A UNIFIED SIMULATION OF THE FILLING AND POSTFILLING STAGES IN INJECTION-MOLDING .1. FORMULATION

This study employs a unified theoretical model to simulate the filling and postfilling stages of the injection-molding process. Implementation of such a model is based on a hybrid finite-element/finite-difference numerical solution of the generalized Hele-Shaw flow of a compressible viscous fluid under non-isothermal conditions. The shear viscosity of the polymeric material is represented by a Cross model for the shear-rate dependence and a WLF-type functional form for the temperature and pressure dependence, whereas the specific volume is modeled in terms of a double-domain Tait equation. The analysis also handles variable specific heat and thermal conductivity of the polymer as a function of temperature. Complex thin parts of variable thickness can be modeled and discretized by flat, triangular finite elements which may have arbitrary orientation in three-dimensional space, whereas runners and possible round pins or bosses in the part are represented as one-dimensional circular-tube elements. A control-volume scheme is employed that leads to automatic melt-front advancement during the cavity-filling stage.