Molding and gauging system

摘要

A molding system including a mold and a molding machine has been adapted to monitor the position of first and second mold surfaces that move relative to each other to form a mold cavity. The system includes a source of gas under pressure and an orifice on a first molding system surface to direct a flow of pressurized gas from the first molding system surface. A monitoring system monitors the condition of the gas remote from the first molding system surface to indicate the spacing between the first molding system surface and an adjacent second molding system surface as the first and second molding system surfaces move with respect to each other. The molding system is adapted to sense misalignment and warping of die elements, failure of the die elements to close and open properly, and other such irregularities in operation in the presence of the extremely high forces imposed upon the molds by the molding machine, high temperatures and hostile environment and to protect molds and molding machine parts from destructively high forces and to prevent or record manufacture of reject parts.