Controlling the formation of imperfections due to polymeric shrinkage during molding operations

A method of molding a polymer comprising:

• providing a mold comprising a molding cavity defining an interior mold volume separated from an exterior environment;
• introducing a volume of polymeric material into the molding cavity;
• impeding the development of a void in the volume of polymeric material by isolating the volume of polymeric material within the molding cavity from the exterior environment;
• wherein the step of impeding is accomplished by a shrinkage compensation mechanism, where the shrinkage compensation mechanism is a translatable member arranged in association with a fluid passage, the fluid passage being in fluid communication with the mold cavity, where the translatable member forms a translatable sealing member, where the translatable sealing member is configured to translate between an open position and a closed position to substantially close a fluid passage in fluid communication with the molding cavity such that the translatable member substantially separates and isolates the molding cavity from the exterior environment;
• and,
• consuming a volume of the molding cavity using the shrinkage compensation mechanism;
• curing the polymeric material to form a molded polymeric form.