A method of determining melt flow front travel in a molding apparatus includes setting a sensor threshold, receiving a sensor amount as an output from a sensor monitoring a nozzle of the molding apparatus, and determining that the sensor amount exceeds the sensor threshold. The method further includes receiving a screw location, calculating a travel distance of the screw from the screw location, and calculating melt flow front travel based on the travel distance of the screw. The method further includes receiving, via an interface, an operator generated value for the desired melt flow front travel to be reached, and sending, via an interface, an analog or digital output after the operator generated value has been reached. A method of detecting a leaking condition of a check valve is also included.

When an injection molding machine performs molding, the mold clamping force on the mold is adjusted on the basis of a mold displacement of the mold or the injection peak pressure and injection foremost position so that the molding is performed without causing flash and by an appropriate mold clamping force with which energy can be reduced. The amount of mold displacement and also the injection peak pressure and the injection foremost position are monitored during automatic operation. If there occurs no mold displacement change exceeding a threshold or if there occurs no injection peak pressure anomaly or injection foremost position anomaly exceeding thresholds, the automatic operation is continued. If the mold displacement change occurs or if the injection peak pressure anomaly and the injection foremost position anomaly occur, the operation of the injection molding machine is stopped.

A coinjection molded multi-layer container includes an inner layer, an outer layer, and a barrier layer. The inner layer includes a first polymeric material and forms an inside surface of the container. The outer layer includes the first polymeric material and forms an outside surface of the container. The barrier layer is located between the inner layer and the outer layer and includes a second polymeric material less permeable to gas than the first polymeric material. The barrier layer is biased toward the inside surface or the outside surface such that the inner layer and the outer layer have different thicknesses.

A resin detection system for closing an automated valve to prevent resin entering a vacuum line portion of an outlet line is described. The resin detection system comprises a support (300) to a pneumatically-actuated device (320), a capacitive sensor (380) and a valve (410) are mounted. The sensor is configured to provide at least one signal indicative of the presence of resin in the outlet line which is used to close the valve automatically once the presence of resin is sensed by the capacitive sensor. The resin detection system forms part of an injection moulding apparatus and receives signals from a processor thereof to ensure that, if too much resin is injected, the valve is automatically closed even in the event that the sensor does not detect the presence of resin in the outlet line.

A coinjection molded multi-layer container includes an inner layer, an outer layer, and a barrier layer. The inner layer includes a first polymeric material and forms an inside surface of the container. The outer layer includes the first polymeric material and forms an outside surface of the container. The barrier layer is located between the inner layer and the outer layer and includes a second polymeric material less permeable to gas than the first polymeric material. The barrier layer is biased toward the inside surface or the outside surface such that the inner layer and the outer layer have different thicknesses.

A system is disclosed for micro-molding articles. The system melts and pre-pressurizes thermoplastic material to a first level, within a plasticizing barrel. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to a second level, within a hot runner. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to an ultra-cavity packing pressure within a valve gate nozzle.

A method for aligning a simulation of a process to be carried out with a shaping machine with the process really carried out, includes calculating a simulation progression of a variable characteristic of the process, measuring in the process really carried out a measurement progression of the characteristic variable, determining first distinguishing points of the curve of the simulation progression and second distinguishing points of the curve of the measurement progression, mapping the first distinguishing points and the second distinguishing points, calculating a modification parameter for the simulation and/or the process from coordinates of the first distinguishing points and second distinguishing points mapped to each other, and modifying the simulation and/or the process based on the modification parameter and carrying it out again.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of a fluid mold material comprising: a manifold, an actuator interconnected to a valve pin, a position sensor that senses position of the valve pin, a controller that controls movement of the actuator according to instructions that instruct the actuator to drive the valve pin upstream at one or more selected intermediate velocities in response to receipt by the controller of a signal from the position sensor that the valve pin is disposed in the one or more intermediate upstream gate open positions.

In the present invention, sealing tape is wrapped around the outer circumferential surface of an introduced mold, and a monomer solution is injected into a cavity formed therein, wherein the injection amount of the monomer solution can be precisely controlled by using a vision recognition system. According to a preferable embodiment, a monomer solution of a monomer solution tank is suctioned, in advance, into a syringe capable of adjusting a capacity corresponding to a mold; most of the monomer solution, which has been injected into the syringe, is firstly injected into the mold at a high injection flow rate or injection speed; while the residual amount of the monomer solution is secondly injected at a reduced injection flow rate or injection speed, it is finally confirmed, by using a vision recognition system, whether the monomer solution is filled in the mold; and then injection is finished.

Injection molding system having a flow control apparatus and method that controls the movement and/or rate of movement of a valve pin over the course of an injection cycle to cause the pin to move to one or select positions and/or to control the rate of movement of the pin over the course of the injection cycle. In one embodiment the method includes steps of: a) first controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin upstream beginning from the first closed position (50) to be moved to and held in a first selected position (51) for a first selected period of time during the course of an injection cycle, the first selected position (51) being the full open position; b) second controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin, during the injection cycle, downstream beginning from the first selected position (51) to be moved to and held in a second closed position (52) for a second selected period of time; c) third controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin, during the injection cycle, upstream beginning from the second closed position (52) to be moved to and held in a second selected position (53) for a third selected period of time, the second selected position being an intermediate position or the full open position; and d) fourth controllably operating the actuator to drive the valve pin, during the injection cycle, downstream beginning from the second selected position (53) to be moved to a third closed position (54).