Injection Molding Simulation

Modelling of Elastomeric Materials and Products
14 Oct 2010 - London, UK
Injection Moulding Simulation

of Engineering Rubber Components
G.Ramorino
S. Agnelli , A.Franceschini , F.Baldi, T.Ricc
1University
of Brescia (Italy) Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

2CF
Gomma, Brescia (Italy)
- INJECTION MOULDED RUBBER COMPONENTS

CF GOMMA Spa (Brescia, Italy)
ENGINE MOUNTS
BUSHES FOR THE SUSPENSIONS
ANTIVIBRATION RUBBER COMPONENTS

rubber compound
DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
metal
COMPUTER AIDED ENGINEERING SOFTWARE

OPTIMIZE THE PERFORMANCE OF NEW PRODUCTS
- NUMERICAL SIMULATION
QUICKLY ANALISIS OF COMPONENT/MOULD
(early phase of product development)
AVOID SEVERAL ERRORS
PREVENT MOULDING PROBLEMS
Incomplete mould filling / air traps
SAVE COST AND TIME ON MOULD TRYOUTS
OPTIMIZE PART DESIGN
REDUCE TIME TO MARKET
CORRECT EVALUATION OF THE CURING TIME
optimize the time cycle of the vulcanization phase of the component
USEFUL FOR COST SAVING IN THE PRODUCT PROCESS
- COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE
MOLDFLOW LEADING CAE SOFTWARE OF INJECTION MOULDING
THERMOPLASTIC THERMOSET MATERIALS

developed in close cooperation with the plastics industry
extensive materials property database
RUBBER COMPOUNDS
database is out of material property
measurements of curing rate - material viscosity are needed
PROPER CURING REACTION AND VISCOSITY MODELS
- AIM OF THE PRESENT WORK

VERIFY THE CAPABILITY OF THE MOLDFLOW SOFTWARE
TO PERFORM FLOW SIMULATIONS OF
RUBBER INJECTION MOULDING PARTS
MOLDFLOW SIMULATIONS
1.
MOULD CAVITY FILLING STAGE
2.
STATE OF CURE IN THE

POST-FILLING PROCESS
COMPARISON
EXPERIMENTAL TESTS
- RUBBER COMPONENT
ANTIVIBRATION ENGINE MOUNT
thickness: 1.5 mm to 20 mm
two metal inserts
overall dimensions: 170x80x45 mm
80 mm
200 mm
METAL INSERT
(carbon black-silica-oil-zinc oxide curing system)
NATURAL RUBBER COMPOUND
TYPICAL INDUSTRIAL FORMULATION
- MATERIAL CHARACTERIZATION
CURE KINETIKS
composition of the rubber compound
test temperature
method employed to characterize the material
vulcanization of NR compounds is conducted in a DSC
(Dynamic Scanning Calorimeter)
DSC (Heat Flux from TA Instruments)

isothermal and non-isothermal conditions
1. SPECIFIC HEAT OF REACTION H (J/G)
2. CONSTANTS OF THE MODELS - CLAXTON-LISKA - KAMAL-SOUROUR
INDUCTION PERIOD
RATE OF CURE
SPECIFIC HEAT OF REACTION H (J/g)
12.5
non-isothermal DSC test

Heat Flow (mW)
12
11.5
11
10.5
10
exothermic reaction peak
9.5
12
13
14
15
16
17
Time (min)
heating rate of 10C/min

temperature range 70-220C.
mass of the sample m = 10 mg
H (J/g) =
A (mJ)
m (mg)
MODEL TO CHARACTERIZE THE INDUCTION PERIOD
Arrenhius type expression
CLAXON - LISKA MODEL
T (C)
170
175
180
183
t (s)
133
79
46
34
t = A exp( B / T )
A, B = constants
T = temperature
4.4
Heat Flow (mW)
INDUCTION TIME
4.2
T(C)
Isothermal DSC tests
4
3.8
3.6
3.4
3.2
3
0
100
200
Time (s)
300
400
INDUCTION TIME t (s)
CLAXON - LISKA MODEL
(data of ti obtained at each isothermal DSC tests)

T (C)
170
175
180
183
t (s)
133
79
46
34
INDUCTION TIME
A, B = constants
T = temperature
4.4
Isothermal DSC data
Ht1
4.2
Heat Flow (mW)
t = A exp( B / T )
INDUCTION PERIOD
OF THE NR
COMPOUND
4
3.8
Htot
3.6
cure degree t1 =
Ht1
Htot
3.4
3.2
t1
3
0
exothermic reaction
50
temperature = 183C
100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Time (s)
MODEL TO CHARACTERIZE THE CURE KINETICS
(100% cure) 1
Cure degree,
0.8
CURE KINETICS CURVES
0.6
(from the isothermal DSC data)
0.4
0.2
(0% cure)
temperature T (170,175,180,183 C)
0
0
100
200
300
400
Time (s)
KAMA-SOUROUR MODEL *
* A. Arrillaga et al. European Polymer Journal,
d
m
n
43: 47834799, 2007.
= ( K 1 + K 2 ) (1 )
dt
rate of cure
K1 (T) , K2 (T)
m, n = constants
CURE KINETICS CURVES
Rate of cure
cure, d/dt
0.024
temperature T (170,175,180,183C)
0.02
T
(data used to obtain the
constants of the
Kama-Sorour Model )
0.016
0.012
0.008
0.004
Isothermal tests
0
0
0.2
KAMA-SOUROUR MODEL *
d
= ( K 1 + K 2 m ) (1 ) n
dt
rate of cure
0.4
0.6
0.8
Cure degree,
A. Arrillaga et al. European Polymer Journal,

43: 47834799, 2007.
m, n = constants
K1 (T) , K2 (T)
Rate of cure d/dt
0.024
experimental
model
0.02
0.016
GOOD AGREEMENT
0.012
0.008
0.004
Isothermal tests
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
Cure degree,
KAMA-SOUROUR MODEL * (open symbols)

* A. Arrillaga et al. European Polymer Journal,
d
m
n
43: 47834799, 2007.
= ( K 1 + K 2 ) (1 )
dt
rate of cure
K1 (T) , K2 (T)
m, n = constants
RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
flow curves at different temperatures
(data used to obtain the

constants of the
Reactive Viscosity Model )
capillary rheometer (CEAST)

4.2
temperature T (120, 130, 140, 150 C)
Log (Pas)
3.8
3.4
3.0
T
2.6
2.2
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
Log (1/s)
3.0
3.5
REACTIVE VISCOSITY MODEL
0 ( T )
(, T, & ) =
1 n
&
(T )
1+ 0
(C1 + C 2 )
0(T) = viscosity at shear rate 0;

T = temperature;
n = shear rate sensitivity;
= shear stress;
= cure degree;
C1, C2, g = constants.
6.0
Reactive viscosity model (120C)
Log (Pas)
5.0
Experimental data
4.0
120C
150C
3.0
GOOD AGREEMENT
2.0
1.0
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
Log (1/s)
4.0
5.0
MODELLING
- MOLDFLOW
MOLDFLOW
DATA INPUT
4.4
Heat Flow (mW)
4.2
4
3.8
3.6
MODEL PARAMETERS
3.4
3.2
3
0
100
200
300
400
Time (s)
Rate of cure d
d/dt
0.024
INPUT TO MOLDFLOW
0.02
0.016
0.012
0.008
0.004
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
Cure degree,
6.0
Log (Pas)
5.0
Experimental data
4.0
120C
150C
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
Log (1/s)
4.0
5.0
REACTIVE MOULDING MODULE
- MOLDFLOW DATA INPUT

PROCESS PARAMETERS
Injection machine:
Mod. V/MP 70/800
Injection time (s):
20
Injection temperature (C):
65
Mold temperature (C):

Cure times (s):
165
380, 420, 475, 520
INPUT TO MOLDFLOW
- 3D MOLDFLOW MODELLING CAVITY FILLING

POSITION OF THE FLOW FRONT AS THE CAVITY
FILLS vs INTERRUPTED FILLING EXPERIMENTS
FILL TIME
RESULT
FEED
SYSTEM
METAL
INSERT
METAL
INSERT
MOULD
CAVITY
6 gate system
- 3D MOLDFLOW MODELLING CAVITY FILLING
comparison between the pictures of the incomplete

molded parts and the corresponding filling patterns
predicted by computer simulation
- FILL TIME RESULT
REMARKABLE AGREEMENT
THE PREDICTIONS ARE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FLOW
DURING THE FILLING STAGE
- MATERIAL CURING
ACTUAL MATERIAL CONVERSION (CURE) AT A NODE,
CALCULATED OVER THE ENTIRE MOLDING PROCESS
CONVERSION AT
NODE RESULT
N1: located near the

cavity surface
N1
simulations are
performed in a part of
variable thickness
section
N2
N2: located in the centre

of the higher thickness
cure profile evolution
- MATERIAL CURING
CONVERSION AT NODE RESULT: XY PLOT cure profile evolution
N1
MOLDFLOW PREDICTIONS
~ 0.95
N1: located near the

cavity surface ( T)
Cure degree
~ 0.75
N2: located in the centre

of the higher thickness
slower heat transfer
N2
scorch
slower rate of cure

Total cycle
FILLING (20 s) + CURING PHASES
- MECHANICAL COMPRESSION TEST

TO EVALUATE WHICH CURING TIME PROVIDES THE
HIGHER STIFFNESS OF THE PART, SO INDICATING
THE BEST CURING TIME
components obtained at different cure times (380, 420, 475, 520 s)
- COMPARISON
160
Stiffness (N/m)
Experimental data
155
150
GOOD AGREEMENT
145
MOLDFLOW PREDICTIONS
140
350
400
450
500
550
600
total cycle time (s)

FILLING (20 s) + CURING PHASES
THE SOFTWARE PREDICTS 400-430 s THAT IS IN GOOD

AGREEMENT WITH THE 440 s
FOUND THROUGH COMPRESSION TESTS
- CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that it is possible to model very accurately the filling and cure
stages of rubber injection molding process.
The computations are found in good agreement with the experimental results,
indicating that reliable information on material viscosity and curing kinetic play a
key role for well-founded predictions.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors want to acknowledge CF Gomma Spa (Brescia, Italy) and Fondazione
Cariplo for the financial supports.

Injection Molding Simulation

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Injection Molding Simulation

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Modelling of Elastomeric Materials and Products

14 Oct 2010 - London, UK

Injection Moulding Simulation

of Brescia (Italy) Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Gomma, Brescia (Italy)

- INJECTION MOULDED RUBBER COMPONENTS

ANTIVIBRATION RUBBER COMPONENTS

COMPUTER AIDED ENGINEERING SOFTWARE

THERMOPLASTIC THERMOSET MATERIALS

- AIM OF THE PRESENT WORK

MOULD CAVITY FILLING STAGE

STATE OF CURE IN THE

two metal inserts

overall dimensions: 170x80x45 mm

(carbon black-silica-oil-zinc oxide curing system)

NATURAL RUBBER COMPOUND

TYPICAL INDUSTRIAL FORMULATION

DSC (Heat Flux from TA Instruments)

non-isothermal DSC test

exothermic reaction peak

heating rate of 10C/min

CLAXON - LISKA MODEL

Heat Flow (mW)

Isothermal DSC tests

CLAXON - LISKA MODEL

(data of ti obtained at each isothermal DSC tests)

Isothermal DSC data

Heat Flow (mW)

CURE KINETICS CURVES

(from the isothermal DSC data)

A. Arrillaga et al. European Polymer Journal,

Rate of cure d/dt

KAMA-SOUROUR MODEL * (open symbols)

(data used to obtain the

capillary rheometer (CEAST)

temperature T (120, 130, 140, 150 C)

0(T) = viscosity at shear rate 0;

Heat Flow (mW)

REACTIVE MOULDING MODULE

- MOLDFLOW DATA INPUT

Mod. V/MP 70/800

Injection time (s):

Injection temperature (C):

Mold temperature (C):

- 3D MOLDFLOW MODELLING CAVITY FILLING

- 3D MOLDFLOW MODELLING CAVITY FILLING

comparison between the pictures of the incomplete

- FILL TIME RESULT

N1: located near the

N2: located in the centre

N1: located near the

N2: located in the centre

slower rate of cure

FILLING (20 s) + CURING PHASES

- MECHANICAL COMPRESSION TEST

components obtained at different cure times (380, 420, 475, 520 s)

total cycle time (s)

THE SOFTWARE PREDICTS 400-430 s THAT IS IN GOOD

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