A injection molding method involves measuring, using at least one strain gauge sensor, a change in strain in a mold side of a mold cavity, approximating a pressure within the mold cavity based on the change in strain, comparing the approximated pressure to a pre-set trigger point, and if the approximated pressure equals or exceeds the pre-set trigger point, activating a virtual cavity sensor having an optimal pre-defined pressure-time curve, wherein upon activation, the virtual cavity sensor tracks approximated pressures calculated from the change in strain measurements measured by the at least one strain gauge sensor over time and compares the results of the approximated pressure tracking to the optimal pre-defined pressure-time curve.

A strain gauge nozzle adapter that may be placed between a barrel end cap and a nozzle body of an injection molding system, the strain gauge nozzle adapter having a strain gauge pin that measures strain within the strain gauge nozzle adapter for use in approximating conditions within an injection molding system, such as pressure or the location of a melt flow front. The strain gauge nozzle adapter may include a plurality of strain gauge pins. An alternative material insert in the strain gauge nozzle adapter may surround a strain gauge pin to amplify meaningful measurements obtained by the strain gauge pin so that noise measurements do not compromise the accuracy of approximation of conditions within a mold.

An injection molding apparatus including a mold, an injection device and a specific volume sensing module is provided. The injection device is adapted to inject a material into the mold. At least parts of the specific volume sensing module are disposed at the mold, wherein the specific volume sensing module is adapted to sense an actual specific volume of the material in the mold. In addition, an injection molding method is also provided.

A method of determining melt flow front travel in a molding apparatus includes setting a sensor threshold, receiving a sensor amount as an output from a sensor monitoring a nozzle of the molding apparatus, and determining that the sensor amount exceeds the sensor threshold. The method further includes receiving a screw location, calculating a travel distance of the screw from the screw location, and calculating melt flow front travel based on the travel distance of the screw. The method further includes receiving, via an interface, an operator generated value for the desired melt flow front travel to be reached, and sending, via an interface, an analog or digital output after the operator generated value has been reached. A method of detecting a leaking condition of a check valve is also included.

There is provided a mold stack (100). The mold stack (100) comprises a core insert assembly (102), the core insert assembly (102) for defining an inner portion of a molded article to be molded. The core insert assembly (102) includes a sensor assembly (120) configured to measure the in-mold pressure using entire active surface of the core insert assembly (102).

Injection molding apparatuses and methods wherein a valve pin is controllably driven upstream and downstream along an axis between a first closed position where the tip end of the valve pin obstructs the gate to prevent the injection fluid from flowing into the cavity, a full open position and one or more intermediate positions, wherein the valve pin is drivable to be disposed or held in a selected intermediate position for a selected period of time during the course of an injection cycle where the tip end of the valve pin restricts flow of injection fluid through the gate to the mold cavity.

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 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 die casting machine includes a plurality of ejector pins capable of advancing and retracting together with respect to the internal portion of a die; an electric motor capable of driving the plurality of ejector pins; a position sensor capable of detecting the positions of the plurality of ejector pins; a force sensor capable of detecting the pressure which is given to the molding material inside the die by the plurality of ejector pins; a display device capable of displaying images, and a control device controlling the electric motor and display device. The control device includes a drive control part which controls the electric motor so as to generate a driving force making the plurality of ejector pins advance to the inside of the die after the start of injection and before die opening, and a display control part which controls the display device so as to display the position detected by a position sensor and the pressure detected by a force sensor along a common time axis.

A control method for an injection molding machine including a measurement process of measuring molten resin by moving a screw backward while rotating the screw in a heating barrel for melting a resin material, a rotational speed of the screw is reduced from a timing when a backward movement speed of the screw is reduced at the measurement process before the measurement process is completed, for stopping backward movement of the screw when the measurement process is completed, and the rotational speed and a rotation direction of the screw are controlled such that a back pressure as a pressure of the molten resin measured at the measurement process becomes a target pressure lower than the back pressure of when the measurement process is completed, when a target time comes.