Hot runner process controller

A method to monitor status and operation of a hot runner system to autonomously generate information to improve the quality of injection molding process, the hot runner system comprising an inlet nozzle, one or more manifolds and one or more nozzles with actuator or without actuator, and one or more heating elements, the method is executed by a hot runner process controller which is self-operating, and independent from the injection molding machine and an external process controller, the hot runner process controller having access to information of one or more sensors located on, in or at the hot runner system to detect the status and/or the operation of the hot runner system;

• the hot runner process controller comprising a processing unit and a memory, wherein the processing unit is connected to the one or more sensors, wherein the memory stores data and program code, comprising the steps of:
• loading and executing by the processing unit the program code to compare sensor information with the stored data and to determine if the hot runner system is in an operable status, and in case the hot runner system is in an operable status, generating status information to activate the one or more heating elements and/or to open the one or more actuators, enabling a production operation of the injection molding machine, or in case the hot runner system is not in an operable status, generating status information to deactivate the one or more heating elements and/or to close the actuators disabling a production operation of the injection molding machine, wherein the sensor information is derived by one or more of the following steps:
• detecting temperature of one or more components of the hot runner system and/or cutouts and/or in the flow channel and/or at the end of the cooling line on the one or more actuators within the components of the hot runner system by a temperature sensor;
• detecting the humidity surrounding the hot runner system;
• detecting the flow of fluids or melt by a flow sensor;
• detecting pressure in fluids or melt by a pressure sensor;
• detecting a leak in the fluid lines and/or areas with possible plastic leakage and/or the inlet nozzle and/or in the one or more manifolds, the one or more hot runner nozzles and/or the one or more actuators by a leak sensor and/or joints to each other;
• detecting deformation by a deformation or bending sensor attached to the hot runner system;
• detecting movements of the hot runner system by a vibration sensor;
• detecting operations with respect to the hot runner system by an acoustic sensor;
• detecting movements of the hot runner system by a gyro-sensor;
• detecting movements within the nozzle by a potentiometer or an encoder of the one or more actuators, so that the location of a nozzle pin and/or a cycle time and/or cycle number is detected;
• determining a location of a needle of the hot runner nozzle and/or a cycle time by a limit switch on one or more of the actuators;
• detecting light via a bore in the mold to a parting line if a mold is open or closed by an optical sensor mounted on hot runner system or in the mold;
• detecting if a wall or other components of the one or more manifolds are washed out or if one or more of the heating elements reaches the end of lifetime or if the nozzle pin is broken by sensors for wear detection, and
• further comprising, interrupting the operation of the injection molding machine by triggering switches and/or valves located in connections between the injection molding machine and the hot runner system, wherein the switches and/or valves are operated by the processing unit on the basis of the status information generated using the sensor, so that the control of the hot runner system by the injection molding machine is activated or deactivated.