In recent years, the compression of vehicle development cycles in the automotive industry has driven the usage of computer aided engineering analysis methods which provides vital information on product performance during the design phase. Computer aided engineering simulations of the structural response of an air bag deployment, the thermal response of sun load exposure, as well as the material response of the manufacturing method provide the required feedback to the platform development team in a timely manner.
A specific method of computer aided engineering which has experienced innovative growth and development is the manufacturing process analysis. In an effort to provide cost and schedule effective solutions for the manufacturing development of a molded part, injection molding process simulation has evolved into new levels of functionality and complexity. Historically, injection molding process simulation was restricted to providing material balance within the cavity. Recently, however, methods of computer aided process simulation are employed to ascertain the optimal part design, tool design, and process profile which will ensure the quality of the injection molded part.
The goal of this paper is to explore the complex groups of parameters employed in an injection molding process simulation and thereby understand the impact of these parameters on the analytical solution. Moreover, computer aided engineering analysis methods are only useful and productive when the simulation replicates the actual physical phenomenon. With this focus on the correlation of the analytical simulation of the injection molding process to the actual tool performance, the parameters which shall be reviewed include material characterization methods and data generation, part and tool design details, and the facility definition.