A method is provided for configuring fluid in a programable fluid array which includes applying a sequence of magnetic fields to a movable fluidic network component; which includes a magnetic object to produce a force on the component. In one arrangement the fluid array includes a plurality of pre-formed channels and at least one property of at least one of said pre-formed channels is changed by the movable fluidic network component in another arrangement the fluid array comprises an injection molding system where the programmable fluid array is used to improve the speed and accuracy of the injection molding process and/or to additionally modify the shape and form of a molded object. In this arrangement the fluidic network component follows a path through the mold cavity determined at least in part by a sequence of magnetic fields and exerts a force on molding material therein.

An injection molding apparatus includes a melting section configured to melt a solid material into a shaping material and a nozzle configured to inject the shaping material supplied from the melting section into a mold. The melting section includes a screw having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed, a barrel having an opposed surface opposed to the groove forming surface, a communication hole communicating with the nozzle being provided in the barrel, a heating section configured to heat the solid material supplied to between the screw and the barrel, a driving motor, a first gear configured to transmit a driving force of the driving motor to the screw and rotate the screw, and a first injecting section including a first injection port for injecting a first lubricant and a first injection path leading from the first injection port to the first gear.

An injection molding apparatus includes a melting section configured to melt a solid material into a shaping material and a nozzle configured to inject the shaping material supplied from the melting section into a mold. The melting section includes a screw having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed, a barrel having an opposed surface opposed to the groove forming surface, a communication hole communicating with the nozzle being provided in the barrel, a heating section configured to heat the solid material supplied to between the screw and the barrel, a driving motor, a first gear configured to transmit a driving force of the driving motor to the screw and rotate the screw, and a first injecting section including a first injection port for injecting a first lubricant and a first injection path leading from the first injection port to the first gear.

An injection molding machine having vent mechanism includes a plastication device, an injection device, a junction, a vent-up sensor, and a controller. The vent-up sensor detects vent-up. When the vent-up is detected, the controller switches from normal conditions to vent-up suppression conditions. The vent-up suppression conditions have at least one of the followings: increasing a rotational speed of the plastication screw to be higher than that in the normal conditions; using retreat-metering when the retreat-metering is not performed in the normal conditions, wherein in the retreat-metering, in addition to a pressure of the resin material, a force in a retreat direction is applied to the injection plunger to move the injection plunger at a predetermined retreat speed in the metering; and increasing the retreat speed of the injection plunger to be higher than that in the normal conditions when the retreat-metering is performed in the normal conditions.

An injection molding machine having vent mechanism includes a plastication device, an injection device, a junction, a vent-up sensor, and a controller. The vent-up sensor detects vent-up. When the vent-up is detected, the controller switches from normal conditions to vent-up suppression conditions. The vent-up suppression conditions have at least one of the followings: increasing a rotational speed of the plastication screw to be higher than that in the normal conditions; using retreat-metering when the retreat-metering is not performed in the normal conditions, wherein in the retreat-metering, in addition to a pressure of the resin material, a force in a retreat direction is applied to the injection plunger to move the injection plunger at a predetermined retreat speed in the metering; and increasing the retreat speed of the injection plunger to be higher than that in the normal conditions when the retreat-metering is performed in the normal conditions.

A feeding device for an injection molding machine adapted to feed a plastic material includes a bin unit, a valve unit and a conveying unit. The bin unit has an intake space and first and second spaces arranged sequentially along a path. The conveying unit has a mixer space communicating with the second space and includes a screw rod rotating therein to extrude the plastic material out of the mixer space while gases in the plastic material are pumped out through a gas discharge channel. The valve unit includes first and second valves which are respectively disposed between the intake and first spaces and between the first and second spaces, and are alternately movable to a close position to provide an airtight seal upstream of the mixer space.

A feeding device for an injection molding machine adapted to feed a plastic material includes a bin unit, a valve unit and a conveying unit. The bin unit has an intake space and first and second spaces arranged sequentially along a path. The conveying unit has a mixer space communicating with the second space and includes a screw rod rotating therein to extrude the plastic material out of the mixer space while gases in the plastic material are pumped out through a gas discharge channel. The valve unit includes first and second valves which are respectively disposed between the intake and first spaces and between the first and second spaces, and are alternately movable to a close position to provide an airtight seal upstream of the mixer space.

A method of influencing a backpressure length and/or a screw return speed in an axially extending plasticizing cylinder of a plasticizing unit for an injection moulding machine including a plasticizing screw arranged displaceably and rotatably in a cylinder bore of the plasticizing cylinder. Metering of plastic granulate fed to the plasticizing unit is carried out in dependence on the desired backpressure length in the plasticizing unit, and the plasticizing unit is operated in underfed mode.

A method of influencing a backpressure length and/or a screw return speed in an axially extending plasticizing cylinder of a plasticizing unit for an injection moulding machine including a plasticizing screw arranged displaceably and rotatably in a cylinder bore of the plasticizing cylinder. Metering of plastic granulate fed to the plasticizing unit is carried out in dependence on the desired backpressure length in the plasticizing unit, and the plasticizing unit is operated in underfed mode.

A control device for an injection molding machine includes a pressure acquisition unit that acquires a resin pressure, a measurement unit that measures an elapsed time period or a rotation amount of the screw from when the screw has reached a predetermined metering position, a reverse rotation control unit that causes the screw to be rotated in reverse from when the screw has reached the predetermined metering position, and a condition determination unit that determines the reverse rotation time period based on a required time period from when the screw has reached the predetermined metering position until when the resin pressure falls to a target pressure, or determines the reverse rotation amount based on a required reverse rotation amount from when the screw has reached the predetermined metering position until when the resin pressure falls to the target pressure.