the invention relates to a method which is used to operate an injection molding machine for processing plastics , which has a mold closing unit for opening and closing an injection mold having at least one mold cavity in order to produce an injection molded part , an injection molding unit for plasticizing and injecting new plasticizable material into the mold cavity , and a control system for operating the injection molding machine . stored in the control system is expert knowledge about the operation of the injection molding machine and the peripheral devices of the latter which may possibly be present and about the production of injection molded parts using injection molding technology , in order to produce an injection molded part using interactive contact as needed by an operator by using injection molding parameters . the fact that , in further steps , information about the component or the mold cavity is provided to the control system means that the plant and process parameters required for the production of the injection molded part can be calculated by the control system before the first injection molded part is produced , such that an alternative procedure for the operator - friendly setting of a machine for processing plastics is made available .