There is disclosed a method (400) of operating a molding system (100), the method (400) executable by a controller (140) of the molding system (100). The method comprises appreciating (402) a plurality of operational parameters associated with the molding system (100); based on at least a sub-set of the plurality of operational parameters, generating (404) a machine performance index, the machine performance index being a single value representative of the at least a sub-set of the plurality of operational parameters and being instrumental in enabling an operator of the molding system (100) to appreciate an economic productivity factor associated therewith; causing (406) the machine performance index to be displayed on an interface of the controller (140).

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of fluid mold material comprising: a manifold, a valve pin having a pin axis, a pin connector and a stem, the valve pin being drivable into and out of open and closed positions relative to the gate, an electric actuator comprising an electric motor comprised of a motor housing that houses a drive shaft having a drive gear and a drive axis, a transmission comprised of a transmission gear having a gear axis, the drive gear, the transmission gear and the valve pin being drivably interconnected and arranged such that the drive axis and the gear axis are non-coaxially mounted or disposed relative to each other and the valve pin is drivable linearly along the pin axis, wherein one or the other of the motor housing or the transmission housing are removably attached to a top clamping or mounting plate that is mounted upstream of the manifold and fixedly interconnected to a mold.

A control device for an injection molding machine includes a pressure acquisition unit that acquires a resin pressure, a measurement unit that measures an elapsed time period or a rotation amount of the screw from when the screw has reached a predetermined metering position, a reverse rotation control unit that causes the screw to be rotated in reverse from when the screw has reached the predetermined metering position, and a condition determination unit that determines the reverse rotation time period based on a required time period from when the screw has reached the predetermined metering position until when the resin pressure falls to a target pressure, or determines the reverse rotation amount based on a required reverse rotation amount from when the screw has reached the predetermined metering position until when the resin pressure falls to the target pressure.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of fluid mold material comprising: a manifold, a valve pin having a pin axis, a pin connector and a stem, the valve pin being drivable into and out of open and closed positions relative to the gate, an electric actuator comprising an electric motor comprised of a motor housing that houses a drive shaft having a drive gear and a drive axis, a transmission comprised of a transmission gear having a gear axis, the drive gear, the transmission gear and the valve pin being drivably interconnected and arranged such that the drive axis and the gear axis are non-coaxially mounted or disposed relative to each other and the valve pin is drivable linearly along the pin axis, wherein one or the other of the motor housing or the transmission housing are removably attached to a top clamping or mounting plate that is mounted upstream of the manifold and fixedly interconnected to a mold.

A system for coinjection molding a multi-layer container includes an injection molding apparatus, a camera, and a controller. The injection molding apparatus is configured to coinject a plurality of polymeric materials into a mold cavity to form a multi-layer container including an inner layer, an outer layer, and a barrier layer located between the inner layer and the outer layer. The camera is configured to capture an image indicating a location of the barrier layer within the multi-layer container. The controller is configured to monitor the location of the barrier layer using the image captured by the camera, compare the location of the barrier layer to a threshold location, and provide a control signal to the injection molding apparatus based on the location of the barrier layer relative to the threshold location.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of fluid mold material comprising: a manifold, a valve pin having a pin axis, a pin connector and a stem, the valve pin being drivable into and out of open and closed positions relative to the gate, an electric actuator comprising an electric motor comprised of a motor housing that houses a drive shaft having a drive gear and a drive axis, a transmission comprised of a transmission gear having a gear axis, the drive gear, the transmission gear and the valve pin being drivably interconnected and arranged such that the drive axis and the gear axis are non-coaxially mounted or disposed relative to each other and the valve pin is drivable linearly along the pin axis, wherein one or the other of the motor housing or the transmission housing are removably attached to a top clamping or mounting plate that is mounted upstream of the manifold and fixedly interconnected to a mold.

A composition includes a polycarbonate resin, a heat stabilizer, and an acid stabilizer. An article formed from the composition, when tested using a 2.5 mm color plaque, includes a level of free OH groups that is less than a level of free OH groups of a reference article injection molded from a substantially similar reference composition consisting essentially of the polycarbonate resin without the heat stabilizer and the acid stabilizer. Methods for forming the molded article in accordance with the above are also described.

A display device causes a display unit to display a first graph showing the temporal change of a feature value of a physical quantity measured in each molding cycle of an injection molding machine and a second graph showing the temporal change of events that occurred in the injection molding machine, with the time axes of the first graph and the second graph being defined in the same direction on the same scale, based on cycle information indicating the molding cycle in which the feature value was measured and occurrence period information indicating the occurrence time period of the events.

A method for manufacturing an injection molded container includes operating an injection molding apparatus to inject one or more polymeric materials into a mold cavity to form a container. The container includes an energy director ring protruding from an inside surface of the container and extending circumferentially along the inside surface. The method includes welding a filter onto the inside surface by applying a welding force to the inside surface. The energy director ring causes the welding force to be concentrated at a location of the energy director ring, thereby forming a circumferential weld that secures the filter to the inside surface the location of the energy director ring.

An injection molding system includes a sensor that detects a state of a purged molding material, and a purged material analysis unit that obtains a detection signal of the sensor and analyzes the purged molding material. Whether or not the purge operation is completed is determined based on the detection signal of the sensor so as to complete the purge operation. The purge operation is thus allowed to be completed with a minimum purge amount.