The present disclosure relates to a process and article produced by injection molding. More particularly, a process and article produced by injection molding, that provides a part with one or more locations of a reduced density where such part competes in mechanical property characteristics with parts, such as vehicular components, otherwise produced from metallic materials.

Mold for processing expandable or expanded plastic particles for producing a multi-component particle foam component, that includes a mold cavity delimited by mold walls, having at least one mold element, which in particular is slide-like or slide-shaped, wherein the at least one mold element is mounted so as to be movable between a first orientation and/or position and at least one further orientation and/or position in which it projects at least in portions into the mold cavity, and wherein the at least one mold element is designed with, or has, a flow channel structure having at least one flow channel which extends inside the mold element and through which a process fluid can flow.

A method for producing a molded part, in particular a component of a sporting good, includes providing a mixture of a polymer melt and a foaming agent and injecting the mixture into a mold. The method includes solidifying at least a first portion of the molded part without foaming and at least a second portion of the molded part after foaming inside the mold, wherein the mixture includes a polymer having an average molecular mass corresponding to a viscosity number ≥130 ml/g, preferably ≥170 ml/g, more preferably ≥190 ml/g and most preferably ≥225 ml/g, wherein the viscosity number is determined via solution viscometry according to the ISO 307 standard.

A method for producing a molded part, in particular a component of a sporting good, includes providing a mixture of a polymer melt and a foaming agent and injecting the mixture into a mold. The method includes solidifying at least a first portion of the molded part without foaming and at least a second portion of the molded part after foaming inside the mold, wherein the mixture includes a polymer having an average molecular mass corresponding to a viscosity number ≥130 ml/g, preferably ≥170 ml/g, more preferably ≥190 ml/g and most preferably ≥225 ml/g, wherein the viscosity number is determined via solution viscometry according to the ISO 307 standard.

A molding system and a method for operation of the molding system are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material from an upstream device into an in-mold tuning chamber in a filling position where the in-mold tuning chamber is positioned at least partially within a mold cavity. The method also includes adjusting at least one of a temperature of and a pressure applied to the molten polymeric material in the in-mold tuning chamber to create a first tuned molten polymeric material and releasing the tuned molten polymeric material into the mold cavity from the in-mold tuning chamber.

Described herein are expandable foaming molds. The foaming molds described herein permit mold boundaries to expand along with the expanding polymer and thereby conform to the foaming dynamics of the polymer material. By modifying the temperature and pressure applied to the mold devices described herein, the properties of the resulting foamed polymer can be fine-tuned for specific applications.

A molding system and a method for operation of the molding system are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material from an upstream device into an in-mold tuning chamber in a filling position where the in-mold tuning chamber is positioned at least partially within a mold cavity. The method also includes adjusting at least one of a temperature of and a pressure applied to the molten polymeric material in the in-mold tuning chamber to create a first tuned molten polymeric material and releasing the tuned molten polymeric material into the mold cavity from the in-mold tuning chamber.

The present invention regards a moulding unit for producing a support element for the human body, such as a vehicle seat.

A processing method for molding a foamed polymer, which includes molding a mixture of a polymer material and a foaming agent in a space of a mould chamber into a molded article having a predetermined shape. The shape of the entire space of the mould chamber is an injection molding shape that is different from the shape of the molded article before the mould chamber is fully filled with the mixture, and a shape of at least one local part of the mould chamber is changed after the space of the mould chamber is fully filled with the mixture. An exterior peripheral surface of a substrate of a movable portion and an adjustment end face are located in a center portion of a first mould surface and are spaced apart from all outer edges of the first mould surface.

A continuous forming apparatus for molding foam material into foam products that includes a first endless belt and a second endless belt that cooperates with the first endless belt to mold the foam material. The continuous forming apparatus may also include a first plurality of cleats and a second plurality of cleats opposed to the first plurality of cleats that support the first endless belt and the second endless belt respectively. The first plurality of cleats may include a three-dimensional abutment surface that provides transverse and lateral support to the first endless belt. Additionally, the continuous forming apparatus may include a first frame disposed to support the first plurality of cleats, a second frame disposed to support the second plurality of cleats, and a drive mechanism for imparting motion to the first endless belt, the second endless belt, the first plurality of cleats, and the second plurality of cleats.