Precision injection mold is an essential element in order to manufacture small and precision plastic lenses used for phone camera. There are many critical factors to meet the requested specifications of high quality plastic lenses. One of the main issues to realize high quality is minimizing decenter value, which becomes more critical as pixel numbers increases. This study suggests the method to minimize decenter value by modifying ejecting structure of the mold. Decenter value of injection-molded lens decreased to 1 μm level from 5 μm by applying suggested ejecting method. Also, we also developed BIS (Built-in Sensor) based smart mold system, which has pressure and temperature sensors inside of the mold. Pressure and temperature profiles from cavities are obtained and can be used for deduction of optimal injection molding condition, filling imbalance evaluation, status monitoring of injection molding and prediction of lens quality.

Sensor node means a device to include sensor, amplifier, and data acquisition (DAQ) equipment. The sensor converts physical signals to electric signals and weak signals from the sensor can be amplified through the amplifier. DAQ equipment converts analog signal to digital signal and collects converted digital signal. Since the sensor node is sensitive to the environment so that selection of mounting position and fixture design of sensor are applied differently depending on the characteristics of a target. This study is about designing and manufacturing sensor node to be used in a machine tool. The environment of machine tool is very severe due to noise, temperature fluctuation, and dust, etc. Hence, the sensor and amplifier must be designed and manufactured by considering the environmental issues. The designed and manufactured sensor node was tested for the reliability and effectiveness of the developed sensor nodes in the study.

In this study, we introduce how to apply “Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to injection molding system. We report the current state of IT technology applied to produce their products in micro lens injection molding system. And we explain key technology of ICT for injection molding system and how to implement. Especially, we also mention about an embedded controller, also called as “M2M device”. It provides programmable intelligent functions, communication, various interfaces, amplifier functions and mobile device connection to our application.

Recently, monitoring systems, such as POP, take a core role in scheduling or planning of manufacturing facilities for production, maintenance, and so on. Such monitoring systems require functionalities for real-time parameter monitoring and controlling to maximize efficiency of facilities. However, vendors usually do not provide internal communication protocols or interface to access the machine controller. Therefore, the values of parameters related to machine operations and controls cannot be easily accessed from external devices. In this paper, we propose an interface methodology for a real-time monitoring and controlling of injection molding machine parameters such as user input parameters, embedded sensor data and injection molding status information.

Augmented reality is a novel human-machine interaction that overlays virtual computer-generated information on a real world environment. It has found good potential applications in many fields, such as training, surgery, entertainment, maintenance, assembly, product design and other manufacturing operations. In this study, a smartphone-based augmented reality system was developed for the purpose of monitoring and managing injection molding production lines. Required management items were drawn from a management content analysis, and then the items were divided into two broad management categories: line management and equipment management. Effective work management was enabled by providing those working on the shop floor with management content information combined with the actual images of an injection molding production line through augmented reality.

High efficiency production requires the improved performance of CAD/CAM system. Although the CAD and CAM have been significantly developed over the last three decades, they must still study on the reuse of information during process. In this study, we developed a new integrated CAD/CAM system which can reuse the information generated in previous processes, in order to improve its performance. In addition, the developed system was verified by comparing with working-time, and system reproducibility was also examined with tolerance in the unmanned operation. Experimental results showed 58% reduction in working-time of 2D Auto-CAM module, 80% in case of 3D Auto-Exchange module, and 54.5% in case of Auto-Design module.

Scanning white-light interferometry is an important measurement option for many surfaces. However, serious profile measurement errors can be present when measuring free-form surfaces being highly curved or tilted. When the object surface slope is not zero, the object and reference rays are no longer common path and optical aberrations impact the measurement. Aberrations mainly occur at the beam splitter in the interference objective and from misalignment in the optical system. Both effects distort the white-light interference signal when the surface slope is not zero. In this paper, we describe a modified version of white-light interferometry for eliminating these measurement errors and improving the accuracy of white-light interferometry. Moreover, we report systematic errors that are caused by optical aberrations when the object is not flat, and compare our proposed method with the conventional processing algorithm using the random ball test.

Copper pipes have been widely used as components of System Air-Conditioner due to high thermal conductivity. This system consists of 150 pipes, which are approximately 10m long in total. Dimensional changes occur during pipe processing such as expansion, reduction and bending. This processing induces changes in length of pipes and makes dimensional differences from original pipes. The summation of the differences of pipes components leads to make huge cumulative dimensional differences. The cumulative differences can cause serious problems such as crack, refrigerant leakage. However the differences have not been considered so far. To satisfy target quality of the system, it is essential to predict and calibrate the differences. In this paper, the changes in dimension were predicted using FEM and it was found that cumulative differences could cause indesirable stress during assembly process. As a result, dimensional differences or indesirable stress could be reduced using the proposed method.

The LBB (Leak Before Break) concept is based on evaluating the fracture toughness. NUREG 1061, Vol.3 announced that the specimen for evaluating fracture resistance needs to have same thickness or thicker than pipe. Therefore, it is difficult to collect specimen from pipe which has same thickness as a pipe. So, ASTM standard suggested the use of standard specimen with 1 inch thickness. However, it has been known that an application of LBB by test results of standard specimen is conservative compare with that by real pipe. In this study, to supplement such conservatism, the evaluation of fracture resistance characteristics was performed with curved CT specimen, which has same thickness and curvature as a pipe. In addition, fracture resistance characteristics of curved CT specimen were compared with those of CT specimen. For this, shape factor F, hpl and g were obtained from FEM analysis using the limit load method.

Machine tool vibration is well known for reducing machining accuracy. Because vibration response of a linear structure generally depends on its transfer function if the magnitude of excitation were kept constant, this study introduces a RET(Random Excitation Test) based on FRF method to evaluate stiffness of a prototype HDMTL(Heavy-Duty Multi-Tasking Lathe) for large crankshaft of marine engine. Firstly, two force loops of the lathe and corresponding structural loops were identified:1) workpiece - spindle - head stock - main bed, 2) workpiece - tool post - carriage bed. Secondly, compliances of each structural loop were measured respectively using RET with a hydraulic exciter and then converted into stiffness. Finally, the measured stiffness was compared with that obtained previously by FEM analysis. As the result, both measured and computed stiffness were closely in agreement with each other. And the prototype HDMTL has evidently sufficient rigidity above ordinary heavy-duty lathes.

The large volume multi-tasking vertical lathe was developed for machining the bearing parts for a wind power generator. Although the machined part is large in size high precision tolerances are required recently. One of the most important components to achieve this mission is the rotating table which holds and supports the part to be machined. The oil hydrostatic bearing is adopted for the thrust bearing and the rolling bearing for the radial bearing. In this article experimental performance evaluation and its analysis results are presented. The rotational accuracy of the table is assessed and the frequency domain analysis for the structural loop is performed. And in order to evaluate the structural characteristic of table the moment load experiment is performed. The rotational error motion is measured as below 10 μm for the radial and axial direction and 22,800 Nm/arcsec of moment stiffness is achieved for the rotary table.

In order to demonstrate the possibility of applying an ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) to a finger exoskeleton, pinching motion analysis was performed for a thumb-index finger dummy actuated by IPMC actuators. The IPMC actuators of 5mm in width and 40mm in length with 2.4mm thickness generated 1.52N of blocking force for the applying voltage of 4.0V. Three actuators were installed on the three rotary joint of an index finger, and one actuator was installed on one proximal joint. Positions of each joint and finger tip were recorded on the video camera, and motion was analyzed. Power supply to the index finger actuators preceded power supply to the thumb actuator, and key pinching motion was accomplished in 180s. Tip pinching was accomplished in 135s as power supply to the thumb preceded power supply to the index finger.