High Efficiency Cooling and Heating Channels for Injection Moulding

Abstract:

For many years traditional injection moulding has been the norm for obtaining polymer based products, and yet this cycle still shows potential for improvement. This paper will encompass the potential in the thermal part of the cycle, by introducing a novel approach to conventional tubular cooling designs, empowered by additive technologies this reiterates what’s being known as conformal cooling. Different geometries and techniques are compared to determine the optimal cross section layout of the fluid channels and inner surface of the moulding parts. If the cooling achieved is sufficiently fast the crystallographic growth of the material can be manipulated to obtain specific properties observable in the mesoscale. This however can be transversely applied in other heat exchanging structures in future studies.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 890)
• Pages: 43-53
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.890.43
• Online since: April 2019
• Authors: Paulo Freitas*, Cyril Santos, Pedro Carreira, Artur Mateus
• Keywords: Channel Fins, High Aspect Ratio, Mould Conformal Cooling, Mould Design Methodology, Topological Optimization

References

[1] A. J. V. Pontes, SHRINKAGE AND EJECTION FORCES IN INJECTION MOULDED PRODUCTS, Minho, (2002).

[2] J. MALLON, Advances in Automation for Plastics Injection Moulding,, Shropshire, (2001).

[3] J. Williams, Injection Molding Cooling Time: A Breakdown.

[4] V. G, R. K. Y and R. G, Comparison of Straight Line to Conformal Cooling Channel in Injection Molding,, materialstoday: PROCEDINGS, vol. 4, (2017).

[5] R.-Y. Zhang, W. Yang, J.-J. Wu, J. Feng, J.-M. Feng, B.-H. Xie and M.-B. Yang, Hierarchically oriented crystalline structures of HDPE induced by strong second melt penetration,, The Royal Society of Chemistry, (2014).

DOI: 10.1039/c4ra03404j

[6] Autodesk, The Causes of Warpage,, [Online]. Available: https://www.autodesk.com/industry/ manufacturing/resources/injection-molding/causes-of-warpage.

[7] B. Clark, Fundamentals of Designing the Optimal Cooling System,, MoldMaking Technology, 12 1 (2014).

[8] K. Yaji, T. Yamad, S. Kubo, K. Izui and S. Nishiwaki, A topology optimization method for a coupled thermal–fluid problem using level set boundary expressions,, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, vol. 81, pp.878-888, (2015).

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2014.11.005

[9] SLM-Solutions, Selective Laser Melting Machine SLM 500,, [Online]. Available: https://slm-solutions.com/products/machines/selective-laser-melting-machine-slm-500.

DOI: 10.18297/etd/1205

[10] INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, Polypropylene Processing Guide,, 2007. [Online]. Available: https://www.ineos.com/globalassets/ineos-group/businesses/ineos-olefins-and-polymers-usa/products/technical-information--patents/ineos_polypropylene_processing_guide.pdf.

DOI: 10.12968/s0306-3747(23)70039-0

[11] A. Sobashkin and G. Dumnov, Numerical Basis of CAD-Embedded CFD,, February 2014. [Online].

[12] HRS heat exchangers, Comparison of Laminar and Turbulent Flow,, 17 August 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.hrs-heatexchangers.com/resource/comparison-laminar-turbulent-flow.