Injection molding system having a flow control apparatus and method that controls the movement and/or rate of movement of a valve pin over the course of an injection cycle to cause the pin to move to one or select positions and/or to control the rate of movement of the pin over the course of the injection cycle. In one embodiment the method includes steps of: a) first controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin upstream beginning from the first closed position (50) to be moved to and held in a first selected position (51) for a first selected period of time during the course of an injection cycle, the first selected position (51) being the full open position; b) second controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin, during the injection cycle, downstream beginning from the first selected position (51) to be moved to and held in a second closed position (52) for a second selected period of time; c) third controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin, during the injection cycle, upstream beginning from the second closed position (52) to be moved to and held in a second selected position (53) for a third selected period of time, the second selected position being an intermediate position or the full open position; and d) fourth controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin, during the injection cycle, downstream beginning from the second selected position (53) to be moved to a third closed position (54).

An apparatus for molding a part includes a plunger cavity, a plunger, and a mold cavity, wherein the plunger is oriented out-of-plane with respect to a major surface of the mold cavity, and first and second vents couples to respective first and second portions of the mold cavity. In a method, resin and fiber are forced into the mold cavity from a plunger cavity, and at least some of the fibers and resin are preferentially flowed to certain region in the mold cavity via the use of vents.

A method for making structural foam parts having continuous aligned fibers includes placing an assemblage of fiber-bundle-based preforms in an injection mold, creating a melt flow of resin and, optionally, short, loose fiber, and adding foaming agent to the melt flow. When the foaming agent/melt flow mixture is introduced into the injection mold, the foaming agent foams. The assemblage is structured and positioned so that fibers therefrom adopt a desired alignment and position in the final part. Structural foam fills the remainder of the volume of the part.

A method of over-molding materials includes: providing a first material in a groove in a first portion of a mold such that only a single surface of the first material is exposed to a vacant portion of the mold; providing, via an injection molding process, a second material in a liquid form in the vacant portion of the mold adjacent to, and in engagement with, the first material; and allowing the second material to solidify and become directly coupled to the first material, thus forming a single component. During the method, the entire single surface of the first material is flush with a plane defined by outer surface of the first portion of the mold. The second material has one or both of a greater hardness when solidified than the first material and/or a higher melting temperature than the first material.

A load bearing panel member having a first portion, a second portion, and an appearance surface portion is formed by injection molding such that the first portion includes a plurality of ribs forming a grid pattern on the first portion and another plurality of ribs extending toward the periphery of the first portion which may be non-orthogonal to each other and to the ribs forming the grid pattern. An appearance surface portion attached to the first portion and second portion of the panel member forms an integral hinge between the first and second portions of the panel member. The panel member may be configured as a floor panel of a vehicle.

An apparatus for molding a part includes a plunger cavity, a plunger, and a mold cavity, wherein the plunger is oriented out-of-plane with respect to a major surface of the mold cavity, and first and second vents couples to respective first and second portions of the mold cavity. In a method, resin and fiber are forced into the mold cavity from a plunger cavity, and at least some of the fibers and resin are preferentially flowed to certain region in the mold cavity via the use of vents.

An apparatus for molding a part includes a plunger cavity, a plunger, and a mold cavity, wherein the plunger is oriented out-of-plane with respect to a major surface of the mold cavity, and first and second vents couples to respective first and second portions of the mold cavity. In a method, resin and fiber are forced into the mold cavity from a plunger cavity, and at least some of the fibers and resin are preferentially flowed to certain region in the mold cavity via the use of vents.

A method for producing components or profiles from at least one solidifiable plastic mass in an injection moulding facility, said method comprising stationary mould components and mould components which are movable with respect thereto. The method includes injection of solidifiable plastic mass into a runner formed in the movable mould components and, from there, via connections either in portions into one or more mould cavities. The runner is enclosed by at least one stationary, temperature-controlled mould component. A continuous runner mass strand is formed with attachment mass strands, which is transported away from the casting site with increasing cooling and solidification and increasing length, together with the filled mould cavities and mould cavity portions. The runner mass strand, together with the connection mass strands, after its solidification and after opening the mould cavity or the mould cavities is separated from the component(s), and the component or the components is/are ejected.

A method of over-molding materials includes: providing a first material in a groove in a first portion of a mold such that only a single surface of the first material is exposed to a vacant portion of the mold; providing, via an injection molding process, a second material in a liquid form in the vacant portion of the mold adjacent to, and in engagement with, the first material; and allowing the second material to solidify and become directly coupled to the first material, thus forming a single component. The second material has one or both of a greater hardness when solidified than the first material and/or a higher melting temperature than the first material.

A load bearing panel member having a first portion, a second portion, and an appearance surface portion is formed by injection molding such that the first portion includes a plurality of ribs forming a grid pattern on the first portion and another plurality of ribs extending toward the periphery of the first portion which may be non-orthogonal to each other and to the ribs forming the grid pattern. An internal channel may be formed within each of the non-orthogonal ribs by injecting a gas into the rib during the molding process forming the panel. An appearance surface portion attached to the first portion and second portion of the panel member forms an integral hinge between the first and second portions of the panel member. The panel member may be configured as a floor panel of a vehicle.