A method and system is provided for operating a molding machine to prevent damage when replacing a mold. The molding machine includes movable and fixed magnetic platens to open and close a mold. The system includes a flux sensor. When a set-up mode is selected, an electronic processor is configured to: enable movement of the movable magnetic platen when the crane is above the molding machine; the molding machine receives a crane load signal that is less than a marginal load value; and the flux sensor senses that the magnetic platens are magnetized and the magnetic circuit is completed; and enable movement of the movable platen to remove/insert the mold when the crane is above the molding machine; the molding machine receives a crane load signal wherein a load is greater than the marginal load value; and the flux sensor senses that the magnetic circuit is not completed.

A safety mat includes: a pressure-sensitive switch mat, a surface of which is made of a flexible sheet; a step board disposed on the pressure-sensitive switch mat; and a plurality of load transferring members arranged at intervals between the pressure-sensitive switch mat and the step board. A load acting on the step board is detected by the pressure-sensitive switch mat via the plurality of load transferring members.

A method is provided for moving a movable mold mounting plate of a molding machine, in which the movable mold mounting plate is movable relative to a stationary mold mounting plate and the mold mounting plates are kinematically connected to each other, and in which a drive mechanism for moving the movable mold mounting plate is provided. Molding tool parts arranged on the mold mounting plates are brought into abutment to each other in a closed state, and a temporally changeable tilting movement of the mold mounting plates relative to each other occurs by the movement of the movable mold mounting plate. The movable mold mounting plate is moved by the drive mechanism and/or the stationary mold mounting plate is moved by an injection device in such a way that when reaching a predeterminable distance of the mold mounting plates relative to each other, a parameter representing the tilting movement of the mold mounting plates relative to each other is less than or equal to a presettable value, preferably equal to zero.

A method and system is provided for operating a molding machine to prevent damage when replacing a mold. The molding machine includes movable and fixed magnetic platens to open and close a mold. The system includes a flux sensor. When a set-up mode is selected, an electronic processor is configured to: enable movement of the movable magnetic platen when the crane is above the molding machine; the molding machine receives a crane load signal that is less than a marginal load value; and the flux sensor senses that the magnetic platens are magnetized and the magnetic circuit is completed; and enable movement of the movable platen to remove/insert the mold when the crane is above the molding machine; the molding machine receives a crane load signal wherein a load is greater than the marginal load value; and the flux sensor senses that the magnetic circuit is not completed.

In a mould-closing unit (F) for an injection-moulding machine for processing plastics, at least one mould carrier (10), which can be moved in a longitudinal direction (L-L) of the mould-closing unit (F), is arranged on a machine base (14) and between itself and a further mould carrier (12) forms a mould-clamping space (C), in which parts of at least one cyclically openable and closable injection mould (M) can be received. At least one linear guide (16), arranged in the longitudinal direction (L-L) on the machine base (14), serves for guiding the at least one movable mould carrier (10) when there is movement in the longitudinal direction (L-L). The mould carrier is supported on the machine base (14) and/or the at least one linear guide (16) by way of a load take-up (18), which has above the at least one linear guide (16) an articulating region (20) for the at least one movable mould carrier (10), which region is connected to the movable mould carrier with a force fit or material bonding and the stiffness of which is greater in the longitudinal direction (L-L) than in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction (L-L). The forces acting on the guide of the movable mould carrier during the operation of the injection-moulding machine are minimized by the load take-up (18) and/or the articulating region (20) being elliptical in cross section, with the minor axis of the ellipse extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction (L-L) of the mould-closing unit (F).