A molding material supply device and a molding material supply method capable of supplying a degassed molding material to a molding apparatus at a desired timing are desired. According to the molding material supply device and method of the disclosure, a first discharge member is driven to discharge a molding material accommodated in a first accommodation member to a second discharge member through a through hole of a die, and a second discharge member configured by the first accommodation member and the die advances to discharge the molding material having been degassed in the second accommodation member to the molding apparatus from a molding material supply port.

A molding material supply device and a molding material supply method capable of supplying a degassed molding material to a molding apparatus at a desired timing are desired. According to the molding material supply device and method of the disclosure, a first discharge member is driven to discharge a molding material accommodated in a first accommodation member to a second discharge member through a through hole of a die, and a second discharge member configured by the first accommodation member and the die advances to discharge the molding material having been degassed in the second accommodation member to the molding apparatus from a molding material supply port.

To provide an injection molding machine which includes: a melting unit including a screw rotating about a rotation axis and having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed and a barrel provided with a communication hole in a facing surface facing the groove forming surface, and configured to plasticize a material to generate a plasticized material and make the plasticized material flow out of the communication hole; a heating unit configured to heat the melting unit; an injection nozzle in communication with the communication hole and configured to inject the plasticized material into a mold; an injection control unit including a cylinder coupled to the communication hole and a plunger; a pressure detection unit configured to detect a pressure of the plasticized material flowing into the communication hole; and a control unit. The control unit controls the injection control unit to execute, based on a detected value, at least one of a metering operation of metering the plasticized material in the communication hole in the cylinder, and an injecting operation of injecting the plasticized material in the cylinder into the mold via the injection nozzle.

To provide an injection molding machine which includes: a melting unit including a screw rotating about a rotation axis and having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed and a barrel provided with a communication hole in a facing surface facing the groove forming surface, and configured to plasticize a material to generate a plasticized material and make the plasticized material flow out of the communication hole; a heating unit configured to heat the melting unit; an injection nozzle in communication with the communication hole and configured to inject the plasticized material into a mold; an injection control unit including a cylinder coupled to the communication hole and a plunger; a pressure detection unit configured to detect a pressure of the plasticized material flowing into the communication hole; and a control unit. The control unit controls the injection control unit to execute, based on a detected value, at least one of a metering operation of metering the plasticized material in the communication hole in the cylinder, and an injecting operation of injecting the plasticized material in the cylinder into the mold via the injection nozzle.

A plasticization device that plasticizes a material, includes: a drive motor; a rotor that is to be rotated by the drive motor and has a groove-forming surface in which a curved projection strip portion is formed from a peripheral edge of a circular central portion toward an outer periphery of the rotor; a barrel that faces the groove-forming surface and includes a communication hole at a position facing the central portion of the groove-forming surface; and a heating unit that heats the material supplied between the rotor and the barrel, the rotor includes a protrusion protruding from the central portion toward the communication hole, and

0.28≤S2/S1≤1.03  (1),

wherein S1 is an area of the central portion and S2 is a maximum area of a cross section of the protrusion along the groove-forming surface.

A plasticizing device that plasticizes a solid material includes a drive motor, a screw rotated by the drive motor along a rotation axis of the drive motor and having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed, a barrel having a facing surface facing the groove forming surface and provided with a communication hole in a central portion thereof, and a heating unit configured to heat at least one of the screw and the barrel. A first facing region and a second facing region that is closer to the central portion than the first facing region are provided between the groove forming surface and the facing surface. A second gap between the groove forming surface and the facing surface in the second facing region is larger than a first gap between the groove forming surface and the facing surface in the first facing region.

A plasticizing device that plasticizes a solid material includes a drive motor, a screw rotated by the drive motor along a rotation axis of the drive motor and having a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed, a barrel having a facing surface facing the groove forming surface and provided with a communication hole in a central portion thereof, and a heating unit configured to heat at least one of the screw and the barrel. A first facing region and a second facing region that is closer to the central portion than the first facing region are provided between the groove forming surface and the facing surface. A second gap between the groove forming surface and the facing surface in the second facing region is larger than a first gap between the groove forming surface and the facing surface in the first facing region.

A plasticizing device includes a drive motor, a rotor that is rotated by the drive motor and has a groove formed face with a groove formed therein, a barrel that is opposed to the groove formed face and has a communication hole, a heating portion that heats a material in a pellet form supplied between the groove and the barrel, and a control unit that controls the drive motor and the heating portion so as to plasticize the material supplied between the groove and the barrel and cause the material to flow out from the communication hole. The heating portion has a first heating portion and a second heating portion disposed closer to the communication hole than the first heating portion, and the barrel has a first region and a second region that is closer to the communication hole than the first region. The control unit individually controls the first heating portion and the second heating portion so that a temperature of the second region is higher than a temperature of the first region.

A plasticizing device includes a drive motor, a rotor that is rotated by the drive motor and has a groove formed face with a groove formed therein, a barrel that is opposed to the groove formed face and has a communication hole, a heating portion that heats a material in a pellet form supplied between the groove and the barrel, and a control unit that controls the drive motor and the heating portion so as to plasticize the material supplied between the groove and the barrel and cause the material to flow out from the communication hole. The heating portion has a first heating portion and a second heating portion disposed closer to the communication hole than the first heating portion, and the barrel has a first region and a second region that is closer to the communication hole than the first region. The control unit individually controls the first heating portion and the second heating portion so that a temperature of the second region is higher than a temperature of the first region.

An improved method for obtaining high fiber volume fraction, long fiber injection molded articles is provided. According to one embodiment, the method includes forming an injection molding feedstock by cutting pre-impregnated fiber-reinforced tape into platelets. The platelets can be coated with a thin layer of polymer to allow sliding of the platelets with respect to each other at the early stages of plastication, rather than forcing relative motion of fibers with respect to each other. The method can further include the dispersion of material only in the final stages of the injection molding screw to promote gentle motion of the feedstock at the earlier stages of the plastication process. The method allows improvement of mechanical properties of articles manufactured with equipment and techniques that are prevalent in high volume automotive and consumer industries.