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.

An injection molding machine uses a controller to effectively control its operation. The controller may determine and/or receive information regarding the machine's maximum load capacity, and may also determine a current operational load value of the machine. The controller also may determine a number of set points used to operate the machine. The controller may cause the machine to operate at these set points, thereby resulting in the machine operating at or below the maximum load value by adjusting any number of machine parameters associated with the injection molding machine.

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.

An injection molding system comprised of: an injection machine having a barrel and a screw for injecting an injection fluid, a distribution manifold, a valve associated with a corresponding one of one or more downstream gates, a sensor adapted to sense and generate a signal indicative of pressure of the injection fluid in the barrel or an inlet that delivers injection fluid from the barrel to the manifold, and a controller receiving the signal generated from the sensor and including instructions that use the signal as a control value to adjust, during the course of an injection cycle, positioning or velocity of one or more of the valve pins.

A foam molding method includes: moving a screw backward to take air into a heating barrel through a nozzle part in a state in which a shut-off nozzle is opened, the shut-off nozzle that opens or closes the nozzle part for injecting the molten resin and is disposed on a heating barrel; closing the shut-off nozzle and moving the screw forward, to diffuse the air taken into the heating barrel, in the molten resin in the heating barrel; feeding the molten resin forward while dispersing the air as the air bubbles in the molten resin by moving the screw backward while rotating it in a state in which the shut-off nozzle is closed; and opening the shut-off nozzle, to inject the molten resin containing the dispersed air bubbles into the cavity.

A blow molded multilayer article with a hollow body defined by a wall with an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface has an axial color gradient. The wall has multiple layers and at least one layer optionally contains an effect pigment and/or an opacifying pigment.

The present disclosure provides a molding system for preparing a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite article. The molding system includes: a molding machine; a mold disposed on the molding machine and having a mold cavity for being filled with a composite molding material including a polymeric resin and a plurality of fibers; a processing module configured to generate an anisotropic stress distribution of the composite molding material in the mold cavity based on a molding condition for the molding machine; and a controller coupled to the processing module and configured to control the molding machine with the molding condition to perform an actual molding process for preparing the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite article. The anisotropic stress distribution of the composite molding resin is generated based in part on consideration of an integral effect of an elongational viscosity and a shear viscosity of the composite molding material.

The present disclosure provides a molding system for preparing a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite article. The molding system includes: a molding machine; a mold disposed on the molding machine and having a mold cavity for being filled with a composite molding material including a polymeric resin and a plurality of fibers; a processing module configured to generate an anisotropic stress distribution of the composite molding material in the mold cavity based on a molding condition for the molding machine; and a controller coupled to the processing module and configured to control the molding machine with the molding condition to perform an actual molding process for preparing the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite article. The anisotropic stress distribution of the composite molding resin is generated based in part on consideration of an integral effect of an elongational viscosity and a shear viscosity of the composite molding material.

A device for producing components using an injection molding method includes at least one cavity (1a) for forming a respective product, at least one injection nozzle (3a) through which material is injected into the cavity (1a), a mold release (4), a distribution channel (10), a media supply (11), an exhaust air channel or return channel (12), at least one shut-off needle (6a). The shut-off needle is connected to a piston in a force-fitting or form-fitting manner and is inserted into the injection nozzle (3a). At least one valve (7a) for opening the needle (6a) and at least one valve (8a) for closing the needle (6a) are provided, such that the valve (7a) and the valve (8a) are arranged directly adjacent to the shut-off needle (6a). A control unit for the valve (7a) and the valve (8a) is also provided.