Submillimeter features on injected acrylonitrile butadiene styrene parts: Visualization of the flow and numerical simulation

Abstract

Numerical simulation of classical dimension parts with micrometric textures on their surface is still difficult to master. The limit condition of the calculations, and in particular, the implemented values, characteristics of the polymer and thermal exchanges (polymer/mold) strongly impact the results. Starting from a model with a 370 μm wide rib, by means of a numerical simulation, a study was done on the evolution of the material flow front velocities and the flow lengths in both the macroscopic part and the microgroove. This innovative visualization mold design was used to determine the velocities from an experimental perspective and to discuss the calculation conditions. On the one hand, there are significant differences regarding the choice of the no flow temperature (~ 40 K) used in the calculation code, the analytical heat transfer equation as well as the experimental results. On the other hand, according to the no flow temperature, it may be necessary to consider, during the filling phase, a perfect mold/polymer thermal contact in the groove. Depending in particular on the injection velocity and the geometry of the micro textures, a characteristic time can be determined which defines an optimal operating point for the topographic texture of the part.