A hot runner injection molding apparatus, and method of use, is disclosed in which strain gauges are provided in the temperature zones of the hot runner injection molding apparatus and a hot runner controller creates a target strain profile, detects deviations from the target strain profile in any temperature zone based on the strain readings provided by the strain gauges in each temperature zone, and instructs correction of deviations from the target strain profile in any deviating temperature zone by adjusting the heat produced by a heater or heaters in the deviating temperature zone. The target strain profile may be based on a median or average of strain readings provided over time by the strain gauges in each temperature zone. A hollow installation tube for placing the strain gauges in the hot runner injection molding apparatus is also disclosed.

We disclose a component of an injection molding tool that includes a one piece side of a mold built up by additive manufacturing using a polymer, the side of the mold defining part of an injection cavity. The side of the mold further includes an injection port coupled to the injection cavity and a heating fluid manifold separated from the injection cavity by a heat transfer wall. The heat transfer wall is reinforced against pressure in the injection cavity by a backing of engineered supports. Inlet and outlet ports are coupled to the heating fluid manifold, configured to channel a thermally conductive fluid into and out of the heating fluid manifold. Additional additive manufacturing features and material properties are described. Complementary methods of manufacturing also are disclosed.

An injection molding apparatus (10) comprising an actuator (940, 941, 942) comprised of a driver (940dr, 941dr, 942dr) receiving electrical energy or power from an electrical drive (940d, 941d, 942d), the electrical drive (940d, 941d, 942d) comprising an interface that receives and controllably distributes electrical energy or power in controllably varied amounts during the course of an injection cycle to the driver (940dr, 941dr, 942dr), the electrical drive (940d, 941d, 942d) being housed within or by an actuator housing (940h, 941h, 942h) or being mounted on or to the housing (940h, 941h, 942h), the housing (940h, 941h, 942h) and the electrical drive (940d, 941d, 942d) being mounted on, to or in close proximity to the heated manifold (40), a cooling device (940mc, 940mc1, 940mc2, 941mc, 942mc) disposed between the heated manifold (40) and the housing (940h, 941h, 942h) adapted to substantially isolate or insulate at least the electrical drive (940d, 941d, 942d) from substantial communication with heat emanating or emitted from the heated manifold (40).

The present document discloses a tool or tool part for use in a process of molding a product from a pulp slurry. The tool or tool part comprises a self-supporting tool wall portion having a product face, for contacting the product, and a back face on the other side of the wall relative to the product face. The tool wall portion presenting pores, which are provided by a plurality of channels extending through the tool wall portion, from the product face to the back face. The channels are straight or curved with no more than one point of inflection.

A rubber distributor for injection molds wherein the distributor comprises two or more modular units, sleeves each interchangeably insertable in a modular unit, one or more injectors to feed melted rubber to the distributor and one or more discharge nozzles to discharge the melted rubber from the distributor towards an external mold. Each sleeve has a through hole extending along the longitudinal axis of the same sleeve. Sleeves have a groove extending over respective side surfaces. Groove and the inner surface of the respective housing in the modular unit define a coil that can be supplied with a thermoregulating fluid whenever the sleeve is inserted into a modular unit. The modular units can be constrained to one another to define one or more channels for distribution of melted rubber that extend from an injector to one or more discharge nozzles, depending on a desired path. Modularity of the units allows the distributor to have ducts for distribution of melted rubber of a desired geometry. Through holes of the sleeves define corresponding lengths of at least one channel for distribution of melted rubber. Since the sleeves are cooled and the melted rubber flows inside them, the distributor is thermoregulated.

An injection molding apparatus (10) comprising: a heated manifold (16), one or more fluid driven actuators (210a, 210b) each interconnected to a corresponding valve pin (211a, 211b), a housing comprised of one or more metal plates (202a, 202b, 204a, 204b, 206) arranged to form a manifold chamber (208), each of the fluid driven actuators (210a, 210b) being mounted within or at least about one foot from within the manifold chamber (208), each fluid driven actuator being fluid drive interconnected to a proportional control valve (213a, 213b, 213c) that is mounted either within the manifold chamber (208) or having fluid flow ports (213p1, 213p2) that are interconnected within about one foot of corresponding fluid flow ports (210p1, 210p2) of a corresponding fluid driven actuator (210a, 210b).

A hot runner system includes a manifold having a heater and a manifold channel network extending between a manifold inlet and a plurality of manifold outlets for distributing a molten plastic. A nozzle seated against the manifold and received in a respective manifold outlet has an extension portion received in the respective manifold outlet, a body portion projecting downstream from the extension portion, and a nozzle channel extending through the extension portion and the body portion. The hot runner system further includes a nozzle support seated against the nozzle, the nozzle support including an upstream nozzle support and a downstream nozzle support, the downstream nozzle support is discrete from and in slidable contact with the upstream nozzle support, and the downstream nozzle support having a looser fit with the body portion of the nozzle than that of the upstream nozzle support’s fit with the body portion of the nozzle.

The present document discloses a tool or tool part for use in a process of molding a product from a pulp slurry. The tool or tool part comprises a self-supporting tool wall portion having a product face, for contacting the product, and a back face on the other side of the wall relative to the product face. The tool wall portion presenting pores, which are provided by a plurality of channels extending through the tool wall portion, from the product face to the back face. The channels are straight or curved with no more than one point of inflection.

A molding system and a method for operation of the molding system are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material from an upstream device into an in-mold tuning chamber in a filling position where the in-mold tuning chamber is positioned at least partially within a mold cavity. The method also includes adjusting at least one of a temperature of and a pressure applied to the molten polymeric material in the in-mold tuning chamber to create a first tuned molten polymeric material and releasing the tuned molten polymeric material into the mold cavity from the in-mold tuning chamber.

The present document discloses a tool or tool part for use in a process of molding a product from a pulp slurry. The tool or tool part comprises a self-supporting tool wall portion having a product face, for contacting the product, and a back face on the other side of the wall relative to the product face. The tool wall portion presenting pores, which are provided by a plurality of channels extending through the tool wall portion, from the product face to the back face. The channels are straight or curved with no more than one point of inflection.