Advanced process control for injection molding

This paper deals with the application of advanced control strategies to an injection molding process. Of particular interest is the control of one variable during the cooling phase of the molding process. Due to the cyclic dynamic nature of injection molding, the controlled variable must be regulated over a short cycle; the full process is completed within 10 seconds. Therefore, a key control objective is rapid setpoint regulation. A closed‐loop strategy has been implemented for the regulation of pressure within the mold during the cooling cycle. First order plus dead time models of the process have been identified from plant step responses. The performance of several control algorithms for this process are compared in simulation studies. These algorithms have given comparable regulatory and servo responses. Finally, the effectiveness of the closed loop controi system has been demonstrated experimentally using the PI algorithm. Simulated and experimental results are in excellent agreement.