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Content archived on 2024-04-15

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF INJECTION MOULDING AND PREDICTION OF THE SHRINKAGE TOWARDS COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION OF INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION COMPONENTS

Objective


Software was developed to simulate the injection moulding of complex thin parts of thermoplastic polymers. A specific element of the development was to exploit the flexibility and accuracy of the finite element method. Using this method, a well behaved mesh covering the whole midsurface was defined.

It was also essential to accurately calculate thermal evolution during the filling and packing stages, since the polymer is conditioned by the temperature field prevailing at the end of these stages.

The results gained by numerical simulation were analysed against experimental data achieved using a special optical fibre apparatus. The 2 sets of results showed high correlation. The characteristics of the material were shown to follow Cross's law.
WHILE THE DESIGN OF OUR PARTS IS BASED ON EXPERIENCE AS FAR AS THEIR FUNCTIONAL ASPECT IS CONNECTED, THE COMPLEX PHYSICAL BEHAVIOUR OF POLYMERS DURING THEIR TRANSFORMATION MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO PREDICT MOULDABILITY AND TO REGULATE THE PROCESS ON THE SOLE BASIS OF EXPERIENCE.

THIS DIFFICULTY OF PREDICTING PROCESSING CONDITIONS REQUIRES AN ITERATIVE, LONG AND COSTLY TUNING OF MOULDING TOOLS, UNLESS MATHEMATIC PREDICTIVE TECHNIQUES ARE MADE AVAILABLE.

THE GOAL OF THE PRESENT PROJECT IS TO BUILD A SOFTWARE WHICH ACCURATELY MODELS THE FLOW OF POLYMERS IN COMPLEX GEOMETRIES WHICH ARE PROPER TO INDUSTRIAL ELECTROMECHANICAL PARTS.
SUCH A SOFTWARE IS AN INESCAPABLE TOOL WITH A VIEW TO A COMPLETE STUDY OF THE MOULDING PROCESS.

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Coordinator

Télémécanique Électrique SA
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Address
33 bis avenue du Maréchal Joffre
92002 Nanterre
France

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Participants (2)