Multi-objective optimization of process parameters in plastic injection molding using variable pressure profile

Abstract

Process parameters in plastic injection molding (PIM) such as packing pressure, melt temperature and cooling time have a direct influence on the product quality and it is important to determine the optimal process parameters for the high product quality as well as the high productivity. This paper proposes a method to determine the optimal process parameters in the PIM for high product quality and high productivity. In particular, the variable packing pressure profile that the packing pressure varies through the packing phase is adopted as the advanced PIM. Warpage and cycle time are taken as the product quality and the productivity, respectively. Therefore, a multi-objective optimization of the process parameters using the variable packing pressure profile is performed. Numerical simulation in the PIM is so intensive that a sequential approximate optimization using radial basis function is adopted. It is found through the numerical result that the proposed packing pressure profile can improve both the warpage and the cycle time. Based on the numerical result, the experiment is also carried out. It is confirmed through the numerical and experimental result that the variable packing pressure profile is an effective approach for the warpage reduction and the short cycle time.

Keywords

• plastic injection molding
• engineering optimization
• variable pressure profile
• warpage reduction
• cycle time
• sequential approximate optimization