scholarly journals A Hybrid Cooling Model Based on the Use of Newly Designed Fluted Conformal Cooling Channels and Fastcool Inserts for Green Molds

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 3115
Author(s):  
Abelardo Torres-Alba ◽  
Jorge Manuel Mercado-Colmenero ◽  
Juan De Dios Caballero-Garcia ◽  
Cristina Martin-Doñate
Keyword(s):  
Cooling Channel ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channel ◽  
Plastic Part ◽  
Conformal Cooling ◽  
Thermal Exchange ◽  
Cooling Channels ◽  
Hybrid Cooling ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channels ◽  
Industrial Part ◽  
Cooling Model

The paper presents a hybrid cooling model based on the use of newly designed fluted conformal cooling channels in combination with inserts manufactured with Fastcool material. The hybrid cooling design was applied to an industrial part with complex geometry, high rates of thickness, and deep internal concavities. The geometry of the industrial part, besides the ejection system requirements of the mold, makes it impossible to cool it adequately using traditional or conformal standard methods. The addition of helical flutes in the circular conformal cooling channel surfaces generates a high number of vortexes and turbulences in the coolant flow, fostering the thermal exchange between the flow and the plastic part. The use of a Fastcool insert allows an optimal transfer of the heat flow in the slender core of the plastic part. An additional conformal cooling channel layout was required, not for the cooling of the plastic part, but for cooling the Fastcool insert, improving the thermal exchange between the Fastcool insert and the coolant flow. In this way, it is possible to maintain a constant heat exchange throughout the manufacturing cycle of the plastic part. A transient numerical analysis validated the improvements of the hybrid design presented, obtaining reductions in cycle time for the analyzed part by 27.442% in comparison with traditional cooling systems. The design of the 1 mm helical fluted conformal cooling channels and the use of the Fastcool insert cooled by a conformal cooling channel improves by 4334.9% the thermal exchange between the cooling elements and the plastic part. Additionally, it improves by 51.666% the uniformity and the gradient of the temperature map in comparison with the traditional cooling solution. The results obtained in this paper are in line with the sustainability criteria of green molds, centered on reducing the cycle time and improving the quality of the complex molded parts.

Optimum Cooling Channels Design and Thermal Analysis of an Injection Moulded Plastic Part Mould

2007 ◽  
Vol 561-565 ◽  
pp. 1999-2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abul B.M. Saifullah ◽  
Syed H. Masood
Keyword(s):  
Cooling Time ◽  
Free Form ◽  
Cooling Channel ◽  
Channel Design ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channel ◽  
Plastic Part ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Conformal Cooling ◽  
Cooling Channels ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channels

Cooling channel design is important in mould designs to achieve shorter cycles, dimensional stability and reduced part stresses. Traditionally, cooling channels have been machined into mould components to avoid interference with the ejection system, coring, cavity and other mould details. Over the years straight drilled cooling channels have given away, in part, to conformal cooling technique often using free form fabrication techniques. This paper presents a study of optimised mould design with conformal cooling channel using finite element analysis. Various configurations of conformal cooling channels have been developed. The part cooling time using the conformal cooling channels and the straight cooling channels in the mould are computed using the Pro/Mechanica Thermal FEA software. Results are presented based on temperature distribution and cooling time using steady state and transient analysis conditions. The results show a reduction in cycle time for the plastic part with conformal cooling channel design.

Fabrication of circular cooling channels by cold metal transfer based wire and arc additive manufacturing

2021 ◽  
pp. 095440542199561
Author(s):  
Shaohua Han ◽  
Zhongzhong Zhang ◽  
Pengxiang Ruan ◽  
Shiwen Cheng ◽  
Dingqi Xue
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Cooling Effect ◽  
High Deposition Rate ◽  
Cooling Channel ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channel ◽  
Conformal Cooling ◽  
Energy Beam ◽  
Cooling Channels ◽  
Straight Line

Additive manufacturing has been proven to be a promising technology for fabricating high-performance dies, molds, and conformal cooling channels. As one of the manufacturing methods, wire and arc additive manufacturing displays unique advantages of low cost and high deposition rate that are better than other high energy beam-based ones. This paper presents a preliminary study of fabricating integrated cooling channels by CMT-based wire and arc additive manufacturing process. The deposition strategies for fabricating circular cross-sectional cooling channels both in conformal and straight-line patterns have been investigated. It included optimizing the welding torch angle, fabricating the enclosed semicircle structure and predicting the collision between the torch and constructed part. The cooling effect test was also conducted on both the conformal cooling channel and straight-line cooling channel. The results affirmed a higher cooling efficiency and better uniform cooling effect of the conformal cooling channel than straight-line cooling channel.

scholarly journals Enhancing the Structural Strength for Injection Molding Tooling With Conformal Cooling Channels Using ANSYS Software

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chil-Chyuan Kuo ◽  
Zheng-Yan You
Keyword(s):  
Injection Molding ◽  
Production Rate ◽  
Thermal Management ◽  
Structural Strength ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channel ◽  
Conformal Cooling ◽  
Cooling Channels ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channels ◽  
Average Variation ◽  
Different Diameters

Abstract Injection molding of wax patterns faces increasing demands for production rate. Proper thermal management of the injection molding tooling is capable of improving the production rate. Precise temperature control is a key to shorten the cooling time using the conformal cooling channels which are conformal to the molding cavity. However, the service life of the injection molding tooling with cooling channels will reduce significantly because the structural strength will reduce obviously. In this study, the feasibility of applying the increase in the mold thickness to maintain the structural strength of the injection molding tooling with cooling channels was verified through simulation and experiments conducted. It was found that the average variation between the results of simulation and the experiment is about 24.9%. The approximately amount of the increase in the thickness required for different diameters of cooling channels can be determined according to the trend equation of y=1.3429x-2.3429. The results can provide a reference for the conformal cooling channel design.

Study on an Optimized Configuration of Conformal Cooling Channel by Branching Law

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae Hyuk Choi ◽  
Jin Su Kim ◽  
Eun Su Han ◽  
Hyung Pil Park ◽  
Byung Ohk Rhee
Keyword(s):  
Design Method ◽  
Cooling Efficiency ◽  
Cooling Channel ◽  
Channel Design ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channel ◽  
Temperature Deviation ◽  
Conformal Cooling ◽  
Cooling Channels ◽  
Standard Design ◽  
Product Surface

Since the 3D printing technology was applied to metallic materials, the conformal cooling channel has been widely utilized for injection mold with a higher cooling efficiency. The conformal cooling channel provides higher degree of freedom in shape and size. It is more effective to apply it to convex core accumulating more heat than the concave side. However, there has not been a standard design method for the conformal cooling channel. Depending upon channel design, the cooling efficiency would not be improved. Sometimes dead flow zones could be made in the channel. Currently every engineer makes the cooling channel design of his own. In this work, we proposed an automated optimum design method for the conformal cooling channel. In the proposed design method, whole product surface is divided into smaller domains with equal thermal energy by Voronoi diagram algorithm. Then cooling channels are installed along the centers of the domains by a binary branching algorithm. The objective of the optimization was the minimization of the product surface temperature deviation. The cooling channels are branching out over the product surface through the evolutionary steps until the objective was satisfied. The injection molding CAE analysis was done by Moldflow, and the optimization by PIAnO. The sample product was an eye-glass lens product.

scholarly journals Application of New Triple Hook-Shaped Conformal Cooling Channels for Cores and Sliders in Injection Molding to Reduce Residual Stress and Warping in Complex Plastic Optical Parts

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 2944
Author(s):  
Abelardo Torres-Alba ◽  
Jorge Manuel Mercado-Colmenero ◽  
Juan de Dios Caballero-Garcia ◽  
Cristina Martin-Doñate
Keyword(s):  
Residual Stress ◽  
Residual Stresses ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Plastic Part ◽  
Correct Operation ◽  
Conformal Cooling ◽  
Cooling Channels ◽  
Geometric Conditions ◽  
Optical Part ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channels

The paper presents a new design of a triple hook-shaped conformal cooling channels for application in optical parts of great thickness, deep cores, and high dimensional and optical requirements. In these cases, the small dimensions of the core and the high requirements regarding warping and residual stresses prevent the use of traditional and standard conformal cooling channels. The research combines the use of a new triple hook-shaped conformal cooling system with the use of three independent conformal cooling sub-systems adapted to the complex geometric conditions of the sliders that completely surround the optical part under study. Finally, the new proposed conformal cooling design is complemented with a small insert manufactured with a new Fastcool material located in the internal area of the optical part beside the optical facets. A transient numerical analysis validates the set of improvements of the new proposed conformal cooling system presented. The results show an upgrade in thermal efficiency of 267.10% in comparison with the traditional solution. The increase in uniformity in the temperature gradient of the surface of the plastic part causes an enhancement in the field of displacement and in the map of residual stresses reducing the total maximum displacements by 36.343% and the Von—Mises maximum residual stress by 69.280% in comparison with the results obtained for the traditional cooling system. Additionally, the new design of cooling presented in this paper reduces the cycle time of the plastic part under study by 32.61%, compared to the traditional cooling geometry. This fact causes a very high economic and energy saving in line with the sustainability of a green mold. The improvement obtained in the technological parameters will make it possible to achieve the optical and functional requirements established for the correct operation of complex optical parts, where it is not possible to use traditional cooling channels or standard conformal cooling layouts.

scholarly journals Numerical study of effect of cooling channel configuration and size on the product cooling effectiveness in the plastic injection molding

2018 ◽  
Vol 197 ◽  
pp. 08019
Author(s):  
Angger Bagus Prasetiyo ◽  
Fauzun Fauzun
Keyword(s):  
Injection Molding ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Plastic Injection Molding ◽  
Cooling Channel ◽  
Cooling Effectiveness ◽  
Conformal Cooling ◽  
Cooling Channels ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channels ◽  
Channel Configuration ◽  
Plastic Injection

Injection molding is most frequently used manufacturing processes in the plastics industry. In the plastic injection molding process the cooling channel has an important role for the cooling process of the product. The good cooling channel is indicated by the ability to absorb heat from the product quickly and uniformly on the each side of the product. This study compared straight and conformal cooling channels with diameters 8 mm to know it is effects on pattern of temperature distribution in the mold and cooling effectiveness of the product inside mold using Fluent software. Analysis of virtual model images shown that those with conformal cooling channels can predict significant heat absorption compared with straight cooling channel.

Fabricate Mould Insert with Conformal Cooling Channel Using Selective Laser Melting

2012 ◽  
Vol 502 ◽  
pp. 67-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Wang ◽  
Qing Song Wei ◽  
Peng Ju Xue ◽  
Yu Sheng Shi
Keyword(s):  
Selective Laser Melting ◽  
316L Stainless Steel ◽  
Good Accuracy ◽  
Laser Melting ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channel ◽  
Mould Insert ◽  
Conformal Cooling ◽  
Cooling Channels ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channels ◽  
And Performance

Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology can be used to fabricate plastic mould with complex conformal cooling channels directly and rapidly. In this paper, 316L stainless steel powders were used to produced a mould with an emphasis on attaining excellent mechanical properties.The precision, density and mechanical properties of parts were studied. Simulation and experimental results showed: the mould manufactured by SLM reveals good accuracy and performance, and the cooling efficiency of conformal cooling channels in mould has been greatly improved and the uniformity of cooling has been also upgraded.

scholarly journals Improving Cooling Performance of Injection Molding Tool with Conformal Cooling Channel by Adding Hybrid Fillers

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1224
Author(s):  
Chil-Chyuan Kuo ◽  
Wei-Hua Chen
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Injection Molding ◽  
Cooling Time ◽  
Performance Ratio ◽  
Cooling Efficiency ◽  
Cooling Channel ◽  
Conformal Cooling Channel ◽  
Conformal Cooling ◽  
Fused Deposition ◽  
Silicone Rubber Mold

Silicone rubber mold (SRM) is capable of reducing the cost and time in a new product development phase and has many applications for the pilot runs. Unfortunately, the SRM after injection molding has a poor cooling efficiency due to its low thermal conductivity. To improve the cooling efficiency, the thermal conductivity of the SRM was improved by adding fillers into the SRM. An optimal recipe for fabricating a high cooling efficiency low-pressure injection mold with conformal cooling channel fabricated by fused deposition modeling technology was proposed and implemented. This study proposes a recipe combining 52.6 wt.% aluminum powder, 5.3 wt.% graphite powder, and 42.1 wt.% liquid silicon rubber can be used to make SRM with excellent cooling efficiency. The price–performance ratio of this SRM made by the proposed recipe is around 55. The thermal conductivity of the SRM made by the proposed recipe can be increased by up to 77.6% compared with convention SRM. In addition, the actual cooling time of the injection molded product can be shortened up to 69.1% compared with the conventional SRM. The actual cooling time obtained by the experiment is in good agreement with the simulation results with the relative error rate about 20%.

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