Aspects hereof provide methods for molding a single-phase solution comprised of a polymer composition and a gas. The polymer composition and the gas are maintained under pressure during the molding operation to prevent a cellular structure from being formed by the dissolved gas in the polymer composition coming out of solution. The mold cavity in which the single-phase solution is introduced for molding purposes is pressurized to a mold pressure that is sufficient to maintain the single-phase solution as a single-phase solution as the mold cavity is filled. Subsequent to filling the mold cavity with the single-phase solution under pressure, the resulting article may be exposed to a reduction in pressure causing the entrapped gas to form a cellular structure.

A molding device includes a mold and a pressure regulating system. The mold has a mold cavity and a feeding port in communication with the mold cavity. The pressure regulating system includes a first gas conduit coupled to the mold cavity, a first valve disposed at the first gas conduit, a pressure sensing unit configured to sense the pressure in the mold cavity, a second gas conduit coupled to the mold cavity, a second valve disposed at the second gas conduit. A molding method includes: providing a mold; sensing the pressure in the mold cavity, and injecting gas until it is sensed that the mold cavity has reached a first predetermined pressure; sensing the pressure in the mold cavity, and filling a material into the mold cavity having the first predetermined pressure; and discharging the gas in the mold cavity.

Tooling and components of an injection-molding system may be used to mold a foam article. The tooling and components may include features that control parameters of the injection-molding and foaming process, such as temperature, pressure, shot size, shot placement, and the like.

Aspects hereof provide methods for molding a single-phase solution comprised of a polymer composition and a gas. The polymer composition and the gas are maintained under pressure during the molding operation to prevent a cellular structure from being formed by the dissolved gas in the polymer composition coming out of solution. The mold cavity in which the single-phase solution is introduced for molding purposes is pressurized to a mold pressure that is sufficient to maintain the single-phase solution as a single-phase solution as the mold cavity is filled. Subsequent to filling the mold cavity with the single-phase solution under pressure, the resulting article may solidify entrapping the compressed gas, or the article may be exposed to a reduction in pressure causing the entrapped gas to form a cellular structure.

Tooling and components of an injection-molding system may be used to mold a foam article. The tooling and components may include features that control parameters of the injection-molding and foaming process, such as temperature, pressure, shot size, shot placement, and the like.

An intra-mode moulding foam molding device of thermoplastic polymer particles and a molding method thereof. The device includes a supercritical fluid delivery system, a mould pressing foaming system, a preheating quantitative feeding system and a moving rail; the supercritical fluid delivery system communicates with the mould pressing foaming system. Through a one-step foam molding method of polymer particles, polymer particles can be directly added into a molding cavity without pre-foaming, water and anti-sticking separating agent are not needed; the molding process does not need high-pressure water vapor for warming and molding, and has great adhesion force and is also clean, therefore polymer materials are easy to hydrolyze. The processing needs few heat, the heating efficiency of the polymer particles is high, the temperature of the polymer particle is uniform, and a polymer particle microcellular foamed mould pressing molded product having fine pores, precise size and light weight is obtained.

An injection molding apparatus including an injection device, a mold, a gas supply device, and a temperature control device is provided. The mold has a mold cavity, wherein the injection device is adapted to inject a material into the mold cavity. The gas supply device is adapted to supply a gas to the mold cavity such that the pressure in the mold cavity is increased. The temperature control device is adapted to control the temperature in the mold cavity. In addition, an injection molding method is also provided.

A method of manufacturing a foam molded article is disclosed. The method includes the steps of extruding a molten, kneaded resin containing a foaming agent through an annular slit between a die core and a die shell, surrounding the die core to form a cylindrical foam parison, extruding the parison between a pair of split molds, pinching the parison between lower pinchers disposed under the split molds, and molding the parison by closing the split molds. H/D is 1.33 to 3.33 and L/D is 0.33 to 2.00, D being a die core diameter, H being a distance between a lower surface of the die core and an upper surface of each of the split molds, and L being a distance between a lower surface of each of the split molds and an upper surface of the corresponding lower pincher. The die core diameter is between 50 and 300 mm.

A method of manufacturing a foam molded article, comprising: an extrusion step of extruding a molten, kneaded resin containing a foaming agent through an annular slit between a die core and a die shell surrounding the die core to form a cylindrical foam parison and extruding the foam parison between a pair of split molds; a lower-pinching step of pinching the foam parison between lower pinchers disposed under the split molds; and a molding step of molding the foam parison by closing the split molds, after the lower-pinching step, wherein H/D is 1.33 to 3.33 and L/D is 0.33 to 2.00 where D represents a diameter of the die core; H represents a distance between a lower surface of the die core and an upper surface of each of the split molds; and L represents a distance between a lower surface of each of the split molds and an upper surface of the corresponding lower pincher, is provided.

A process for making a three dimensional foam article of non-uniform shape employs a two-stage nitrogen autoclave process and a pre-form which has a non-uniform cross-section in at least one dimension.