Control system for injection molding
AssigneeExtrude To Fill, LLC
InventorRichard Ernest Fitzpatrick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An injection molding apparatus and a control method are provided. The apparatus may include a barrel connected to a hopper for receiving a material from the hopper. The apparatus may include one or more heaters outside the barrel. The apparatus may include an extrusion screw inside the barrel. The apparatus may include a motor coupled to one end of the extrusion screw to rotate the extrusion screw and a torque sensor on the motor. The apparatus may include a controller coupled to the motor and the heaters. The controller may be configured to receive signals from the torque sensor. The controller may include a control algorithm to adjust the one or more heaters according to the signal from the torque sensor to melt the material inside the barrel.
Claims24
An apparatus comprising:
- a barrel connected to a hopper for receiving a material from the hopper;
- one or more heaters outside the barrel;
- an extrusion screw inside the barrel;
- a motor coupled to one end of the extrusion screw to rotate the extrusion screw;
- a torque sensor on the motor;
- and
- a controller coupled to the motor and the heaters, the controller configured to receive signals from the torque sensor, the controller comprising a control algorithm to adjust the one or more heaters according to the signal from the torque sensor to melt the material inside the barrel.
An automatic control method for a molding system, the method comprising:
- receiving a material type and a part size in a controller including a control algorithm;
- selecting operating parameters by the control algorithm according to the material type and the part size, the operating parameters comprising a barrel temperature and a screw rotation speed;
- switching on one or more heaters to heat a material inside the barrel to the selected barrel temperature;
- activating a motor to rotate an extrusion screw inside the barrel at the selected screw rotation speed, the motor being coupled to an end of an extrusion screw inside a barrel;
- adjusting the one or more heaters to melt the material;
- and
- molding a part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.