In an injection molding machine in which intermediate molds are disposed movably in a mold opening/closing direction between a movable platen attached with a movable mold and a stationary platen attached with a stationary mold, setting is simplified when individually setting a setting value related to molding using the movable mold and the intermediate mold and a setting value related to molding using the stationary mold and the intermediate mold. In a method for controlling an injection molding machine 11 in which intermediate molds 18 are disposed movably in a mold opening/closing direction between a movable platen 15 attached with a movable mold 14 and a stationary platen 17 attached with a stationary mold 16, single setting enables setting of both of a setting value related to molding using the movable mold 14 and the intermediate mold 18 and a setting value related to molding using the stationary mold 16 and the intermediate mold 18.

An injection molding system including a nozzle member (18) or a valve pin (80) having a tip end (21) wherein the nozzle member (18) or valve pin (80) is adapted to be controllably rotatable around a longitudinal rotation axis (A) to enable an exit aperture (20) of the nozzle or the tip end of the pin to interface with a cavity entrance aperture (30) to controllably vary or adjust size (SP1, SP2) of the cross sectional area (CA) of a gate aperture (50) according to degree of rotation (R) of the nozzle or valve pin around the rotation axis (A).

An injection molding system including a nozzle member (18) or a valve pin (80) having a tip end (21) wherein the nozzle member (18) or valve pin (80) is adapted to be controllably rotatable around a longitudinal rotation axis (A) to enable an exit aperture (20) of the nozzle or the tip end of the pin to interface with a cavity entrance aperture (30) to controllably vary or adjust size (SP1, SP2) of the cross sectional area (CA) of a gate aperture (50) according to degree of rotation (R) of the nozzle or valve pin around the rotation axis (A).

A method of detecting and compensating for a non-operational mold cavity in an injection molding apparatus having a plurality of mold cavities and an injection molding screw or ram includes injecting, via the injection molding screw or ram, a molten thermoplastic material into the plurality of mold cavities. The method includes measuring a first process parameter of the injection molding apparatus at a pre-determined time during or after the injecting. The method also includes determining, based on the first process parameter, whether one or more mold cavities of the plurality of mold cavities are non-operational. Then, when it is determined that one or more mold cavities are non-operational, the method includes automatically adjusting the first process parameter or a second process parameter of the injection molding apparatus.

A method of detecting and compensating for a non-operational mold cavity in an injection molding apparatus having a plurality of mold cavities and an injection molding screw or ram includes injecting, via the injection molding screw or ram, a molten thermoplastic material into the plurality of mold cavities. The method includes measuring a first process parameter of the injection molding apparatus at a pre-determined time during or after the injecting. The method also includes determining, based on the first process parameter, whether one or more mold cavities of the plurality of mold cavities are non-operational. Then, when it is determined that one or more mold cavities are non-operational, the method includes automatically adjusting the first process parameter or a second process parameter of the injection molding apparatus.

This injection molding system can correct a change in position of a movable mold due to a mold clamping force adjustment mechanism, and is provided with: an injection unit that injects a resin into a cavity formed by a movable mold and a fixed mold; a mold clamping unit that retains the movable mold and the fixed mold to be openable and closable and has a mold clamping force adjustment mechanism that adjusts mold clamping forces of the movable mold and the fixed mold; a handling unit that performs at least one of the assisting operations of an operation of extracting a molded article from the movable mold and an operation of inserting an insert component into the movable mold; and a control system that controls the injection unit, the mold clamping unit, and the handling unit. The control system has a mold position detection portion that detects the position of the movable mold during mold opening, and an operation position adjustment portion that adjusts at least one of the position of the handling unit during the assisting operation and the position of the movable mold during the mold opening according to a detection value of the mold position detection portion.

This injection molding system can correct a change in position of a movable mold due to a mold clamping force adjustment mechanism, and is provided with: an injection unit that injects a resin into a cavity formed by a movable mold and a fixed mold; a mold clamping unit that retains the movable mold and the fixed mold to be openable and closable and has a mold clamping force adjustment mechanism that adjusts mold clamping forces of the movable mold and the fixed mold; a handling unit that performs at least one of the assisting operations of an operation of extracting a molded article from the movable mold and an operation of inserting an insert component into the movable mold; and a control system that controls the injection unit, the mold clamping unit, and the handling unit. The control system has a mold position detection portion that detects the position of the movable mold during mold opening, and an operation position adjustment portion that adjusts at least one of the position of the handling unit during the assisting operation and the position of the movable mold during the mold opening according to a detection value of the mold position detection portion.

To achieve molding insert is properly mounted to the tooling plate of the injection molding machine, a sensor head comprising confocal sensors is used. The sensor heads are placed on the tooling plate at the respective position to determine whether the desired mold insert has been mounted to that position and whether the desired mold insert has been precisely and accurately mounted to the tooling plate.

To achieve molding insert is properly mounted to the tooling plate of the injection molding machine, a sensor head comprising confocal sensors is used. The sensor heads are placed on the tooling plate at the respective position to determine whether the desired mold insert has been mounted to that position and whether the desired mold insert has been precisely and accurately mounted to the tooling plate.

A technique for providing assistance in setting the time to increase the clamping force is provided. A control device of an injection molding machine includes a clamping control part and a monitoring part. The clamping control part is configured to change, in a filling step of filling the inside of a mold device with a molding material during clamping, a set value of clamping force from a first set value to a second set value that is larger than the first set value, at a predetermined pressurizing timing in the middle of the filling step. The monitoring part is configured to monitor changes in the actual value of the clamping force due to changes in the set value of the clamping force.