An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of mold material to a mold cavity, the apparatus comprising: an injection molding machine and a manifold; an actuator interconnected to a valve pin having a tip end; a valve system in fluid communication with the actuator to drive the actuator at one or more rates of travel, the valve system having a start position, one or more intermediate drive rate positions and a high drive rate position, the start position holding the valve pin in a gate closed position; a controller that instructs the valve system to move from the start position to the one or more intermediate drive rate positions and to remain in the one or more intermediate drive rate positions for one or more corresponding predetermined amounts of time.

Injection molding apparatuses and methods wherein a valve pin is controllably driven upstream and downstream along an axis between a first closed position where the tip end of the valve pin obstructs the gate to prevent the injection fluid from flowing into the cavity, a full open position and one or more intermediate positions, wherein the valve pin is drivable to be disposed or held in a selected intermediate position 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.

A toggle lever clamping unit for an injection molding machine includes fixed and movable platens, a support plate, a toggle lever mechanism operatively connected with both the support plate and the movable platen, a cross clamp operatively connected with the toggle lever mechanism and movable along a machine longitudinal axis, and an electric drive for moving the cross clamp. In addition, a hydraulic drive is operatively connected with the cross clamp and includes a fluid-operated piston cylinder system, with the lengths of the cylinder and the piston rod being coordinated with one another such that the hydraulic drive follows a travel path of the cross clamp as the movable platen travels between an open position of the clamping unit, in which the toggle lever mechanism is swung in, and a closed position in which the toggle lever mechanism assumes a predeterminable extended position and a clamping force is built up.

A motor control device includes a master-shaft drive device to drive a master-shaft motor, and a slave-shaft drive device to drive a slave-shaft motor , the motor control device including a correction-amount calculation unit to use a detection result of a position of the master-shaft motor and a detection result of a position of the slave-shaft motor to calculate a correction amount for correcting a speed command that is to be used for controlling the master-shaft motor, a correction unit to use the correction amount to correct the speed command that is to be used for controlling the master-shaft motor, and a position control unit to execute position control on the slave-shaft motor by using the detection result of the position of the master-shaft motor as a position command.

A mold clamping device of an injection molding machine supports a motor fixing member configured to fix a mold opening/closing motor to a rear platen, on a base frame through a support member and slide plates. When viewed from a direction of a drive shaft of the mold opening/closing motor, the width of the support member is formed to progressively increase outwardly from the motor fixing member toward the base frame, and on a portion of the support member that is located on the base frame side, the slide plates are provided at at least both ends of the portion in a width direction of the support member.

An injection molding system including a nozzle member (18) or a valve pin (80) having a tip end (21) wherein the nozzle member (18) or valve pin (80) is adapted to be controllably rotatable around a longitudinal rotation axis (A) to enable an exit aperture (20) of the nozzle or the tip end of the pin to interface with a cavity entrance aperture (30) to controllably vary or adjust size (SP1, SP2) of the cross sectional area (CA) of a gate aperture (50) according to degree of rotation (R) of the nozzle or valve pin around the rotation axis (A).

The present disclosure provides a molding machine and a method of molding a part. The molding machine may include multiple molding systems (e.g., extruders) for pumping molten material into one or more mold cavities. The multiple molding systems may pump the same material or different materials into the one or more mold cavities. The multiple molding systems may be individually and/or collectively controlled. A method of molding a part may include pumping material into one or more mold cavities via multiple molding systems, ceasing pumping material into the one or more mold cavities when one or more pressures associated with the multiple molding systems are achieved, and releasing a molded part from the one or more mold cavities after the one or more pressures are achieved.

An electrical mold clamping apparatus of a plastic injection molding machines includes a motor unit mounted onto a link base for driving a gear at an end of a ball screw in the link base to rotate and a ball screw socket disposed at a fixed base, and the other end of the ball screw of the link base is screwed into the ball screw socket. When the motor unit drives the ball screw to rotate, the link base is displaced with the rotation of the ball screw to achieve the effect of reducing the load of the motor unit as well as the loss of energy.

An actuator (100) for a molding system (900) is disclosed. The actuator (100) includes a linear actuator (102). The linear actuator (102) is configured to move a payload (160) relative to a support structure (170). The linear actuator (102) is connectable to the support structure (170) and the payload (160). The actuator (100) also includes a first compensator (104). The first compensator (104) is configured to compensate for a relative misalignment between the linear actuator (102) and the payload (160). The actuator (100) further includes a second compensator (106). The second compensator (106) is configured to compensate for a relative misalignment between the linear actuator (102) and the support structure (170).

A plasticizing device includes: a flat screw having a groove formation surface in which a spiral groove is formed and configured to rotate about a rotation axis by a motor; a barrel having a facing surface facing the groove formation surface in a direction of the rotation axis; a heater configured to heat the material supplied between the groove formation surface and the facing surface; and a screw case accommodating the flat screw and having a supply port through which the material is supplied to the groove. The flat screw includes a first side surface in which an introduction port for introducing the material from the supply port into the groove is partially formed, and a second side surface provided on a side farther away from the barrel than the first side surface. A first distance which is a shortest distance between the first side surface and the screw case is larger than a second distance which is a shortest distance between the second side surface and the screw case, and a recessed portion is formed in the second side surface.