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.

The present invention relates to a hitch step that may be secured to a vehicle in a hitch receiver, and a method of manufacturing the same, that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. The present invention provides a multi-step pressurization method that produces a strong, compact hitch step that is cost effect to manufacture.

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 is provided for facilitating a vacuum bagging operation during fabrication of a composite laminate. The method comprises applying a vacuum bag over a composite part to fabricate the composite laminate from the composite part. The method also comprises drawing a vacuum in the vacuum bag, and monitoring one or more portions of the vacuum bag for strain within the vacuum bag when the vacuum is drawn. The method further comprises manipulating the vacuum bag to even out strain within the vacuum bag.

A device for assisting molding condition determination includes a molding state data adjustment amount obtaining unit and a molding condition element adjustment amount obtaining unit. The molding state data adjustment amount obtaining unit obtains, using a first learning model, a molding state data adjustment amount having a value equivalent to a difference between molding state data detected by a sensor and a molding state data target value. The molding condition element adjustment amount obtaining unit obtains, using a second learning model, an adjustment amount for a molding condition element corresponding to the molding state data adjustment amount.

A method of simulating a shaping process involves calculating states of objects involved in the shaping process in discrete and successive time steps with presetting of conditions, and the conditions represent input parameters of the shaping process. After a time step which is before the end of the simulated shaping process, (a) a check on the calculated states of the objects involved in the shaping process is carried out based on a quality criterion. If the check in step (a) shows that the quality criterion is not met, then (b) at least one of the following is carried out: resumption of the simulation with repeated calculation of the time step and/or a preceding time step, and continuation of the simulation with calculation of a time step following the time step. When method step (b) is carried out, the conditions are at least partially altered.

A method is provided for facilitating a vacuum bagging operation during fabrication of a composite laminate. The method comprises applying a vacuum bag over a composite part to fabricate the composite laminate from the composite part. The method also comprises drawing a vacuum in the vacuum bag, and monitoring one or more portions of the vacuum bag for strain within the vacuum bag when the vacuum is drawn. The method further comprises manipulating the vacuum bag to even out strain within the vacuum bag.

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.

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 control device includes: an injection control unit that controls, in a pressure holding process of controlling a pressure acting on a molding material from an injection member, an injection drive source based on a set value of the pressure and an actual value of the pressure. The injection control unit performs pressure reduction control to gradually reduce the actual value of the pressure with respect to the set value of the pressure from a middle of a k-th stage (k is an integer of 1 or more and n or less). The control device includes a ratio setting unit that sets a time ratio Tr(k) in the k-th stage and a pressure ratio ?Pr(k) in the k-th stage based on a set value P(k) of the pressure in the k-th stage, a set value T(k) of a holding time in the k-th stage, and information stored in advance.