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Rapid Development of an Injection Mold with High Cooling Performance Using Molding Simulation and Rapid Tooling
Chil-Chyuan Kuo1,2, Trong-Duc Nguyen1, Yi-Jun Zhu1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, No. 84, Gungjuan Road, New Taipei City 243303, Taiwan.
Micromachines
|April 3, 2021
Summary
Rapid tooling technology (RTT) enables faster production of injection molds with conformal cooling channels (CCCs). Using wax for CCCs and polyurethane foam for tooling significantly reduces cooling time by 89% and costs by 50%.
Area of Science:
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Rapid tooling technology (RTT) offers a faster alternative to conventional machining for producing injection molds.
- Conformal cooling channels (CCCs) are crucial for enhancing injection mold performance and reducing cycle times.
- Traditional methods for fabricating molds with CCCs can be time-consuming and costly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore a technology for the rapid development of injection molds with high cooling performance using RTT.
- To investigate the suitability of different materials for fabricating CCCs within injection molds.
- To demonstrate an innovative method for large-scale RTT mold fabrication and optimize CCC design.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of CCCs using three different materials, with wax identified as the most suitable.
- Development of an innovative method for creating large intermediary molds using polyurethane foam for RTT.
- Simulation-based optimization of CCC design and fabrication of three injection molds with varying CCCs.
Main Results:
- Wax was determined to be the most effective material for CCC fabrication.
- A novel method for large RTT mold production using polyurethane foam was successfully demonstrated, with a predictive equation for foam usage.
- Fabricated injection molds utilizing optimized CCCs achieved an approximate 89% reduction in cooling time.
- Production cost savings of around 50% were realized.
Conclusions:
- RTT, particularly with wax-based CCCs and polyurethane foam tooling, significantly enhances injection mold cooling efficiency and reduces manufacturing time and cost.
- The developed methods and optimized designs provide a viable pathway for rapid, high-performance injection mold production.
- The study validates simulation-driven design for CCCs, showing close agreement with experimental results and highlighting the potential for further advancements in RTT.
