A method of forming a urinary catheter is disclosed that includes injecting a polymer melt through a primary melt channel and into an elongated recess around an outer surface of a core; and controlling a first pressure of the polymer melt in a first secondary melt channel separately and individually from a second pressure of the polymer melt in a second secondary melt channel and reducing stress of the polymer melt along the elongated recess. Opening the mould and removing the core provides a moulded intermittent urinary catheter having an open distal end and a closed proximal tip.

An injection molding system comprising: a first selected valve, one or more downstream valves, delivering a fluid to a mold cavity, at least one fluid property sensor, each valve associated with a position sensor that detects opening of a gate at an actual open gate time to the controller, the controller automatically adjusting time of instruction to open the gates on a subsequent injection cycle by an adjustment time equal to any delay in time between a predetermined open gate target time and an actual open gate time, wherein the system forms a first one or more parts or objects, the user inspecting or measuring the first one or more parts or objects and manually adjusts the predetermined open gate target time.

Injection molding apparatuses and methods wherein a valve pin is controllably driven upstream and downstream along an axis between a first closed position where the tip end of the valve pin obstructs the gate to prevent the injection fluid from flowing into the cavity, a full open position and one or more intermediate positions, wherein the valve pin is drivable to be disposed or held in a selected intermediate position for a selected period of time during the course of an injection cycle where the tip end of the valve pin restricts flow of injection fluid through the gate to the mold cavity.

An injection molding system for implementing a molding process, comprising: a mold, a controller, a position sensor, wherein during an injection cycle, the system feeds the fluid material to one or more nozzles at one or more predetermined times, the controller being configured to receive and process the output signal from the position sensor to determine one or more actual flow rate indicative parameters, a user interface that displays one or more pin positions and one or more flow rate indicative parameters by which a user of the system can track the one or more pin positions and flow rate indicative parameters in real time during the injection cycle.

A molding system and a method for operation of the molding system are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material into a shot tuning chamber from an upstream device, adjusting a temperature of and/or pressure applied to the molten polymeric material in the shot tuning chamber, and flowing the molten polymeric material from the shot tuning chamber into a mold cavity.

Injection molding apparatuses and methods wherein a valve pin is controllably driven upstream and downstream along an axis between a first closed position where the tip end of the valve pin obstructs the gate to prevent the injection fluid from flowing into the cavity, a full open position and one or more intermediate positions, wherein the valve pin is drivable to be disposed or held in a selected intermediate position for a selected period of time during the course of an injection cycle where the tip end of the valve pin restricts flow of injection fluid through the gate to the mold cavity.

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.

A mold assembly 100 for forming a microneedle array, wherein the mold assembly facilitates expulsion of trapped gasses from the molding system. The mold assembly may comprise a first mold portion 102 comprising a plurality of recesses 104 formed therein, a second mold portion 106 disposed adjacent the first mold portion, wherein a surface of the second mold portion and the plurality of recesses of the first mold portion define a mold cavity, a mold film insert 112 disposed within the mold cavity between the first mold portion and the second mold portion of the mold assembly, the mold film insert comprising a plurality of perforated layers 114, each of the perforated layers comprising a plurality of perforations.

An apparatus (10) for improving the flow properties of injection moulding material has a flow chamber (18) that is formed in an injection moulding assembly. The flow chamber includes an ultrasonic vibration device (22), and an outlet (20) through which injection moulding material can pass from the flow chamber towards a mould tool (14, 16). The ultrasonic vibration device is arranged in the flow chamber such that injection moulding material flows along an outer wall (41) of the ultrasonic vibration device, in use.

A mold apparatus includes first and second mold plates that constitute a cassette mold, a first base mold, a base intermediate mold for loading the first mold plate, a second base mold for loading the second mold plate, a base intermediate mold driving device for positioning and fixing the base intermediate mold at any position between the first and second base molds, and a controller for performing control to position and fix the base intermediate mold so that the first mold plate and the first base mold are in contact with each other when a molded product is taken out.