2. Code_Aster & Injection Molding
process start-up optimization through simulation
simulazione e ottimizzazione dell’avvio produzione

3. Injection molding start-up phase : an industrial problem with
an open source solution
• Have you ever dealt with a transient analysis?
• Have you ever coupled CFD and FEM analysis?
• Have you ever wondered to reduce the time/effor you put in setting,
solving and analyzing your simulations?
We (Ruggero and Andrea) did! Two little companies that aim to do big things!
Our problem is not to make things the right way, but the right way and in as
little time as possible!

4. Injection molding: a process to shape a
product (5) by melting the polymer (2) with a
screw(1) and then injecting the melt polymer
(3) inside a mold (4,6) where it cools down
until it can be extracted. The mold is usually
cooled by a liquid circuit.
Mold = heat exchanger.
Ideal mold temperature range = 80°C and
120°C. (See Phase2 FEM simulation)
Features of molds and processes have been
standardized in our template
Injection molding process

5. MoldApp -> Standardized CFD/FEM for moulds
mesh .med
file
process
parameters
.xml file
simulation
template
python /
bash coding
Industry User
Results view in
ParaVis
Automated
tools developed
CloudHPC to
execute the
analysis

6. ● Mold cavities boundary condition (BC)
● Polymer temperatures and properties
● Injection molding cycle times
● Optional: hot runner systems BC
● Multiple cooling channels BCs
● Possibility to model each channel alone with his specific
heat exchange coefficient (hec) and Temperature
● Mold walls exposed to external room temperature BC
Standardization of mold system

7. Industrial case study
• 2 different cooling circuits.
Mold material: steel
Part material: POM
Mold has been defeatured

8. Industrial case study
Defeatured mold:
• mold cavities
• cooling circuit #1
• cooling circuit #2
• external surface
Pre-conditioning time = 300s
Coolant T = 60 °C / 40 °C

9. Phase 1 – CFD Analysis
Precursor CFD analysis:
• Calculation of heat transfer coefficient between cooling
system and mould
• Non linear relation for plastic Cp and T
• Definition of inlet velocities for water
• Automatic detection of wall boundaries

10. Phase 1 - CFD
Precursor CFD analysis:
• Result example: velocity
and Temperature
• Extraction of heat transfer
coefficient and automatic
import into Code Aster for
FEM analysis

11. Phase 2 – FEM transient analysis

12. Phase 2 – FEM transient analysis

13. Time and productivity
• Standardization and templatization allowed to increase
engineering productivity
• Time to design new moulds reduced by 80%
• Cloud computing (cloud HPC) allowed to free hardware
resources and to parallalize design feature

14. Thanks for listening … any question?
Ruggero Poletto
ruggero.poletto@cfdfeaservice.it
Andrea Pisa
andrea.pisa@argosrl.eu