New CAE Tool Predicts Voids in Injection Molded POM Parts

Posted by staff | Dec 29, 2022

Polyplastics Co. Ltd. has developed computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis technology that predicts the occurrence of vacuum voids in injection molded products made of Duracon POM. This new CAE tool can predict the risk of voids forming before creating the mold, helping to reduce trial samples, shorten development cycles, and reduce energy usage.

The void-prediction technology takes into consideration changes in variables, including temperature and pressure, during the resin solidification process when using Duracon POM, said the Tokyo-based supplier of engineering plastics. This technology verifies the shape, molding conditions, and effects of changes in the gate position in advance, and visualizes the size of voids as well as the positions where they will form.

For example, hollow pockets, or voids, can form near the center of thick injection molded products. Conventional void-prediction technology relies on parameters such as volume shrinkage, which is produced as output from flow analyses. The method’s accuracy is problematic, however, since the actual phenomenon can’t be re-created, said Polyplastics.

The new void-prediction technology links flow and structural analyses to predict the formation of voids according to strain arising inside molded products, taking into consideration mold shrinkage, elastic modulus, and distribution of pressure in the resin solidification process. In this manner, voids can be accurately predicted before the mold is built.

Polyplastics is offering the new technology as part of its overall technical support for current POM customers.

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