An Application of CAE in the Decision of Optimum Runner Size in Injection Molding

사출성형에서 런너 크기의 최적화를 위한 CAE 적용

The delivery system such as sprue, runner and gate is a waste of resin in injection molding operation. In this study the reduction of runner size has been investigated using injection molding CAE softwares, Moldflow and Moldex, and commercial CFD Softwares, Fluent and Polyflow. To verify the computational results experiment was performed. There were three considerations in deciding optimal runner size in this study: minimum pressure at the gate that makes resin fully filled in the cavity, minimum runner size that compensates shrinkage of resin in the cavity, and frozen layer thickness formed in the runner during injection. Through the computer simulations the optimal runner size that satisfies those three considerations has been decided. Although the computational results among the softwares were slightly different, it was enough to predict, the optimal runner size. The previous runner diameter was 8 mm and predicted optimal size was 5 mm. This was verified by injection molding experiment. Thus, the way of CAE application in deciding optimal runner size adapted in this study would be appropriated.