Simulation-based process windows simultaneously considering two and three conflicting criteria in injection molding

Area of Science:

• Manufacturing Engineering
• Materials Science
• Optimization Theory

Background:

• Traditional injection molding (IM) process windows often rely on single performance metrics.
• Real-world IM operations involve multiple, often conflicting, performance criteria.
• A single-measure approach can lead to suboptimal or unrealistic processing conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a formal strategy for constructing injection molding process windows.
• To address the challenge of conflicting performance measures in IM.
• To identify optimal compromises among multiple criteria for setting processing conditions.

Main Methods:

• Application of Pareto-dominance concepts from multi-criteria optimization.
• Simultaneous consideration of two and three conflicting performance measures.
• Development of a graphical method for presenting solutions.
• Implementation strategy using MS Excel for practical application.

Main Results:

• Identification of the best compromises between conflicting IM performance measures.
• A formal and realistic method for defining IM process windows.
• Graphical representation of solutions for enhanced usability in manufacturing.

Conclusions:

• Considering multiple conflicting criteria provides a more realistic approach to IM process windows.
• Pareto-dominance offers an effective method for finding optimal trade-offs.
• The proposed graphical, Excel-implementable strategy facilitates practical application in industry.