Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers (한국기계가공학회지)

The Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers (한국기계가공학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Optimization of Gate and Process Design Factors for Injection Molding of Automotive Door Cover Housing

자동차 도어용 커버 하우징의 사출성형을 위한 게이트 및 공정 설계인자의 최적화

  • 유만준 (금오공과대학교 대학원 기계공학과) ;
  • 박종천 (금오공과대학교 기계공학과)
  • Received : 2022.04.21
  • Accepted : 2022.06.12
  • Published : 2022.07.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The purpose of the cover housing component of a car door is to protect the terminals of the plug housing that connects the electric control unit on the door side to the car body. Therefore, for a smooth assembly with the plug housing and to prevent contaminants from penetrating into the gaps that occur after assembly, the warpage of the cover housing should be minimized. In this study, to minimize the warpage of the cover housing, optimization was performed for design factors related to the mold and processes based on the injection molding simulation. These design factors include gate location, gate diameter, injection time, resin temperature, mold temperature, and packing pressure. To optimize the design factors, Taguchi's approach to the design of experiments was adopted. The optimal combination of the design factors and levels that minimize warpage was predicted through L18-orthogonal array experiments and main effects analysis. Moreover, the warpage under the optimal design was estimated by the additive model, and it was confirmed through the simulation experiment that the estimated result was quite consistent with the experimental result. Additionally, it was found that the warpage under the optimal design was significantly improved compared to both the warpage under the initial design and the best warpage among the orthogonal array experimental results, which numerically decreased by 36.9% and 23.4%, respectively.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by Kumoh National Institute of Technology(202001000001).

References

  1. Shoemaker, J., Moldflow Design Guide: A Resource for Plastics Engineers, Hanser Gardner Publications, Inc., pp. 173-190, 2006.
  2. Malloy, R. A., Plastic part Design for Injection Molding, Hanser, pp. 63-84, 1994.
  3. Erzurumlu, T. and Ozcelik, B., "Minimization of Warpage and Sink Index in Injection-Molded Thermoplastic Parts Using Taguchi Optimization Method," Materials and Design, Vol. 27, pp. 853-861, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2005.03.017
  4. Guo, W., Hua, L., Mao, H. and Meng, Z., "Prediction of Warpage in Plastic Injection Molding based on Design of Experiments," Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 1133-1139, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-0214-0
  5. Oliaei, E., Heidari, B. S., Davachi, S. M., Bahrami, M., Davoodi, S., Hejazi, I. and Seyfi, J., "Warpage and Shrinkage Optimization of Injection-Molded Plastic Spoon Parts for Biodegradable Polymers Using Taguchi, ANOVA and Artificial Neural Network Methods," Journal of Materials Science & Technology, Vol. 32, pp. 710-720, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2016.05.010
  6. Kitayama, S., Yokoyama, M., Takano, M. and Aiba, S., "Multi-Objective Optimization of Variable Packing Pressure Profile and Process Parameters in Plastic Injection Molding for Minimizing Warpage and Cycle Time," International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Vol. 92, pp. 3991-3999, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-017-0456-1
  7. Song, Z., Liu, S., Wang, X. and Hu, Z., "Optimization and Prediction of Volume Shrinkage and Warpage of Injection-Molded Thin-Walled Parts Based on Neural Network," International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Vol. 109, pp. 755-769, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-020-05558-6
  8. Yu, M. J. and Park, J. C., "Determination of Feed System and Process Conditions for Injection Molding of Automotive Connector Part with Two Warpage Design Characteristics," Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers, Vol. 20, No. 12, pp. 36-43, 2021.
  9. Fowlkes, W. Y. and Creveling, C. M., Engineering Methods for Robust Product Design: Using Taguchi Methods in Technology and Product Development, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, pp. 125-145, 1995.
  10. Peace, G. S., Taguchi Methods: A Hands-On Approach To Quality Engineering, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, pp. 114-128, 1995.
  11. Shin, N. H., Oh, H. S. and Kang, S. G., The Optimization of Injection Molding Process by CAE, Daekwangseorim, Seoul, pp. 327-422, 2010.
  12. Phadke, M. S., Quality Engineering Using Robust Design, AT&T Bell Laboratories, pp. 41-47, 1992.
  13. Yang, C. and Hung, S. W., "Optimising the Thermoforming Process of Polymeric Foams: An Approach by Using the Taguchi Method and the Utility Concept," International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Vol. 24, pp. 353-360, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-003-1591-4