Molding Simulation: Theory and Practice

This practical introductory guide to injection molding simulation is aimed at both practicing engineers and students. It will help the reader to innovate and improve part design and molding processes, essential for efficient manufacturing.

A user-friendly, case-study-based approach is applied, enhanced by many illustrations in full color. The book is conceptually divided into three parts:

Chapters 1–5 introduce the fundamentals of injection molding, focusing the factors governing molding quality and how molding simulation methodology is developed. As they are essential to molding quality, the rheological, thermodynamic, thermal, mechanical, kinetic properties of plastics are fully elaborated in this part, as well as curing kinetics for thermoset plastics.

Chapters 6–11 introduce CAE verification of design, a valuable tool for both part and mold designers toward avoiding molding problems in the design stage and to solve issues encountered in injection molding. This part covers design guidelines of part, gating, runner, and cooling channel systems. Temperature control in hot runner systems, prediction and control of warpage, and fiber orientation are also discussed.

Chapters 12–17 introduce research and development in innovative molding, illustrating how CAE is applied to advanced molding techniques, including co-/bi-Injection molding, gas-/water-assisted injection molding, foam injection molding, powder injection molding, resin transfer molding, and integrated circuit packaging.

The authors come from the creative simulation team at CoreTech System (Moldex3D), winner of the PPS James L. White Innovation Award 2015. Several CAE case study exercises for execution in the Moldex3D software are included to allow readers to practice what they have learned and test their understanding.

In the 2nd edition, the concept of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) in injection molding is introduced. In order to integrate molding simulation and injection machines, the workflow of machine response characterization is illustrated. By taking into account the real-world machine response, users can more accurately reflect the real-world manufacturing conditions in simulations. The optimized processing conditions obtained from the simulation can then be directly applied on the shop floor, bridging the gap between simulation and manufacturing. In addition, a new flow-fiber coupling model, i.e., the informed-isotropic (IISO) viscosity developed by Dr. Favaloro and Prof. Pipes of Purdue University, to simulate the anisotropic flow for fiber-reinforced thermoplastics is introduced. The IISO coupling is available to simulate some peculiar, irregular filling patterns for fiber-reinforced melts at high fiber concentrations: the free surface advances faster along the side cavity walls.