Analyses of material flow in two and three-plate molds for mold design selection

Abstract

This study was conducted to compare the flow of plastic material in two and three-plate mold in order to select the best mold design for plastic injection molding process. Battery Charger for Video Camera has been selected as a product to be studied. The study done by considering the suitable gate to locate for the selected part in designing two and three-plate injection molds. Then, the Moldflow Mold Adviser is used to analyze the effect of the material flow to sprue, runner and gate for two and three-plate molds. In the end of this research, Moldflow Mold Adviser helps in order to advise the best position of gate location, equivalent injection time and melting temperature during plastic injection molding process, to show the sink mark, weld line, air trap estimated and skin orientation based on gate location, part design and material used. Besides that, it also advises the warping and cooling quality estimated based on part and cooling channel designed. From the analysis result, three-plate mold is more suitable for this product. So, the Moldflow Mold Adviser is useful to help the designer and manufacturing engineer in designing product, to decide the best gate position and to choose the suitable types of plastic material for the part designed.