Hot-runner system having manifold assembly manufactured in accordance with free-form-fabrication

1. A hot-runner system, comprising:

a manifold assembly, including a one-piece manifold body defining:

a smooth-flowing, direction changing and uninterrupted melt channel having an elongate contoured-melt channel portion along which the cross sectional profile of the melt channel varies;

a melt-channel inlet; and

melt-channel outlets in fluid communication with the melt-channel inlet via the melt channel.

2. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece manifold body is manufactured, at least in part, in accordance with a free-form fabrication process.

3. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the melt-channel inlet and the melt-channel outlets have a curved centerline axis.

4. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the melt-channel outlet is offset from the melt-channel inlet, the melt channel extending, at least in part, between the melt-channel inlet and the melt-channel outlet.

5. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the melt channel is plugless.

6. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece manifold body includes a functionally-graded material.

7. The hot runner system of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece manifold body defines an outer surface having a contoured shape.

8. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece manifold body defines a selected hot-runner component.

9. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece manifold body includes at least one of:

a sprue structure integrally formed with the one-piece manifold body; and

a nozzle integrally formed with the one-piece manifold body.

10. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece manifold body includes a convoluted melt-channel geometry.

11. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece manifold body includes a component captured within the one-piece manifold body.

12. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece manifold body includes a moving component captured within the one-piece manifold body.

13. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the melt channel includes a tapered channel wall.

14. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the melt channel includes a centerline axis with a curve having a radius greater than the diameter of the melt channel.

15. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the melt channel includes a channel wall having contours which, in use, mixes a melt flow when a melt is made to flow through the melt channel.

16. The hot-runner system of claim 12 , wherein the moving component is a ball of a check valve.

17. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the melt channel has a diameter that is less than or equal to 4 mm and has a length of at least 50 times 4 mm.

18. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece manifold body forms a void configured to alter a thermal uniformity of the manifold body.

19. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein the one-piece manifold body is configured to:

(i) receive a first type of hot melt at a first-operational temperature from a first melt source, and

(ii) receive a second type of hot melt at a second-operational temperature from a second melt source,

the melt channel is a first-resin melt channel,

the one-piece manifold body further defines a second-resin melt channel, the first-resin melt channel and the second-resin melt channel divide or split into multiple channels and distribute their respective hot resins to their respective first exits and second exits,

the hot resins are substantially maintained at their optimal processing temperatures by means of a first manifold heater and a second manifold heater, and

the one-piece manifold body defines a void configured in the one-piece manifold body to substantially thermally isolate the first-resin melt channel from the second-resin melt channel.

20. The hot-runner system of claim 1 , wherein:

the manifold body is configured to connect to multi-material nozzles,

the manifold body is configured so that resin melt channels are surrounded by an amount of a metal alloy so as to maintain integrity of a second-resin melt channel for heating and injection of a hot resin, and

conduits that shape or surround the resin melt channels meet at a nozzle base of the multi-material nozzles.