Systems and approaches for controlling an injection molding machine and a mold forming a mold cavity and being controlled according to an injection cycle. The systems and methods include analyzing a model of at least one of the injection molding machine, the mold, and a molten material to determine initial values for one or more control parameters of the injection molding machine, and executing a run of injection cycles at the injection molding machine; measuring operation of the injection molding machine during a particular injection cycle of the run of injection cycles; determining one or more operational parameters exceed a threshold; and upon determining that the one or more operational parameters exceed the threshold, adjusting the one or more control parameters for subsequent injection cycles of the run of injection cycles.

A method and system for co-injection molding of two molten plastic materials that allows monitoring and utilization of injection pressure and optionally melt pressure and/or flow front pressure during an injection run. A controller alters the injection pressure so as to achieve and maintain optimal or desired ratios of injection pressure, and optionally melt pressure and/or flow front pressure, of the two molten plastic materials. This allows for more precise part manufacture, including reducing the thickness of a skin or shell layer compared to a core layer of a molded part.

A method and system for co-injection molding of two molten plastic materials that allows monitoring and utilization of injection pressure and optionally melt pressure and/or flow front pressure during an injection run. A controller alters the injection pressure so as to achieve and maintain optimal or desired ratios of injection pressure, and optionally melt pressure and/or flow front pressure, of the two molten plastic materials. This allows for more precise part manufacture, including reducing the thickness of a skin or shell layer compared to a core layer of a molded part.

A temperature control system and method for regulating a liquid temperature in a recirculation system of a molding system includes determining an operating pressure of the liquid in the recirculation system, determining an operating temperature of the liquid in the recirculation system, receiving the operating pressure and the operating temperature, comparing the received operating temperature to a threshold temperature as a function of the operating pressure, and adjusting an output of a heat exchanger in the recirculation system when the operating temperature is beyond the threshold temperature.

A temperature control system and method for regulating a liquid temperature in a recirculation system of a molding system includes determining an operating pressure of the liquid in the recirculation system, determining an operating temperature of the liquid in the recirculation system, receiving the operating pressure and the operating temperature, comparing the received operating temperature to a threshold temperature as a function of the operating pressure, and adjusting an output of a heat exchanger in the recirculation system when the operating temperature is beyond the threshold temperature.

An injection molding apparatus includes a plasticizing portion, a measurement injection portion that is disposed between the plasticizing portion and a molding mold, measures the plasticized material, and injects the measured plasticized material into the molding mold, a first drive portion changing a relative position between the plasticizing portion and the measurement injection portion, a pressure detection portion detecting a pressure inside the measurement injection portion and a control portion, in which the measurement injection portion is configured such that a volume of an internal space thereof, in which the plasticized material is stored, changes according to a change in the relative position between the measurement injection portion and the plasticizing portion, and the control portion executes at least one of a measurement operation of causing the measurement injection portion to measure the plasticized material by controlling the first drive portion to move the plasticizing portion and the measurement injection portion in a direction away from each other, and an injection operation of injecting the measured plasticized material into the molding mold by controlling the first drive portion to move the plasticizing portion and the measurement injection portion in a direction approaching each other depending on the pressure.

An injection molding apparatus includes a plasticizing portion, a measurement injection portion that is disposed between the plasticizing portion and a molding mold, measures the plasticized material, and injects the measured plasticized material into the molding mold, a first drive portion changing a relative position between the plasticizing portion and the measurement injection portion, a pressure detection portion detecting a pressure inside the measurement injection portion and a control portion, in which the measurement injection portion is configured such that a volume of an internal space thereof, in which the plasticized material is stored, changes according to a change in the relative position between the measurement injection portion and the plasticizing portion, and the control portion executes at least one of a measurement operation of causing the measurement injection portion to measure the plasticized material by controlling the first drive portion to move the plasticizing portion and the measurement injection portion in a direction away from each other, and an injection operation of injecting the measured plasticized material into the molding mold by controlling the first drive portion to move the plasticizing portion and the measurement injection portion in a direction approaching each other depending on the pressure.

A computer-implemented method for calculating a nominal profile for the movement of an injection actuator of a molding machine includes defining a simulation domain comprising at least one cavity of a mold installed on the molding machine. At least one simulation is performed in the simulation domain, and injection of a molding material into the at least one cavity of the mold is simulated by predefining at least one volume flow profile through an inlet face at the edge of the simulation domain and/or by predefining at least one pressure profile at the inlet face as boundary condition. A volume flow profile calculated using the simulation and/or the at least one volume flow profile is converted into a nominal profile for the movement of an injection actuator, in particular a plasticizing screw, and a compressibility of the molding material is taken into account in the conversion.

A control device for an injection molding machine including a cylinder into which a resin is supplied, and a screw that moves forward and rearward and rotates inside the cylinder, includes a suck back control unit that sucks back the screw based on a predetermined suck back speed and a suck back distance or a suck back time period, a pressure acquisition unit that acquires a pressure of the resin, a calculation unit which calculates a compensation amount of the suck back speed, based on a difference between the pressure of the resin at a time when sucking back is completed and a predetermined target pressure, and a speed determination unit that newly determines the suck back speed based on the compensation amount.

A control device for an injection molding machine including a cylinder into which a resin is supplied, and a screw that moves forward and rearward and rotates inside the cylinder, includes a suck back control unit that sucks back the screw based on a predetermined suck back speed and a suck back distance or a suck back time period, a pressure acquisition unit that acquires a pressure of the resin, a calculation unit which calculates a compensation amount of the suck back speed, based on a difference between the pressure of the resin at a time when sucking back is completed and a predetermined target pressure, and a speed determination unit that newly determines the suck back speed based on the compensation amount.