each respective inner cable 14, 14, 14 conducts from the respective piezoelectric pressure transducer 13, 13, 13 to a cabling interface 10, an electrical charge signal for a captured internal tool pressure in a respective cavity 11, 11, 11. Each of the piezoelectric pressure transducers 13, 13, 13 desirably is constructed integrally with a respective one of the inner cables 14, 14, 14.

[0030] With the knowledge presented in the present invention, the multi-cavity injection mold may be constructed with more than the three cavities represented in FIG. 1. For example, the production machine 1 may include as many as 50 cavities. Correspondingly more than three inner cables 14, 14, 14 also may be provided to conduct electrical charge signals away from the multiple piezoelectric pressure transducers 13, 13, 13 to the cabling interface 10. In just the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 3 to 14 for example, anywhere from four to eight inner cables 14-14 may be provided to conduct electrical charge signals to the cabling interface 10. Each respective one of the inner cables 14, 14, 14 has a respective electrical conductor for conducting the electrical charge signals carried by the respective inner cable. Moreover, each respective one of the inner cables 14, 14, 14 desirably may include a respective means for shielding the electrical charge signals from electromagnetic and electrical interference.

[0031] According to FIG. 1, the cabling interface 10 of the present invention desirably includes a frame that defines an inner side and an outer side disposed opposed to and facing away from the inner side of the cabling interface 10. Each respective one of the inner cables 14, 14, 14 is connected electrically to the cabling interface 10 via a respective one of a plurality of inner sockets 15, 15, 15 that are carried on the inner side of the frame of the cabling interface 10. The production machine 1 desirably can include a tool housing, which is shown schematically by the dashed line square that is designated by the numeral 22 in FIG. 1, and the tool housing 22 can provide electrical shielding to the inner cables 14, 14, 14 and integrally connected piezoelectric pressure transducers 13, 13, 13. The tool housing 22 desirably can be electrically connected to the cabling interface 10 so that the inner side of the cabling interface 10 faces inside the production machine 1 while the outer side of the cabling interface 10 is exposed outside of the production machine 1 for connection to an evaluation unit 20 for example.

[0032] A respective one of the plurality of inner sockets 15, 15, 15 is arranged on a tool inner side of the cabling interface 10. However, as explained more fully below, in accordance with the present invention, each of the inner sockets 15, 15, 15 depicted schematically in FIG. 1 is provided with and includes at least two different connection ports, and each of these two connection ports is configured with a different one of the available electrical connection standards such as the electrical connection standards designated A, B, C, D, etc, and described more fully below. Moreover, once possessed with the knowledge of the present invention, a person skilled in the art is able to use other connection standards not described in detail herein.

[0033] A respective one of the plurality inner cables 14, 14, 14 is adapted to a respective one of the available different connection standards, each respective different connection standard described more fully below being designated by A or B or C or D. However, while each of the inner sockets 15, 15, 15 of the cabling interface 10 is assigned to a respective one of the plurality inner cables 14, 14, 14, instead of each of the inner sockets 15, 15, 15 being fixed with a single connection port according to only one of the possible available different electrical connection standards A, B, C, D, etc,, in accordance with the present invention, each of the inner sockets 15, 15, 15 is provided with and includes at least two different connection ports, and each of these two connection ports is configured with a different one of the available electrical connection standards A, B, C, D, etc.

[0034] A first connection standard A relates to a manually detachable electrical connection of a coaxial cable 14 to a mating coaxial port of a paired inner socket 15 in the cabling interface 10. The coaxial cable and the coaxial port of the inner socket shield the electrical charge signal electromagnetically. In order to create an electrical connection, the coaxial cable is plugged into the coaxial port of the inner socket and engaged in place. Correct engagement is confirmed audibly. The electrical connection between the coaxial cable and the coaxial port of the inner socket is reversibly detachable, In FIGS. 3 to 14, the coaxial cable is represented by a respective inner cable 14, 14, 14 with the A designation, and the corresponding coaxial connection port 15, 15, 15 of the respective inner socket is likewise represented with the A designation. Such a coaxial cable adapted to the first connection standard A is available commercially with type designation 1943C from the Kistler Group, and details are provided in datasheet 1631C-000-346d-12.13.

[0035] A second connection standard B relates to a manually detachable electrical connection of a pierce contact cable plug with a mating connection port in the inner socket 15 of the cabling interface 10. The electrical charge signal is carried in a single-wire cable which is not shielded electromagnetically. The single-wire cable includes a sheath with electrical insulation. In order to be able to route the single-wire cable inside the tool easily, the single-wire cable is cut to size on site and introduced into the pierce contact cable plug with an end thereof that has not been stripped. The pierce contact cable plug has a housing and pierce contacts, When the pierce contacts are actuated, the electrical insulation on the introduced cable end is pierced, and the cable end is connected mechanically and electrically to the housing of the plug. Actuation of the pierce contacts and/or the mechanical engagement of said pierce contacts are/is confirmed audibly. The electrical connection between the respective pierce contact cable plug and the respective connection port in the inner socket 15 of the cabling interface 10 is reversibly detachable, In FIGS. 3 to 14, the single-wire cable with pierce contact cable plug is represented by inner cable 14, 14, 14 with the B designation, and the corresponding mating port 15, 15, 15 of the respective socket is represented with the B designation. Such a pierce contact cable plug cable adapted to the second connection standard B is available commercially from Phoenix Contact of Middletown, Pa. in the product family PTPM 0,4/..-P.

[0036] A third connection standard C relates to an electrical connection between a single-wire cable and an insulation displacement contact (IDC) socket in the cabling interface 10. The electrical charge signal is carried in a cable that encases a single electrically conducting wire cable within a sheath of insulation. This single-wire cable is not shielded electromagnetically. For easy insertion in the tool, the single-wire cable is cut to size on site and introduced into the IDC socket with an end thereof that has not been stripped. An installation aid in the form of a specially shaped cutting blade is temporarily inserted and into the DC socket and removes a section of the insulation to expose the wire. The installation aid is removed from the DC socket, and an electrical connection is created when the cable end that has been introduced is clamped within the IDC socket. This type of electrical connection can be reversibly detached only a few times. In FIGS. 7, 8, 13 and 14, the stripped single-wire cable is represented by the inner cable 14, 14, 14 with the C designation, and the mating connection port 15, 15, 15 of the respective inner socket is represented with the C designation. Such a stripped single-wire cable adapted to the third connection standard C is available commercially from the Kistler Group with type designations 1666A, 1674AZsp and 1900A1. Such an inner socket with a connection port adapted to the third connection standard C is available commercially from the Kistler Group with type designations 1712A0 and 1714A0, details are provided in datasheet 960-112d-02.15.

[0037] A fourth connection standard D relates to a detachable electrical connection between an insulation displacement contact plug and a connection port of a socket in the cabling interface 10. The electrical charge signal is carried in a cable that encases a single electrically conducting wire cable within a sheath of insulation. This single-wire cable is not shielded electromagnetically. In order to be able to route the single-wire cable inside the tool easily, the single-wire cable is cut to size on site and introduced into the IDC cable plug with a cable end thereof that has not been stripped. The IDC cable plug includes a housing with a crimping clamp. Upon actuation, the crimping clamp cuts through the electrical insulation of the inserted single-wire cable end and strips away the insulation from the cable wire, and the cable wire is also slightly nicked and connected mechanically and electrically with the housing. Actuation of the crimping clamp is confirmed audibly. The electrical connection between the insulation displacement contact cable plug and the corresponding port of the socket of the cabling interface 10 is reversibly detachable, In FIGS. 9 to 12, the single-wire cable with IDC cable plug is represented by the inner cable 14 with the D designation, and the mating port 15 of the respective inner socket is represented with the D designation. Such a crimped IDC cable plug adapted to the fourth connection standard D is available commercially from Phoenix Contact in an item family designated CIOC-M.

[0038] The cabling interface 10 is configured for multiple electrical connections, and each respective electrical connection is schematically designated by one of the Roman numerals I through VIII. Each of the respective electrical connections I-VIII is intended to be made with a respective one of the corresponding multiple inner cables 14-14. Accordingly, a respective one of the multiple inner cables 14-14 forms a respective electrical connection I-VIII with a respective one of the connection ports 15-15 of the inner sockets of the cabling interface 10. In FIGS. 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14, each of the respective electrical connection ports 15-15 of the inner sockets that is connected electrically to a respective inner cable 14-14 is designated by being colored in solid black. Each of the electrical connection ports 15-15 of the inner sockets is furnished with an electrical conductor to conduct the electrical charge signals away from a respective one of the multiple inner cables 14-14. For each one of the electrical connections I-VIII, there is provided in accordance with the present invention a respective electrical connection port 15-15 of the inner sockets, and each of these respective inner sockets includes at least two connection ports that are configured according to different connection standards, which for example may be selected from the group consisting of a coaxial socket type connection A, a pierce contact cable socket type connection B, a first (stripped) insulation displacement contact (IDC) type connection C, and a second (crimped) insulation displacement contact type connection D, as well as other electrical connection standards that are not described herein.

[0039] In the embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4, the cabling interface 10 is designed for up to four electrical connections I-IV, wherein each electrical connection I-IV may be implemented in two different connection standards, namely a socket having both a connection port with a coaxial type connection standard A and a connection port with a pierce contact cable type connection standard B. Thus, for example a first inner cable 14 can make a first electrical connection I with a first socket that includes a first connection port 15 of the A connection standard and a second connection port of the B connection standard, which is electrically connected to the first connection port in a parallel relationship. Regardless whether the connection standard of the first inner cable 14 is of the A type or B type, a connection can be made to the first socket of the cabling interface 10 of the present invention. In similar fashion, a second inner cable 14 can make a second electrical connection II with a first socket that includes a connection port 15 of the A connection standard and a second connection port of the B connection standard, which is electrically connected to the first connection port in a parallel relationship. Regardless whether the connection standard of the second inner cable 14 is of the A type or B type, a connection can be made to the second socket of the cabling interface 10 of the present invention. Because embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4 have up to four electrical connections I-IV, the cabling interface 10 of the present invention is similarly configured to accommodate a third inner cable 14 and a fourth inner cable 14.

[0040] In the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the cabling interface 10 is designed for up to eight electrical connections I-VIII, wherein each electrical connection I-VIII may be implemented in two different connection standards A, B.

[0041] In the embodiments according to FIGS. 7 and 8, the cabling interface 10 is designed for up to four electrical connections I-IV, wherein each electrical connection I-IV may be implemented in two different connection standards, namely a pierce contact cable socket type connection standard B and either a coaxial socket type connection standard A or a first insulation displacement contact (IDC) socket type connection standard C.

[0042] In the embodiments of FIGS. 9 and 10, the cabling interface 10 is designed for up to four electrical connections I-IV, wherein each electrical connection I-IV may be implemented in three different connection standards, namely a coaxial socket type connection standard A, a pierce contact cable socket type connection standard B, and a second insulation displacement contact standard D. With the knowledge presented in the present disclosure, a person skilled in the art is also able to provide each of the inner sockets with more than three connection ports having different connection standards.

[0043] In the embodiments of FIGS. 11 and 12, the cabling interface 10 is designed for up to eight electrical connections I-VIII, wherein each electrical connection I-VIII may be implemented in two different connection standards, namely a coaxial socket type connection standard A and a second insulation displacement contact socket type connection D.

[0044] In the embodiments of FIGS. 13 and 14, the cabling interface 10 is designed for up to eight electrical connections I-VIII, wherein each electrical connection I-VIII may be implemented in two different connection standards, namely a pierce contact cable socket type connection standard B and either a coaxial type connection standard A or a first (stripped) insulation displacement contact (IDC) socket type connection standard C.

[0045] Thus, the cabling interface 10 in accordance with the present invention has a greater number of connection ports 15-15 amongst the inner sockets than the number of electrical connections I-VIII for which the cabling interface 10 is designed. In the embodiments of FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and 8, the inner sockets of the cabling interface 10 are provided with eight connection ports 15-15. In the embodiments of FIGS. 9 and 10, the inner sockets of the cabling interface 10 have twelve connection ports 15-15. In the embodiments of FIGS. 5, 6, and 11 to 14, the inner sockets of the cabling interface 10 have sixteen connection ports 15-15.

[0046] The cabling interface 10 desirably includes a number of indicators 18-18. Each of the indicators 18-18 is carried by the frame and arranged on the tool inner side of cabling interface 10. Each indicator 18-18 has a designator. One indicator 18-18 is assigned to each connection port 15-15 of each inner socket, and the electrical connection I-VIII of a connection port 15-15 of an inner socket is identified by the designator of the indicator 18-18 assigned to the connection port of the inner socket. The connection standard A, B, C, D of the connection ports 15-15 of an inner socket is also identified by the designator of the indicator 18-18 assigned to the connection ports 15-15. In this way, the electrical connection I-VIII and the connection standard A, B, C, D of the connection ports 15-15 are indicated unambiguously by means of the indicators 18-18. The designator may be a label, a lamp or the like. In FIGS. 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14, the designator is a label such as A II in FIG. 4 or C VI in FIG. 14. With the knowledge presented in the present invention, the designator may also be a lamp such as a light emitting diode (LED), which LED lights up in one of two different colors, in a first color when an inner cable 14 is mechanically and electrically connected to one of the connection ports of the inner socket to which the LED is assigned and in a second color when an inner cable is not mechanically and electrically connected to any of the connection ports of the inner socket to which the LED is assigned. The color control of the LED may be assured by a sensor that detects a pressure in an electrical connection between the inner cable 14 and one of the connection ports of the inner socket 15, or it may be assured by a switch which switches when an electrical connection is made between an inner cable 14 and one of the connection ports of an inner socket 15.

[0047] For example, in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, two connection ports 15 are present with different connection standards A, B for an electrical connection II. As schematically shown in FIG. 4, an inner cable 14 is connected electrically to one connection port 15 via the second connection standard a A solid black connection port 15 of the connection standard B in FIG. 4 schematically indicates that the inner cable 14 is clearly connected mechanically and electrically to one of the connection ports 15 of the socket of the cabling interface 10. This electrical connection II via connection standard B is marked unmistakably with a designator having label B II of indicator 18. Indicator 18 of the connection port 15, with which inner cable 14 is electrically connected, thus showing that an electrical connection II has been made for this connection standard B, and how this electrical connection II is identified. And indicator 18 of the at least one other connection port 15, which is not electrically connected to inner cable 14 shows that an electrical connection I has not been made for this connection standard A by the designator with label A II. In this way, the clear visibility of inner cable 14 in the connection port 15 of electrical connection II avoids the risk that a further inner cable 14-14 might be connected electrically with the other connection port 15 of electrical connection II via first connection standard A.

[0048] Maintenance of production machine 1 is made easier by the cabling interface 10 according to the invention because a defective piezoelectric pressure transducer 13, 13, 13 may be replaced with an available piezoelectric pressure transducer 13, 13, 13 whose inner cable 14-14 has a different connection standard A, B, C, D than that of the inner cable 14-14 of the defective piezoelectric pressure transducer 13, 13, 13 which is to be replaced. In a step a), the existing piezoelectric pressure transducer 13, 13, 13 that is adapted to a first connection standard is removed from the production machine 1. In a subsequent step b), a new piezoelectric pressure transducer 13, 13, 13 that is adapted to a connection standard different from the first connection standard is installed in production machine 1. The new piezoelectric pressure transducer might be chosen because it is available at an advantageous cost or because it provides some other desirable functional advantage over the pre-existing piezoelectric pressure transducer that has been removed. Moreover, the new transducer replaces the pre-existing piezoelectric pressure transducer 13, 13, 13 even though the inner cable 14-14 thereof has one of the different connection standards A, B, C, D of cabling interface 10. In particular, in the replacement step b), the electrical connection I-VIII is made between the inner cable 14-14 of the new piezoelectric pressure transducer 13, 13, 13 and one of at least two connection ports 15-15, which connection ports 15-15 have different connection standards A, B, C, D for electrical connections I-VIII. Electrical connection I-VIII of the inner cable 14-14 is made with whichever one of the connection ports 15-15 has the same connection standard A, B, C, D as the inner cable 14-14.

[0049] As schematically shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 for example, the cabling interface 10 desirably is provided with an outer socket 16. The outer socket 16 is arranged on an outer side of the frame of the cabling interface 10 of a tool. The outer socket 16 includes electrical conductors for conducting the electrical charge signals away from the cabling interface 10. The number of electrical conductors in the outer socket 16 desirably is at least equal to the number of electrical connections I-VIII of the cabling interface 10. Accordingly, the outer socket 16 has at least four to eight electrical conductors.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 1 for example, an electrically shielded outer cable 17 may be electrically connected to the outer socket 16 in reversibly detachable manner. The outer cable 17 conducts the electrical charge signals away to an evaluation unit 20. Such an outer socket 16 is marketed commercially by the Kistler Group with type designation 1710B. Such an outer cable 17 is marketed commercially by the Kistler Group with type designations 1995A . . . , 1997A . . . , 1999A. Such an evaluation unit 20 is marketed commercially by the Kistler Group with the name CoMo Injection System and type designation 2869B, and details are provided in a datasheet 2869B_000-549.

[0051] The cabling interface 10 is equipped with electrical conductors which connect the electrical conductors of the connection ports 15-15 electrically with the electrical conductors of the outer socket 16. As noted above, the electrical conductors of the connection ports 15-15 that have different connection standards A, B, C, D for an electrical connection I-VIII are connected in a parallel circuit relationship. These parallel connected electrical conductors of the connection ports 15-15 of each of the inner sockets are connected electrically to an electrical conductor for the respective electrical connection I-VIII of the respective outer socket 16. For example, in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, two connection ports 15 with different connection standards A, B are present for an electrical connection II. The electrical conductors of these connection ports 15 are connected in parallel on the cabling interface 10 and connected electrically in a parallel circuit relationship with an electrical conductor of the outer socket 16 for electrical connection II.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a flowchart with steps c), d), e) of a method for retooling a production machine 1 that has an existing cabling interface 0. In a step c), a new inventive cabling interface 10 is provided, which is electrically connectable to the inner cables 14-14 via at least two different connection standards A, B, C, D, as described above. In a step d), the existing cabling interface 0 is removed from production machine 1. In a step e), the new cabling interface 10 is installed in the production machine 1. The newly installed cabling interface 10 is electrically connected to the inner cables 14-14. In step e), an electrical connection I-VIII is made between an inner cable 14-14 and one of at least two connection ports 15-15 of the inner sockets on the installed cabling interface 10, which connection ports 15-15 have different connection standards A, B, C, D for the electrical connection I-VIII. Also in step e), indicator 18-18 of the connection ports 15-15 with which inner cable 14-14 is electrically connected indicates that an electrical connection I-VIII has been made for this connection standard A, B, C, D and how this electrical connection I-VIII is identified. And indicator 18-18 of the at least one other connection port 15-15 which is not electrically connected to inner cable 14-14 shows that an electrical connection I-VIII has not been made for this connection standard A, B, C, D. Inner cables 14-14 of piezoelectric pressure transducers 13, 13, 13 are connectable to a new evaluation unit 20 via the cabling interface 10.

[0053] With the knowledge disclosed by the present invention, a person skilled in the art is also able to use the cabling device in production machines outside of the plastics processing industry.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0054] a)-e) Method steps

[0055] A, B, C, D Connection standard

[0056] I-VIII Electrical connection

[0057] 1 Production machine

[0058] 0 Existing cabling interface

[0059] 10 Cabling interface

[0060] 11, 11, 11 Cavity

[0061] 12, 12, 12 Runner

[0062] 13, 13, 13 Piezoelectric pressure transducer

[0063] 14-14 Inner cable