Gate design algorithm to maximize the fiber orientation effectiveness in thermoplastic injection-molded components
PERIN Mattia, BERTI Guido A., LEE Taeyong, QUAGLIATO Luca
download PDFAbstract. This research presents an automatic algorithm, implemented in a Visual Basic Architecture (VBA), for the optimization of the gate location in thermoplastic injection molding of short fibers reinforced composite materials. The algorithm receives, as input, the geometry of the component and, according to the user’s choice, defines the injection points grid, and relevant versors, on a pre-constructed mesh, automatically runs the finite volume method (FVM) simulation and exports the fiber orientation tensor (FOT) on each node of the mesh. The nodal coordinate of the part and the relevant FOT are then used as the training dataset for a Gradient Boosting (GB) algorithm for the full correlation between injection gate locations and the resulting fiber orientation distribution (FOD), allowing to define the injection gate configuration better suited to maximize the effectiveness of the reinforcement fibers. By coupling the trained GB algorithm with a finite element method (FEM) simulation it was confirmed that the developed algorithm can predict the influence of the gate location on the FOD and the resulting mechanical performances, improving the stiffness between 3.8% and 32.6%, on simple and complex geometries alike.
Keywords
Injection Molding, Fibers Reinforced Composite (FRC), Injection Gate Location, Fiber Orientation, Machine Learning
Published online 4/19/2023, 10 pages
Copyright © 2023 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: PERIN Mattia, BERTI Guido A., LEE Taeyong, QUAGLIATO Luca, Gate design algorithm to maximize the fiber orientation effectiveness in thermoplastic injection-molded components, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 28, pp 321-330, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644902479-35
The article was published as article 35 of the book Material Forming
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
References
[1] T. Ishikawa, K. Amaoka, Y. Masubuchi, T. Yamamoto, A. Yamanaka, M. Arai, J. Takahashi, Overview of automotive structural composites technology developments in Japan, Compos. Sci. Technol. 155 (2018) 221-246. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2017.09.015
[2] P. Boisse, R. Akkerman, P. Carlone, L. Kärger, S.V. Lomov, J.A. Sherwood, Advances in composite forming through 25 years of ESAFORM, Int. J. Mater. Forming 15 (2022) 39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12289-022-01682-8
[3] L. Quagliato, C. Jang, N. Kim, Manufacturing process and mechanical properties characterization for steel skin – Carbon fiber reinforced polymer core laminate structures, Compos. Struct. 209 (2019) 1-12. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2018.10.078
[4] T. Evens, G.-J. Bex, M. Yigit, J. De Keyzer, F. Desplentere, A. Van Bael, The influence of mechanical recycling on properties in injection molding of fiber-reinforced polypropylene, Int. Polym. Process. 34 (2019) 398-407. http://doi.org/10.3139/217.3770
[5] N.Y. Zhao, J.Y. Lian, P.F. Wang, Z.B. Xu, Recent progress in minimizing the warpage and shrinkage deformations by the optimization of process parameters in plastic injection molding: a review, Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol. 120 (2022) 85-101. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-022-08859-0
[6] S. Kitayama, S. Hashimoto, M. Takano, Y. Yamazaki, Y. Kubo, S. Aiba, Multi-objective optimization for minimizing weldline and cycle time using variable injection velocity and variable pressure profile in plastic injection molding, Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol. 107 (2020) 3351-3361. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-020-05235-8
[7] E.I. Kurkin, O.E. Lukyanov, V.O. Chertykovtseva, O.U. Espinosa Barcenas, Molding gate optimization for weld line location away from structures loaded area, J. Phys.: Conference Series 1925 (2021) 012056. http://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1925/1/012056
[8] E. Jeong, Y. Kim, S. Hong, K. Yoon, S. Lee, Innovative Injection Molding Process for the Fabrication of Woven Fabric Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites, Polym. 14 (2022). http://doi.org/10.3390/polym14081577
[9] L. Quagliato, Y. Kim, J.H. Fonseca, D. Han, S. Yun, H. Lee, N. Park, H. Lee, N. Kim, The influence of fiber orientation and geometry-induced strain concentration on the fatigue life of short carbon fibers reinforced polyamide-6, Mater. Des. 190 (2020) 108569. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2020.108569
[10] L. Quagliato, J. Lee, J.H. Fonseca, D. Han, H. Lee, N. Kim, Influences of stress triaxiality and local fiber orientation on the failure strain for injection-molded carbon fiber reinforced polyamide-6, Eng. Fract. Mech. 250 (2021) 107784. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.engfracmech.2021.107784
[11] M. Ricotta, M. Sorgato, M. Zappalorto, Tensile and compressive quasi-static behaviour of 40% short glass fibre – PPS reinforced composites with and without geometrical variations, Theor. Appl. Fract. Mec. 114 (2021) 102990.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tafmec.2021.102990
[12] L. Quagliato, M. Ricotta, M. Zappalorto, S.C. Ryu, N. Kim, Notch effect in 20% short carbon fibre-PA reinforced composites under quasi-static tensile loads, Theor. Appl. Fract. Mec. 122 (2022) 103649. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tafmec.2022.103649
[13] J.H. Fonseca, G. Han, L. Quagliato, Y. Kim, J. Choi, T. Keum, S. Kim, D.S. Han, N. Kim, H. Lee, Design and numerical evaluation of recycled-carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer/metal hybrid engine cradle concepts, Int. J. Mech. Sci. 163 (2019) 105115. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2019.105115
[14] J.H. Fonseca, L. Quagliato, S. Yun, D. Han, N. Kim, H. Lee, Preliminary design of an injection-molded recycled-carbon fiber–reinforced plastic/metal hybrid automotive structure via combined optimization techniques, Struct. Multidiscip. O. 64 (2021) 2773-2788. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-021-02988-y
[15] M. Zhai, Y. Lam, C. Au, Gate location optimization scheme for plastic injection molding, e-Polymers 9 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1515/epoly.2009.9.1.1515
[16] M. Zhai, Y. Xie, A study of gate location optimization of plastic injection molding using sequential linear programming, Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol. 49 (2009) 97-103. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-009-2376-1
[17] Z. Li, X. Wang, A Black Box Method for Gate Location Optimization in Plastic Injection Molding, Adv. Polym. Technol. 32 (2013) 793-808. http://doi.org/10.1002/adv.21322
[18] M. Moayyedian, A. Mamedov, Multi-objective optimization of injection molding process for determination of feasible moldability index, Procedia CIRP 84 (2019) 769-773. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2019.04.213
[19] M. Moayyedian, A. Dinc, A. Mamedov, Optimization of Injection-Molding Process for Thin-Walled Polypropylene Part Using Artificial Neural Network and Taguchi Techniques, Polym. 13 (2021) 4158. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13234158
[20] K. Li, S.-L. Yan, W.-F. Pan, G. Zhao, Optimization of fiber-orientation distribution in fiber-reinforced composite injection molding by Taguchi, back propagation neural network, and genetic algorithm–particle swarm optimization, Adv. Mech. Eng. 9 (2017) 168781401771922. http://doi.org/10.1177/1687814017719221
[21] M. Huszar, F. Belblidia, H.M. Davies, C. Arnold, D. Bould, J. Sienz, Sustainable injection moulding: The impact of materials selection and gate location on part warpage and injection pressure, Sustainable Mater. Technol. 5 (2015) 1-8. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2015.07.001
[22] M.S. Shreyas, L.G. Sannamani, Optimum Gate Location in Injection Mold of Nasal Foreign Body Removal Cover, Int. J. Eng. Res. Technol. 9 (2020) 1-5. http://doi.org/10.17577/IJERTV9IS050010
[23] K. Yang, L. Tang, P. Wu, H. Yi, Research on Optimization of Injection Molding Process Parameters of Automobile Plastic Front-End Frame, Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2022 (2022) 1-18. http://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5955725
