Numerical Investigation on Thermo-Mechanical Characteristics of Injection-Molded Thermoplastics using Anisotropic Material Properties

This paper presents a comprehensive numerical method intended at developing a coupled process structure simulation that integrates both elastoplastic and anisotropic material behavior for short glass fiber-reinforced injection-molded thermoplastics. Three engineering tools, namely Moldflow, Digimat, and ABAQUS are used in the current numerical methodology to assess material anisotropy and its influence on thermo-mechanical characteristics. The simulation incorporates fiber orientation concerns as well as potential injection molding defects known as weld lines, linking with thermo-mechanical simulations. The behavior of real injection-molded components is computationally represented by the ability to transfer data from injection molding software (Moldflow) to structural software (ABAQUS). Besides, integrating with multi-scale modeling software Digimat as an interface tool, the results of the Moldflow simulations, such as fiber orientations and weld-line properties transmitted directly to ABAQUS. Finally, using the ABAQUS software, evaluated the thermo-mechanical characteristics of thermoplastic molded components by incorporating material anisotropy. The executed results of the current run simulations confirm that the anisotropic simulations are effective for all short fiber orientations. The anisotropy simulation results, i.e., locally concentrated stresses and strains distribution are then compared with isotropy simulation results, attained without the implementation of the injection molding data. The study's findings provide a better understanding of the thermo-mechanical performance of injection molded thermoplastics reinforced with short fibers. It also offers guidance for future integration of various finite element software programs that describe the behavior of materials anisotropy under different loading conditions to predict accurate deformation behaviors/failures. The method's application is given particular consideration when the development of a virtual product that is both economical and efficient.