Sequential valve gating
Staged opening across drops.
Sequential valve gatingGlossary
What Is a Valve Gate? Injection Molding Explained
A valve gate uses a movable pin to start and stop plastic flow at the cavity entry.
Glossary
A valve gate uses a pin to open and close the gate during fill
Timed shutoff can reduce vestige and control fill on hot runner drops.
The pin advances and retracts to start and stop flow at the cavity entry.
Sequential valve gating extends the idea across multiple drops on large parts.
Hot runner maintenance includes pins, seals, and tip alignment.
Glossary
How valve gate shows up on real programs
Library photos illustrate molding and tooling context for this term.
- Use the term in RFQs with geometry and material context, not in isolation.
- Link to the design guide when the term affects steel or part design.
- Upload CAD when the term changes tooling scope or piece price.
Cosmetics
Valve gate planning notes
Use when large parts or appearance drive hot runner investment.
Gate location relative to Class A faces
Number of drops and fill sequence if sequential
Acceptance for small vestige or blush at drop
Hot runner supplier and tip style in tooling scope
Go deeper
Where this term connects
Each link is a different angle on the same program, not a duplicate definition.
Hot runner
Manifold context for valve drops.
Hot runnerGate
General gate vocabulary.
GateDesign guide hub
Weld line planning.
Design guide hubVisual reference
Photos from molding and tooling programs
Images are selected from the NetProto Forge media library for this topic.
Injection molded production parts on a tray
Injection molded production parts on a tray
Engineer reviewing a molded part drawing
Engineer reviewing a molded part drawing
Plastic housing components from a steel tool
Plastic housing components from a steel tool
FAQ
Valve gate questions
Are valve gates cosmetic friendly?
They can reduce gate blush on some geometries when tuned.
Do valve gates work on cold runners?
Classic valve gates sit on hot runner drops.
Can valve timing fix weld lines alone?
Timing helps but geometry and venting still matter.
Next step
Mark cosmetic faces on CAD
Upload geometry before hot runner drop locations freeze.