Method for fast manufacturing and assembling of hot runner systems

• US 7,236,841 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mold-Masters Limited
• Original Assignee: Mold-Masters Limited
• Inventors: Fischer, Jonathon, Babin, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta; Kidest
• Application Number:
  US10/720,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20040158340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 700/97, 700/96, 700/100, 700/67, 700/18, 700/180, 700/200, 700/210, 264/297.2, 264/297.3, 235/472.01, 235/462.01, 235/375, 235/380
• US Class Current: 700/97
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/007 injection moulding tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/2725 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/2738 specially adapted for manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/76 Measuring, controlling or regulating measuring in general G01; controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31104 Remote configuration of parameters of controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45244 Injection molding
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The method and apparatus of the present invention includes a computer implemented injection molding configuring subsystem which enables a customer to interactively specify and design a system using a mix of parameters that the customer specifies and are manufacturing process determined. The configuring subsystem is connected to a computer network such as the Internet. The method and apparatus of the present invention further includes a computerized business and processing subsystem in communication with the configuring subsystem. The computerized business subsystem automatically provides a cost and schedule for a system configured by the configuring subsystem and additionally processes an order for the system. The processing subsystem automatically processes the customer'"'"'s inputs and generates drawings for the configured system. Prior to receiving the customer'"'"'s order, hot runner system components may be partially manufactured in a first phase and placed in inventory. The partially manufactured hot runner components may then be removed from inventory after receiving a customer'"'"'s order, and further manufactured and assembled in accordance with the customer'"'"'s parameters in a second phase.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system connected to a computer network and accessible by a plurality of users for specifying, orderings, and manufacturing injection molding systems, comprising in combination:

a configuring subsystem that uses one or more customer defined parameters to generate a customized injection molding system which implements the customer defined parameters;

a processing subsystem in communication with the configuring subsystem that processes the customized injection molding system generated by the configuring subsystem to provide drawings of the customized injection molding system;

a business subsystem in communication with the configuring subsystem that calculates a cost for manufacturing the customized injection molding system and that determines a schedule for completing the customized injection molding system; and

a manufacturing subsystem in communication with the configuring subsystem that provides input for manufacturing the customized injection molding system generated by the configuring subsystem;

wherein the customized injection molding system is created by assembling a plurality of components, the components including at least a manifold plate that was partially manufactured and placed in inventory before the configuring subsystem received any customer defined parameters for the customized injection molding system, the manufacture of the manifold plate being completed after the configuring subsystem receives the customer defined parameters for the customized injection molding system.

2. The computer implemented system of claim 1, wherein the partially manufactured manifold plate is a unitary manifold plate.

3. The computer implemented system of claim 1, wherein the customer defined parameters comprise at least one of nozzle types, nozzle pitches, manifold shapes, manifold lengths, or manifold thickness.

4. The computer implemented system of claim 1, wherein the processing subsystem further provides a bill of materials for the customized injection molding system.

5. The computer implemented system of claim 1, wherein the configuring subsystem is in communication with a web page server and the computer network.

6. The computer implemented system of claim 5, wherein the computer network is the Internet.

7. The computer implemented system of claim 5, wherein the computer network is an Intranet.

8. The computer implemented system of claim 1, wherein the configuring subsystem provides for verification of the customized injection molding system in terms of at least one of functionality and safety.

9. In a computer network-based system, an automated method for specifying, ordering, and manufacturing hot runner systems, comprising:

partially manufacturing a plurality of manifold plates, for forming portions of hot runner systems in a first phase;

placing the partially manufactured manifold plates in inventory;

after placing the partially manufactured manifold plates in inventory, receiving one or more customer defined parameters;

using the one or more customer defined parameters in a configuration subsystem to generate a customized hot runner system;

submitting the customized hot runner system for processing to a processing subsystem;

after generating the customized hot runner system, removing one of the partially manufactured manifold plates from inventory;

further manufacturing the partially manufactured manifold plate in accordance with the customer defined parameters in a second phase; and

assembling the further manufactured manifold plate with other hot runner components to create customized hot runner system.

10. The method of claim 9, further including creating drawings for the customized hot runner system via the processing subsystem.

11. The method of claim 9, further including creating a bill of materials for the customized hot runner system via the processing subsystem.

12. The method of claim 9, further including determining manufacturing parameters based on the customized hot runner system.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the partially manufactured manifold plates are unitary manifold plates.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the manifold plates have predefined shapes for hot runner systems, and a completed manifold plate has substantially the same shape as the predefined shape of the partially manufactured manifold plate.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the manifold plates are partially manufactured by drilling into each manifold plate a common melt inlet and one or more flow channels in communication with the melt inlet, the melt inlet being substantially perpendicular to the flow channels.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the other hot runner components comprise one or more of the following:

plugs, nozzles, and/or heaters.