Mould flow analysis is a key feature in supporting the early identification of potential issues with the mould cavity, material, or conditions before the manufacturing process begins. Which is why Pentagon Plastics in-house design team utilise mould flow analysis (MFA) software.
Pentagon Plastics Ltd are one of the few UK moulders that provide full on-site mould tool manufacture and supporting services, with a wealth of experience in industry they know better than anyone how important the design phase of a project is to ensure consistency in every shot of a finished product and maximising the return on customer investment into mould tooling solutions.
MFA is a technique that involves simulating an injection moulding cycle with a specific plastic, carried out with specialised software and an essential part of the plastic injection moulding design process. How the molten plastic flows inside the mould significantly impacts the finished product and utilising MFA prior to creation of the mould can save time, money, and potential future issues.
The intelligent software generates colour maps to show how the material will flow in the mould including features such as:
- Fill Time
- Ease of fill
- Results adviser
- Pressure profile
- Part and mould temperature profiles
- Shear rate
- Cooling time
- Weld lines
Air traps- Sink marks
- Frozen layer fraction
- Clamp force
- Cycle time
- Volumetric shrinkage
- Displacement (part warpage)
- Part inserts over moulding
- Multi-shot over moulding
- Fiber orientation analysis
- Valve gates
- Venting analysis
- Mould inserts
- Gas- or water-assisted injection moulding
- Co-injection moulding
- Birefringence
- Reaction injection moulding
- Conformal cooling analysis
The MFA process begins by importing the finished component model into the software and selecting the appropriate polymer from the database. The fill/feed/gate position and size are selected, allowing the software to understand where, and at what volume, the material can enter the cavity. Details about the injection moulding press are also provided, including injection pressure and capacity keeping in mind that different machines have different capabilities.
The simulation gives a detailed representation of the material flow pattern and highlights whether the part can be successfully filled based on the specific parameters. Other useful primary conclusions can also be deducted from the results of the analysis.
The mould flow analysis involves key components, including:
- Filling analysis analyses, identifying how molten plastic fills the cavity, predicted flow patterns, velocity, and pressure distribution helping to optimise the gate placement (where the molten plastic enters the cavity) and runner design (the channels that carry molten plastic).
- Packing and Holding analysis evaluates material shrinkage and pressure distribution to prevent sink marks, voids, and dimensional instability.
- Cooling Analysis is produced as the software simulates temperature distribution throughout the mould and identifies hot spots and cooling inefficiencies that could lead to warpage in the finished product.
- Warpage and Shrinkage analysis assess for part deformation and shrinkage rates after cooling, helping designers modify the mould and process parameters to minimise defects.
- Air traps and Venting analysis involves detecting any area where air could be trapped, causing defects in the final product helping to create a smooth material flow.
- Weld line and Knit line analysis identifies where multiple flow fronts meet, forming weld lines, identifying and evaluating any potential structural weakness or aesthetic issues.
- Shear Stress and Viscosity analysis examines shear rates (how quickly layers of plastic slide past each other during the injection process) preventing burn marks and material degradation.
- Runner and Gate Optimisation provides a heat map giving an optimum position based on distance and mass.
Mould flow analysis is a hugely beneficial part of the injection moulding process ensuring that components produced are high-quality, free of defects and meet the customers exacting specifications. Identifying issues prior to production is invaluable, mitigating risk of defect and wider consequential implications.
Although mould flow analysis is an incredibly important step, it isn’t always required for simpler components. More complex a mould designs and tight tolerance components benefit from MFA as they require low-shrinkage engineering polymers for stable processing. MFA is also advantageous for processing analysis of unusual polymers such as those with glass or carbon fibre fillers as they may shrink unevenly due to the fibre orientation.
Pentagon Plastics provides comprehensive plastic injection moulding services from the initial design to the development through to mould tool manufacture, production, and post-production support. Committed to delivering a service that exceeds expectations and producing quality parts that are consistent and to your specifications. To accomplish this, MFA software is utilised in-house alongside a range of other cutting-edge tools and technology.
If you’re looking for a UK plastic manufacturer, contact the team websales@pentagonplastics.co.uk
