Manufacturing method and injection molding system for multi-color molded article

An injection molding system for multi-color molding, said injection molding system comprising:

• a plurality of injection molding machines configured to perform injection molding in a predetermined order for multi-color molding;
• insert molds removably mounted in molds incorporated in the injection molding machines, respectively;
• an insert mold attaching/detaching mechanism configured to attach and detach the insert molds to and from the molds of the injection molding machines;
• an insert mold conveying mechanism configured to transport the insert molds detached from the molds of the injection molding machines from one injection molding machine to another;
• and
• an intermediate station outside the molds,
• wherein the injection molding system for multi-color molding is configured so that:
• a first one of the injection molding machines injection-molds a molded article and the insert mold attaching/detaching mechanism disengages the insert mold fitted with the molded article from the mold;
• the insert mold conveying mechanism transports the insert mold to a subsequent or second injection molding machine, wherein the insert mold being transported is released from hold or attraction at the intermediate station, on which the insert mold is placed, and is held or attracted again;
• the insert mold attaching/detaching mechanism incorporates the insert mold into the second injection molding machine;
• a molding material different from that for the first injection molding machine is injection-molded by the second injection molding machine;
• operations for disengaging the insert mold from the mold of the injection molding machine, transporting the disengaged insert mold, attaching the insert mold to the mold of the injection molding machine, and injection molding are repeated in the predetermined order;
• and
• injection molding is performed by simultaneously using a plurality of insert molds with different cavity shapes in molding conditions automatically varied for each of the different cavity shapes.