Intelligent Manifold and Injection Molding Machine

• US 20080290541A1
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems Limited
• Inventors: BAUMANN, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,632,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/40.6
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/1796 Moulds carrying mould related information or codes, e.g. bar codes, counters
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2945/76993 Remote, e.g. LAN, wireless LAN
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/2725 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/766 the setting or resetting of moulding conditions, e.g. before starting a cycle

Abstract

An injection molding system includes a hot runner comprising a memory device configured to contain at least one process control parameter. The memory device may transmit a signal representative of the process control parameter to a machine controller associated with the injection molding system. The machine controller may generate control signal to operate the injection molding machine based on, at least in part, the signal from the memory device.

Claims

1. A hot runner system for use with an injection molding system, said hot runner system:

a manifold comprising a plurality of melt channels including at least one inlet configured to be in fluid communication with a source of molten resin and at least one outlet configured be coupled to at least one nozzle; and

at least one memory device coupled to said manifold, said at least one memory device including information pertaining to at least one process control parameter of said injection molding system, said at least one memory device further configured to transmit a signal to a machine controller associated with said injection molding machine representative of said at least one process control parameter.

2. The hot runner system of claim 1 wherein said machine controller comprises a stand alone controller and wherein said least one memory device is configured to transmit said signal directly to stand along controller.

3. The hot runner system of claim 2 further comprising an injection molding machine controller.

4. The hot runner system of claim 3 wherein said stand alone controller is configured to transmit a single directly to said injection molding machine controller.

5. The hot runner system of claim 1 wherein said machine controller includes an injection molding machine controller and wherein said least one memory device is configured to transmit said signal directly to stand along controller.

6. The hot runner system of claim 1 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises a plurality of temperature profiles of said plurality of melt channels.

7. The hot runner system of claim 1 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises a temperature profile of a sprue bushing.

8. The hot runner system of claim 1 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises a temperature profile of said at least one nozzle.

9. The hot runner system of claim 1 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises mold set-up data.

10. The hot runner system of claim 9 wherein said mold set-up data includes resin flow rate data.

11. The hot runner system of claim 9 wherein said mold set-up data includes at least one selected from the group consisting of injection velocity profiles, packing pressure magnitudes, gate freeze determination and pressure profiles, and timing for opening and closing of said at least one valve.

12. The hot runner system of claim 1 wherein said at least one process control parameter further includes maintenance data.

13. The hot runner system of claim 1 wherein said manifold further comprises at least one sensor configured to provide a signal representative of at least one process control parameter, wherein said memory device is configured to receive said signal from said at least one sensor.

14. The hot runner system of claim 13 wherein said memory device is configured to transmit a signal representative of said signal from said at least one sensor to said machine controller.

15. The hot runner system of claim 1 wherein said at least one process control parameter includes a pointer to a database coupled to said machine controller.

16. An injection molding system comprising:

a hot runner manifold comprising a plurality of melt channels including at least one inlet configured to be in fluid communication with a source of molten resin and at least one outlet configured be coupled to at least one nozzle;

a mold configured to receive molten resin from said at least one nozzle;

a machine controller for generating a plurality of control signals to operate said injection molding machine; and

at least one memory device coupled to said hot runner manifold, said at least one memory device including information pertaining to at least one process control parameter of said injection molding system and configured to transmit a signal to said machine controller representative of said at least one process control parameter.

17. The injection molding system of claim 16 wherein said machine controller is responsive to, at least in part, said signal from said at least one memory device.

18. The injection molding system of claim 16 wherein said machine controller comprises a stand alone controller and wherein said least one memory device is configured to transmit said signal directly to stand along controller.

19. The injection molding system of claim 18 further comprising an injection molding machine controller.

20. The injection molding system of claim 19 wherein said stand alone controller is configured to transmit a single directly to said injection molding machine controller.

21. The injection molding system of claim 16 wherein said machine controller includes an injection molding machine controller and wherein said least one memory device is configured to transmit said signal directly to stand along controller.

22. The injection molding system of claim 17 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises a plurality of temperature profiles of said plurality of melt channels.

23. The injection molding machine of claim 17 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises a temperature profile of a sprue bushing.

24. The injection molding machine of claim 17 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises a temperature profile of said at least one nozzle.

25. The injection molding machine of claim 17 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises mold set-up data.

26. The injection molding machine of claim 17 further comprising at least one sensor configured to provide a signal representative of at least one process control parameter, wherein said memory device is configured to receive said signal from said at least one sensor.

27. The injection molding machine of claim 17 wherein said memory device is configured to transmit a signal representative of said signal from said at least one sensor to said machine controller.

28. A method of controlling the operation of an injection molding machine comprising:

providing a memory device coupled to a hot runner manifold with information pertaining to at least one process control parameter of said injection molding system;

transmitting a signal representative of said at least one process control parameter to a machine controller associated with said injection molding machine; and

generating a plurality of control signals to operate said injection molding machine based on, at least in part, said signal from said at least one memory device.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises a plurality of temperature profiles of said plurality of melt channels.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises a temperature profile of a sprue bushing.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises a temperature profile of said at least one nozzle.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein said at least one process control parameter comprises mold set-up data.

33. The method of claim 28 further comprising receiving a signal generated by at least one sensor coupled to said injection molding machine at said memory device.