Computational Techniques

Abstract

Analytical solutions to injection molding problems are very rare due to the complexities of the governing equations, the material behavior and the cavity geometry. To get useful results, we have to seek numerical solutions. In any numerical solution procedure, the governing equations are discretized to form a set of algebraic equations, possibly nonlinear, and computational algorithms are developed to solve the algebraic equations. Different discretization processes and different solution algorithms form a variety of numerical methods; each method has some advantage over the others in a certain class of problems. In this Chapter, we shall deal with several numerical methods including the finite element method, the finite difference method, the meshless particle method, and the boundary element method. However, the aim of this Chapter is not to provide in-depth discussions about the fundamental aspects of numerical methods or a comprehensive reference to the computer aided engineering software. Instead, the focus of the Chapter is to provide a guide to some special issues and computational techniques dealing with injection molding problems.