scholarly journals Experimental Validation of Injection Molding Simulations of 3D Microparts and Microstructured Components Using Virtual Design of Experiments and Multi-Scale Modeling

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dario Loaldi ◽  
Francesco Regi ◽  
Federico Baruffi ◽  
Matteo Calaon ◽  
Danilo Quagliotti ◽  
...  

The increasing demand for micro-injection molding process technology and the corresponding micro-molded products have materialized in the need for models and simulation capabilities for the establishment of a digital twin of the manufacturing process. The opportunities enabled by the correct process simulation include the possibility of forecasting the part quality and finding optimal process conditions for a given product. The present work displays further use of micro-injection molding process simulation for the prediction of feature dimensions and its optimization and microfeature replication behavior due to geometrical boundary effects. The current work focused on the micro-injection molding of three-dimensional microparts and of single components featuring microstructures. First, two virtual a studies were performed to predict the outer diameter of a micro-ring within an accuracy of 10 µm and the flash formation on a micro-component with mass a 0.1 mg. In the second part of the study, the influence of microstructure orientation on the filling time of a microcavity design section was investigated for a component featuring micro grooves with a 15 µm nominal height. Multiscale meshing was employed to model the replication of microfeatures in a range of 17–346 µm in a Fresnel lens product, allowing the prediction of the replication behavior of a microfeature at 91% accuracy. The simulations were performed using 3D modeling and generalized Navier–Stokes equations using a single multi-scale simulation approach. The current work shows the current potential and limitations in the use of micro-injection molding process simulations for the optimization of micro 3D-part and microstructured components.

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seong Ying Choi ◽  
Nan Zhang ◽  
J. P. Toner ◽  
G. Dunne ◽  
Michael D. Gilchrist

Vacuum venting is a method proposed to improve feature replication in microparts that are fabricated using micro-injection molding (MIM). A qualitative and quantitative study has been carried out to investigate the effect of vacuum venting on the nano/microfeature replication in MIM. Anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) containing nanofeatures and a bulk metallic glass (BMG) tool mold containing microfeatures were used as mold inserts. The effect of vacuum pressure at constant vacuum time, and of vacuum time at constant vacuum pressure on the replication of these features is investigated. It is found that vacuum venting qualitatively enhances the nanoscale feature definition as well as increases the area of feature replication. In the quantitative study, higher aspect ratio (AR) features can be replicated more effectively using vacuum venting. Increasing both vacuum pressure and vacuum time are found to improve the depth of replication, with the vacuum pressure having more influence. Feature orientation and final sample shape could affect the absolute depth of replication of a particular feature within the sample.


2011 ◽  
Vol 271-273 ◽  
pp. 1224-1227
Author(s):  
Fang Qi Cheng

To avoid the defects of plastic products and improve product quality have been an important problem for mold designers. In this paper, Autodesk Moldflow software are applied to a plastic control cover injection molding process simulation and find out the actual molding process and true conditions of the dynamic filling, pressure and cooling process in the process of forming. The forming process of parameters such as pressure, temperature and speed are given in order to improve the accuracy of the mould design and product precision.


2011 ◽  
Vol 284-286 ◽  
pp. 550-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Hsiung Ho ◽  
Pin Ning Wang ◽  
Chin Ping Fung

This study investigates the effect of various injection molding process parameters and fiber amount on buckling properties of Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT)/short glass fiber composite. The buckling specimens were prepared under injection molding process. These forming parameters about filling time, melt temperature and mold temperature that govern injection molding process are discussed. The buckling properties of neat PBT, 15 wt%, and 30 wt% are obtained using two ends fixed fixture and computerized closed-loop server-hydraulic material testing system. The fracture surfaces are observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The global buckling forces are raised when increased the fiber weight percentage of PBT. Also, the fracture mechanisms in PBT and short glass fiber matrix are fiber pullout in skin area and fiber broken at core area. It is found that the addition of short glass fiber can significantly strengthen neat PBT.


2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary E. Kinsella ◽  
Blaine Lilly ◽  
Benjamin E. Gardner ◽  
Nick J. Jacobs

PurposeTo determine static friction coefficients between rapid tooled materials and thermoplastic materials to better understand ejection force requirements for the injection molding process using rapid‐tooled mold inserts.Design/methodology/approachStatic coefficients of friction were determined for semi‐crystalline high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and amorphous high‐impact polystyrene (HIPS) against two rapid tooling materials, sintered steel with bronze (LaserForm ST‐100) and stereolithography resin (SL5170), and against P‐20 mold steel. Friction tests, using the ASTM D 1894 standard, were run for all material pairs at room temperature, at typical part ejection temperatures, and at ejection temperatures preceded by processing temperatures. The tests at high temperature were designed to simulate injection molding process conditions.FindingsThe friction coefficients for HDPE were similar on P‐20 Steel, LaserForm ST‐100, and SL5170 Resin at all temperature conditions. The HIPS coefficients, however, varied significantly among tooling materials in heated tests. Both polymers showed highest coefficients on SL5170 Resin at all temperature conditions. Friction coefficients were especially high for HIPS on the SL5170 Resin tooling material.Research limitations/implicationsApplications of these findings must consider that elevated temperature tests more closely simulated the injection‐molding environment, but did not exactly duplicate it.Practical implicationsThe data obtained from these tests allow for more accurate determination of friction conditions and ejection forces, which can improve future design of injection molds using rapid tooling technologies.Originality/valueThis work provides previously unavailable friction data for two common thermoplastics against two rapid tooling materials and one steel tooling material, and under conditions that more closely simulate the injection‐molding environment.


Author(s):  
Catalin Fetecau ◽  
Ion Postolache ◽  
Felicia Stan

The research presented in this paper involves numerical and experimental efforts to investigate the relative thin-wall injection molding process in order to obtain high dimensional quality complex parts. To better understand the effects of various processing parameters (the filling time, injection pressure, the melting temperature, the mold temperature) on the injection molding of a thin-wall complex part, the molding experiments are regenerated into the computer model using the Moldflow Plastics Insight (MPI) 6.1 software. The computer visualization of the filling phase allows accurate prediction of the location of the flow front, welding lines and air traps. Furthermore, in order to optimize the injection molding process, the effects of the geometry of the runner system on the filling and packing phases are also investigated. It is shown that computational modeling could be used to help the process and mold designer to produce accurate parts.


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