product development | CAE software Right:
Plazology is applying CAE solutions across
development
and production of injection moulded
components
“CAE can also be employed to carry out a virtual design of experiment (DOE). Before this can be done, verifi cation runs must be conducted to close the actual versus simulation gap, in order to have confi dence that the virtual DOE will be truly representative of the actual. This virtual DOE allows the factors-response relation- ship to be analysed and the main effects identifi ed. By doing so, optimisation of the injection moulding process will be based on scientifi c data instead of trial and error at no additional costs in terms of machine, materials or manpower,” Wong explains.
Below: Sigmasoft
Virtual Molding analysis showing the impact of mould open time on part temperature, and hence cycle time
Optimise the process German company Sigma Engineering has developed Sigmasoft Virtual Molding for the optimisation of process set-up in injection moulding. The company claims that a good understanding of the complex interactions allows better cost control - the software helps moulders understand how processing parameters interact in injection moulding and which variables have the greatest impact on cycle time. In this way, process optimisation can be achieved on a computer, without using production time on the machine, it says. Sigma Engineering says that the Sigmasoft Virtual Molding software works as a virtual injection moulding machine, accurately reproducing all effects occurring inside the mould. This provides the moulder with an understanding of the effects and causes which may affect process set-up and therefore infl uence the part production costs. According to Sigma, an example of the understand-
ing it provides can be seen in analysis of the impact of mould open time – the time between moulding cycles – on the process. It may be accepted, as a general rule, that keeping the part handling/removal time as short as possible will automatically reduce cycle time. However, reducing the time that the mould remains open also reduces the opportunity for heat transfer from the mould to the environment. For example, if the handling time is reduced by seven
seconds the mould temperature at the beginning of the next cycle may be higher and the hotter mould may require an increase in the cooling time for the part. So, although the reduction of seven seconds in handling time may have a positive impact on the overall cycle, it is not necessarily the overall cycle reduction. If the cooling time of the part had to be increased by two seconds, then the actual cycle time reduction would be fi ve seconds. Achieving the maximum possible reduc- tion in cycle time, according to Sigma, may require a number of iterations in the simulation to determine the optimum opening time versus cooling time ratio.
Move beyond fi lling As plastics continue to push performance boundaries in terms of metal replacement, it has become necessary to model not only the fi lling of the mould but also the properties of the parts produced from it. This is especially critical in the development of fi bre-reinforced plastics applications, where some degree of anisotropy is expected. BASF’s proprietary Ultrasim software is said to fi ll the gap between a mould fi lling simulation and full structural analysis. It provides a virtual environment within which it is possible to determine how a material will hold up under different temperatures, as well as providing the ability to analyse loading conditions and rates, including static (or slowly applied) loads and crash (quickly applied) loads. BASF says Ultrasim can be used during each phase
of development for fi bre reinforced thermoplastic components accounting for process, material and part geometry. “For BASF and our customers Ultrasim has become almost indispensable when we approach new projects. It has proven its value in so many different industries, products and applications,” says a company spokesperson. Calculation of component concepts on a virtual basis
48 INJECTION WORLD | January/February 2016
www.injectionworld.com
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