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.

A semiconductor device of embodiments includes: a die pad; a semiconductor chip fixed on the die pad; and a sealing resin covering the semiconductor chip and at least a part of the die pad. The sealing resin has a first protruding portion provided on one side surface and a second protruding portion provided on another side surface. The cross-sectional area of the first protruding portion is equal to or more than 10% of the maximum cross-sectional area of the sealing resin. The cross-sectional area of the second protruding portion is equal to or more than 10%; of the maximum cross-sectional area. The maximum cross-sectional area is equal to or more than 6 mm.sup.2.