In an injection molding method, using a heating cylinder having on the front end thereof a discharge nozzle, a single axis screw is rotatable inside the heating cylinder, a fiber-supplying device fills reinforcing fiber into the heating cylinder, and injection molding is performed while supplying the reinforcing fiber and the resin starting material separately and supplying the reinforcing fiber on the front side of the resin starting material. The method includes a plasticization process for obtaining a specified amount of a kneaded product by retracting the screw while rotating in the normal direction to melt the resin starting material and knead reinforcing fiber into the melted resin starting material, and an injection process for discharging the kneaded product from the discharge nozzle by advancing the screw. Reinforcing fiber is supplied into the heating cylinder in the injection process.

An injection molding machine uses a native controller and a retrofit controller to effectively control its operation. The controllers 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 retrofit controller may cause the machine to operate at any number of combinations of settings of operational parameters which result in the machine operating at or below the maximum load value by adjusting any number of machine parameters associated with the injection molding machine based on feedback sensors measuring real-time operating conditions of the machine.

A method of detecting and compensating for a non-operational mold cavity in an injection molding apparatus having a plurality of mold cavities and an injection molding screw or ram includes injecting, via the injection molding screw or ram, a molten thermoplastic material into the plurality of mold cavities. The method includes measuring a first process parameter of the injection molding apparatus at a pre-determined time during or after the injecting. The method also includes determining, based on the first process parameter, whether one or more mold cavities of the plurality of mold cavities are non-operational. Then, when it is determined that one or more mold cavities are non-operational, the method includes automatically adjusting the first process parameter or a second process parameter of the injection molding apparatus.

A method of influencing a backpressure length and/or a screw return speed in an axially extending plasticizing cylinder of a plasticizing unit for an injection moulding machine including a plasticizing screw arranged displaceably and rotatably in a cylinder bore of the plasticizing cylinder. Metering of plastic granulate fed to the plasticizing unit is carried out in dependence on the desired backpressure length in the plasticizing unit, and the plasticizing unit is operated in underfed mode.

A control device for an injection molding machine is equipped with a pressure acquisition unit that acquires a pressure of a resin inside a cylinder, a reverse rotation control unit that causes a screw to be rotated in reverse based on a predetermined reverse rotation condition so as to reduce the resin pressure after having moved the screw rearward to a metering position, a compensation amount calculation unit that calculates a compensation amount to be made with respect to the reverse rotation condition, based on the resin pressure inside the cylinder acquired by the pressure acquisition unit when the reverse rotation of the screw is stopped, and a predetermined compensation function, and a compensation processing unit configured to compensate the reverse rotation condition based on the compensation amount calculated by the compensation amount calculation unit.

A method of detecting and compensating for a non-operational mold cavity in an injection molding apparatus having a plurality of mold cavities and an injection molding screw or ram includes injecting, via the injection molding screw or ram, a molten thermoplastic material into the plurality of mold cavities. The method includes measuring a first process parameter of the injection molding apparatus at a pre-determined time during or after the injecting. The method also includes determining, based on the first process parameter, whether one or more mold cavities of the plurality of mold cavities are non-operational. Then, when it is determined that one or more mold cavities are non-operational, the method includes automatically adjusting the first process parameter or a second process parameter of the injection molding apparatus.

A plasticizing device includes a passage defining section that is coupled to a hopper which stores a material and that defines a supply passage to which the material is supplied from the hopper, a plasticizing section that includes an introduction portion which communicates with the supply passage, and a screw, and that plasticizes the material supplied from the introduction portion by rotation of the screw to form a molten material, and a material detection section that detects the presence or absence of the material in the supply passage.

A plasticizing device includes a plasticizing cylinder and a plasticizing screw arranged in the plasticizing cylinder. The plasticizing screw is rotatable about, and linearly movable along, a longitudinal axis. The plasticizing screw comprises a functioning section. A sensor is arranged in or on the plasticizing cylinder, and a distance to the surface of the functioning section of the plasticizing screw can be measured by the sensor. A detecting device can detect a type of the functioning section and/or an operating state of the functioning section, can detect a distance signal progression by a movement of the functioning section relative to the sensor, can compare the detected distance signal progression with a stored distance signal progression, and can issue a signal representing the type of functioning section and/or the operating state of the functioning section depending on a matching of the detected distance signal progression with a stored distance signal progression.

A plasticizing device includes a flat screw including a groove forming surface in which a groove is formed, a barrel having a facing surface and a communication hole formed in the facing surface, the communication hole allowing a plasticized material to flow out, a heating unit, a flow path through which the plasticized material flows, a nozzle communicating with the flow path, a plurality of measurement units configured to measure pressures or temperatures in the flow path, an aspiration delivery unit, including a cylinder, having a branch flow path and a plunger configured to move in the cylinder so as to aspirate the plasticized material into the branch flow path or deliver the aspirated plasticized material to the nozzle, and a control unit configured to identify a state of the plasticized material in the flow path based on measurement values of the measurement units.

A method of detecting and compensating for a non-operational mold cavity in an injection molding apparatus having a plurality of mold cavities and an injection molding screw or ram includes injecting, via the injection molding screw or ram, a molten thermoplastic material into the plurality of mold cavities. The method includes measuring a first process parameter of the injection molding apparatus at a pre-determined time during or after the injecting. The method also includes determining, based on the first process parameter, whether one or more mold cavities of the plurality of mold cavities are non-operational. Then, when it is determined that one or more mold cavities are non-operational, the method includes automatically adjusting the first process parameter or a second process parameter of the injection molding apparatus.