A hot runner injection molding apparatus, and method of use, is disclosed in which strain gauges are provided in the temperature zones of the hot runner injection molding apparatus and a hot runner controller creates a target strain profile, detects deviations from the target strain profile in any temperature zone based on the strain readings provided by the strain gauges in each temperature zone, and instructs correction of deviations from the target strain profile in any deviating temperature zone by adjusting the heat produced by a heater or heaters in the deviating temperature zone. The target strain profile may be based on a median or average of strain readings provided over time by the strain gauges in each temperature zone. A hollow installation tube for placing the strain gauges in the hot runner injection molding apparatus is also disclosed.

A conveying device for conveying a viscous material from a container includes a follower plate that can be inserted into the container, and a pump by means of which the viscous material can be conveyed through the follower plate. Moreover, a measuring chamber for accommodation of a measuring sample of the viscous material is provided. The measuring chamber includes a closable material inlet opening for this purpose. A closable disposal line leads away from the measuring chamber. Moreover, a closable material return line extends from the measuring chamber via the follower plate into the container. The conveying device also includes a controller that is designed and can be operated appropriately such that it determines the compressibility of each of multiple measuring samples. The controller opens the disposal line or the material return line to the measuring sample present in the measuring chamber as a function of the compressibility thus determined.

An injection molded component has a functional portion and a quality control portion. The quality control portion comprises a set of protrusions which are adapted to distort visibly in response to injection molding shrinkage, thereby to enable visual quality control inspection.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for injection molding warp prediction include: obtaining a mold model and measured shrinkage data for at least one material, predicting an amount of warpage for a part manufactured using the mold by computational simulation of an injection molding process, where the computational simulation uses an internal residual stress model for the part that uses calibrated values for both a coefficient of thermal expansion and an elastic modulus and/or a Poisson's ratio of the at least one material, in at least one direction, for at least thermal stress due to cooling and pressure compensation during and/or after a packing phase of the injection molding process, in accordance with the measured shrinkage data for the at least one material, and providing the amount of warpage predicted for the part manufactured using the mold.

An injection molding includes: a clamping mechanism (conversion mechanism and toggle mechanism) for moving a fixed platen that retains a fixed die toward a fixed platen that retains a fixed die to bring the fixed die and the movable die into contract, and generating a clamping force therebetween; a drive source (mold opening/closing motor) for driving the clamping mechanism; a clamping force detection unit for detecting the clamping force; an elongation value detection unit for detecting an elongation value indicating the amount of elongation of a tie bar that extends as the clamping force is generated; and an abnormality determination unit for determining an abnormality in the injection molding machine on the basis of the ratio of the elongation value and the clamping force.

Systems and approaches for determining design of experiment parameters using largest empty area rectangle optimization for an injection molding system. The systems and methods include obtaining pressure versus time data sets indicative of fill step pressures and corresponding fill step times for a plurality of mold cycles and defining a low and high pressure versus time curves from the data sets, with the low and high pressure versus time curves being two surfaces of a geometric shape. The systems and methods further include identifying a top surface and a bottom surface of the geometric shape; identifying a rectangle having the largest area of all rectangles contained within the first geometric shape; and generating design of experiment parameters from the largest area rectangle.

A resin composition is provided which includes a resin component, a fibrous filler, and a plate-like filler. With respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin component, the content of the fibrous filler is from 30 parts by mass or more to 100 parts by mass or less, the content of the plate-like filler is from 20 parts by mass or more to 80 parts by mass or less, and the total content of the fibrous filler and the plate-like filler is from 50 parts by mass or more to 180 parts by mass or less. The resin component includes an amorphous resin, and the content of the amorphous resin is from 60 parts by mass or more to 100 parts by mass or less.

A monitoring apparatus for molds includes a control unit connectable to a first and second sensor associable with the mold and configured for emitting respective signals representative of a deformation parameter and temperature parameter of the mold. The control unit, in order to define an alert condition, is configured for: defining a value of a threshold parameter as a function of the temperature of the mold and comparing such value of the deformation parameter with a value of a threshold parameter defined as a function of the temperature of the mold; or normalizing, at a reference temperature, the value of the deformation parameter determined at the temperature of the mold and comparing a value of a threshold parameter, defined at the reference temperature, with the value of the normalized deformation parameter at the same reference temperature. Also forming the object of the present invention is a monitoring method and a data medium.

Systems and approaches for determining design of experiment parameters using largest empty area rectangle optimization for an injection molding system. The systems and methods include obtaining pressure versus time data sets indicative of fill step pressures and corresponding fill step times for a plurality of mold cycles and defining a low and high pressure versus time curves from the data sets, with the low and high pressure versus time curves being two surfaces of a geometric shape. The systems and methods further include identifying a top surface and a bottom surface of the geometric shape; identifying a rectangle having the largest area of all rectangles contained within the first geometric shape; and generating design of experiment parameters from the largest area rectangle.

The molding machine includes a cylinder, a screw built in the cylinder, and a state detection device. The state detection device includes a sensor for detecting a state of the screw. The state detection device is attached to the screw outside the cylinder.