Optimization of Runner Balance for a Family Product of Injection Molding Process

Abstract

A family mold is used in the injection molding process to produce components of different sizes that would normally be assembled into a single product assembly. The uniform quality of each injection molded part is strongly influenced by the filling balance of the mold cavity. The filling balance can be controlled by optimizing the dimensions of runners that are directed towards each cavity. In this paper, an optimization method is proposed that aims at balancing the filling time that maximizes the quality of a family mold cavity. There are two steps proposed in this research, namely theoretical calculations and simulation of runner balanced design using the software. The results of this study can be used as a practical reference in designing a mold for family products to avoid design errors as early as possible. The result obtained from an industrial case study highlighted the effectiveness of the proposed approach in finding the optimal runner dimension by a restricted number of simulations.