Injection molding system comprising at least one first actuator-system (D1, D2, D3), the first actuator system comprising: at least one piston drive having at least two pressure line connectors (CP2, CP3) to drive a piston to open or close a molding nozzle, pressure lines (L1, L2) connectable to a changeover valve (V) having a pressure line connector (P) and tank line connector (T) and at least two changeover pressure line connectors, wherein the first changeover valve pressure line connector (CV1) is connectable to a first pressure line (L1) and the second changeover valve pressure line connector (CV2) is connectable to a second pressure line (L2), wherein the second pressure line (L2) is connected to the second pressure line connector (CP2) of the piston drive, an electronically adjustable flow control valve having a first pressure line connector and a second pressure line connector, wherein the first pressure line connector of the adjustable flow control valve being connected to the first pressure line (L1) to allow a connection to the first pressure line connector (CV1) of the changeover valve (V), and the second pressure line connector is connected to a third pressure line (L3) which establishes a connection to the second pressure line connector (CP3) of the piston drive, at least one electronic flow sensor for (P1, P2, P3) sensing flow rate in the first, second and/or third pressure lines (L1, L2, L3), a controller connected to the adjustable flow control valve and to the at least one sensor, configured to electronically adjust the flow control valve, depending on information of the at least one sensor, controlling thereby the timing and the speed of the movement of the piston and the molding nozzle.

An injection molding apparatus comprising a valve comprised of: an actuator having a rotor interconnected to a distal end of an elongated shaft adapted to drivably transmit rotational motion of the rotor to rotational motion of the shaft, the shaft being interconnected at a proximal end to a converter adapted to transmit rotational motion of the shaft directly to driven linear motion of a valve pin, the shaft having a length or configuration selected such that the actuator is mountable on the apparatus in a position or disposition that is isolated or insulated from significant or substantial exposure to or transmission of heat from a heated manifold.

An injection molding apparatus (10) comprising a signal converter (1500) interconnected to a machine controller (MC) of an injection molding machine (IMM) that generates standardized signals (VPS), the signal converter (1500) receiving and converting the standardized signals (VS) to a command signal (MOPCS, PDCVS) that is compatible with a signal receptor or interface of an electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e) or a signal receptor, interface or driver of a proportional directional control valve (V, V1, V2) that drives a fluid driven actuator (940p, 941p, 942p) to respectively operate the electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e) or the proportional directional control valve (V, V1, V2) to move in a direction that operates to either begin an injection cycle and to end an injection cycle.

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 for injection molding of plastic materials into a cavity of a mold by means of a molding apparatus including at least one injector having a pin valve displaceable between a fully closed position and a maximum opening position, and vice versa, in a controlled fashion in respect of its position and speed. In the opening displacement from the fully closed position to the maximum opening position, the pin valve is initially moved at a first speed and subsequently at a second speed, where the first speed is the highest opening displacement speed of the pin valve.

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.

An injection molding apparatus (10) comprising a signal converter (1500) interconnected to a machine controller (MC) of an injection molding machine (IMM) that generates standardized signals (VPS), the signal converter (1500) receiving and converting the standardized signals (VS) to a command signal (MOPCS, PDCVS) that is compatible with a signal receptor or interface of an electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e) or a signal receptor, interface or driver of a proportional directional control valve (V, V1, V2) that drives a fluid driven actuator (940p, 941p, 942p) to respectively operate the electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e) or the proportional directional control valve (V, V1, V2) to move in a direction that operates to either begin an injection cycle and to end an injection cycle.

A method for injection molding of plastic materials into a cavity of a mold by means of a molding apparatus including at least one injector having a pin valve displaceable between a fully closed position and a maximum opening position, and vice versa, in a controlled fashion in respect of its position and speed. In the opening displacement from the fully closed position to the maximum opening position, the pin valve is initially moved at a first speed and subsequently at a second speed, where the first speed is the highest opening displacement speed of the pin valve.

A method of controlling a manufacturing process having a machine to form a material in to a component. The method comprises the steps of establishing an initial set of operating parameters for the machine, producing an initial component from the machine, inspecting the component to determine its acceptability relative to a desired component, determining a variation in the operating parameters to improve the acceptability of the component, effecting changes in the operating parameters and inspecting subsequent components to determine their acceptability.

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.