IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
MOULD FLOW AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF INJECTION
MOULD TOOL FOR HOOTER BODY COVER COMPONENT
Allwin Arulanandan.K1, Ramesha.N2
1
2
Dept. of PG studies, Govt. Tool Room & Training centre, Mysore, Karnataka, India-570016
Dept. of PG studies, Govt. Tool Room & Training centre, Mysore, Karnataka, India -570016
Abstract
Injection moulding is process of manufacturing plastics products from both thermo and thermosetting plastic materials. This
paper presents the part modeling, design of core-cavity and side core by using SOLID WORKS 2012, the mould flow analysis is
carried out by MOLD FLOW ADVISOR 2105 and static structural analysis performed using ANSYS V14.5. The mould tool is of
single cavity mould and material planned for producing the component is polypropylene (pp)
Keywords: injection moulding, core-cavity, plastic material, mould flow and static structural analysis.
--------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------1. INTRODUCTION
2. MATERIAL
In the Injection molding process where melted plastic
material is forced under pressure into a mould tool where it
is solidified and ejected when the tool opens of the mould.
The features of the desired part such as simplest to complex
components. The advantages of injection molding are
production rate is high, higher tolerances, low cost and
reduces scrap cost but investment cost is high. [3]
Hooter body covers are plastic housings for mounting hooter
in control panel. The material used for producing the hooter
body cover is polypropylene to establish High tensile
strength, excellent thermal insulating properties, excellent
dielectric properties, Long life span. [4]
2.1 Properties of Polypropylene [5]
Shrinkage: 1.5%
Density of polypropylene: 0.9g/cm3
Melt temperature: 220o-280o C
Mould temperature: 30o-80o C
3. METHODOLOGY
The component is modeled using SOLID WORKS 2102 and
component as 8 small rectangular slots as shown in figure-2
other details are given below.
Fig -1: Injection moulding machine
1.1 Working Cycle of Injection Moulding
Mould Tool Closing: Apply Clamping force on tool to
close the mould the force is obtained by hydraulic or
toggle mechanisms.
Injection: The molten plastic material is injected under
high pressure into the mould.
Cooling: Cold water is circulated on core-cavity to
maintain temperature and prevent tool being seizure.
Opening of Mould Tool: Clamping force is released
and side cores are withdrawn and tool opens.
Ejection: Removing the finish part from the tool. [3]
Fig -2: Model of hooter body cover
1. Volume of model: 34727.03mm3
2. Surface area of model: 38910mm3
3. Weight of component: 31.25grams.
4. Number of cavity: Single cavity.
5. Minimum and maximum wall thickness: 2mm & 0.6mm.
6. Type of mould: Three plate mould.
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IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology
4. MOULD FLOW ANALYSIS
The mould flow analysis is used to obtain the subsequent
helpful factors:
To achieve the thin uniform wall thickness and
good stability.
To spot out and eradicate sink marks, weld lines
and air traps.
To decide the proper injection location for the
component.
To spot out the high temperature in the mould tool
and introduce the cooling system.[1][2]
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
B. The confidence of fill results is given in figure-4 which
describes that the material will fill the whole cavity at higher
efficiency depending upon the temperature and pressure.
The MOLD FLOW ADVISOR 2015 software is used
suggest mould filling for the component and these results
are obtained after carrying out the study.
Fig -4: Results of injection pressure.
C. The injection pressure found to be 7.937 Mpa results are
given in figure-4. From the mould flow analysis the best
injection location is observed.
Fig -3: Fill time results
A. The best injection location is been identified. In the fig-3
the two points of injection location are provided in order to
avoid pressure drop and material will flow easily to the last
point in cavity. The time required to fill the cavity is found
to be 1.2 secs.
Fig -5: Results flow front temperature
D. The flow front temperature results shown in figure-5. The
area that shows of low temperature in blue color and the
area of high temperature in red color and flow front
temperature is 240C.
Fig- 4: Confidence of fill results showing percentage of fill.
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Volume: 04 Issue: 05 | May-2015, Available @ http://www.ijret.org
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IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
Fig- 6: results of quality prediction
Fig- 8: Results of weld lines
E. The quality prediction results are shown in figure-6, in
these results green color represents highest quality.
G. Weld lines results are observed in figure-8 these lines
are area which is weak and can be prevented by increasing
the pressure of injection and increasing the area of gate.
5. INJECTION MOULD TOOL
The injection moulding tool consists of fixed half, movable
half and ejector assembly. Here the tool is of three plate
mould that is fixed plate, floating plate and movable plate.
Fixed plate is been clamped to machine bed and movable
plate is fixed on other side of machine where the clamping
force is applied. [6]
Fig- 7: Results of sink marks.
F. The sink marks results are shown in figure-7and found
maximum at injection location this can be avoided gating
system.
Fig- 9: Three plate mould
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IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
6. CORE AND CAVITY
The mould is separated into three halves that is core, cavity
and floating cavity as shown in figure-9 along with 4 side
cores in order to obtain the slots in component.
Fig-10: Core, cavity and side cores
7. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
The structural analysis is carried out on core cavity to obtain
strength of the core-cavity, tool life, ability of the material
and to check that the stress should not yield to maximum
limit of material. Clamping force is calculated and applied
over the core-cavity and results obtained are been shown
below.
Fig-12: Results of von mises stress induced on core-cavity
7.2 The result of stress induced on core-cavity is 32.86Mpa
as shown in the figure-12 which is less than yield stress of
the material so the design is safe.
Fig-10: Results of elastic strain on core-cavity
Fig -11: Results of Deformation of core-cavity
7.1 Deformation results of the core-cavity are shown in the
figure-11 and it found to be 0.003505mm nominal.
7.3 The results of strain on core-cavity are found to
0.00016532.
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Volume: 04 Issue: 05 | May-2015, Available @ http://www.ijret.org
232
IJRET: International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology
eISSN: 2319-1163 | pISSN: 2321-7308
8. CONCLUSION
The result obtained from mould flow analysis clearly gives
the ideas on the important technical consideration before
proceeding to mould design and injection moulding
machine. The analysis affords information on fill time 1.2
secs. injection pressure is 7.937Mpa flow front temperature
is 240C and various parameters. Static structural analysis
on core-cavity by applying force that shows about
deformation is 0.003505 mm, stress is 32.86mpa and strain
is 0.00016532. So that the design is safe and it will be
helpful for designer to produce good quality mould
considering all aspects in design. The plastic flow analysis
is carried out using MOLD FLOW ADVISOR 2014and
ANSYS V14.5 softwares. All the results are been analyzed
and necessary action is be taken while designing the mould
tool.
REFERENCES
[1]. Peter Kennedy, Rong Zheng, Flow Analysis of Injection
Molds, 2nd Ed., Hanser Publications, Cincinnati, U.S.A,
2013.
[2]. Ashutosh Modi, Prof. K.A. Rade, S.S. Kulkarni, Design
enhancement for an injection mold using inputs from flow
analysis, IJAERS, Vol. II, Issue III, April-June, 2013.
[3]. Injection Mould Design, R.G.W. Pye.
[4]. Injection Mould Design, Rapra.
[5]. Technical Directory on Design and Tooling for Plastics,
CIPET.
[6]. Material for injection moulding branisler Dublea
Frantisek-2012
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