An injection molding apparatus, comprising: an injection molding machine; a distribution manifold having a distribution channel, a clamp device arranged to clamp together, under a selected clamp force, a mold system having a plurality of mold cavities one or more first downstream channels fluidly coupled to the distribution channel; one or more first gates arranged to deliver injection fluid to a first cavity; one or more second downstream channels fluidly coupled to the distribution channel; one or more second gates arranged to deliver injection fluid to a second cavity; a control system adapted to: instruct the first upstream valve and a second upstream valve; and at least one downstream valve having a valve pin having a control surface for controlling flow of injection fluid.

Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure are directed to external sensor kits that may be included in new injection molds or retrofitted into existing injection molds in order to approximate conditions within a mold, such as pressure or the location of a melt flow front. Such kits are designed to amplify meaningful measurements obtained by the external sensor kit so that noise measurements do not prevent the approximation of conditions within a mold. In some embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure, an external sensor kit includes a strain gauge sensor, a coupon, a support bracket, and a hammer. The strain gauge sensor is placed on a surface of the coupon and measures the strain in the coupon.

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.

The present disclosure prevents load from being produced in an injection molding machine. The control device for an injection molding machine according to one embodiment of the present disclosure has a determining part that is configured to determine, based on information detected in accordance with a movement of a measurement motor provided in the injection molding machine, whether or not an operation of removing or attaching a screw that rotates in accordance with the measurement motor has been performed.

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.

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.

An injection molding apparatus including: a valve pin driven by an actuator, the valve pin extending axially through at least a portion of the channel length of the fluid flow channel, the fluid flow channel including a throat, downstream flow of the injection fluid being restricted by a bulb portion of the pin, the valve pin having an intermediate position where downstream flow of injection fluid is unrestricted and a fully downstream position where downstream flow of injection fluid is stopped at both the gate and at the throat, wherein the actuator is driven by a valve assembly comprised of a spool mechanically driven by first and second actuators or solenoids that each separately engage the spool at opposing axial ends to effect movement of the spool back and forth between the drive fluid flow positions.

An injection molding machine is provided with a nozzle touch mechanism configured to press a nozzle attached to an injection device against a mold, a drive unit configured to move the injection device, a drive compression member connected to the drive unit, an injection compression member connected to the injection device, at least one resilient member interposed preloaded between the drive compression member and the injection compression member, and at least one strain sensor mounted on the drive compression member.

An abrasion amount estimation device stores a learning result obtained through supervised learning performed based on a feature amount, which is extracted from a physical amount which is acquired in injection performed by an injection molding machine, and information related to an abrasion amount of a check valve which has been attached to the injection molding machine in the injection. The abrasion amount estimation device estimates an abrasion amount of a check valve which has been attached to the injection molding machine in the injection based on the learning result which is stored and the feature amount which is extracted.

A plasticizing device includes a plasticizing mechanism including a feeding port for receiving a material and configured to plasticize the material to generate a melted material and a material feeding mechanism configured to feed the material to the plasticizing mechanism. The material feeding mechanism includes a housing including a depositing port communicating with the feeding port, the housing storing the material, and a rotating member housed in the housing and capable of rotating along an inner edge of the housing. A plurality of through-holes are provided in the rotating member at intervals along an outer circumference of the rotating member. When the rotating member rotates and any one of the plurality of through-holes and the depositing port communicate, the material stored in the housing is fed from the feeding port to the plasticizing mechanism through the depositing port.