An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of mold material to a mold cavity, the apparatus comprising: an injection molding machine and a manifold; an actuator interconnected to a valve pin having a tip end; a valve system in fluid communication with the actuator to drive the actuator at one or more rates of travel, the valve system having a start position, one or more intermediate drive rate positions and a high drive rate position, the start position holding the valve pin in a gate closed position; a controller that instructs the valve system to move from the start position to the one or more intermediate drive rate positions and to remain in the one or more intermediate drive rate positions for one or more corresponding predetermined amounts of time and further drives the valve system to move from the one or more intermediate drive rate positions to the high drive rate position on expiration of the one or more predetermined amounts of time.

An apparatus for controlling the rate of flow of fluid mold material from an injection molding machine to a mold cavity, the apparatus comprising: a manifold having a fluid delivery channel, an actuator interconnected to a valve pin having a tip end drivable between a first position, a second position upstream and a third position upstream of the second position, the actuator and the valve pin being translationally driven by a valve system adjustable between a start position, a plurality of intermediate drive rate positions and a high drive rate position, a pressure sensor and a controller, the pressure sensor sensing a metered pressure of a drive fluid, the controller instructing the valve system to drive valve pin continuously upstream and including instructions that instruct the valve system to move according to a predetermined profile of metered pressures from the start position to selected intermediate drive rate positions and subsequently to the high drive rate position.

A method and apparatus for performing an injection molding cycle comprising drivably interconnecting a valve pin to an electric motor actuator and controllably operating the electric motor to drive the valve pin at one or more reduced rates of upstream or downstream travel based on either detection of the position of the pin or actuator or on a preselected length of time at which to drive the valve pin.

An example medical agent filling system may comprise a container having an exterior housing formed by a rigid wall and a removable lid. The system may further comprise a fluid introduction port. The system may further comprise a fluid bus extending from the fluid introduction port to a plurality of dispensing sharps. The system may further comprise a plurality of reservoir assemblies each having a main interior volume sealed by a septum. Each of the septa may be in a punctured state with a respective dispensing sharp of the plurality of dispensing sharps extending therethrough. The fluid bus and main interior volumes of the reservoir assemblies may form an isolated fill environment.

An example medical agent filling system may comprise a container having an exterior housing formed by a rigid wall and a removable lid. The system may further comprise a fluid introduction port. The system may further comprise a fluid bus extending from the fluid introduction port to a plurality of dispensing sharps. The system may further comprise a plurality of reservoir assemblies each having a main interior volume sealed by a septum. Each of the septa may be in a punctured state with a respective dispensing sharp of the plurality of dispensing sharps extending therethrough. The fluid bus and main interior volumes of the reservoir assemblies may form an isolated fill environment.

A runner turn-off for a mold. The runner turn-off includes a bottom ring and a top ring rotatable on the bottom ring. The runner turn-off has a generally cylindrical shape to allow for the rotation, and includes a machining flat on each of two opposing sides of the bottom ring and partially extending into the top ring. A plurality of detents is disposed in one of a bottom surface of the top ring or a top surface of the bottom ring. A spring plunger between the top ring and the bottom ring and configured to fit within each of the plurality of detents when aligned to provide more precise angular positioning.

An example medical agent filling system may comprise a container having an exterior housing formed by a rigid wall and a removable lid. The system may further comprise a fluid introduction port. The system may further comprise a fluid bus extending from the fluid introduction port to a plurality of dispensing sharps. The system may further comprise a plurality of reservoir assemblies each having a main interior volume sealed by a septum. Each of the septa may be in a punctured state with a respective dispensing sharp of the plurality of dispensing sharps extending therethrough. The fluid bus and main interior volumes of the reservoir assemblies may form an isolated fill environment.

A runner turn-off for a mold. The runner turn-off includes a bottom ring and a top ring rotatable on the bottom ring. The runner turn-off has a generally cylindrical shape to allow for the rotation, and includes a machining flat on each of two opposing sides of the bottom ring and partially extending into the top ring. A plurality of detents is disposed in one of a bottom surface of the top ring or a top surface of the bottom ring. A spring plunger between the top ring and the bottom ring and configured to fit within each of the plurality of detents when aligned to provide more precise angular positioning.