A database 3 is previously set which is related to oxidation induction times Tg indicating the deteriorations of individual resins R based on the combinations of a plurality of oxidation induction conditions X including at least different types of resins R. and different heating temperatures TH, when the molding condition is set, oxidation induction time derivation processing is performed such that an oxidation induction time Tg based on oxidation induction conditions X including at least the resin R which is used and the heating temperature TH which is set is determined from the database 3 and assistance processing is performed in which the determined oxidation induction time Tg is compared with a residence time Ts until the molten resin R is charged into a mold 2 that is calculated from the set molding condition and in which when the oxidation induction time Tg is shorter than the residence time Ts, the molding condition is corrected so as to shorten the residence time Ts or to prolong the oxidation induction time Tg.

A foaming process and a method for operation of the foaming process are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material into a mold from an upstream device, receiving the molten polymeric material in a cavity of the mold, and maintaining a repeatable, uniform pressure profile as the molten polymeric material is delivered into the mold.

A method of performing an injection cycle having a duration comprising: beginning the injection cycle with the valve pins associated with two or more nozzles in a gate closed position, selecting a first one of the two or more nozzles and controllably driving its associated valve pin from the gate closed position to a selected first axial upstream position, upon downstream flow of the injection fluid through a cavity the preselected distance, controllably driving the valve pin associated with the other of the two or more nozzles to a selected second axial position upstream, holding or controllably driving the valve pin associated with the first one of the two or more nozzles in or to one or more reduced flow axial upstream positions that are partially closed.

Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure are directed to external sensor kits that may be included in new injection molds or retrofitted into existing injection molds in order to approximate conditions within a mold, such as pressure or the location of a melt flow front. Such kits are designed to amplify meaningful measurements obtained by the external sensor kit so that noise measurements do not prevent the approximation of conditions within a mold. In some embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure, an external sensor kit includes a strain gauge sensor, a coupon, a support bracket, and a hammer. The strain gauge sensor is placed on a surface of the coupon and measures the strain in the coupon.

To provide a new foam molding method and injection molding machine capable of solving variation in a wall thickness and a foamed state, sensor corrosion, a complexity of sensor positioning, and the like. The above-described problem is solved by a foam molding method comprising a resin filling step of filling a mold (2), clamped by a predetermined mold clamping force (Pc), with a resin (R) at a predetermined molding injection pressure (Pi), a filling stopping step of stopping the filling of the resin (R) when, while monitoring a mold gap (Lm) of the mold (2) during the filling, a predetermined mold gap value set in advance is reached, a surface layer curing and filled resin cooling step of curing a surface layer of the resin (R) for a certain time and cooling the filled resin (R) for a certain time after the filling of the resin (R) is stopped, a volume controlling step of controlling a volume increase by reducing the mold clamping force after curing the surface layer of the resin (R) for a certain time, and a taking out step of taking out a foam-molded product by opening the mold (2) after the volume control is performed and after cooling the filled resin (R) for a certain time.

In one aspect, there is provided an injection molding system configured to operate in a plurality of cycles. The system comprises, amongst other things, a controller that is configured for performing a comparison of a variable pressure setpoint with a target pressure value. The controller is configured to, when the target pressure value is less than the variable pressure setpoint by at least a predetermined lower bound, (i) decrease the variable pressure setpoint to a reduced variable pressure setpoint and (ii) not further decrease the variable pressure setpoint from the reduced variable pressure setpoint until the pump assembly operates for a plurality of stabilizing cycles at the reduced variable pressure setpoint.

A method of monitoring and controlling a molding clamping apparatus in an injection molding or other molding process is disclosed. The method includes creating a target strain profile, receiving a deviation limit, receiving a change in strain relating to a mold while it is closing from a first strain gauge, identifying a deviation from a target strain profile based on the output from the first strain gauge, determining that the deviation exceeds the deviation limit, and adjusting the rate or force of clamp movement. The target strain profile may have a first portion relating to a clamp closing process, a second portion relating to a filling process, and a third portion relating to a clamp opening process. The first portion relating to the clamp closing process may include an intermediate portion relating to a coining process having an intermediate clamp force setpoint.

An injection molding machine includes a cylinder that accommodates a molten resin, a discharging nozzle, a piston that discharges the molten resin from the discharging nozzle, and one or more processors configured to execute the following functions. The functions include calculating a target pressure at which a flow rate of the molten resin discharged from the discharging nozzle becomes an indicated flow rate, controlling a pressure of the molten resin in the cylinder such that the pressure becomes the target pressure, acquiring a temperature of the molten resin in the cylinder, and acquiring a pseudo-plastic viscosity corresponding to the temperature of the molten resin. The target pressure is calculated based on the indicated flow rate, the temperature of the molten resin, the pseudo-plastic viscosity, and the size of the discharging nozzle.

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.

An injection molding apparatus, comprising: an injection molding machine; a distribution manifold having a distribution channel, a clamp device arranged to clamp together, under a selected clamp force, a mold system having a plurality of mold cavities one or more first downstream channels fluidly coupled to the distribution channel; one or more first gates arranged to deliver injection fluid to a first cavity; one or more second downstream channels fluidly coupled to the distribution channel; one or more second gates arranged to deliver injection fluid to a second cavity; a control system adapted to: instruct the first upstream valve and a second upstream valve; and at least one downstream valve having a valve pin having a control surface for controlling flow of injection fluid.