Patent ID: 8425216

Claim:
A system comprising: an injection molding assembly mold having a stationary section and a moveable section, the stationary section having a channel assembly and one or more nozzle, the mold further having a sensor unit array, wherein the sensor unit array includes one or more sensor unit disposed at the moveable section of the mold for sensing whether a molded part has been ejected from the mold; and one or more processing circuit operative for utilizing an output of the one or more sensor unit, the utilizing comprising determining a cycle count of one or more component of the mold, wherein the one or more sensor unit disposed at the moveable section of the mold for sensing whether a molded part has been ejected from the mold includes a force sensor unit disposed at an ejector assembly, the force sensor unit outputting an amplitude varying signal that outputs a signal of relatively higher peak amplitude when the ejector assembly is actuated with a part held within the moveable section, and outputs a signal of relatively lower peak amplitude when the ejector assembly is actuated with a part not held within the movable section.