HIGH DYNAMIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM
A heating/cooling module for a molding system includes a mold surface forming a part of a mold cavity. A cooling unit is disposed adjacent to the mold surface for cooling the mold surface. A layered heater is disposed adjacent to the mold surface for heating the mold surface.
1 . A heating/cooling module for a molding system comprising:
a mold surface defining a part of a mold cavity;
a cooling unit disposed adjacent to the mold surface for cooling the mold surface; and
a layered heater formed adjacent to the mold surface for heating the mold surface.
2 . The heating/cooling module of claim 1 , further comprising a die insert including the mold surface.
3 . The heating/cooling module of claim 2 , wherein the layered heater is disposed between the die insert and the cooling unit.
4 . The heating/cooling module of claim 2 , wherein the layered heater is formed on one of the die insert and the cooling unit by thermal spraying.
5 . The heating/cooling module of claim 2 , wherein the layered heater is formed on the die insert by thermal spraying.
6 . The heating/cooling module of claim 5 , wherein the thermal spraying comprises a plurality of layers including a top coat comprising a material having relatively high thermal conductivity.
7 . The heating/cooling module of claim 6 , wherein the top coat is machined to a predetermined thickness.
8 . The heating/cooling module of claim 2 , wherein the die insert is clamped to the layered heater.
9 . The heating/cooling module of claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit is clamped to the layered heater.
10 . The heating/cooling module of claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit includes a plurality of cutout portions on a peripheral surface of the cooling unit.
11 . The heating/cooling module of claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit includes a thermal insulation layer on a peripheral surface of the cooling unit.
12 . The heating/cooling module of claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit includes a substrate and a plurality of passageways in the substrate.
13 . The heating/cooling module of claim 1 , wherein the layered heater is formed on a separate substrate.
14 . The heating/cooling module of claim 13 , wherein the layered heater includes an adhesion layer disposed on the separate substrate.
15 . The heating/cooling module of claim 1 further comprising a thermal insulation layer formed around the cooling unit.
16 . The heating/cooling module of claim 6 , wherein the top coat includes a first metallic top coat layer and a second metallic top coat layer.
17 . The heating/cooling module of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first metallic top coat layer and the second metallic top coat layer is a galvanic nickel layer.
18 . A method of controlling the heating/cooling module of claim 1 to reduce the risk of overheating, the method comprising:
employing at least two controllers:
a first two-wire controller for detecting the heating layer temperature, wherein the layered heater comprises a resistive heating layer having sufficient TCR characteristics to function as a heating element and a temperature sensor; and
a second controller with a discrete temperature sensor positioned near a heating target and in communications with the first two-wire controller,
wherein the second controller normally controls a temperature of the heating target with the discrete temperature sensor, and in the event of a rapid over-temperature condition, such as with a low mass heating target, the over-temperature condition is detected by the first two-wire controller, and the first two-wire controller communicates with the second controller to prevent overheating.
19 . A heating/cooling module for heating and cooling a target, comprising:
a heating/cooling surface disposed proximate the target;
a layered heater that heats the target through the heating/cooling surface; and
a cooling unit that cools the target through the heating/cooling surface,
wherein the layered heater is integrally formed with the cooling unit to form an integrated unit, and the heating/cooling surface is a surface of one of the layered heater and the cooling unit.
20 . The heating/cooling module of claim 19 , wherein the cooling unit includes a substrate and a plurality of passageways in the substrate.
21 . The heating/cooling module of claim 20 , wherein the layered heater is formed on and in contact with the substrate of the cooling unit by layered processes.
22 . The heating/cooling module of claim 21 , wherein the layered heater includes a first dielectric layer disposed on the substrate of the cooling unit, a resistive heating layer disposed on the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer on the layer.
23 . The heating/cooling module of claim 22 , further comprising a top coat layer formed on the second dielectric layer, wherein the top coat layer includes a metal.
24 . The heating/cooling module of claim 23 , wherein the heating/cooling surface is a surface of the top coat layer.