A disclosed insert molding method includes installing a first insert piece between a first mold and a second mold such that a smallest distance in a gap between the first insert piece and the first mold is smaller than a smallest distance in a gap between the first insert piece and the second mold, the first insert piece including a first through-hole of which width is larger than the smallest distance in the gap between the first insert piece and the first mold; and supplying a resin to a mold gap between the first insert piece and the first mold or the second mold, thereby to fill the mold gap with the resin, while the first insert piece and the first mold are kept to abut each other.

A disclosed insert molding method includes installing a first insert piece between a first mold and a second mold such that a smallest distance in a gap between the first insert piece and the first mold is smaller than a smallest distance in a gap between the first insert piece and the second mold, the first insert piece including a first through-hole of which width is larger than the smallest distance in the gap between the first insert piece and the first mold; and supplying a resin to a mold gap between the first insert piece and the first mold or the second mold, thereby to fill the mold gap with the resin, while the first insert piece and the first mold are kept to abut each other.

An improved heater band for a hot runner injection molding machine. The heater band includes a cylindrical sleeve adapted to be disposed about a nozzle body in combination with a first wire heating element and a second wire heating element. The first wire heating element includes two contact terminals and an intermediate portion therebetween. The intermediate portion of the first wire heating element is disposed within the cylindrical sleeve. The second wire heating element includes two contact terminals and an intermediate portion therebetween. The intermediate portion of the second wire heating element is also disposed within the cylindrical sleeve. The intermediate portions of the heating elements are adjacent to and axially offset from one another within the cylindrical sleeve. The first wire heating element and the second wire heating element can be alternatively connected to an electrical power supply to extend the operational life of the heater band.

An injection molding system (1000) comprising: an actuator (5) having a housing (20) comprised of radial (20r, 20ri, 20ro, 20roa, 20rob, 20roc, 20rod) and axial walls (20a, 20ai, 20aue, 20ade) that form an enclosed chamber (45) containing a heat conductive chamber fluid (CF), a rotor and driver driven by electrical energy and supported within the chamber by the radial and axial walls, wherein one or more of the radial and axial walls comprise a heat conductive material that has an inner surface disposed in heat conductive contact with the heat conductive fluid (CF) contained within the enclosed chamber, an actuator tube or channel (25) disposed within the one or more of the radial and axial walls, a source (260) of heat absorptive fluid (25f) sealably interconnected to the actuator tube or channel (25).

An injection molding machine includes a nozzle with a nozzle body having inner and outer flow channels, and at least one intermediate flow channel in between. A valve stem is slideable in the inner flow channel and moveable between open and closed positions. In a first closed position, the valve stem blocks an outlet of the inner flow channel but not outlets of the outer or at least one intermediate flow channels. In the open position, melt exiting the at least one intermediate flow channel simultaneously intersect melt exiting the outer and inner flow channels. The flow channels may be arranged concentrically. The outlets of the flow channel may be separated by a knife edge. The outlets of the flow channels may be adjacent to one another. The inner and outer flow channels may be substantially perpendicular to one another, but not to the at least one intermediate flow channel.

A molding system and a method for operation of the molding system are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material into a shot tuning chamber from an upstream device, adjusting a temperature of and/or pressure applied to the molten polymeric material in the shot tuning chamber, and flowing the molten polymeric material from the shot tuning chamber into a mold cavity.

A hot runner process controller configured to monitor the status and operation of a hot runner system to autonomously generate information to improve the quality of injection molding process of a hot runner system having an inlet nozzle, one or more manifolds and one or more nozzles with actuator or without actuator, and one or more heating elements, the hot runner process controller is self-operating, and independent from the injection molding machine, includes: one or more sensors located on, in or at the hot runner system to detect the status and/or the operation of the hot runner system, and a processing unit and a memory. The processing unit is connected to the one or more sensors, wherein the memory stores data and program codes. The processing unit is configured to load and execute the program code to compare sensor information with the stored data and to determine if the hot runner system is in an operable status, and in case the hot runner system is in an operable status, configured to generate status information to activate the one or more heating elements and/or the one or more actuators enabling a production operation of the injection molding machine. In case the hot runner system is not in an operable status, configured to generate status information to deactivate the one or more heating elements and/or close or deactivate the one or more actuators disabling a production operation of the injection molding machine.

A hot runner process controller configured to monitor the status and operation of a hot runner system to autonomously generate information to improve the quality of injection molding process of a hot runner system having an inlet nozzle, one or more manifolds and one or more nozzles with actuator or without actuator, and one or more heating elements, the hot runner process controller is self-operating, and independent from the injection molding machine, includes: one or more sensors located on, in or at the hot runner system to detect the status and/or the operation of the hot runner system, and a processing unit and a memory. The processing unit is connected to the one or more sensors, wherein the memory stores data and program codes. The processing unit is configured to load and execute the program code to compare sensor information with the stored data and to determine if the hot runner system is in an operable status, and in case the hot runner system is in an operable status, configured to generate status information to activate the one or more heating elements and/or the one or more actuators enabling a production operation of the injection molding machine. In case the hot runner system is not in an operable status, configured to generate status information to deactivate the one or more heating elements and/or close or deactivate the one or more actuators disabling a production operation of the injection molding machine.

A co-injection hot runner nozzle comprises an inner melt flow channel and an annular outer melt flow channel that surrounds the inner melt flow channel. The inner and outer melt flow channels have a first common source. The nozzle further comprises an annular intermediate melt flow channel disposed between the inner and outer melt flow channels. The annular intermediate melt flow channel is at least partly defined by a plurality of spiral grooves, each spiral groove having a respective inlet and defining a helical flow path. Lands between adjacent spiral grooves increase in clearance in a downstream direction. An annular axial flow path is defined over the lands. A plurality of feeder channels having a second common source is configured to supply melt to the plurality of inlets of the spiral grooves. The relationship of feeder channels to spiral grooves may be one-to-one. The inlets may be longitudinal channels.

A hot or cold runner device for an injection mold includes a distributor block for polymer melts or polymeric liquids such as liquid silicone. The distributor block includes at least one central supply line, at least one melt channel, at least one fluid outlet, and at least one exchangeable deflection and/or distribution insert. The deflection and/or distribution insert has a sleeve and a cone element for deflecting and/or distributing the melts or liquids and is mounted without gaps and without offset at flow channel transitions by a pressing-in process, and the cone element is held in the sleeve in a self-locking manner.