Analysis of injection molding cooling systems and its effects on the ejection time of the part at thermoplastic injection molding

Abstract

In the focus of this paper are the effects of the injection molding cooling process on the ejection time of the part, at thermoplastic injection molding. The analysis is performed using a specificaly designed 3D model of a thermoplastic product, following the Finite Element Method (FEM). Based on the shape and the dimensional characteristics of the part, three different versions of cooling systems were designed; each defined using the same input parameters in the FEA software. The obtained results are analyzed and used as an input for developing an optimal solution for the cooling system. In addition, the approach of defining the input parameters in the FEA software, which have a direct impact on the analysis of the injection molding process, is elaborated. The direct correlation between the numerical approach and the theoretical explanations for the used methods of analysis is also elaborated and explained.