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.

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.

Injection molding apparatus (1) comprising: an actuator (14, 940, 941, 942) comprising a rotor (940r, 941r, 942r) controllably rotatable by electric power, the actuator (14, 940, 941, 942) being interconnected to a controller (16) that generates drive signals (DC), an electrical drive device (940d, 941d, 942d) comprising an interface that receives the drive signals (DC) and controllably distributes electrical energy or power in controllably varied amounts according to the drive signals (DC) to a driver (940dr, 941dr, 942dr) that drives the rotor (940r, 941r, 942r), a valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) having an axis (X) and a control surface (43, 45, 102m) drivable upstream and downstream through a downstream feed channel (17, 19, 160, 940c, 941c, 942c) the downstream feed channel having a complementary surface (47, 103s) adapted to interface with the control surface (43, 45, 102m) upstream and away from the gate.

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.

Provided is a molding machine including a mold opening/closing mechanism configured to move a movable platen to be attached with a movable mold to a stationary platen to be attached with a stationary mold, and a clamping mechanism to perform a clamping process, and is intended to suppress machine cost or ensure the mold opening/closing speed. The molding machine includes the mold opening/closing mechanism configured to move the movable platen to be attached with the movable mold to the stationary platen to be attached with the stationary mold, and the clamping mechanism configured to perform a clamping process. The mold opening/closing mechanism includes at least two ball screws, at least two electric motors that respectively drive the ball screws, and a ball screw nut into which each of the ball screws is inserted.

A mold clamping device of an injection molding machine includes a mold clamping shaft fixed to a movable platen, a mold clamping ram to press the mold clamping shaft against a fixed platen, a ram position detecting member that detects a position of the mold clamping ram, an encoder detecting a position of the movable platen, a ram position control member that hydraulically controls a position of the mold clamping ram, a storage unit storing a difference value of mold closing positions of the movable platen before and after mold replacement, and a control unit. The control unit calculates the difference value when mold thickness adjustment is performed, calculates a movement position of the mold clamping ram based on a current position of the mold clamping ram and the difference value, moves the mold clamping ram to the movement position, and stops the mold clamping ram to perform mold clamping.

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.

Injection molding apparatus (1) comprising:

an actuator (14, 940, 941, 942) comprising a rotor (940r, 941r, 942r) controllably rotatable by electric power, the actuator (14, 940, 941, 942) being interconnected to a controller (16) that generates drive signals (DC),

an electrical drive device (940d, 941d, 942d) comprising an interface that receives the drive signals (DC) and controllably distributes electrical energy or power in controllably varied amounts according to the drive signals (DC) to a driver (940dr, 941dr, 942dr) that drives the rotor (940r, 941r, 942r),

a valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) having an axis (X) and a control surface (43, 45, 102m) drivable upstream and downstream through a downstream feed channel (17, 19, 160, 940c, 941c, 942c) the downstream feed channel having a complementary surface (47, 103s) adapted to interface with the control surface (43, 45, 102m) upstream and away from the gate.

This injection molding method uses an injection molding machine for two-material molding, which comprises a first mold part that is provided with a cavity and a second mold part that is provided with a cavity and is arranged in tandem with the first mold part. This injection molding method comprises: a first molding step wherein a material is injected into the cavity of the first mold part and the material in the cavity is compressed; and a second molding step wherein a material is injected into the cavity of the second mold part. A pressure, which is generated in the second mold part by injecting the material into the cavity in the second molding step, acts on the first mold part, and a compressive force is applied to the material in the cavity in the first molding step.

A mold clamping device includes two mold platens; a ball screw mechanism connecting the mold platens to each other, the ball screw mechanism being provided with an axial force detector configured to detect an axial force acting on the ball screw mechanism; a servo motor provided on the ball screw mechanism and configured to drive the ball screw mechanism; and a control device configured to: monitor the axial force detected by the axial force detector during injection; and based on detecting an axial force increase, the axial force increase being an increase in the axial force, perform a mold clamping force increase control including driving the servo motor to increase a mold clamping force for tightening the ball screw mechanism.