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Multi-objective process parameters optimization in rapid heat cycle molding incorporating variable packing pressure profile for improving weldline, clamping force, and cycle time

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Abstract

Rapid heat cycle molding (RHCM) that actively controls the mold temperature has attracted attention in plastic injection molding (PIM) for improving product surface quality. In the RHCM, the mold temperature profile plays a crucial role for producing products with high surface quality, but the profile as well as other process parameters is determined by the trial-and-error method. In this paper, weldline, clamping force, and cycle time are simultaneously minimized for the high product quality and the high productivity using the RHCM. The RHCM generally requires cycle time long, and then variable packing pressure profile that the packing pressure varies during PIM process is adopted to shorten the cycle time. The numerical simulation in the RHCM is computationally so expensive that sequential approximate optimization using radial basis function network is adopted to determine the optimal process parameters, and the pareto-frontier among weldline, clamping force and cycle time is identified. It is found from the numerical result that the optimal pressure profiles start with the low packing pressure and the high packing pressure is applied at the end of packing phase. The mold temperature increases due to the high packing pressure, and the high mold temperature makes the flow of melt plastic smooth. Consequently, the weldline reduction can be achieved. Based on the numerical result, the experiment using the PIM machine (MS100, Sodick) is carried out. Compared to the conventional PIM, the weldline reduction can be achieved with smaller clamping force.

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Funding

This research is partially supported by Grants-in-Aided for Scientific Research from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan

    Satoshi Kitayama

  2. Graduate School of Natural Science & Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan

    Shogo Tsurita

  3. Industrial Research Institute of Ishikawa, 2-1, Kuratsuki, Kanazawa, 920-8203, Japan

    Masahiro Takano

  4. Sodick Co., Ltd, Ka-1-1, Miya-machi, Kaga-shi, Ishikawa, 922-0595, Japan

    Yusuke Yamazaki, Yoshikazu Kubo & Shuji Aiba

Authors
  1. Satoshi Kitayama
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  2. Shogo Tsurita
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  3. Masahiro Takano
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  4. Yusuke Yamazaki
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  5. Yoshikazu Kubo
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  6. Shuji Aiba
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All authors have contributed to this research. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Satoshi Kitayama.

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Kitayama, S., Tsurita, S., Takano, M. et al. Multi-objective process parameters optimization in rapid heat cycle molding incorporating variable packing pressure profile for improving weldline, clamping force, and cycle time. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 120, 3669–3681 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-022-08994-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-022-08994-8

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