Patent ID: 7431870

Claim:
A method for the automated setting-up of an injection molding machine, said machine for manufacturing injection molded parts and including an injection screw, comprising the steps of: (1) defining a holding time equal to a predetermined default value; (2) performing at least a partial injection cycle; (3) masuring a pressure stroke being the change in displacement of said screw between packing time and said holding time; (4) incrementing said holding time; (5) repeating steps (3) and (4) until said pressure stroke stabilizes or a part so produced is acceptable; (6) defining a linear relationship between screw displacement and time consistent with screw displacement at said packing time and at said holding time, between said packing time and said holding time; (7) defining a gate freeze time as a time of maximum difference between said screw displacement and said linear relationship, thereby providing a value for said gate freeze time from measurements of said screw displacement.