A method for using an injection mold for manufacturing plastic components, in particular components of power tools, the injection mold containing a sprue plate, a push-in device and an ejector plate. A cavity is between the sprue plate and the ejector plate when the sprue plate and the ejector plate are in an assembled state, and the ejector plate containing a fiber channel, through which a fiber bundle having a thermoplastic matrix is transportable to the cavity, via the push-in device, along at least part of the sprue plate. The method includes assembling the sprue plate and the ejector plate; heating the fiber bundle together with the thermoplastic matrix; positioning the fiber bundle at the cavity via the push-in device; introducing a liquid plastic into the cavity through a channel of the sprue plate; and introducing the fiber bundle into the cavity so that the fiber bundle is positioned in the cavity by the stream of liquid plastic.

A melt dispenser for plastic molding comprises a barrel unit removably mountable to a drive unit. A feed screw is received within a barrel of the barrel unit and is rotated by the drive unit to dispense molten molding material through an outlet of the barrel. A coupling mechanism can be engaged to hold the barrel unit against the drive unit and on to connect the screw to the drive. The coupling mechanism is operable by an actuator.

A micro moulding machine and process for forming small plastic parts for the medical device industry. The machine adds heat in two steps to a precision sized plastic pellet and then displaces the entire pellet volume into the mould cavity. A substantial amount of heat is added to the pellet by forcing it through an orifice very near the gate of the mould. The pneumatic pressure to drive the pellet through the orifice is controlled to regulate the amount of heat introduced into the pellet.

A conveying device for conveying a viscous material from a container includes a follower plate that can be inserted into the container, and a pump by means of which the viscous material can be conveyed through the follower plate. Moreover, a measuring chamber for accommodation of a measuring sample of the viscous material is provided. The measuring chamber includes a closable material inlet opening for this purpose. A closable disposal line leads away from the measuring chamber. Moreover, a closable material return line extends from the measuring chamber via the follower plate into the container. The conveying device also includes a controller that is designed and can be operated appropriately such that it determines the compressibility of each of multiple measuring samples. The controller opens the disposal line or the material return line to the measuring sample present in the measuring chamber as a function of the compressibility thus determined.

Resin supply system in which resin material is stored in a pouch (120) in a degassed state ready for use. The pouch comprises a body portion (122) forming a reservoir for resin material and a connector portion (125) in fluid communication therewith. The connector portion includes an outlet (127) which is configured to be connected to an injector head (180) of an injector assembly (100), the injector head being connectable to a mould by means of connecting tubing to provide a resin supply (130) thereto. The pouch is configured to be mountable in a housing (110) of the injector assembly and is compressed by hydrostatic pressure of water surrounding the pouch in a chamber (115) of the housing. The application of pressure by a piston (150) moving in a direction (155) transfers pressure to the water and then to the pouch in a controlled manner to provide the resin supply to the mould. After use, the pouch is removed and discarded thereby substantially eliminating the need for cleaning of the housing after use.

A self-cleaning dosing apparatus includes a material hopper for containing pellets of material, a feed screw, a first material outlet through which pellets of material fall by gravity onto a first end of the feed screw for the feeding of pellets to a process machine. A second material outlet is located beneath the first end of the feed screw, with a slide gate blocking the second material outlet. A pneumatic piston is provided for pulling the slide gate to unblock the second material outlet, and a Venturi pump is located under the second material outlet for pulling pellets through the second material outlet when the slide gate is opened.

The invention relates to a feeding apparatus for feeding pasty masses, in particular silicone, to an injection molding machine, having a pressing cylinder which receives the pasty mass, and a pressing plunger which is arranged axially in said pressing cylinder and presses the pasty mass out of a squeezing nozzle of the pressing cylinder. It is an object of the invention to avoid operational interruptions for cleaning work in the case of a feeding apparatus of this type and to avoid material losses within the feeding apparatus in the case of the successive use of different pasty masses. In order to achieve said object, the invention proposes that the pressing cylinder is configured as a cartridge (3) which contains the pasty mass, consists of a polymer, and can be inserted exchangeably into a supporting housing (2) which supports the cartridge on all sides and is connected to an axial actuating drive (5) for the pressing plunger (3d) which is situated in the cartridge.

A material dispensing device includes a material storage unit that stores a material therein and has an outlet portion at a lower portion thereof, and a dispensing unit that dispenses the material dispensed from the outlet portion to an outside with at least a part of the material being plasticized. The material dispensing device includes a remaining amount detection unit that detects a remaining amount of the material stored in the material storage unit from above the material storage unit. A three-dimensional shaping device includes the material dispensing device that dispenses a material for shaping, and a stage on which the material dispensed from the material dispensing device is stacked.

The invention relates to a material conveying device for feeding at least one injection molding and/or extrusion unit with a non-free-flowing or viscous feed material, having a feed hopper rotatable relative to a bracket about an axis of rotation and a screw conveyor arranged rotatably along an inner jacket surface of the feed hopper in a screw shaft of the bracket, which is designed to convey the feed material from the feed hopper to an outlet, wherein the screw shaft is connected to a hopper outlet of the feed hopper, and wherein the screw conveyor is drivable via at least one drive device.

In order to enable the conveying of feed materials with different properties in the simplest possible way, it is provided that at least one media feed channel opens into the screw shaft, which is designed to feed at least one additional medium to the feed material, wherein at least one mixing device is arranged in the region of the screw conveyor and/or downstream of the screw conveyor, which is designed to mix the feed material and the additional medium.

A mechanism for mixing a supercritical fluid and a polymer raw material melt provided by the present invention includes a hot-melting unit, a mixing unit, and a supercritical fluid supplying unit. The mixing unit, independently of the hot-melting unit, receives a polymer melt from the hot-melting unit and a supercritical fluid from the supercritical fluid supplying unit, respectively, and mixes the polymer melt and the supercritical fluid into a homogenous single-phase solution. The hot-melting unit is provided with a pushing member for pushing a polymer raw material. The mixing unit is provided with a mixing rotor for mixing the polymer melt and the supercritical fluid.