A plasticizing apparatus includes a drive motor, a rotor rotated by the drive motor and having a groove-forming surface provided with a groove, a barrel facing the groove-forming surface and having a communication hole, an enclosure that accommodates the rotor, a heating section that heats a material, and a wear suppressor provided in at least one of the portion between the rotor and the barrel and the portion between the rotor and the enclosure. When the wear suppressor is provided between the rotor and the barrel, the wear suppressor is fixed to the rotor or the barrel and has Vickers hardness higher than the Vickers hardness of one of the rotor and the barrel, the one to which the wear suppressor is fixed, whereas when the wear suppressor is provided between the rotor and the enclosure, the wear suppressor is fixed to the rotor or the enclosure and has Vickers hardness higher than the Vickers hardness of one of the rotor and the enclosure, the one to which the wear suppressor is fixed.

A plasticizing apparatus includes a drive motor, a rotor rotated by the drive motor and having a groove-forming surface provided with a groove, a barrel facing the groove-forming surface and having a communication hole, an enclosure that accommodates the rotor, a heating section that heats a material, and a wear suppressor provided in at least one of the portion between the rotor and the barrel and the portion between the rotor and the enclosure. When the wear suppressor is provided between the rotor and the barrel, the wear suppressor is fixed to the rotor or the barrel and has Vickers hardness higher than the Vickers hardness of one of the rotor and the barrel, the one to which the wear suppressor is fixed, whereas when the wear suppressor is provided between the rotor and the enclosure, the wear suppressor is fixed to the rotor or the enclosure and has Vickers hardness higher than the Vickers hardness of one of the rotor and the enclosure, the one to which the wear suppressor is fixed.

A plasticizing device that plasticizes at least a part of a material to generate a plasticized material, the plasticizing device includes: a drive motor; a screw configured to rotate around a rotation axis by a drive force of the drive motor and having a groove forming surface in which a groove is formed; a speed reducer disposed between the drive motor and the screw and configured to transmit the drive force of the drive motor to the screw; a barrel having a facing surface facing the groove forming surface and having a through hole into which the plasticized material flows; a first heater configured to heat the material supplied between the screw and the barrel; a first cooling unit configured to cool the drive motor; and a heat insulating unit disposed between the first cooling unit and the speed reducer. At least a part of the heat insulating unit overlaps the first cooling unit when viewed along the rotation axis of the screw.

A plasticizing device that plasticizes at least a part of a material to generate a plasticized material, the plasticizing device includes: a drive motor; a screw configured to rotate around a rotation axis by a drive force of the drive motor and having a groove forming surface in which a groove is formed; a speed reducer disposed between the drive motor and the screw and configured to transmit the drive force of the drive motor to the screw; a barrel having a facing surface facing the groove forming surface and having a through hole into which the plasticized material flows; a first heater configured to heat the material supplied between the screw and the barrel; a first cooling unit configured to cool the drive motor; and a heat insulating unit disposed between the first cooling unit and the speed reducer. At least a part of the heat insulating unit overlaps the first cooling unit when viewed along the rotation axis of the screw.

A method to predict the remaining useful life of a plasticizing screw for an injection molding machine is provided. The method comprises: creating an energy-pressure ratio distribution estimate for normal operation of the screw for a mold; creating a temporally local energy-pressure ratio distribution estimate from real time data for the screw for the mold; comparing the local distribution with the distribution for normal operation; and generating an alert if the comparison of the two distributions predicts that the remaining useful life is negligible.

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 plasticizing device includes a first member having a groove portion that has a spiral shape extending to a center, a motor that rotates the first member, a second member that faces the first member, and a heating unit for heating a material that is transported along the groove portion, the first member having a plurality of recessed portions on a bottom surface of the groove portion. By providing a plurality of recessed portions on the bottom surface of the first member through which the material flows, the rotational force of the rotating first member is easily transmitted to the material and the amount of material flowing in the first member can be increased.

A plasticizing device includes a first member having a groove portion that has a spiral shape extending to a center, a motor that rotates the first member, a second member that faces the first member, and a heating unit for heating a material that is transported along the groove portion, the first member having a plurality of recessed portions on a bottom surface of the groove portion. By providing a plurality of recessed portions on the bottom surface of the first member through which the material flows, the rotational force of the rotating first member is easily transmitted to the material and the amount of material flowing in the first member can be increased.

A plasticizing apparatus includes a drive motor, a rotor rotated by the drive motor and having a groove-forming surface provided with a groove, a barrel facing the groove-forming surface and having a communication hole, an enclosure that accommodates the rotor, a heating section that heats a material, and a wear suppressor provided in at least one of the portion between the rotor and the barrel and the portion between the rotor and the enclosure. When the wear suppressor is provided between the rotor and the barrel, the wear suppressor is fixed to the rotor or the barrel and has Vickers hardness higher than the Vickers hardness of one of the rotor and the barrel, the one to which the wear suppressor is fixed, whereas when the wear suppressor is provided between the rotor and the enclosure, the wear suppressor is fixed to the rotor or the enclosure and has Vickers hardness higher than the Vickers hardness of one of the rotor and the enclosure, the one to which the wear suppressor is fixed.