Abstract: A network (in particular a neuronal network) which is used for determining at least one proportion of at least one component of a formulation, and subsequently for the production of a product (e.g., a molded article) having a pre-selected (or desired) color is described. The neuronal network comprises: (a) a neuronal network (or neuronal processor); (b) at least one of, (i) an input for inputting at least one color coordinate of a component of the formulation into the neuronal processor, and (ii) an input for inputting at least one preselected color coordinate of the product into the neuronal processor; and (c) an output for outputting a proportion of at least one component of the formulation from the neuronal processor. Inputs (b)(i) and (b)(ii), and output (c) are each independently connected (e.g., electronically and/or digitally) to the neuronal processor. Also described is a method of determining the proportions of components in a formulation for producing a product (e.g.

Abstract: A microprocessor is equipped with an address translation mechanism for performing dynamic address translation from a virtual address to a physical address on a page-by-page basis. The microprocessor includes a large-capacity low-associativity address translation buffer, and is capable of avoiding limitations imposed on a TLB entry lock function, while reducing the overhead for address translation. The address translation mechanism comprises an address translation buffer having an entry lock function, and control logic for controlling the operation of the address translation buffer. The address translation buffer includes a lower-level buffer organized as a lower-level hierarchy of the address translation buffer and having no entry lock function, and a higher-level buffer organized as a higher-level hierarchy of the address translation buffer and having an entry lock function, the higher-level buffer having higher associativity than the associativity of the lower-level buffer.

Abstract: An injection moulding system optimises the injection moulding process by removing selected articles (100) from a plurality of articles produced cyclically and tests a plurality of physical properties (105) of the removed articles including dimensions (106), weight (108) and gloss (107), together with a plurality of process parameters (109, 110) such as nozzle pressure and nozzle temperature. Adjustment of the process (121) is made automatically on the basis of up to three optimisers (114), including a case based reasoning optimiser (115), a fuzzy optimiser (116) and a rule based reasoning optimiser (117), in order to achieve pre-set article properties. The optimisers (114) can have confidence factors associated therewith, determined on the effect of previous process adjustments.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a system and method for manufacturing plastic injection mold cavity components. More specifically, the present invention provides an integrated system and method for manufacturing plastic injection mold cavity components, which integrates manufacturing between two or more subcells. In one embodiment of the invention, a supercell system integrates two or more subcells, in which component workpieces and electrodes are machined. A supercell may include a computerized master control unit, configured to monitor and provide instructions for a master robot that delivers and retrieves workpieces and electrodes to two or more subcells. Thus, two or more subcells may be integrated by the master control unit, the master robot, a track or path that the master robot follows, identification indicia attached to workpieces and electrodes, a combination thereof or any other components of supercell that may suitably integrate two or more subcells.

Abstract: A self-disentangling data storage technique. Machine-readable data is stored by a data storage media, such as a magnetic tape or floppy drive. A software program for interpreting the data and requests for access to the data is also stored on the data storage media. The program allows the data to be retrieved using multiple different request types and interpreted in accordance with multiple different data formats. The invention overcomes disadvantages of prior storage techniques since the data can be completely or partially reconstructed, as needed. Further, the invention isolates the data storage format from the application used to generate the data so as to minimize problems caused by outdated data storage formats.

Abstract: A method is proposed for evaluating injection-molded parts, produced in an injection-molding machine, as a good molding or a bad molding. The method includes determining a respective curve of a first parameter (y), which curve indicates changes in the first parameter (y) as a function of a prescribed second parameter (x). The determining operation is performed during a plurality of injection-molding operations wherein non-defective good moldings are produced, to form a group of curves. The group of curves is averaged to form a mean value curve (M2, M3), which curve indicates a mean value of the curves of the first parameter (y) for each value of the second parameter (x). A standard deviation is calculated in dependence on at least one parameter. A permissible range (T) of the at least one parameter is set along the mean value curve (M2, M3) on the basis of the calculated standard deviation.

Abstract: The present invention consists of a method for gauging a mold cavity to be used in the injection molding of a foam product, such as a sole of an article of footwear. The method comprises the steps of selecting a durometer for the product, determining a thickness expansion ratio based on the durometer selecting a thickness value, selecting a material based on the thickness value and thickness expansion ratio, dividing a model of the final product into a plurality of sections, determining a length/width expansion ratio for each section, gauging a mold model for each section based on the expansion ratio for each section, and constructing a composite mold model using the gauged sections.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of displaying images with a touchpanel for a molded form-take out robot wherein three-dimensional images of robot corresponding to the setting patterns of the molded form-take out robot and the set positions of the touchpanel type image-display device are shown, so that operators can perform the teaching operation without misunderstanding the orientation of the robot's images and the actual robot, thereby surely avoiding an incorrect teaching operation. The touchpanel type images-displaying method for molded form-take out robot shows on the image-display device the three-dimensional images of the Operator-side robot corresponding to the robot setting patterns and the set positions of the image-display device.

Abstract: An injection mold that is capable of producing a final molded component that meets designed optical properties is designed and produced efficiently by measuring shape errors, which adversely affect the optical properties, of at least one of a surface shape of a cavity of a first molding part and a molded component produced by using the first molding part, by reducing at least one of wavelength components of the shape errors, by generating processing information that is used to produce a second molding part that is used to mold the final molded component.

Abstract: A method of determining properties relating to the manufacture of an injection-molded article is described. The method makes use of a hybrid model which includes at least one neural network and at least one rigorous model. In order to forecast (or predict) properties relating to the manufacture of a plastic molded part, a hybrid model is used which includes: one or more neural networks NN1, NN2, NN3, NN4 , . . . , NNk; and one or more rigorous models R1, R2, R3, R4, . . . , which are connected to one another. The rigorous models are used to map model elements which can be described in mathematical formulae. The neural model elements are used to map processes whose relationship is present only in the form of data, as it is typically impossible to model such processes rigorously. As a result, a forecast (or prediction) relating to properties including, for example, the mechanical, thermal and rheological processing properties and relating to the cycle time of a plastic molded part can be made.

Abstract: A method for removing and transporting ophthalmic lens fabricating mold sections from a molding device to an inert chamber in a predetermined time, controlled by a central processor. The method includes starting a timer upon opening the molding device and exposing the mold sections; actuating a robotic arm to transport the mold sections from the molding device to an intermediate position using a compound movement; actuating a cam-controlled arm to transport the mold sections from the intermediate position to a pallet held on a conveyor belt at a cam-arm pre-part release location; and releasing the pallet to move on the conveyor belt to the inert chamber for continued transport of mold containing pallets to a treatment or processing facility for producing and/or packaging of the contact lenses.

Abstract: A control method for generating a manipulated variable for controlling a hydraulic drive. In this case, account is taken of at least a desired value for the speed of the hydraulic drive, a first parameter, which simulates the response characteristic of the hydraulic drive, and a second parameter, which simulates the internal resistance which the technical process, opposes to the hydraulic drive. It is advantageous that nonlinear dependencies of the hydraulic drive can be taken into account for generating the manipulated variable driving the hydraulic drive. A technically complicated sensor system may be dispensed with. The control method may serve, in particular, the nonlinear control of a plastics injection molding machine.

Abstract: Molding conditions of an injection molding machine are set through performance of virtual molding by CAE. First, actual molding is performed under provisional molding conditions in order to obtain an actual profile showing variation in load pressure actually measured during at least an injection step of the actual molding. Further, virtual molding is performed by CAE under the provisional molding conditions in order to obtain a virtual profile showing variation in load pressure simulated during at least an injection step of the virtual molding. The provisional molding conditions are changed by CAE in such a manner that the virtual profile coincides with the actual profile, to thereby obtain intermediate molding conditions. Subsequently, the intermediate molding conditions are optimized so as to obtain molding conditions for the injection molding machine.

Abstract: Computer programs and computer-implemented methods for predicting from first principles the behavior of dopants and defects in the processing of electronic materials. The distribution of dopant and defect components in a substrate lattice is predicted based on external conditions and fundamental data for a set of microscopic processes that can occur during material processing operations. The concentration behavior of one or more fast components is calculated in two stages, by solving a first relationship for a time period before the fast component reaches a pseudo steady state at which the concentration of the fast component is determined by concentrations of one or more second components, and by solving a second relationship for a time period after the first component reaches the pseudo steady state. Application of these methods to modeling ultrashallow junction processing is also described.

Abstract: Injection-molding machine arrangement comprising at least one injection molding machine with at least one, especially internal, machine control system—especially with a stored program control and/or with associated actuators and/or sensors—for computer-assisted process monitoring and control of the injection molding machine, wherein the injection-molding machine arrangement provides at least one mains supply transmission unit for data transmission via at least one mains electricity supply—preferably in a bi-directional and/or real-time-capable manner.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of monitoring operation data for quality control with a little possibility that a nondefective product is mistakenly determined as a defective product even if the operation data fluctuates in a large waviness curve. Every time an operation data piece for quality control is obtained, a moving average of the predetermined number of data pieces lately obtained is calculated. When the deviation of a data piece from the moving average exceeds the tolerance limit, an alarm is generated. By employing the method of the present invention for monitoring operation data such as charging time, injection time and the amount of cushion in an injection-molding machine, the accuracy of determination as to a defective or nondefective can be improved.

Abstract: An injection mold design method for correcting a profile of a product to be fabricated into a releasable profile from a mold to design an injection mold based on a corrected product shape, utilizing a storage device for storing information of the product shape and mold profile, a display device for displaying the product shape or the mold profile on a screen based on the information read from the storage device, an input device for inputting designation information necessary for correction of the product shape or the mold profile, and a controlling device for unloading information of lines or planes being obstructive to correction of the product shape and the mold profile in the storage device in response to the designation information input by the input device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a apparatus and method for controlling the force and velocity of a piston within the clamp assembly of a injection molding machine. The control unit comprises the following elements: a PI based cascade compensator; an estimator coupled to the clamp assembly and the cascade compensator, wherein the estimator is utilized to estimate the position of the clamp assembly piston; a velocity position controller coupled to the clamp assembly and the estimator, wherein the velocity position controller is adapted to generate a velocity error signal based on the piston velocity signal; and an auto selector coupled to the cascade compensator, wherein the auto selector is adapted to select between the velocity error signal and the force error signal to generate a valve command signal. The present invention additionally employs a method for determining the velocity profile of the piston of a clamp assembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to injection mold hot runner control devices and more particularly to an injection molding control device which eliminates the conventional control cables to improve the quality of feedback signals received by the controller and the safety of the environment in which such systems are used. The present invention utilizes a signal processor to convert analog signals received from the mold temperature sensors into a digital feedback signal in the vicinity of the mold and to transmit such feedback signal to a receiver connected to a controller at a location remote from the mold. The mold controller processes the feedback signal and generates a corresponding control signal. The control signal is transmitted from the remotely located controller to the controlled device, typically the mold heaters.

Abstract: An injection mold design system for correcting a profile of a product to be fabricated into a releasable profile from a mold to design an injection mold based on a corrected product shape, comprising storing information of product shape and mold profile, displaying the product shape or the mold profile on a screen based on the information read from the storing, inputting designation information necessary for correction of the product shape or the mold profile, and unloading information of lines or planes being obstructive to correction of the product shape and the mold profile into the storing in response to the designation information input removing the lines or the planes from the screen, and replotting the line or the planes on the screen in terms of the information of lines or planes unloaded into the storing after the correction operation of the product shape or the mold profile is completed.

Abstract: A method of performing design synchronization in a computer system is described. At least a portion of a source schema and at least a portion of a target schema are compared. The target schema is modified based on the differences therebetween. In a preferred fashion, design changes are made at the target with target-specific syntax and the minimum number of equivalent operations.

Abstract: There is provided a molding-condition recovery device which may easily recover the molding condition having been applied in the past, and also permits the storage of the past molding conditions in a memory having small capacity. A reduction in required memory capacity of the modification history storage file is permitted by storing only data of a component subjected to setting modification, among the components of the molding condition, in a modification history storage file. The recovery of the past molding condition is made by replacing all the set values of the presently-applied molding condition or the data in a temporary file stored with all the set values of the first molding condition with data in the modification history storage file in sequence.

Abstract: In an injection molding machine utilizing a setting method of the present invention, there is substantially no limitation in numbers to steps of an injection speed and a holding pressure, and in addition to rectangle, slope, polygonal line and flat, an arc can be designated as a shape mode. Because of using codes to define the shape mode, the setting operation becomes easy. In order to form one injection speed control pattern, the mix of shape modes is utilized. Also, in the present setting method, a plurality of code data predeterminedly defined are input sequentially in time, thereby setting the injection speed control pattern or pressure holding control pattern. The code defines a kind of function which figures out an injection speed command data or a holding pressure command data corresponding to each stroke position or time.

Abstract: A method for combining in zip code order pre-personalized printed items with items that are not pre-personalized. The method includes the step of producing a grouping of the pre-personalized items in zip code order according to a first mailing list. The first mailing list is merged with a second mailing list associated with the items that are not pre-personalized to produce a master mailing list of a desired zip code order. The pre-personalized items and the items that are not pre-personalized are selectively fed to a conveyor in the desired zip code order. The items that are not pre-addressed are addressed and the zip code bundles are prepared according to the master mailing list.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling a hydraulic actuator in an injection molding machine, where the hydraulic actuator moves in a linear or rotary manner to effect movement of an injection molding device, such as a mold clamp. A microcontroller is locally disposed adjacent to the actuator or the hydraulic fluid distribution manifold to cause the actuator to drive the device. The microcontroller is electrically coupled to the system control processor. This distributed control architecture increases system processing throughput, enhances reliability, and permits easier upgrades/repair. Preferably, the microcontroller is mounted on the manifold and controls all of the actuators supplied from that manifold.

Abstract: A display apparatus having a touch panel for an injection molding machine. The display apparatus has a main display mode for selectively displaying information relating to each function of the injection molding machine on an individual screen corresponding to the function. The touch panel enables input from the screen through touching. The display apparatus also has an auxiliary display. In the auxiliary display mode, a collective sub-screen is selectively displayed on any of the screens or on a specific one of the screens. The collective sub-screen contains a collection of specific display elements having something in common and selected from among display elements to be displayed on the screens. Thus, input operation is facilitated; various closely related data can be confirmed at a glance; and input forms or display forms are diversified.

Abstract: Target velocity data D14 specifying injection operation required for a injection cylinder unit is set in advance, the injection operation is performed actually, command data D17 given to the injection cylinder unit during the injection operation and detected velocity data D15 indicating the operation performed by the injection cylinder unit are recorded, correction value data D18 is calculated from a difference between the detected velocity data D15 and the target velocity data D14 to correct the command data D17 of the previous injection operation by using the correction value, auxiliary amplifier command data D19 is generated as the command data for the next injection operation, and the injection cylinder unit is operated by giving the generated auxiliary amplifier command data at the time of the next injection operation.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling a hydraulic actuator in an injection molding machine, where the hydraulic actuator moves in a linear or rotary manner to effect movement of an injection molding device, such as a mold clamp. A microcontroller is locally disposed adjacent to the actuator or the hydraulic fluid distribution manifold to cause the actuator to drive the device. The microcontroller is electrically coupled to the system control processor. This distributed control architecture increases system processing throughput, enhances reliability, and permits easier upgrades/repair. Preferably, the microcontroller is mounted on the manifold and controls all of the actuators supplied from that manifold.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling an injection molding system having a plurality of devices which generate a corresponding plurality of feedback signals includes structure and steps for providing an operator control station which has a display and at least one operator input device. A single, general-purpose computer is coupled to both the operator control panel and the plurality of injection molding devices and functions to perform multiple-tasking control of both the injection molding functions and the operator control functions. The computer preferably performs real-time closed loop control of the plurality of injection molding devices while also processing system feedback signals and operator input signals. Thus, there is no need for the analog signal processor and the programmable logic controller of the prior art.

Abstract: A system having a processor-based process control system for a plastic injection molding machine performing a plastic injection molding process having an I/O bus network containing a plurality of I/O modules operably connected to a corresponding I/O device associated with the plastic injection molding machine and a first computer having and I/O bus controller directly connected to the I/O bus network, a real-time operating system, and a first processor executing a plastic injection molding control program for controlling the plastic injection molding process.

Abstract: A system control portion of a voice data recording and reproducing apparatus converts inputted voice signals into digitized voice data, adds header information stored in a table composed of a rewritable nonvolatile storage medium to the converted voice data and records them in a semiconductor memory as a recording medium. A PC to which such a voice data recording and reproducing apparatus can be connected acquires header information stored in the data table, and, when the changing of the header information is designated, sends the changed header information to the voice data recording and reproducing apparatus. Based upon the sent header information, the system control portion of the voice recording and reproducing apparatus rewrites the header information in the data table.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptively controlling a system parameter, such as the temperature in an injection molding machine. In a preferred arrangement, the current status of the system is obtained by sampling the parameter a number of times and by making calculations based upon the samples taken, and then compared to data stored in a database or look-up table to determine whether the status has been encountered previously. The database also contains data corresponding to previous outputs and previous results obtained for each previous output. If the current status matches a previous status, an output is provided that is proportional to a previous output attempted, the proportion being based upon the response achieved by that previous output. If no match is found, an output is provided that is based upon a predetermined value. After the output is provided, a response to the output is monitored, and the current status, the output, and the response are saved for future use.

Abstract: An injection molding system includes a program control section installed outside injection molding machines. The program control section includes a program file section that stores a plurality of different programs in the form of files, and a program transfer section that selects a computer program from the program file section and transfers the selected computer program to the controller of an arbitrary injection molding machine when the arbitrary injection molding machine is operated. Only when an injection molding machine is operated, a program (control program) for operating the injection molding machine is selected from the program file section of the program control section, and the thus-selected program is transferred to the corresponding controller by the program transfer section.

Abstract: The present invention consists of a method for gauging a mold cavity to be used in the injection molding of a foam product, such as a sole of an article of footwear. The method comprises the steps of selecting a durometer for the product, determining a thickness expansion ratio based on the durometer selecting a thickness value, selecting a material based on the thickness value and thickness expansion ratio, dividing a model of the final product into a plurality of sections, determining a length/width expansion ratio for each section, gauging a mold model for each section based on the expansion ratio for each section, and constructing a composite mold model using the guaged sections.

Abstract: A simulation system predicts a behavior of a molten resin in a mold in filling, packing, and cooling processes by using a fundamental equation formulated by the finite element method, and shrinkage factors in a direction of thickness and planar directions based on anisotropy of a volume shrinkage factor obtained during prediction of the filling, packing, and cooling processes, so that a warp deformation in an injection-molded article can be predicted at a higher precision. In this simulation system, the warp deformation is predicted by calculating the shrinkage factors in accordance with:.epsilon.Z=A+B.multidot.eV (1).epsilon.P=(eV-.epsilon.Z)/2 (2)wherein .epsilon.Z is a shrinkage factor in the direction of thickness, .epsilon.P is a shrinkage factor in the planar directions, eV is a volume shrinkage factor, and A and B are shrinkage coefficients.

Abstract: An industrial controller for injection molding machines models the injection molding machine by observing ram state in response to control variables to alert the user when a control profile may be physically unrealizable and to inhibit a learning process to avoid extreme actuation of the controlled components such as may be detrimental to later control accuracy. Simultaneous velocity and pressure control of the ram, with separate profiles, may be obtained by open-loop control of either pressure or velocity and continuous closed-loop control of the other control variable.