A process for injection molded microcellular foaming various flexible foam compositions from biodegradable and industrially compostable bio-derived thermoplastic resins for use in, for example, footwear components, seating components, protective gear components, and watersport accessories wherein a process of manufacturing includes the steps of: producing a suitable thermoplastic biopolymer or biopolymer blend; injection molding the thermoplastic biopolymer or biopolymer blend into a suitable mold shape with inert nitrogen gas; controlling the polymer melt, pressure, temperature, and time such that a desirable flexible foam is formed; and utilizing gas counterpressure in the injection molding process to ensure the optimal foam structure with the least amount of cosmetic defects and little to no plastic skin on the outside of the foamed structure.

A method for injection molding of plastic material by means of at least one injector whose pin valve can be displaced between a fully closed position and a maximum controlled fashion according to a position and speed of the pin valve. During displacement of the pin valve from the fully closed position to the maximum open position, and/or vice versa, the pin valve is stopped in intermediate positions and the displacement speed thereof is uniform and constant. An initial opening step at maximum speed and one or more steps of inversion of the motion of the pin valve can be provided for.

Disclosed herein is a computer-implemented method for controlling and/or monitoring at least one injection molding process in at least one injection molding machine. The method includes: a) providing a set of input parameters by at least one external processing unit; b) simulating an injection molding process based on the set of input parameters and determining at least one predicted process parameter of the simulated injection molding process; c) performing at least one injection molding process using the injection molding machine; and d) determining at least one actual process parameter of the injection molding process and comparing the actual process parameter and the predicted process parameter and adapting the simulation model based on the comparison.

A controller for an injection molding system is in communication with a melt flow control unit, a gas assist control unit, and a gas counter pressure control unit. The controller can effect real-time adjustments to gas assist pressure and/or gas counter pressure as a function of melt pressure or flow front position.

Provided is an injection molding support system and method that can support searching for suitable materials. This injection molding support system 1 comprises: a process 35 of acquiring a production result using a combination of a mold and a predetermined material and material information on a predetermined material; a process 36 of acquiring the production result, the material information on a predetermined material, and material information on a plurality of previously acquired materials, and selecting at least one candidate material from among the plurality of materials on the basis of the acquired information; a process 43 of creating a correction molding condition for injection molding using a combination of the selected candidate material and the mold; and a process 34 of providing, to a user, the created correction molding condition and the output candidate material.

An injection molding apparatus (5), comprising: a first fluid drive cylinder (940c, 941c, 942c), a second fluid drive cylinder (940ac, 941ac, 942ac) interconnected to a valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042), wherein the first fluid drive cylinder (940c, 941c, 942c) and the second fluid drive cylinder (940ac, 941ac, 942ac) are interconnected in an arrangement wherein reciprocating movement of a piston (940p, 941p, 942p) of the first cylinder drives concomitant back and forth movement of a piston (940ap, 941ap, 942ap) of the second cylinder and concomitant back and forth movement of the valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042); an electrically powered actuator (940, 941, 942) adapted to drive the piston of the first cylinder reciprocally according to a drive program such that the valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) is driven between gate closed and gate open positions and selected positions therebetween.

A mold apparatus including a mold, a cooling flow path, and a sensing module is provided. The mold has a cavity. The sensing module is adapted to sense at least one of a temperature and a pressure in the cavity. The sensing module is surrounded by the cooling flow path.

A method and apparatus for producing hollow articles made of injection moulded plastic material by a mould having a die within which there is inserted a core, and at least one injector including a pin valve displaceable between a closing position and an opening position for injecting the pressurized plastic material into a space comprised between the die and the core. During the injection, any flexural deflection of the core is detected and the pin valve of the or of each injector is displaced in a controlled fashion to adjust a pressure and a flow rate of the injected plastic material, so as to reduce or eliminate such deflection of the core.

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 method of forming a urinary catheter is disclosed that includes injecting a polymer melt through a primary melt channel and into an elongated recess around an outer surface of a core; and controlling a first pressure of the polymer melt in a first secondary melt channel separately and individually from a second pressure of the polymer melt in a second secondary melt channel and reducing stress of the polymer melt along the elongated recess. Opening the mould and removing the core provides a moulded intermittent urinary catheter having an open distal end and a closed proximal tip.