화학공학소재연구정보센터
AIChE Journal, Vol.42, No.6, 1706-1714, 1996
Study of Polymer Melt Flow in Sequential Injection-Molding Process
Experimental studies of polymer melt flow in the filling and post-filling stages of the injection molding process were performed using the sequential injection of transparent and colored polystyrene resin. Effects of fountain flow in the filling stage, geometrical factors caused by edges and corners, as well as flow through contractions and expansions, were identified Significant polymer melt flow which increases with increased packing pressure was observed in the post-filling process. The melt flow is more concentrated around the gate area than away from the gate. It was also found that the polymer melt flows across the gap center, resulting in partial annihilation of the weld line. Simulations based on the control-volume/finite-element method employed within each gap-wise layer combined with the dual-filling-parameter technique were developed to trace the advancements in melt fronts for both skin and core materials. Numerical simulations show reasonable consistency with experimental results in both skin and core material distribution. If the edge effect is taken into account using a shape factor as a geometrical correction, the simulation accuracy is further improved.