An injection molding apparatus (10) comprising an actuator (940, 941, 942) comprised of a driver (940dr, 941dr, 942dr) receiving electrical energy or power from an electrical drive (940d, 941d, 942d), the electrical drive (940d, 941d, 942d) comprising an interface that receives and controllably distributes electrical energy or power in controllably varied amounts during the course of an injection cycle to the driver (940dr, 941dr, 942dr), the electrical drive (940d, 941d, 942d) being housed within or by an actuator housing (940h, 941h, 942h) or being mounted on or to the housing (940h, 941h, 942h), the housing (940h, 941h, 942h) and the electrical drive (940d, 941d, 942d) being mounted on, to or in close proximity to the heated manifold (40), a cooling device (940mc, 940mc1, 940mc2, 941mc, 942mc) disposed between the heated manifold (40) and the housing (940h, 941h, 942h) adapted to substantially isolate or insulate at least the electrical drive (940d, 941d, 942d) from substantial communication with heat emanating or emitted from the heated manifold (40).

A method for controlling the filling of at least one cavity in a device for producing an object, in particular in an injection molding machine, wherein a melt is inserted into the cavity through an opening, and the width thereof is altered, wherein the width of the opening is also to be changed and adjusted, that is, fixed, in a position between a closed position and a maximal open position.

A system for varying an eyelet-to-eyelet distance of a vehicle. The system includes top and bottom mounting components defining the eyelet-to-eyelet distance, the top mounting component being operatively connected to a frame of the vehicle, and the bottom mounting component being operatively connected to a supporting component of the vehicle. The system also includes a telescopic component disposed about a housing of at least one of the top and bottom components, the telescopic component being displaceable with respect to said housing in response to a given input of a driver of the vehicle, for varying a distance between the top and mounting components, and thus varying the eyelet-to-eyelet distance of the vehicle. Also described is a vehicle including such a system, and a method of operating associated thereto.

An injection molding system is disclosed. The injection molding system includes: a mold; a hot runner including: a manifold; one or more injection nozzles coupled to the manifold; a plurality of heaters in thermal contact with the manifold and the one or more injection nozzles, the heaters being arranged into one or more defined heating zones within the hot runner; and at least one temperature sensor associated with each heating zone, and a system controller coupled to the plurality of heaters, the system controller being configured to: for each heating zone: determine a setpoint temperature associated with the heating zone; obtain, via a temperature sensor, measurement of a current local temperature of the heating zone; determine a control gain value associated with the heating zone; and compute a predicted heating time for the heating zone based on the setpoint temperature, the current local temperature, and the control gain value, determine a heating schedule for the hot runner based on the predicted heating times for the heating zones; and operate the plurality of heaters in accordance with the heating schedule.

A molding device for producing a molded module. The molding device has one tool part and one further tool part, which together enclose a cavity. At least one of the tool parts has at least one dividing web arranged and configured to subdivide the cavity into at least a low-pressure sub-cavity and a high-pressure sub-cavity. The tool part has at least two feed channels, of which a low-pressure feed channel opens into the low-pressure sub-cavity and has a smaller cross-section at least over a longitudinal portion than a high-pressure feed channel opening into the high-pressure sub-cavity. The low-pressure feed channel is configured to become pressure-resistantly blocked through hardening of the molding compound once a predetermined time interval has elapsed or during the interval. The high-pressure feed channel is configured to conduct a molding pressure into the cavity for a longer time interval than the low-pressure feed channel.

Disclosed herein is apparatus and methods for separating plastic runners in a cold runner system between injection cycles of an injection molding process. In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus is a heated runner separator that includes a heated melt disc with a central aperture, a heating band positioned around the heated melt disc, a first insulator ring positioned proximate to a first end of the central aperture of the heated melt disc, and a second insulator ring positioned proximate to a second and opposite end of the central aperture of the heated melt disc. The heated runner separator further includes a first terminal and second terminal extending from the heating band and arranged to couple to a heating source to heat the heating band. The heated runner separator further includes a thermocouple in contact with the heated melt disc and arranged to measure the temperature of the heated melt disc.

A hot runner process controller configured to monitor the status and operation of a hot runner system to autonomously generate information to improve the quality of injection molding process of a hot runner system having an inlet nozzle, one or more manifolds and one or more nozzles with actuator or without actuator, and one or more heating elements, the hot runner process controller is self-operating, and independent from the injection molding machine, includes: one or more sensors located on, in or at the hot runner system to detect the status and/or the operation of the hot runner system, and a processing unit and a memory. The processing unit is connected to the one or more sensors, wherein the memory stores data and program codes. The processing unit is configured to load and execute the program code to compare sensor information with the stored data and to determine if the hot runner system is in an operable status, and in case the hot runner system is in an operable status, configured to generate status information to activate the one or more heating elements and/or the one or more actuators enabling a production operation of the injection molding machine. In case the hot runner system is not in an operable status, configured to generate status information to deactivate the one or more heating elements and/or close or deactivate the one or more actuators disabling a production operation of the injection molding machine.