A system is disclosed for micro-molding articles. The system melts and pre-pressurizes thermoplastic material to a first level, within a plasticizing barrel. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to a second level, within a hot runner. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to an ultra-cavity packing pressure within a valve gate nozzle.

An injection molding apparatus having a valve pin plate coupling at least one valve pin to an actuator which, in operation, axially moves the valve pin plate between a closed position and an open position. The valve pin is coupled to the valve pin plate via a valve pin coupler. A biasing member is compressed against a support surface by the valve pin holder when the valve pin plate is in the closed position to create a supplementary coupling force coupling the valve pin to the valve pin holder.

An apparatus includes a stem connector configured to connect a movable piston with a valve stem, in which the movable piston is slidably receivable in a cylinder, and in which the cylinder is mountable to a distribution manifold of a molding system. The stem connector maintains connection between the movable piston and the valve stem while the valve stem is moved to selectively open or close a mold gate of a mold assembly installed in the molding system. The stem connector urges the movable piston to tilt at a tilt angle while the movable piston is moved along an interior of the cylinder, and in which the tilt angle is formed between a central piston axis extending through the movable piston and a central stem axis extends through the valve stem.

An injection molding apparatus having a valve pin plate coupling at least one valve pin to an actuator which, in operation, axially moves the valve pin plate between a closed position and an open position. The valve pin is coupled to the valve pin plate via a valve pin coupler. A biasing member is compressed against a support surface by the valve pin holder when the valve pin plate is in the closed position to create a supplementary coupling force coupling the valve pin to the valve pin holder.

An apparatus and method for establishing triggers for the opening of one or multiple gates to a mold cavity of an injection molding system, followed by a sequence of predetermined valve pin movements over the course on an injection cycle. In one embodiment, the invention provides a graphical user interface and control system enabling a user to select from and arrange a plurality of virtual icons into a user-defined virtual sequence that define associated triggering events and actuator controlled pin movements over the course of an injection cycle. In various embodiments, the apparatus and method allows the system operator to view a simulated profile of such triggers and movements and to compare the simulated profile to an actual profile to access differences and make adjustments to the triggers and sequencing more quickly and efficiently. This is particularly useful in sequential molding systems where multiple gates need to be programmed and adjusted to compensate for variations from a predetermined sequence.

An injection molding system (10) and method of use where the system (10) is comprised of an injection molding system (10), a controller (16) for controlling pack or fill pressures of the injection fluid injected during the pack and fill phases, a recorder, the controller including instructions that controls drive of actuators (1a, 2a, 3a, 4a) to effect an increase or decrease in fill and pack pressures of the injection fluid.

An injection molding apparatus (5) comprising an electrically driven actuator (200) having a driven rotatable rotor drivably rotatably interconnected to an output shaft (12) or to an output rotation device (16, 430, 500) that is rotatably driven around an output rotation axis (12a, R3a) and a cam device or surface (600) that is eccentrically disposed or mounted off center a selected distance (ED) from the output rotation axis (12a, R3a) in an arrangement such that when the shaft (12) or rotation device (16, 430, 500) is rotatably driven, the cam member or surface (600) is eccentrically rotatably driven around the output rotation axis (12a, R3a).

A method for performing injection molding using a mold with at least two cavities and an injection cylinder includes supplying resin to be injected into a first cavity, from among the at least two cavities, of the mold to the injection cylinder, injecting the resin into the first cavity, supplying resin to be injected into a second cavity, from among the at least two cavities, of the mold to the injection cylinder, and injecting the resin into the second cavity, wherein the resin injected into the first cavity is cooled, wherein the resin injected into the second cavity is cooled, and wherein molded parts are removed from the first cavity and from the second cavity after the resin in the first cavity has cooled and solidified and the resin the second cavity has cooled and solidified.

A resin shaping mold includes a hot runner, a cavity, a cold runner, and a valve pin. The cold runner is connected to the hot runner and the cavity. The cold runner has a lower temperature than the hot runner. The valve pin configured to move forward and backward from the hot runner toward the cold runner and close a channel of molten resin from the hot runner to the cavity at a predetermined position. The valve pin includes a runner lock portion configured to hold resin solidified at a position further on the cavity side with respect to the predetermined position in the cold runner.

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.