Method and system for operating an injection molding machine
View Patent ↗According to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a method and system for operating an injection molding machine. For example, a molding system ( 100 ) to manufacture a molded article ( 103 ) in a mold-cavity system ( 200 ) by using a molding material ( 101 ) is provided. The system ( 100 ) including pressure-control system ( 126 ) coupled with the system ( 200 ); and controller ( 160 ) operatively coupling to system ( 126 ), controller ( 160 ) having controller-usable memory ( 162 ) tangibly embodying set of controller-executable instructions ( 500 ) to direct controller ( 160 ), including mold-unpack instructions ( 520 ), including instructing controller ( 160 ) to control system ( 126 ) to reduce, after solidification, at least in part, of material ( 101 ) being located in a nub region ( 214 ) of system ( 200 ), internal pressure of material ( 101 ) received in system ( 200 ) while system ( 200 ) remains isolated from stream of flowable-molding material, beyond any reduction of internal pressure in material ( 101 ) resulting from cooling of material ( 101 ), so that reduction in internal pressure of material ( 101 ) is enough to permit safe opening of system ( 200 ) while permitting safe extraction of article ( 103 ).
1. A molding system being configured to manufacture a molded article by using a molding material, the molding system comprising:
a mold-cavity system for forming, in use, the molded article; the mold-cavity system including:
a primary parting line defined between a cavity portion and a neck portion;
a secondary parting line defined between the neck portion and a top portion;
a platen actuator which is configured to move a movable platen toward and away from a stationary platen thereby opening or closing the mold-cavity system;
an ejector actuator which is configured to actuate a stripper assembly to which the neck portion of the mold-cavity system is coupled to;
a clamp assembly configured to apply clamp tonnage to the mold-cavity system after the mold-cavity system is closed shut and locked; and
a controller operatively coupling to the platen actuator, the ejector actuator and the clamp assembly, the controller having a controller-usable memory tangibly embodying a set of controller-executable instructions being configured to direct the controller, the set of controller-executable instructions including a mold-open instruction configured to:
cause the clamp assembly to reduce applying clamp force to the mold-cavity system;
actuate the ejector actuator thereby urging the neck portion towards the cavity portion to cause initial separation of the top portion and the neck portion relative to the secondary parting line, while keeping the primary parting line un-opened, and while maintaining at least some clamp force with the clamp assembly.
2. The molding system of claim 1 , wherein the mold-open instruction is further configured to cause, at a point in time after the initial separation, the cavity portion and the neck portion to open relative to the primary parting line to implement removal of the molded article from the mold-cavity system.