An injection molding apparatus comprising an injection molding machine having a drivably rotatable barrel screw that generates an injection fluid, a heated manifold that receives the injection fluid from the injection molding machine and distributes the injection fluid to one or more gates (32, 34, 36), a mold having a cavity communicating with the gates to receive the injection fluid, the injection molding machine including a machine controller or control unit that is adapted to generate one or more standardized signals, wherein the standardized signals are compatible for receipt and use by a signal receptor, interface or driver of a standard directional control valve to instruct the fluid directional control valve to move to a position that routes a source of drive fluid to flow in a direction that drives an interconnected fluid drivable actuator (940f, 941f, 942f) to move in a direction that operates to begin an injection cycle and to end an injection cycle, a signal converter interconnected to the machine controller or control unit, the signal converter being adapted to convert the standardized signals to a command signal (MOPCS, PDCVS) that is compatible with a signal receptor or interface of an electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e), wherein the command signals (MOPCS, PDCVS) are converted by the signal converter into a form, frequency, power or format that is usable by the signal receptor or interface of the electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e) to cause the electrically powered actuator (940e, 941e, 942e) or the proportional directional control valve (V, V1, V2) to be driven in a direction that operates to either begin an injection cycle or to end an injection cycle, wherein the apparatus further comprises one or more sensors (950, 951, 952, SN, SC, SPSR, BPSR) that are adapted to detect and generate one or more sensor signals indicative of one or more of rotational or linear position of an actuator (940e, 941e, 942e, 940p, 941p, 942p) or its associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042), pressure or temperature of the injection fluid 18 within a fluid channel of the manifold or within a nozzle channel (42, 44, 46) or within the cavity of the mold or within a barrel of the injection molding machine, the apparatus including an actuator controller that receives and uses the one or more sensor signals in a program that is adapted to instruct the actuator (940e, 941e, 942e, 940p, 941p, 942p) or its associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) to travel during the course of the injection cycle to positions that correspond to a predetermined profile of injection fluid pressures, linear or rotational pin positions, linear actuator or valve pin positions, barrel screw positions, barrel pressures or actuator drive fluid pressures or to instruct the actuator (940e, 941e, 942e, 940p, 941p, 942p) or its associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) such that the valve pin is withdrawn from a closed gate position upstream at a reduced velocity over a selected path of upstream travel, or to instruct the actuator (940e, 941e, 942e, 940p, 941p, 942p) or its associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) to travel such that the valve pin is driven downstream at a reduced velocity over a selected path of travel where a distal tip end of the pin travel from upstream of the gate to a gate closed position, or to instruct the actuator (940e, 941e, 942e, 940p, 941p, 942p) or its associated valve pin (1040, 1041, 1042) to travel such that the valve pin is driven upstream or downstream to an intermediate position between a gate closed position and a fully upstream position where the valve pin is maintained in the intermediate position for a selected period of time during the course of the injection cycle wherein, in the intermediate position, the distal tip end of the valve pin restricts flow of injection of the injection to less than a maximum flow.