An injection molding apparatus comprising: a pneumatically driven actuator having a piston mounted within a fluid sealed chamber for slidable axial movement along or against an interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber via a non-elastomeric engagement or with a non-elastomeric material disposed between the piston and the interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber, the piston forming first and second drive chambers within the fluid sealed chamber, each drive chamber having respective fluid flow ports, a source of pressurized gas that generates gas flow at a selected maximum pressure or flow rate, a gas metering mechanism, a controller interconnected to the gas metering mechanism, the controller controllably moving the gas metering mechanism to selectable positions that correspond to reduced pressures or reduced flow rates during the course of pin travel from the fully downstream gate closed position to the fully upstream gate open position.

An injection molding apparatus comprising: a pneumatically driven actuator having a piston mounted within a fluid sealed chamber for slidable axial movement along or against an interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber via a non-elastomeric engagement or with a non-elastomeric material disposed between the piston and the interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber, the piston forming first and second drive chambers within the fluid sealed chamber, each drive chamber having respective fluid flow ports, a source of pressurized gas that generates gas flow at a selected maximum pressure or flow rate, a gas metering mechanism, a controller interconnected to the gas metering mechanism, the controller controllably moving the gas metering mechanism to selectable positions that correspond to reduced pressures or reduced flow rates during the course of pin travel from the fully downstream gate closed position to the fully upstream gate open position.

A hydraulic drive unit for a shaping machine comprising a pump driven by a motor, a closed-loop or open-loop control unit for closed-loop and/or open-loop control of the drive unit to a reference operating point of the drive unit, and a memory connected to the closed-loop or open-loop control unit, wherein a relationship between a parameter characteristic of a sound directly or indirectly caused by the drive unit and a data set representing various operating points of the drive unit is stored in the memory and the closed-loop or open-loop control unit is adapted to select the reference operating point on the basis of the relationship.

A hydraulic device for a molding machine includes a first pump for a hydraulic fluid, a second pump for the hydraulic fluid, and a drive device for the first pump and the second pump. A first main conduit leads away from the first pump, and a second main conduit leads away from the second pump. A first consumer is connected with the first main conduit via a first opening and a first sub-conduit, and the first consumer is connected with the second main conduit via a second opening and a second sub-conduit. A second consumer is also connected with one of the main conduits via a third opening and a third sub-conduit. The second consumer is connected with the first main conduit via the third opening and the third sub-conduit, and is connected with the second main conduit via a fourth opening and a fourth sub-conduit.

A hydraulic device for a molding machine includes a first pump for a hydraulic fluid, a second pump for the hydraulic fluid, and a drive device for the first pump and the second pump. A first main conduit leads away from the first pump, and a second main conduit leads away from the second pump. A first consumer is connected with the first main conduit via a first opening and a first sub-conduit, and the first consumer is connected with the second main conduit via a second opening and a second sub-conduit. A second consumer is also connected with one of the main conduits via a third opening and a third sub-conduit. The second consumer is connected with the first main conduit via the third opening and the third sub-conduit, and is connected with the second main conduit via a fourth opening and a fourth sub-conduit.

A remote controller can be provided on any apparatus that employs feedback control from a native controller to add functionality to the apparatus where the native controller is not capable of providing such functionality independently.

A remote controller can be provided on any apparatus that employs feedback control from a native controller to add functionality to the apparatus where the native controller is not capable of providing such functionality independently.

A method is described for operating an actuator adapted to move via a pressurized fluid circuit a valve pin of an injection nozzle for molten material within a mold, wherein the valve pin moves from a closing position, where no molten material passes through the nozzle, to an opening position, where molten material passes through the nozzle, and the actuator comprises a chamber and a piston that is movably mounted in the chamber, linearly displaced by the thrust of the fluid and connected to the valve pin to move it. The valve pin is moved by injecting or extracting a predetermined amount of fluid into/from the chamber.

A method is described for operating an actuator adapted to move via a pressurized fluid circuit a valve pin of an injection nozzle for molten material within a mold, wherein the valve pin moves from a closing position, where no molten material passes through the nozzle, to an opening position, where molten material passes through the nozzle, and the actuator comprises a chamber and a piston that is movably mounted in the chamber, linearly displaced by the thrust of the fluid and connected to the valve pin to move it. The valve pin is moved by injecting or extracting a predetermined amount of fluid into/from the chamber.

An injection molding apparatus comprising: a pneumatically driven actuator having a piston mounted within a fluid sealed chamber for slidable axial movement along or against an interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber via a non-elastomeric engagement or with a non-elastomeric material disposed between the piston and the interior surface of the fluid sealed chamber, the piston forming first and second drive chambers within the fluid sealed chamber, each drive chamber having respective fluid flow ports, a source of pressurized gas that generates gas flow at a selected maximum pressure or flow rate, a gas metering mechanism, a controller interconnected to the gas metering mechanism, the controller controllably moving the gas metering mechanism to selectable positions that correspond to reduced pressures or reduced flow rates during the course of pin travel from the fully downstream gate closed position to the fully upstream gate open position.