An open/close counting device to be attached to one of a first die and a second die which constitute a die, the die being opened by relatively moving the first die and the second die, the open/close counting device counting the number of open/close times of the die. The open/close counting device includes an open/close detecting section provided so as to face a target face of the other of the first die and the second die and to detect relative displacement of the target face along a die moving direction in non-contact condition, and includes an output section to output the open/close times counted based on detection of open/close by the open/close detecting section.

An injection molding system according to an aspect of the present disclosure is for performing insert molding, and includes: an opening-closing mechanism configured to open and close a pair of molds; an injection device configured to inject a resin into a space that is formed between the pair of molds when the pair of molds has been closed; and a positioning mechanism having a holding member configured to hold an insert part, the positioning mechanism configured to position the insert part between the pair of molds, and to cause the holding member to continue holding the insert part between the pair of molds even after the opening-closing mechanism starts to operate to close the pair of molds.

In the present invention, constructed is a highly reliable system that does not allow unforeseen conditions to occur in the remote diagnosis of a clamp device. All combinations of status of a state detection switch mounted on a clamp device are anticipated in advance by a recursive method, and the states are defined with no omissions. A control unit 9 includes: a main body memory 9c that stores the ON/OFF state of a state switch together with the status of an injection molding machine main body, the clamp status and time information; and a main body communication unit 9d which is capable of short-range wireless communication. A message diagnosing a failure is stored in a smartphone 12 for all combinations of the ON/OFF state of the state detection switch for each of the following cases: whether in mold replacement mode or not; and whether a clamp device is in a clamped state or an unclamped state, or in a state other than the forgoing. The history of the ON/OFF state of the state detection switch with respect to the status of the main body and the clamp status is read from the main body memory 9c by wireless communication, and a corresponding message is displayed.

A clamping device (14) comprises a pressure receiving platen (24), a stationary platen (20), a movable platen (22), a toggle mechanism (28), and a drive device (37). A first position detector (38a) detects the operation amount of the movable platen (22) based on the position of a crosshead (26); a pressure detector (35) detects the actual clamping force of a mold (19); and a second position detector (43) detects the actual position of the movable platen (22). A control portion (50) has first correction means correcting the operation amount of the movable platen (22) at the time of a minute mold opening operation based on the actual clamping force and on the set clamping force, and second correction means correcting the operation amount of the movable platen (22) at the time of the minute mold opening operation based on the operation amount of the movable platen (22) and on the position of the movable platen (22).

A clamping device (14) comprises a pressure receiving platen (24), a stationary platen (20), a movable platen (22), a toggle mechanism (28), and a drive device (37). A first position detector (38a) detects the operation amount of the movable platen (22) based on the position of a crosshead (26); a pressure detector (35) detects the actual clamping force of a mold (19); and a second position detector (43) detects the actual position of the movable platen (22). A control portion (50) has first correction means correcting the operation amount of the movable platen (22) at the time of a minute mold opening operation based on the actual clamping force and on the set clamping force, and second correction means correcting the operation amount of the movable platen (22) at the time of the minute mold opening operation based on the operation amount of the movable platen (22) and on the position of the movable platen (22).

An in-mold shutter (140) for embedding in an injection mold (100, 200, 300) is described herein. The in-mold shutter (140, 240, 340, 440, 540) includes a shutter actuator (148, 548) that is configured to selectively engage a first mold shoe (130) of the injection mold (100, 200, 300) with a platen of a mold clamping assembly (996) to hold the first mold shoe (130) in an extended position (E), along a mold-stroke axis (X), during a step of molding a first molded article (102A) in the injection mold (100, 200, 300). Also described herein is a molded article transfer device (150, 250) for use with the injection mold (100, 200, 300). The molded article transfer device (150, 250) includes a shuttle (154) that is slidably arranged, in use, within the injection mold (100, 200, 300). The shuttle (154) defines a first aperture (156A), at least in part, that alternately accommodates: (i) a first mold stack (106A, 206A, 306A) arranged therein; and (ii) a first molded article (102A) received therein with opening of the first mold stack (106A, 206A, 306A).

A time Gt from the start of an injection step until a mold clamping operation is complete is compared with an operation time Ct for a mold clamping step. For Gt<Ct, the injection step is started when a time Dt equal to a difference between Gt and Ct elapses. On the other hand, for Gt≧Ct, after the start of the injection step, a movable platen is stopped at a mold touch position until the time Dt elapses. When the time Dt elapses, the mold clamping step is started.

A display device to be attached to a die, the display device including a display to rewrite and display die management information obtained in an information acquisition section to obtain the die management information for managing the die. The display uses electric power when display content is rewritten, and the display uses no electric power for keeping the display.

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.

In a mould-closing unit (F) for an injection-moulding machine for processing plastics, at least one mould carrier (10), which can be moved in a longitudinal direction (L-L) of the mould-closing unit (F), is arranged on a machine base (14) and between itself and a further mould carrier (12) forms a mould-clamping space (C), in which parts of at least one cyclically openable and closable injection mould (M) can be received. At least one linear guide (16), arranged in the longitudinal direction (L-L) on the machine base (14), serves for guiding the at least one movable mould carrier (10) when there is movement in the longitudinal direction (L-L). The mould carrier is supported on the machine base (14) and/or the at least one linear guide (16) by way of a load take-up (18), which has above the at least one linear guide (16) an articulating region (20) for the at least one movable mould carrier (10), which region is connected to the movable mould carrier with a force fit or material bonding and the stiffness of which is greater in the longitudinal direction (L-L) than in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction (L-L). The forces acting on the guide of the movable mould carrier during the operation of the injection-moulding machine are minimized by the load take-up (18) and/or the articulating region (20) being elliptical in cross section, with the minor axis of the ellipse extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction (L-L) of the mould-closing unit (F).