An injection molding system comprising: a first selected valve, one or more downstream valves, delivering a fluid to a mold cavity, at least one fluid property sensor, each valve associated with a position sensor that detects opening of a gate at an actual open gate time to the controller, the controller automatically adjusting time of instruction to open the gates on a subsequent injection cycle by an adjustment time equal to any delay in time between a predetermined open gate target time and an actual open gate time, wherein the system forms a first one or more parts or objects, the user inspecting or measuring the first one or more parts or objects and manually adjusts the predetermined open gate target time.

An injection molding system comprising: a first selected valve, one or more downstream valves, delivering a fluid to a mold cavity, at least one fluid property sensor that detects a flow front of fluid material flowing downstream through the mold cavity at a trigger location within the cavity disposed between the first gate and at least one selected downstream gate, a controller instructing an actuator associated with the downstream gates to open the gates at a predetermined open gate target time on a first injection cycle, each valve associated with a position sensor that detects opening of a gate at an actual open gate time to the controller, the controller automatically adjusting time of instruction to open the gates on a subsequent injection cycle by an adjustment time equal to any delay in time between the predetermined open gate target time and the actual open gate time.

A method, apparatus and press for the injection moulding of plastic material by a plurality of injectors connected to a distributor and provided with respective obturators movable between a closing condition and an opening condition in a controlled fashion. The injection pressure in the distributor is maintained substantially constant by an actuator which actuates a screw of the injection press, from a start of a filling step up to an end of a packing step of the plastic material into a cavity of a mould. A moulding cycle is entirely controlled by each injector, by managing the position/velocity/acceleration of the respective obturator, without affecting the other injectors.

An injection molding apparatus comprising: a pneumatically driven actuator, the piston forming first and second drive chambers, a source of pressurized gas that generates gas flow to the drive chambers, a gas metering mechanism, a controller including programmable instructions that: automatically controllably positions the gas metering mechanism such that the piston or valve pin is disposed or held in one or more selected intermediate positions for a selected period of time during the course of an injection cycle where the tip end of the valve pin restricts flow of injection fluid through the gate to the mold cavity.

An injection molding apparatus comprising: a pneumatically driven actuator having a piston mounted within a fluid sealed chamber for slidable axial movement along or against an interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber via a non-elastomeric engagement or with a non-elastomeric material disposed between the piston and the interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber, the piston forming first and second drive chambers within the fluid sealed chamber, each drive chamber having respective fluid flow ports, a source of pressurized gas that generates gas flow at a selected maximum pressure or flow rate, a gas metering mechanism, a controller interconnected to the gas metering mechanism, the controller controllably moving the gas metering mechanism to selectable positions that correspond to reduced pressures or reduced flow rates during the course of pin travel from the fully downstream gate closed position to the fully upstream gate open position.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of fluid mold material from an injection molding machine to a mold cavity, the apparatus comprising: a manifold having a delivery channel that delivers fluid material to a first gate; an actuator interconnected to a valve pin having a tip end drivable along a drive path, the actuator and the valve pin being translationally driven at a controllable rate of travel by a valve system comprised of a source of valve drive fluid that pumps the drive fluid at a maximum drive rate, a first valve interconnected to the source that is selectively adjustable to adjust rate of flow of the drive fluid from the source to a selected less than maximum drive rate and a second valve controllably movable between a first position and a second position.

An injection molding apparatus comprising: a pneumatically driven actuator having a piston mounted within a fluid sealed chamber for slidable axial movement along or against an interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber via a non-elastomeric engagement or with a non-elastomeric material disposed between the piston and the interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber, the piston forming first and second drive chambers within the fluid sealed chamber, each drive chamber having respective fluid flow ports, a source of pressurized gas that generates gas flow at a selected maximum pressure or flow rate, a gas metering mechanism, a controller interconnected to the gas metering mechanism, the controller controllably moving the gas metering mechanism to selectable positions that correspond to reduced pressures or reduced flow rates during the course of pin travel from the fully downstream gate closed position to the fully upstream gate open position.

A method of forming a trim panel is provided. The method including the steps of: placing a non-woven mat of material in a heating press; heating the material to a predetermined temperature; applying a decorative film to a first surface of the heated material to create a bilaminate; placing the bilaminate layer into a cavity of a tool such that the decorative film is facing the cavity; heating the cavity; and injecting a thermoplastic resin into the tool such that the thermoplastic resin is adhered to a second surface of the material, the second surface being opposite to the first surface.

An injection moulding apparatus including at least a first mould plate, the first mould plate having a first injection inlet arranged in fluid connection with a first gate leading into a mould cavity and a second injection inlet arranged in fluid connection with a second gate leading into the mould cavity. The first and second injection inlets are arranged to open in sequence. The second gate includes a first gate volume leading into the mould cavity. The second gate is further provided with a second gate volume allowing injection material to flow into the second gate volume at the same time as into the first gate volume and thereafter into the mould cavity.

The present invention is intended to provide a method for manufacturing a resin gear with a core metal by which there is no reduction in strength even with gates allowing decrease in material costs such as pin gates in the molding die for injection molding.

The manufacturing method includes: gates at a primary molding step and gates at a secondary molding step are pin gates or the like. The number of the gates at the primary molding step and the number of the gates at the secondary molding step are plural and identical, and the gates are arranged circumferentially. Gate positions G21, . . . at the secondary molding step are circumferentially intermediate or nearly circumferentially intermediate between gate positions G11, . . . and weld positions W11, . . . adjacent to the gate positions G11, . . . in the primary molded article.