Abstract: Disclosed is a method of adjusting a motion profile of a shooting pot plunger for use in a molding system, the shooting pot plunger slidably movable within a shooting pot cavity, the method comprising: sensing a characteristic at a predetermined location in an injection circuit of the molding system; determining that the sensed characteristic is outside of a threshold range; adjusting the motion profile of the shooting pot plunger to account for determining that the sensed characteristic is outside of the threshold range; and storing the adjusted motion profile in a memory.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of coupling and decoupling a valve stem to an actuator are disclosed. In one embodiment, the actuator includes a moveable member that is coupled to the valve stem. One of the valve stem and the moveable member is a male coupling portion and the other of the valve stem and moveable member is the female coupling portion. The male coupling portion is nested within the female coupling portion. A retaining pin retains the male coupling portion with respect to the female coupling portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of adjusting a motion profile of a shooting pot plunger for use in a molding system, the shooting pot plunger slidably movable within a shooting pot cavity, the method comprising: sensing a characteristic at a predetermined location in an injection circuit of the molding system; determining that the sensed characteristic is outside of a threshold range; adjusting the motion profile of the shooting pot plunger to account for determining that the sensed characteristic is outside of the threshold range; and storing the adjusted motion profile in a memory.

Abstract: Disclosed is a control system for and a method of filling a shooting pot cavity in a molding system, the method comprising: injecting resin from an injection unit to fill the shooting pot cavity; measuring a property of the resin at a predetermined location in the molding system; determining that the measured property is outside of a threshold range for the property, the threshold range being associated with the predetermined location; and selecting an operational parameter to adjust, the operational parameter associated with the measured property and the predetermined location.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of coupling and decoupling a valve stem to an actuator are disclosed. In one embodiment, the actuator includes a moveable member that is coupled to the valve stem. One of the valve stem and the moveable member is a male coupling portion and the other of the valve stem and moveable member is the female coupling portion. The male coupling portion is nested within the female coupling portion. A retaining pin retains the male coupling portion with respect to the female coupling portion.

Abstract: Injection-molding nozzles having any one or more of improved heat transfer, wear resistance, and melt transfer from a manifold to a mold. The operation and durability of a nozzle can be improved by integrally layering multiple materials to create a multi-property nozzle that is a unitary, monolithic, and seamless structure. For example, the heat transfer properties of a nozzle is improved by integrally layering certain materials in the nozzle housing such that heat is more effectively dissipated or transferred throughout the nozzle to maintain and promote melt flow. One or more components of the nozzle can be merged and thus seamlessly formed to improve melt flow by reducing joints that would cause the melt to hang up within the nozzle and, concomitantly, reducing manufacturing and assembly time. The process used to unitarily form some or all of the nozzle may also be used to create complex geometric configurations therein.

Abstract: Injection-molding nozzles having any one or more of improved heat transfer, wear resistance, and melt transfer from a manifold to a mold. The operation and durability of a nozzle can be improved by integrally layering multiple materials to create a multi-property nozzle that is a unitary, monolithic, and seamless structure. For example, the heat transfer properties of a nozzle is improved by integrally layering certain materials in the nozzle housing such that heat is more effectively dissipated or transferred throughout the nozzle to maintain and promote melt flow. One or more components of the nozzle can be merged and thus seamlessly formed to improve melt flow by reducing joints that would cause the melt to hang up within the nozzle and, concomitantly, reducing manufacturing and assembly time. The process used to unitarily form some or all of the nozzle may also be used to create complex geometric configurations therein.

Abstract: A hot-runner system having a manifold and a nozzle, wherein the manifold or nozzle or both may be multi-material apparatuses of unitary construction. The nozzle may be thermally graded for temperature transmission between a heating sleeve and the melt. The nozzle may also include a melt flow channel apparatus that alters the flow of the melt before entering the mold. The nozzle and manifold may have a unitary construction that reduces fitting problems between the two apparatuses.

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), having a one-piece manifold assembly (102) is provided. The one-piece manifold assembly (102) has: a plurality of inlets (104); and a plurality of outlets (106) spaced apart from the plurality of inlets (104). A plurality of melt channels extend between the plurality of inlets and the plurality of outlets, and each melt channel extends between a single inlet and at least two outlets such that each inlet (104) is in fluid communication with at least two outlets (106).

Abstract: A mold-tool system (100), comprising: an assembly (101); and a runner assembly (600) supporting the assembly (101). The runner assembly (600) is configured to provide an access portal (103) configured to permit access to the assembly (101) by a removal assembly (105), so that the assembly (101) may be removed from the runner assembly (600) and replaced. The assembly (101) includes: a position-adjustment assembly (102) configured to interact with a stem-actuation plate (606) connected with a stem assembly (609) of a nozzle assembly (620). The position-adjustment assembly (102) configured to adjust an amount of stem protrusion (794) of the stem assembly (609) relative to a mold assembly (700). The runner assembly (600) supports actuatable movement of the stem-actuation plate (606). Access portal (103) configured to permit access to the position-adjustment assembly (102).

Abstract: A mold-tool system is provided which includes a manifold body including an inlet assembly, a plurality of outlets spaced from the inlet assembly, and an uninterrupted melt channel associated with each outlet and extending between the inlet assembly and its associated outlets. Each melt channel may have a length which is substantially identical to the length of the other melt channels.

Abstract: Hot-runner system (100) for use with molding system. Hot-runner system (100) having: heater (102) to generate heat responsive to receiving power. Heat-sourcing component (104) to receive heat from the heater (102) so that the heat that is generated by the heater (102) is transferred, at least in part, from heater (102) to heat-sourcing component (104). Heat-sourcing component (104) becomes heated to an operating temperature. Heat-receiving component (106) being at least partially spaced from the heat-sourcing component (104). The operating temperature of the heat-receiving component (106) being cooler than operating temperature of the heat-sourcing component (104). Non-structurally supportive heat insulator (108) has thermal conductivity being lower than thermal conductivity of air during operation of the hot-runner system (100).

Abstract: A hot-runner system having a manifold and a nozzle, wherein the manifold or nozzle or both may be multi-material apparatuses of unitary construction. The nozzle may be thermally graded for temperature transmission between a heating sleeve and the melt. The nozzle may also include a melt flow channel apparatus that alters the flow of the melt before entering the mold. The nozzle and manifold may have a unitary construction that reduces fitting problems between the two apparatuses.

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 mold-tool system comprising: a manifold assembly, including: a manifold body defining: an inlet assembly; outlets being set apart from the inlet assembly; and uninterrupted melt channels extending between the inlet assembly and the outlets.

Abstract: A mold-tool system is provided which includes a manifold body including an inlet assembly, a plurality of outlets spaced from the inlet assembly, and an uninterrupted melt channel associated with each outlet and extending between the inlet assembly and its associated outlets. Each melt channel may have a length which is substantially identical to the length of the other melt channels.

Abstract: Hot-runner system (100) for use with molding system. Hot-runner system (100) having: heater (102) to generate heat responsive to receiving power. Heat-sourcing component (104) to receive heat from the heater (102) so that the heat that is generated by the heater (102) is transferred, at least in part, from heater (102) to heat-sourcing component (104). Heat-sourcing component (104) becomes heated to an operating temperature. Heat-receiving component (106) being at least partially spaced from the heat-sourcing component (104). The operating temperature of the heat-receiving component (106) being cooler than operating temperature of the heat-sourcing component (104). Non-structurally supportive heat insulator (108) has thermal conductivity being lower than thermal conductivity of air during operation of the hot-runner system (100).

Abstract: A mold-tool system comprising: a manifold assembly, including: a manifold body defining: an inlet assembly; outlets being set apart from the inlet assembly; and uninterrupted melt channels extending between the inlet assembly and the outlets.