Abstract: An injection molding machine includes an edge gate nozzle with a nozzle body having a primary melt channel and a nozzle head having first and second secondary melt channels that feed melt to first and second nozzle tips. First and second heaters are disposed in the nozzle head to provide heat to the secondary melt channels. In some embodiments, the heaters are positioned adjacent to the secondary melt channels, with first heater is closer to the first secondary melt channel than to the second secondary melt channel. In some embodiments, the heaters are positioned adjacent to the nozzle tips, with the first heater closer to the first nozzle tip than to the second nozzle tip. In some embodiments, each heater is adjacent to both the respective nozzle tip and secondary melt channel. In some embodiments, each heater is individually controllable.

Abstract: An injection molding machine includes an edge gate nozzle with a nozzle body having a primary melt channel and a nozzle head having first and second secondary melt channels that feed melt to first and second nozzle tips. First and second heaters are disposed in the nozzle head to provide heat to the secondary melt channels. In some embodiments, the heaters are positioned adjacent to the secondary melt channels, with first heater is closer to the first secondary melt channel than to the second secondary melt channel. In some embodiments, the heaters are positioned adjacent to the nozzle tips, with the first heater closer to the first nozzle tip than to the second nozzle tip. In some embodiments, each heater is adjacent to both the respective nozzle tip and secondary melt channel. In some embodiments, each heater is individually controllable.

Abstract: A melt distribution device (100) including a heat-receiving part (102) and a heater (104). The heater (104) is coupled to the heat-receiving part (102) so to maintain thermal communication between the heater (104) and the heat-receiving part (102). The heater (104) is also coupled to the heat-receiving part (102) so to isolate, at least partially, the heater (104) from receiving stress and strain transmission from the heat-receiving part (102).

Abstract: Injection molding systems described herein are configured to produce more uniform injection molded parts in one or more mold cavities corresponding to nozzles of a hot runner. The injection molding systems include sensors that detect one or more physical properties of a melt having been dispensed into the respective one or more mold cavities. A controller is configured to adjust the heat output from one or more heaters based on the sensed physical properties of the dispensed melt. Further, each nozzle of a hot runner may include a balance heater for heating an area of the nozzle body and a tip heater for heating an area of the nozzle tip. The controller of the injection molding system is configured to independently adjust the heat output of each balance heater of the hot runner.

Abstract: A melt distribution device (100) including a heat-receiving part (102) and a heater (104). The heater (104) is coupled to the heat-receiving part (102) so to maintain thermal communication between the heater (104) and the heat-receiving part (102). The heater (104) is also coupled to the heat-receiving part (102) so to isolate, at least partially, the heater (104) from receiving stress and strain transmission from the heat-receiving part (102).

Abstract: A mold-tool assembly, comprising: a heater being configured to heat (in use), at least a portion of a component, the heater having a resistive element being encased, at least in part, in aluminum nitride.

Abstract: A mold-tool system for use with a molding-system platen structure, the mold-tool system a frame assembly being connectable with the molding-system platen structure (107); and a set of shooting-pot assemblies being supported by the frame assembly, wherein control of each shooting-pot assembly of the set of shooting-pot assemblies is independent.

Abstract: A mold-tool system (100), comprising: an actuation system (200), including: an electric motor (202) being configured to convert electrical energy to mechanical rotational energy; a torque-amplifying device (204) being coupled to the electric motor (202), and being configured to provide a speed-torque varying component of the mechanical rotational energy associated with the electric motor (202); and a conversion assembly (206) being coupled with the torque-amplifying device (204), the conversion assembly (206) being configured to convert rotational motion of the torque-amplifying device (204) to a linear motion.

Abstract: A mold-tool assembly (100), comprising: a manifold assembly (102); and a constant-temperature heater assembly (99) being positioned relative to the manifold assembly (102), the constant-temperature heater assembly (99) being configured to convey, in use, a thermal-management fluid (109).

Abstract: A system (100), including: a computer-usable medium (102) embodying a set of instructions (106) being executable by a computer (120), the computer (120) being configured to be connected with and to control a grouping of thermal-management assemblies (142) being associated with respective thermal-management of a molding system (140), the set of instructions (106) including computer-executable instructions for directing the computer (120) to perform, in use, a collection of operations, the collection of operations including: a thermal-management operation (S101), including: management of application of power to the grouping of thermal-management assemblies (142) of the molding system (140).

Abstract: A mold-tool assembly, comprising: a heater being configured to heat (in use), at least a portion of a component, the heater having a resistive element being encased, at least in part, in aluminum nitride.

Abstract: A hot-runner system for use with an injection molding system, the hot-runner system including a hot-runner component, a material; and carbon nanotubes being combined with the material. The carbon nanotubes are dispersed, at least in part, in the material and the material includes a metal alloy. The carbon nanotubes are dispersed in the metal alloy, so that the metal alloy and the carbon nanotubes are combined to form a CNT-metal composite material.

Abstract: A mold-tool system (100), comprising: a runner assembly (102); and a retractable-support assembly (104) being at least partially unloaded from the runner assembly (102) so that heat loss from the runner assembly (102) is reduced at least in part.

Abstract: A process (200), comprising: a transfer operation (204), including transferring a resistive powder (106) to an electrically insulated element (102); and a converting operating (206), including converting at least some of the resistive powder (106) to a fused heater element (108) by using a laser metal deposition apparatus (110), the fused heater element (108) being fused to the electrically insulated element (102).

Abstract: A hot-runner system (100), including (but not limited to): a mold insert (132) defining a mold gate (134); and a diamond-based component connected with the mold insert (132), the diamond-based component connected surrounding the mold gate (134).

Abstract: A mold-tool system (105) for use with a molding-system platen structure (107), the mold-tool system (105) camprising: a frame assembly (103) being connectable with the molding-system platen structure (107); and a set of shooting-pot assemblies semblies (204) being supported by the frame assembly (103), wherein control of each shooting-pot assembly of the set of shooting-pot assemblies (204) is independent.

Abstract: A hot-runner system for use with an injection molding system, the hot-runner system including a hot-runner component, a material; and carbon nanotubes being combined with the material. The carbon nanotubes are dispersed, at least in part, in the material and the material includes a metal alloy. The carbon nanotubes are dispersed in the metal alloy, so that the metal alloy and the carbon nanotubes are combined to form a CNT-metal composite material.

Abstract: A magnetic on-off robotic attachment device (MOORAD) (100, 300, 400, 624, 624?, 660, 676, 804) is used to make a number of systems, such as a mobile apparatus (608, 644, 668, 700, 700?), a belt mechanism (800) and a sensor device (504, 508, 656). The MOORAD allows the respective system to be removably magnetically attached to a ferromagnetic structure/object (228, 420, 604, 604?, 720A-B, 720A?-B?, 848). Each MOORAD generally includes a dipole magnet (104, 304A-B, 404) movable relative to first and second ferromagnetic portions (112, 116, 316A-D, 408, 412) that are separated by corresponding magnetically insulating portions (120, 320A-C, 416) so as to change that MOORAD between off and on states.

Abstract: A thermoelectric device (100, 342) that includes at least one thermoelectric couple (118, 304) that contains a thermoelectric junction (156) between two dissimilar materials (P, N) that allow exploitation of either the Seebeck effect or Peltier effect of the junction. The thermoelectric couple includes two thermoelements (120, 124, 324, 326) that extend between the hot side (104) and cold side (108) of the device. Each thermoelement has a thermally insulating region (128, 132) that insulates the hot side from the cold side and an electrical energy storage device (136, 138, 308, 310) that stores electrical energy. When operating in a Seebeck mode, each storage device may be periodically discharged by harvesting circuitry (200, 300) so as to harvest the energy stored therein. When operating in a Peltier mode, each storage device may be periodically charged by charging circuitry (900, 1000) so as to induce a temperature change at the thermoelectric junction.