A method for producing a foam-molded product uses a producing apparatus including a plasticizing cylinder. The plasticizing cylinder has a plasticization zone, a starvation zone, and an introducing port which is formed in the plasticizing cylinder and via which a physical foaming agent is introduced into the starvation zone. The method includes: plasticizing and melting a thermoplastic resin into a molten resin in the plasticization zone; introducing a pressurized fluid containing the physical foaming agent having a fixed pressure into the starvation zone; allowing the molten resin to be in the starved state in the starvation zone; bringing the molten resin in the starved state into contact with the pressurized fluid having the fixed pressure in the starvation zone; and molding the molten resin into the foam-molded product. At least one pressure boosting part is provided in the starvation zone.

A controller includes an operation information acquisition unit that acquires operation information, a characteristic information acquisition unit that acquires characteristic information of heat dissipation characteristics of a heater, a surface temperature acquisition unit that acquires the surface temperature of the heater, and a results information acquisition unit that acquires results of a transition in the ratio of the surface temperature and a set temperature with respect to a transition in the heater output as results information. The controller also includes an estimation unit that uses the operation and results information, and the acquired surface temperature to estimate the surface temperature of the heater, and an energy quantity calculation unit that uses the estimated surface temperature and characteristic information to calculate the heat quantity dissipation from the surface of the heater and calculates heat transfer energy quantity transmitted from the heater to a resin and the shear energy quantity.

An injection molding cell is provided with an injection molding machine and its peripheral device and an injection molding cell management unit. The injection molding cell management unit includes a worker identification information input unit, configured to accept input of worker identification information for identifying a worker who performs input and/or operation of the injection molding machine and its peripheral device, and a prohibition state releasing unit configured to release a prohibition state of the input and/or operation of the injection molding machine and its peripheral device, based on the worker identification information.

There are provided a molded product manufacturing system that can be easily adapted to IoT and an apparatus for taking out a molded product that can promote adaptation of the molded product manufacturing system to IoT. A molded product manufacturing system includes an injection molding machine, an apparatus for taking out a molded product, and one or more peripheral devices arranged around the apparatus to operate together during operation of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a communication unit operable to transmit internal data to an external server via a communication network. The communication unit of the apparatus transmits external data, which is output from the one or more peripheral devices, to external servers together with information on a die.

A state determination device that determines an operation state of an injection molding machine stores respective specification data of a reference injection molding machine and an injection molding machine that is different from the reference injection molding machine, and acquires data related to the injection molding machine. Then, the state determination device converts the acquired data into yardstick data by a conversion formula set for every type of data, by using the stored specification data of the reference injection molding machine and the stored specification data of the injection molding machine and performs machine learning using the yardstick data obtained through the conversion so as to generate a learning model.

A method for producing a foam-molded product uses a producing apparatus including a plasticizing cylinder. The plasticizing cylinder has a plasticization zone, a starvation zone, and an introducing port which is formed in the plasticizing cylinder and via which a physical foaming agent is introduced into the starvation zone. The method includes: plasticizing and melting a thermoplastic resin into a molten resin in the plasticization zone; introducing a pressurized fluid containing the physical foaming agent having a fixed pressure into the starvation zone; allowing the molten resin to be in the starved state in the starvation zone; bringing the molten resin in the starved state into contact with the pressurized fluid having the fixed pressure in the starvation zone; and molding the molten resin into the foam-molded product. At least one pressure boosting part is provided in the starvation zone.

A method of selecting thermoplastic materials for use with an injection molding apparatus that adjusts viscosity of a thermoplastic material based on an interpreted viscosity is provided. The method includes determining a target MFI for an identified plastic article based on performance properties. A thermoplastic material supply chain is analyzed and a first thermoplastic material having a first starting MFI and a first MFI range is identified and a second thermoplastic material having a second starting MFI and a second MFI range that is greater than the first MFI range is identified and is priced less than the first thermoplastic material. The second thermoplastic material is purchased. The second thermoplastic material is tested by providing the second thermoplastic material to the injection molding apparatus for multiple shot molding cycles with the second thermoplastic material in a molten state. The step of testing includes monitoring melt pressure of the molten second thermoplastic material using a sensor and providing a signal to a controller indicative of melt pressure. The controller controls introduction of an additive to the second thermoplastic material thereby changing a viscosity of the molten second thermoplastic material based on the signal. A molded article is formed by reducing a mold temperature of the second thermoplastic material within the at least one mold cavity.

A display device and a display system of an injection molding machine, capable of automatically displaying a window highly relevant to a window being displayed on a main screen on a sub-screen are provided. A display device of an injection molding machine, capable of displaying two or more windows includes: a display unit having at least a main display unit and a sub-display unit; an input unit that receives an input related to selection of a window to be displayed on the display unit; and a display control unit that selectively controls the window to be displayed on the display unit based on the input to the input unit, wherein the display control unit switches a window to be displayed on the main display unit based on the input to the input unit and displays a window displayed in the past on the main display unit on the sub-display unit.

Provided are skin-forming apparatus and method. The apparatus includes a mold having a cavity defining a skin-forming space and a vent core system coupled to the mold for discharging residual gas. The vent core system includes a vent hole formed in the mold and connecting the cavity of the mold to the outside, a vent core mounted in the mold for opening an inlet of the vent hole to discharge the residual gas or closing the inlet of the vent hole to block leakage of the resin, a temperature sensor disposed in a resin flow course in the cavity while being spaced apart from the inlet of the vent hole by a predetermined distance, a controller, and a core driving unit for driving the vent core to perform opening and closing operations based on the control signal of the controller in accordance with the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

A state determination device that determines an operation state of an injection molding machine stores respective specification data of a reference injection molding machine and an injection molding machine that is different from the reference injection molding machine, and acquires data related to the injection molding machine. Then, the state determination device converts the acquired data into yardstick data by a conversion formula set for every type of data, by using the stored specification data of the reference injection molding machine and the stored specification data of the injection molding machine and performs machine learning using the yardstick data obtained through the conversion so as to generate a learning model.