Patent ID: 6845289

Claim:
A method of determining properties relating to the manufacture of an injection-molded part comprising: (a) providing a hybrid model comprising, (i) a first input ( 1 ) for inputting parameters, (ii) at least one neural network (NN 1 , . . . NN k ) having an input for inputting at least one of said parameters into the neural network, and having a first output for outputting a forecast value, (iii) at least one rigorous model (R 1 , R 2 , R 3 ; R 4 , R 5 , . . . ) having a second input for inputting at least one of said parameters and said forecast value, and a second output for outputting a calculated value relating to the properties, (iv) a means for mapping an input vector of parameters (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , P 4 , P 5 . . . P 1 ) onto a subvector (PN 1 , PN 2 , PN 3 . . . . PN 1 ), and (v) a means ( 4 ) for mapping the subvector onto corresponding inputs of the neural networks; (b) selecting said parameters; (c) inputting said parameters into said hybrid model; and (d) obtaining at least one of said forecast value and said calculated value relating to at least one of said properties.