Computer Simulations for Injection Mold Design

Petr Baron, Linda Neurohr Gregova

Abstract
The paper deals with simulation tools in Creo Elements/Pro (formerly Pro/ENGINEER) -Wildfire 5 applicable for
design of injection molds for production of parts from plastics materials. The paper summarise advantages of experiments in
computer model before realisation of injection mold itself. Approaches to producing, modification, analyses and subsequent
fast adjustment of form components in model are characterized.
Keywords: computer simulation, injection molding tools, model, injection molding

1 Introduction
Computer simulation is modern experimental approach.
Real system respectively process is substituted by computer
model, on that series of experiments are realised and subsequently evalued, optimised and final results are applied on
real system.
Automation of activities resulting from injection mould
design is possible by application of tools of Creo Elements/Pro (formerly Pro/ENGINEER) Wildfire 5. Modul
Creo Elements/Pro (formerly Pro/ENGINEER) Tool Design
Option includes intelligent tools for designers of injection
mold tools.
To produce, to modificate and analyse components so as
assemblies of mold is possible with this approach with very
fast actualisation by change of final design model. Whole
described process is based on application of step sequence
from basic design and subsequent verification decisions
through simulation application of each component used for
final assembly of a mold.
Design of injection mould tool is based on realisation of
following sequence chain:
reference model creation
semi-factured product design, fixtures design
subsequent control of edge chamfer on a reference model
contraction coefficients application
volumes definition or definition of surfaces for partition
of semi-factured product to particular components
mold volumes extracting for creation of final components
adding of mold components as for example inlet, distributors and drains for water cooling
filling of mold cavity for injection-mold-part creation, in
case it is made by system automatically by setting volume given by subtraction of extract components and
semi-factured product
definition of steps for opening mold cavity with control
of mutual influence of all statical parts in each step
computer simulation of injection mold filling of plastic
part through simulation tool of injection molding of plastic materials Plastic Advisor
basic mold components development so as upper griping
desc, knock-out pin and so on
During process of mold creating can happened that final
model will be changed. If this changes are created in final
model, changes are applied in each step of mold model design in system Creo Elements/Pro (formerly Pro/ENGINEER).

2 In-Leak Simulation of Plastics

in Injection Molds
Creo Elements/Pro (formerly Pro/ENGINEER) Plastic
Advisor is simulation tool predicting molding process in
real time. It enables immediate and easy access to reliable
producing responses respectively information. This access
leads to fast uncovering of producing or functional problems. Usage of computer simulation enables to develop
plastic parts suitable for the technology of injection molding
in time coaction with a mold design in Creo Elements/Pro
(formerly Pro/ENGINEER) system.
Analyses can be divided as following [3,4]:
Gate Location analyse of optimal gating and its selection
Molding Window enables analyse of choosing of optimal conditions of process for injection molding by
material comparison
Plastic Filling application of simulations and analyses
for filling reliability and its quality from point of view of
filling duration, injection pressure, filling reliability, temperatures of casting process and its series, series of
injection pressure depression and so on.
Cooling Quality prediction of cooling effectivity, that
is very important parameter. Cooling process represents
more then two thirds of total work cycle duration.

Fig. 1 Simulation of filling reliability result of selected

thermoplastic material
When analyse results are shown each single researched
property is visualisated in 3D model through colour fields.
Typical property of the simulation environment is access to
termoplasts library and automaticall selection of typical injection parameters in fully-automated technological devices.

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Communication between simulation tool and user is

realized through application of guide for choosing and definition of researched analyze condition.
After Plastic analyze of filling we are getting result of
filling reliability prediction derived from technological
parameters so as filling duration, injection pressure, injecttion pressure depression, injection inflow depression. The
result is represented by color scale from green representing
high value of the criteria to red representing possible problems in quality of product, Figure 1. It is needed to watch
other criteria of carried out simulation so as temperatures of
casting process and its series, injection pressure depression.
In the next step are possible defects in mold researched.
Defects can have form o fair bubles or cold joints, (Figure
2). If critical place is found, it is necessary to solve it by
change of conditions of technological process of injection
molding, by change of thermoplastic material or by design
change of plastic part.
Computer simulation of filling of injection mold with
usage of Plastic Advisor allows prediction of injection mold
results so as producing views helping designer to improve
design of plastic part.
The next tool for computer simulation in injection mold
process is control of bevel and wall thickness in environment of Tool Design Option. The aim of analyze Draft
Check is to control bevels from point of view of taking out
the plastic part from mold cavity after its opening without
damage.

Fig. 2 Prediction of potentional problem locations cold

joint, air bubles
In Draft Check is bevel angle checked so as plane
perpendicular to pulling out of the mold cavity. Surfaces of
reference model are colored according color scale according
its angle with normal plane after definition of these parameters. From result color view is possible to determinate surfaces that fulfilled control and surfaces that needs supplementary bevel setting.

Fig. 3 Bevel control

Control of wall thickness is analyzed from point of view
of minimal, respectively maximal wall thickness of the
reference model. Areas where thickness is not within set

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interval are graphically shown by system. Setting of analyze

type is needed to choose in environment of Mold Analysis
blank or to choose or to develop additional planes that define analyzed cross-sections of reference model, to set
maximal and minimal wall thickness. Locations with wall
thickness higher then set value are shown in analyze in red
hatch (Figure 4).

Fig. 4 Wall thickness control of reference model

Locations that have wall thickness lower then set value
are bleu hatched. When bottle necks in model design are
found, design of model needs to be accommodate according
standard modeling techniques.

3 Conclusions
The aim of computer simulation is to accomplish a front
of tasks leading to final product fulfilling functional requirements as requirements of reliability, safety, lifetime
and so on. Main tasks of simulation application is in decision support of:
project planning of systems,
analyze and optimization,
prognostic,
substitution of real system (training, testing, life danger
a health danger and so on).
Before manufacturing of plastic part itself, in the stage
of engineering design, it is possible to realize analyses and
tests with intelligent tools that system Creo Elements/Pro
(formerly Pro/ENGINEER) offers. Analyzes and tests predict properties and behaving of thermoplastic material during process of injection molding.
The amount of plastic material in field of engineering
manufacturing continuously grows. This fact requires optimization of manufacturing and of costs connected with manufacturing of so parts. Aim is weight reduction of parts or
reducing injection cycles.
Results of described analyzes enables to understand to nonhomogenities in form of air bubbles, cold joints, vector
orientation of material, deformations developing in process
of injection molding.
Application of described experiments on simulation
model aids decision acceptance in the process of construction design preparation. It is a support tool for application
of verificating effects of accepted decisions.
Advantages of simulation tools applicated by mold design for injection mold of plastic materials are possible to
characterizate in following division [3]:
animation of technological process for injection molding
of plastic material with outputs possibilities in webformats

To be continued on page 53