Interaction Factors and Response Surface Analysis on the Factors Influencing the Flow Front Temperature at Metal Injection Mold

Abstract

The objective of this study is to optimize the Metal Injection Molding(MIM) process with design of experiments (DOE) and numerical analysis. To derive the optimal process condition, experiment or numerical analysis was performed under various process conditions. To analyze the interaction among influential factors contributing to the temperature at flow front and response surface in MIM, both central point and axial point were added to the full factorial design with 2 levels and 5 factors and then their impacts on response variable in 43 experimental conditions were analyzed and the significance was evaluated. As a result, sprue, runner, and gate were completely filled in about 0.247 seconds after injection, the front part of the green body was filled in about 0.3344 seconds, the green body except gate, etc changed to almost solid state in about 3.29 seconds, the Packinging pressure was completed in about 6.29 seconds, and the green body inside and outside and sprue, etc became solid in 13.2 seconds. The impact of individual or reciprocal action of factors on the temperature at flow front was analyzed through regular probability, test statistics, main effect, and interaction effect. As a result, of a total of 31 combinations of factors, 9 unit factors and reciprocal actions were significant, and the screening was also possible. A proper regression equation was drawn with regression analysis and response surface design on the response variable of temperature at flow front, and the applicability could be verified.