Non-time dependent calculated variables based on measured strain are used to effectively determine an optimal hold profile for an expanding crosslinking polymer part in a mold cavity. A system and/or approach may first inject molten expanding crosslinking polymer into a mold cavity, then measure strain at the mold cavity or at another location within the injection molding system, and then calculate at least one non-time dependent variable during an injection molding cycle. Next, the system and/or method commences a hold profile for the part, and upon completing the hold profile, the part is ejected from the mold cavity, whereupon a cure profile is commenced.

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.

A method and system for co-injection molding of two molten plastic materials that allows monitoring and utilization of injection pressure and optionally melt pressure and/or flow front pressure during an injection run. A controller alters the injection pressure so as to achieve and maintain optimal or desired ratios of injection pressure, and optionally melt pressure and/or flow front pressure, of the two molten plastic materials. This allows for more precise part manufacture, including reducing the thickness of a skin or shell layer compared to a core layer of a molded part.

The present invention offers a technique for providing assistance in setting at least one of the temperature of a nozzle and the temperature of a cylinder. A control device for an injection molding machine includes a monitoring part configured to monitor, during a filling step of filling the inside of a mold device with a molding material, a change in the filling pressure acting on the molding material.

A method of arranging, in particular thermoplastic, semi-finished products by using an electronically controlled or regulated placing device for the semi-finished products. The method includes detecting at least one part of an outline of a semi-finished product to be placed, wherein the detecting is carried out by a detection device, determining a target position for the semi-finished product and/or for the placing device for placing the semi-finished product by matching the at least one part of the outline with a placing edge occurring on an underlying surface, and placing the semi-finished product by the placing device using the target position.

An injection molding machine is provided that includes a clamping force sensor that detects a clamping force of a mold, and a clamping force monitoring unit that monitors a detected value of the clamping force sensor and calculates a first mold open distance and/or a second mold open distance. The first mold open distance is calculated based on the difference between the maximum value of the detected values obtained during an injection process and a pressure holding process and the detected value obtained at the start of the injection process. The second mold open distance that is calculated based on the difference between the detected value obtained at the end of the pressure holding process and the detected value obtained at the start of the injection process.

Apparatus and method for performing an injection molding cycle using the apparatus where the apparatus comprises: a manifold, a pneumatic actuator driven by a pneumatic valve assembly, the actuator driving a valve pin between a gate closed position and a maximum injection fluid flow position, the pneumatic valve assembly having a spool supported within a cylinder driven by a drive device that is supported solely by and translates together with the spool, a controller that instructs the pneumatic valve assembly to cause the actuator to drive the valve pin either upstream or downstream to selected positions or at selected velocities during the course of a single injection cycle based on a feedback signal indicative of position of the pin or actuator or pressure of an injection fluid material.

In order to improve the consistency of molded products as viscosity shifts throughout a run, a controller of an injection molding machine executes a calibration cycle in accordance with a mold cycle. The controller analyzes a plurality of sensed melt pressure values during the calibration cycle to determine one or more calibration metrics. The controller then uses the calibration metrics when executing each mold cycle of the run. More particularly, during each mold cycle of the run, the controller detects a plurality of sensed melt pressures prior to and during a fill phase of the mold cycle and compares the plurality of sensed melt pressures to the one or more calibration metrics to predict cavity pressure for a pack and hold phase of the mold cycle. The controller then adjusts a set point pressure for the pack and hold phase based on the predicted cavity pressure.

A plasticizing apparatus, includes: a drive motor; a rotor that is rotated around a rotation axis by the drive motor and that has a groove forming surface on which a groove is formed; a barrel that has a facing surface facing the groove forming surface and that includes a communication hole in the facing surface; a heating portion that heats a material supplied to between the groove and the barrel; and a controller that controls the drive motor and the heating portion to plasticize the material supplied to between the groove and the barrel and discharge the material from the communication hole, the facing surface includes a first region and a second region that is closer to the communication hole than is the first region, the controller controls the heating portion to set a temperature of the second region to be higher than a temperature of the first region, and the controller controls the heating portion to reduce a temperature difference between the first region and the second region when the material includes a crystalline resin as compared with a case where the material includes an amorphous resin.

A phase adjusting device includes: a torque acquisition unit acquiring a torque; a position acquisition unit acquiring the rotational position of the first motor; a first motor control unit rotating the first motor in a first rotational direction until the torque exceeds a threshold, and then in a second rotational direction until the torque exceeds the threshold again; a storage control unit storing, in a storage unit, a first rotational position when the first motor is rotated in the first rotational direction and the torque exceeds the threshold and a second rotational position when the first motor is rotated in the second rotational direction and the torque exceeds the threshold again; a phase position calculator calculating a third rotational position, based on the first and second rotational positions; and a second motor control unit rotating the first motor to the third rotational position.