Provided is a management device capable of communicating with a counting device that counts the number mold opening and closing cycles. The management device includes a memory and a processor. The processor outputs one or more index values that can be used for determining a next maintenance timing, by using a first value that is a count value acquired from the counting device, and one or more second values that are count values, at a last maintenance time, stored in the memory.

An injection molding system includes a conveyor apparatus that moves a mold, and an injection molding apparatus that performs, using an injection cylinder and a screw, injection molding with the mold, wherein the improvement of the injection molding system includes at least one structure located in proximity to at least a part of the conveyor apparatus, wherein the at least one structure includes at least one element that is moveable, and wherein, when the screw is removed from the injection cylinder, the at least one element is in a position to prevent the at least one element from contacting the screw.

A modular pod for an injection mold includes a molding insert shaped to produce a molded part. The modular pod can be linked with a plurality of additional modular pods to form an injection mold. When a molding insert experiences a problem, the molding insert can be removed from the mold and replaced with a replacement insert. The modular pod employs a mechanical solution to eject the formed parts from the mold, without employing hydraulics.

A method for determining whether or not a single use mold is acceptable, comprises providing a closed lens mold (1) comprising two lens mold halves, and having a first and a second optical lens molding surface forming a molding cavity (15) and defining a molding cavity thickness therebetween, providing at least one interferometer (3), each having at least one thickness measurement beam (31), providing a lens mold holder (2), positioning the lens mold (1) such that the thickness measurement beam (31) of the interferometer (3) impinges on the lens mold (1) for measurement of the distance between the two molding surfaces surrounding the molding cavity (15), measuring the thickness profile of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) on at least three positions of the molding cavity (15) of the lens mold (1), comparing the measured thickness profile with a predetermined thickness profile to determine whether or not the lens mold (1) is acceptable.

A method for determining whether or not a single use mold is acceptable, comprises providing a closed lens mold (1) comprising two lens mold halves, and having a first and a second optical lens molding surface forming a molding cavity (15) and defining a molding cavity thickness therebetween, providing at least one interferometer (3), each having at least one thickness measurement beam (31), providing a lens mold holder (2), positioning the lens mold (1) such that the thickness measurement beam (31) of the interferometer (3) impinges on the lens mold (1) for measurement of the distance between the two molding surfaces surrounding the molding cavity (15), measuring the thickness profile of the molding cavity (15) with the interferometer (3) on at least three positions of the molding cavity (15) of the lens mold (1), comparing the measured thickness profile with a predetermined thickness profile to determine whether or not the lens mold (1) is acceptable.

A tooling system may comprise a device configured to communicate with an identifier of a machine tool and a tool database having tool information including a predefined proximity associated with the identifier. The device may be configured to automatically activate, without a user-initiated scan, communication with at least one of the machine tool and the tool database in response to the identifier being within the predefined proximity. The device may also be configured to transfer tool information of the machine tool with respect to the tool database.

A tooling system may comprise a device configured to communicate with an identifier of a machine tool and a tool database having tool information including a predefined proximity associated with the identifier. The device may be configured to automatically activate, without a user-initiated scan, communication with at least one of the machine tool and the tool database in response to the identifier being within the predefined proximity. The device may also be configured to transfer tool information of the machine tool with respect to the tool database.

In embodiments described herein, it may be determined when to replace a degraded slush mold with a non-degraded slush mold by a method that may comprise monitoring a sample media while repeatedly contacting a surface of the sample media with an abrasive material to determine the number of contactings required to reduce a grain height of the surface of the sample media to a threshold grain height. The repeated contactings of the abrasive solution with the surface of the sample media may reduce the grain height of the sample media. The surface of the sample media may comprise a material substantially identical to the material of at least a portion of a forming surface of the slush mold.

In embodiments described herein, it may be determined when to replace a degraded slush mold with a non-degraded slush mold by a method that may comprise monitoring a sample media while repeatedly contacting a surface of the sample media with an abrasive material to determine the number of contactings required to reduce a grain height of the surface of the sample media to a threshold grain height. The repeated contactings of the abrasive solution with the surface of the sample media may reduce the grain height of the sample media. The surface of the sample media may comprise a material substantially identical to the material of at least a portion of a forming surface of the slush mold.

A tooling system may comprise a tool scanner, a tool database, and a user interface device. The tool scanner may be configured to scan a tool identifier on a tool. The tool database may have tool information associated with the tool identifier. The user interface device may be in communication with the tool scanner and the tool database. The user interface device may receive tool information from the tool database in response to the scan by the tool scanner, concurrently display a tool issue description and a tool issue image from the tool information of the tool database, receive a tool area selection with respect to the tool issue image, and provide access to a tool issue history from the tool database in response to the tool area selection.