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Core-pulling mechanism plays a vital role in producing plastic products with complex shapes. However, the design of core-pulling mechanism is still excessively depended on experience. As a result, low intelligent input often leads to high costs and long lead-time. In this paper, we propose a similarity-based approach for the variant design of core-pulling mechanism in injection mold design. An assemble model supporting variant design is established as the foundation of the case repository of core-pulling mechanism. A hierarchical assessment algorithm, which calculate the synthetic similarity of four characteristic parameters, viz., core-pulling type, core-pulling force, core-pulling distance, and shape description, is proposed to evaluate the similarity among undercut features. On the basis of the retrieved case with the highest similarity to the undercut feature of new plastic product, geometric model modification is performed by fine-tuning and head feature generation algorithm, and assemble tree modification is finished by the structural descriptions for assemble frame and assemble information of parts. Finally, case study is provided to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Binkui Hou; Jinhui Peng; Sheng He; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. A similarity-based approach for the variant design of core-pulling mechanism in injection mold design. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 2021, 115, 329 -344.
AMA StyleBinkui Hou, Jinhui Peng, Sheng He, Zhigao Huang, Huamin Zhou, Dequn Li. A similarity-based approach for the variant design of core-pulling mechanism in injection mold design. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. 2021; 115 (1-2):329-344.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBinkui Hou; Jinhui Peng; Sheng He; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. 2021. "A similarity-based approach for the variant design of core-pulling mechanism in injection mold design." The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 115, no. 1-2: 329-344.
Optimal parting curve contributes to simplify mold structure, reduce the cost of mold manufacturing and injection production. As it depends on a series of technique, such as undercut feature recognition, mold piece region recognition, parting curve assessment, and etc., optimal parting curve generation is still a complicated and time-consuming task. A hybrid hint-based and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is proposed in this paper to recognize mold piece region and generate optimal parting curve for 3D CAD model in injection mold design. The hint topological regions are innovatively defined and classified into three categories: concave-edge region, inner loop region, and isolated surface. Based on this, potential mold piece region is defined and recognized by the surface visibility. Exact region is recognized from the potential mold piece region by the hint derived from adjacency relationship of topological regions. Inexact region is recognized from these topological regions that are not exact regions through their adjacent information. Candidate mold piece region set is then constructed by the combination of exact region and inexact region. Boundary edges of each candidate mold piece region are extracted to form the parting curve scheme set. By using the parting curve evaluation model which is based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, the parting curve with the best assessment result is selected as the optimal scheme. Finally, case study is provided to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Binkui Hou; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. A hybrid hint-based and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method for optimal parting curve generation in injection mold design. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 2021, 112, 2133 -2148.
AMA StyleBinkui Hou, Zhigao Huang, Huamin Zhou, Dequn Li. A hybrid hint-based and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method for optimal parting curve generation in injection mold design. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. 2021; 112 (7-8):2133-2148.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBinkui Hou; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. 2021. "A hybrid hint-based and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method for optimal parting curve generation in injection mold design." The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 112, no. 7-8: 2133-2148.
The morphology of polymer blends plays a critical role in determining the properties of the blends and performance of resulting injection-molded parts. However, it is currently impossible to predict the morphology evolution during injection molding and the final micro-structure of the molded parts, as the existing models for the morphology evolution of polymer blends are still limited to a few simple flow fields. To fill this gap, this paper proposed a novel model for droplet morphology evolution during the mold filling process of polymer blends by coupling the models on macro- and meso-scales. The proposed model was verified by the injection molding experiment of PP/POE blends. The predicted curve of mold cavity pressure during filling process agreed precisely with the data of the corresponding pressure sensors. On the other hand, the model successfully tracked the moving trajectory and simulated morphology evolution of the droplets during the mold-filling process. After mold-filling ended, the simulation results of the final morphology of the droplets were consistent with the observations of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) experiment. Moreover, this study revealed the underlying mechanism of the droplet morphology evolution through the force analysis on the droplet. It is validated that the present model is a qualified tool for simulating the morphology evolution of polymer blends during injection molding and predicting the final microstructure of the products.
Lin Deng; Suo Fan; Yun Zhang; Zhigao Huang; Shaofei Jiang; Jiquan Li; Huamin Zhou. A Novel Multiscale Methodology for Simulating Droplet Morphology Evolution during Injection Molding of Polymer Blends. Polymers 2020, 13, 133 .
AMA StyleLin Deng, Suo Fan, Yun Zhang, Zhigao Huang, Shaofei Jiang, Jiquan Li, Huamin Zhou. A Novel Multiscale Methodology for Simulating Droplet Morphology Evolution during Injection Molding of Polymer Blends. Polymers. 2020; 13 (1):133.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLin Deng; Suo Fan; Yun Zhang; Zhigao Huang; Shaofei Jiang; Jiquan Li; Huamin Zhou. 2020. "A Novel Multiscale Methodology for Simulating Droplet Morphology Evolution during Injection Molding of Polymer Blends." Polymers 13, no. 1: 133.
Solid-state thermo-stamping of fabric reinforced composites has attracted extensive attention for its efficiency and potential energy saving in recent years. In this paper, a hybrid lamination model is proposed to describe the forming behavior of woven fabric reinforced thermoplastic composites (WFRTP) during solid-state thermo-stamping process. The woven carbon fiber (CF)/ Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) sheet/prepreg is modelled as laminate structure with woven reinforcement layers (shell elements) embedded in thermoplastic resin layer (solid elements). More specifically, a hypoelastic constitutive model is used to represent the anisotropic mechanical behavior of fabric reinforcement under large deformation, while the fabric model is calibrated and validated by uniaxial bias extension (UBE) test and tensile test of woven fabric. A phenomenological model is adopted to describe the viscoelastic-plastic deformation behavior of thermoplastic resin, while the resin model is calibrated by tensile tests of PEEK. The applicability of the hybrid model is demonstrated through comparing numerical results of UBE tests and Erichsen tests with their corresponding experiment results. The hybrid lamination model provides a theoretical foundation for numerical simulation of WFRTP solid-state thermo-stamping.
Tianzhengxiong Deng; Wentao Zhang; Wei Jiang; Helezi Zhou; Zhigao Huang; Xiongqi Peng; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. A hybrid lamination model for simulation of woven fabric reinforced thermoplastic composites solid-state thermo-stamping. Materials & Design 2020, 200, 109419 .
AMA StyleTianzhengxiong Deng, Wentao Zhang, Wei Jiang, Helezi Zhou, Zhigao Huang, Xiongqi Peng, Huamin Zhou, Dequn Li. A hybrid lamination model for simulation of woven fabric reinforced thermoplastic composites solid-state thermo-stamping. Materials & Design. 2020; 200 ():109419.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTianzhengxiong Deng; Wentao Zhang; Wei Jiang; Helezi Zhou; Zhigao Huang; Xiongqi Peng; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. 2020. "A hybrid lamination model for simulation of woven fabric reinforced thermoplastic composites solid-state thermo-stamping." Materials & Design 200, no. : 109419.
High filler content is the prerequisite for imparting specific properties to polymeric composite. However, serious mechanical properties degradation happened in this kind of material due to the inevitable reduction of material cohesion. In this work, highly filled poly(butylene terephthalate)/ alumina (PBT/Al2O3) composites were modified by directly melt mixing with a reactive compatibilizer ethylene–methyl acrylate–glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer (E-MA-GMA). The modified samples presented greatly enhanced elongation at break and impact response, simultaneously preserved their tensile strength and high thermal conductivity. The reactive compatibilization between PBT and Al2O3 spheres was confirmed by SEM, FTIR, and rheology characterizations. Three rheology criteria plots demonstrated that the filler percolating network and apparent yield behavior occurred in the ternary PBT/Al2O3/E-MA-GMA composites melt. It is believed that enhanced particle-matrix interfacial interaction and stress transfer caused by E-MA-GMA endowed this highly filled composite improved toughness. This study suggests the potential application of E-MA-GMA elastomer to resolve the mechanical properties degradation in highly filled polymeric composites.
Lin Jiang; Zhigao Huang; Xukang Wang; Minlong Lai; Yun Zhang; Huamin Zhou. Influence of reactive compatibilization on the mechanical, thermal and rheological properties of highly filled PBT/Al2O3 composites. Materials & Design 2020, 196, 109175 .
AMA StyleLin Jiang, Zhigao Huang, Xukang Wang, Minlong Lai, Yun Zhang, Huamin Zhou. Influence of reactive compatibilization on the mechanical, thermal and rheological properties of highly filled PBT/Al2O3 composites. Materials & Design. 2020; 196 ():109175.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLin Jiang; Zhigao Huang; Xukang Wang; Minlong Lai; Yun Zhang; Huamin Zhou. 2020. "Influence of reactive compatibilization on the mechanical, thermal and rheological properties of highly filled PBT/Al2O3 composites." Materials & Design 196, no. : 109175.
In this study, the formability of woven carbon-fiber (CF)-reinforced polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) composite sheets in the solid-state thermoforming process were investigated, and the failure mechanisms were discussed. The formability of the woven CF/PEEK sheets were analyzed using flexural tests, Erichsen test, and microscopic observation. The results show that the formability of CF/PEEK sheets significantly increases as the temperature rises from 165 to 325 °C, and slightly decreases as the deformation speed rises from 2 to 120 mm/min. The deformation of the sheets is caused by plastic deformation, shear deformation and squeeze deformation, without plastic thinning and fiber slippage, which is due to the restriction of the solid matrix and locked fibers. Moreover, the wrinkles will cause fiber fracture at lower temperatures and delamination at higher temperatures. At higher temperatures, the wrinkles mainly occur at the position with [0°/90°] fibers due to the squeezing of the matrix and fibers.
Bing Zheng; Xiping Gao; Maoyuan Li; Tianzhengxiong Deng; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. Formability and Failure Mechanisms of Woven CF/PEEK Composite Sheet in Solid-State Thermoforming. Polymers 2019, 11, 966 .
AMA StyleBing Zheng, Xiping Gao, Maoyuan Li, Tianzhengxiong Deng, Zhigao Huang, Huamin Zhou, Dequn Li. Formability and Failure Mechanisms of Woven CF/PEEK Composite Sheet in Solid-State Thermoforming. Polymers. 2019; 11 (6):966.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBing Zheng; Xiping Gao; Maoyuan Li; Tianzhengxiong Deng; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. 2019. "Formability and Failure Mechanisms of Woven CF/PEEK Composite Sheet in Solid-State Thermoforming." Polymers 11, no. 6: 966.
In this study, the process–structure–property relationships of thermoformed, woven, carbon fiber (CF)‐reinforced polyether‐ether‐ketone (PEEK) composites were investigated, and the associated mechanisms were systematically discussed. Woven CF/PEEK prepregs were prepared using an electrostatic powder coating technique, and composite laminates were fabricated via thermoforming, using four processing temperatures (360, 380, 400, and 420°C) and five holding pressures (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 MPa), respectively. The macroscopic properties and microstructures of the composite laminates were analyzed using mechanical characterization, thermal characterization, and microscopic observations. The results show that the flexural properties of the woven CF/PEEK composite tended to initially improve and subsequently decline as the processing temperature and holding pressure were increased. They are primarily determined by several complex mechanisms, such as the matrix properties, void defects, and fiber/resin interaction. The interlaminar shear properties of the woven CF/PEEK maintain a similar trend as the temperatures increases from 360°C to 420°C, while it is substantially unchanged as the holding pressure increases from 1 to 9 MPa. They are primarily determined by the mechanisms, such as matrix properties, void defects, and interlayer adhesion. Finally, these mechanisms were systematically discussed. POLYM. COMPOS., 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
Bing Zheng; Maoyuan Li; Tianzhengxiong Deng; Helezi Zhou; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. Process–structure–property relationships of thermoformed woven carbon‐fiber‐reinforced polyether‐ether‐ketone composites. Polymer Composites 2019, 40, 3823 -3834.
AMA StyleBing Zheng, Maoyuan Li, Tianzhengxiong Deng, Helezi Zhou, Zhigao Huang, Huamin Zhou, Dequn Li. Process–structure–property relationships of thermoformed woven carbon‐fiber‐reinforced polyether‐ether‐ketone composites. Polymer Composites. 2019; 40 (10):3823-3834.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBing Zheng; Maoyuan Li; Tianzhengxiong Deng; Helezi Zhou; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. 2019. "Process–structure–property relationships of thermoformed woven carbon‐fiber‐reinforced polyether‐ether‐ketone composites." Polymer Composites 40, no. 10: 3823-3834.
Extensive application of carbon fiber‐reinforced thermoplastic composites has been severely limited by two essential drawbacks including poor interfacial adhesion and harmful void volume fraction between the fiber and the thermoplastic matrix. These drawbacks are due to the surface inertness and high viscosity of thermoplastic during the forming process, respectively. To address these challenges, we report a strategy in which sulfonated polyetheretherketone (s‐PEEK) with strong affinity was successfully obtained as a compatibilizer to modify the interfacial micromechanical properties of carbon fiber (CF) reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composites. Using optimum mass amount of s‐PEEK, the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and tensile strength of the improved CF/PEEK composite laminates were 78.6 and 795 MPa, which had been increased more than 45.6% and 11.2% as compared with the original CF/PEEK composite laminates, respectively. The reason was that internal voids and interfacial bonding between CF and PEEK matrix were obviously improved by s‐PEEK. The affinity of s‐PEEK offered new insights to overcome the poor interfacial adhesion for fabricating structural parts with thermoplastic composites. The functionalized CF/PEEK composites have been successfully applied to fabricate a car interior ornament, well meeting the requirements of lightweight and high strength of automobiles. POLYM. COMPOS., 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers
Xiping Gao; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li; Yang Li; Yunming Wang. Higher mechanical performances of CF /PEEK composite laminates via reducing interlayer porosity based on the affinity of functional s‐PEEK. Polymer Composites 2019, 40, 3749 -3757.
AMA StyleXiping Gao, Zhigao Huang, Huamin Zhou, Dequn Li, Yang Li, Yunming Wang. Higher mechanical performances of CF /PEEK composite laminates via reducing interlayer porosity based on the affinity of functional s‐PEEK. Polymer Composites. 2019; 40 (9):3749-3757.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXiping Gao; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li; Yang Li; Yunming Wang. 2019. "Higher mechanical performances of CF /PEEK composite laminates via reducing interlayer porosity based on the affinity of functional s‐PEEK." Polymer Composites 40, no. 9: 3749-3757.
In this study, the flexural behavior and fracture mechanisms of short carbon fiber reinforced polyether-ether-ketone (SCFR/PEEK) composites at various ambient temperatures were investigated. First, the crystallinity and glass transition temperature (Tg) of PEEK and SCFR/PEEK were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis tests, respectively. The addition of SCFs increases the Tg but does not change the crystallinity of the PEEK matrix. Then, the three-point flexural tests of PEEK and SCFR/PEEK were performed over the temperature range of 20 to 235 °C, and the temperature-dependencies of the flexural properties of PEEK and SCFR/PEEK were discussed in detail. Finally, the microstructure of SCFR/PEEK was observed using a digital microscope and scanning electron microscope. The results show that the tension crack occurs first, and the crack extends upward leading to the shear crack and compression crack at room temperature. The fracture of SCFR/PEEK is mainly due to the extraction and rupture of SCFs. At high temperatures (above Tg), the tension crack and compression crack both occur, and the strong ductility of the matrix prevents the generation of shear crack. The fracture of SCFR/PEEK is mainly due to the rotation and extraction of SCFs, while the SCFs rupture plays a minor role.
Bing Zheng; Tianzhengxiong Deng; Maoyuan Li; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. Flexural Behavior and Fracture Mechanisms of Short Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyether-Ether-Ketone Composites at Various Ambient Temperatures. Polymers 2018, 11, 18 .
AMA StyleBing Zheng, Tianzhengxiong Deng, Maoyuan Li, Zhigao Huang, Huamin Zhou, Dequn Li. Flexural Behavior and Fracture Mechanisms of Short Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyether-Ether-Ketone Composites at Various Ambient Temperatures. Polymers. 2018; 11 (1):18.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBing Zheng; Tianzhengxiong Deng; Maoyuan Li; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. 2018. "Flexural Behavior and Fracture Mechanisms of Short Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyether-Ether-Ketone Composites at Various Ambient Temperatures." Polymers 11, no. 1: 18.
Building venting system for releasing exhausted air is a very important step in injection mold design. A high-quality venting system can effectively release gas in mold, which will eliminate the defects caused by residual gas and improve the quality of product. However, the surfaces used to create venting system are usually complex, and traditional manual design of venting system is time consuming and difficult to guarantee the design quality on complex surface. To improve the design efficiency and quality of venting system, this paper introduces an automatic approach for designing venting system on complex surfaces of mold. It mainly consists of three steps: (i) original centerline generation, (ii) vent centerline optimization, and (iii) vent channel generation. In step (i), methods of offsetting curves and creating vertical lines on complex surfaces are proposed to generate original vent centerlines. In step (ii), algorithms of connecting curves and curve fairing on complex surfaces are presented to optimize vent centerlines. In step (iii), a hybrid way of extruding and thickening is developed to generate vent features. Based on these three steps, a smooth and continuous venting system can be created on complex surfaces in an automated manner. Finally, a case study with complex surfaces is provided to validate that the design efficiency and quality of venting system can be dramatically improved by using this approach.
Yingming Zhang; Binkui Hou; Qian Wang; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou. Automatic generation of venting system on complex surfaces of injection mold. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 2018, 98, 1379 -1389.
AMA StyleYingming Zhang, Binkui Hou, Qian Wang, Zhigao Huang, Huamin Zhou. Automatic generation of venting system on complex surfaces of injection mold. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. 2018; 98 (5-8):1379-1389.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYingming Zhang; Binkui Hou; Qian Wang; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou. 2018. "Automatic generation of venting system on complex surfaces of injection mold." The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 98, no. 5-8: 1379-1389.
The generation of cooling system plays an important role in injection molding design. A conformal cooling system can effectively improve molding efficiency and product quality. This paper provides a generic approach for building conformal cooling channels. The centrelines of these channels are generated in two steps. First, we extract conformal loops based on geometric information of product. Second, centrelines in spiral shape are built by blending these loops. We devise algorithms to implement the entire design process. A case study verifies the feasibility of this approach.
Yingming Zhang; Binkui Hou; Qian Wang; Yang Li; Zhigao Huang. Automatic design of conformal cooling channels in injection molding tooling. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 2018, 307, 012025 .
AMA StyleYingming Zhang, Binkui Hou, Qian Wang, Yang Li, Zhigao Huang. Automatic design of conformal cooling channels in injection molding tooling. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 2018; 307 (1):012025.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYingming Zhang; Binkui Hou; Qian Wang; Yang Li; Zhigao Huang. 2018. "Automatic design of conformal cooling channels in injection molding tooling." IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 307, no. 1: 012025.
Automatic parting curve generation plays an important role in the realization of automatic injection mold design. We propose a hybrid visibility-based and graph-based approach to generate the parting curves of a solid part automatically. The approach consists of three steps: (i) construct a graph representation of the solid part, (ii) recognize mold piece region, and (iii) generate parting curve. In step (i), the surface visibility and edge convexity-concavity are attached to the graph. Visibility determination algorithms for various surface types and edge convexity-concavity calculation methods are also discussed. In step (ii), part surfaces are classified into concave-edge regions, inner-loop regions, and isolated surfaces. Concave-edge regions are decomposed into sub concave-edge regions based on graph-based algorithms that have linear time complexity. Concave-edge regions, inner-loop regions, and isolated surfaces are assessed to extract the cavity region, core region, and undercut regions. In step (iii), the boundary edges of each region are extracted to form parting curves. The approach has linear time complexity and is effective for complex solid products with planar surfaces, quadric surfaces, and free-form surfaces. Finally, two case studies are provided to validate the proposed approach.
Binkui Hou; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. A hybrid approach for automatic parting curve generation in injection mold design. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 2018, 95, 3985 -4001.
AMA StyleBinkui Hou, Zhigao Huang, Huamin Zhou, Dequn Li. A hybrid approach for automatic parting curve generation in injection mold design. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology. 2018; 95 (9-12):3985-4001.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBinkui Hou; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. 2018. "A hybrid approach for automatic parting curve generation in injection mold design." The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 95, no. 9-12: 3985-4001.
The present study investigates the deformation behavior of Poly-Ether-Ether-Ketone (PEEK) at elevated temperatures and low strain rates through a combination of experiments and simulations. Uniaxial tension tests at elevated temperatures (293–543 K) and strain rates (8.3 × 10−3 to 3.3 × 10−1 s−1) were performed, and the temperature- and rate-dependencies of the deformation behavior and mechanism of PEEK were discussed in detail. The Erichsen test was performed at temperatures varying from 473 to 533 K and a fixed speed of 1 mm/s. Based on an investigation of numerous constitutive models, a phenomenological model called DSGZ was employed in ABAQUS/Explicit to characterize the deformation behavior of PEEK at elevated temperatures, and the deviation between experimental and simulation data was less than 10% at large deformations. Moreover, the simulation results accurately predicted the necking and cold drawing phenomena in the tension test as well as the deformation in the Erichsen test.
Bing Zheng; Haitao Wang; Zhigao Huang; Yi Zhang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. Experimental investigation and constitutive modeling of the deformation behavior of Poly-Ether-Ether-Ketone at elevated temperatures. Polymer Testing 2017, 63, 349 -359.
AMA StyleBing Zheng, Haitao Wang, Zhigao Huang, Yi Zhang, Huamin Zhou, Dequn Li. Experimental investigation and constitutive modeling of the deformation behavior of Poly-Ether-Ether-Ketone at elevated temperatures. Polymer Testing. 2017; 63 ():349-359.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBing Zheng; Haitao Wang; Zhigao Huang; Yi Zhang; Huamin Zhou; Dequn Li. 2017. "Experimental investigation and constitutive modeling of the deformation behavior of Poly-Ether-Ether-Ketone at elevated temperatures." Polymer Testing 63, no. : 349-359.
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a finite volume approach for the simulation of three-dimensional two-phase (polymer melt and air) flow in plastic injection molding which is capable of robustly handling the mesh non-orthogonality and the discontinuities in fluid properties.Design/methodology/approachThe presented numerical method is based on a cell-centered unstructured finite volume discretization with a volume-of-fluid technique for interface capturing. The over-relaxed approach is adopted to handle the non-orthogonality involved in the diffusive flux and the pressure correction equation to enhance the robustness of the solutions on non-orthogonal meshes. A novel interpolation method for the face pressure is derived in order to address the numerical stability issues resulting from the density and viscosity discontinuities at the melt-air interface. Various test cases are conducted to evaluate the proposed method.FindingsThe presented method was demonstrated to be satisfactorily accurate by comparing simulations to analytical and experimental results. Besides, the effectiveness of the proposed face pressure interpolation method was verified by the numerical examples of a two-phase flow problem with various density and viscosity ratios. The proposed method was also successfully applied to the simulation of a practical filling case.Originality/valueThe proposed finite volume approach is more tolerant of non-orthogonal meshes and the discontinuities in fluid properties for two-phase flow simulation, therefore it is valuable for engineers in engineering computations.
Junjie Liang; Wan Luo; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Yun Zhang; Yi Zhang; Yang Fu. A robust finite volume method for three-dimensional filling simulation of plastic injection molding. Engineering Computations 2017, 34, 814 -831.
AMA StyleJunjie Liang, Wan Luo, Zhigao Huang, Huamin Zhou, Yun Zhang, Yi Zhang, Yang Fu. A robust finite volume method for three-dimensional filling simulation of plastic injection molding. Engineering Computations. 2017; 34 (3):814-831.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJunjie Liang; Wan Luo; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Yun Zhang; Yi Zhang; Yang Fu. 2017. "A robust finite volume method for three-dimensional filling simulation of plastic injection molding." Engineering Computations 34, no. 3: 814-831.
Purpose Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has made great success in computational fluid dynamics, and this paper aims to establish an efficient simulation model for the polymer injection molding process using the LBM. The study aims to validate the capacity of the model for accurately predicting the injection molding process, to demonstrate the superior numerical efficiency in comparison with the current model based on the finite volume method (FVM). Design/methodology/approach The study adopts the stable multi-relaxation-time scheme of LBM to model the non-Newtonian polymer flow during the filling process. The volume of fluid method is naturally integrated to track the movement of the melt front. Additionally, a novel fractional-step thermal LBM is used to solve the convection-diffusion equation of the temperature field evolution, which is of high Peclet number. Through various simulation cases, the accuracy and stability of the present model are validated, and the higher numerical efficiency verified in comparison with the current FVM-based model. Findings The paper provides an efficient alternative to the current models in the simulation of polymer injection molding. Through the test cases, the model presented in this paper accurately predicts the filling process and successfully reproduces several characteristic phenomena of injection molding. Moreover, compared with the popular FVM-based models, the present model shows superior numerical efficiency, more fit for the future trend of parallel computing. Research limitations/implications Limited by the authors’ hardware resources, the programs of the present model and the FVM-based model are run on parallel up to 12 threads, which is adequate for most simulations of polymer injection molding. Through the tests, the present model has demonstrated the better numerical efficiency, and it is recommended for the researcher to investigate the parallel performance on even larger-scale parallel computing, with more threads. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, it is for the first time that the lattice Boltzmann method is applied in the simulation of injection molding, and the proposed model does obviously better in numerical efficiency than the current popular FVM-based models.
Lin Deng; Junjie Liang; Yun Zhang; Huamin Zhou; Zhigao Huang. Efficient numerical simulation of injection mold filling with the lattice Boltzmann method. Engineering Computations 2017, 34, 307 -329.
AMA StyleLin Deng, Junjie Liang, Yun Zhang, Huamin Zhou, Zhigao Huang. Efficient numerical simulation of injection mold filling with the lattice Boltzmann method. Engineering Computations. 2017; 34 (2):307-329.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLin Deng; Junjie Liang; Yun Zhang; Huamin Zhou; Zhigao Huang. 2017. "Efficient numerical simulation of injection mold filling with the lattice Boltzmann method." Engineering Computations 34, no. 2: 307-329.
It is widely believed that β-nucleating agent is beneficial for effectively toughening isotactic polypropylene (iPP). However, for the injection molding process, the shearing and thermo-mechanical conditions make the nucleation and crystallization process complicated. In this paper, the effects of injection rate on crystallization of β-nucleated iPP were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM), two-dimensional wide-angle X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It is observed that with increasing injection rate, the content of β-crystals exhibits different tendencies in the skin, intermediate layers, and core zone. Specifically, for the intermediate layer, the β-crystals content first increases with increasing injection rate to 85 cm·s−1, and begins to decrease afterward. By simulating the injection process, the most likely explanation for the β-crystal change is the comparatively high shear rate and low shearing time that the melt experienced. Variations in β-form content are mainly responsible for the mechanical properties of β-nucleated iPP. The results of this study provide a valuable way to control the iPP toughness in the injection molding process. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:172–182, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
Xiping Gao; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Yi Zhang; Junjie Liang. Influence of injection rate on crystallization of injection-molded β-nucleated isotactic polypropylene. Polymer Engineering & Science 2016, 57, 172 -182.
AMA StyleXiping Gao, Zhigao Huang, Huamin Zhou, Yi Zhang, Junjie Liang. Influence of injection rate on crystallization of injection-molded β-nucleated isotactic polypropylene. Polymer Engineering & Science. 2016; 57 (2):172-182.
Chicago/Turabian StyleXiping Gao; Zhigao Huang; Huamin Zhou; Yi Zhang; Junjie Liang. 2016. "Influence of injection rate on crystallization of injection-molded β-nucleated isotactic polypropylene." Polymer Engineering & Science 57, no. 2: 172-182.
The mechanical behavior of polycarbonate was experimentally investigated over a wide range of strain rates (\(10^{-4}\mbox{ to }5\times 10^{3}~\mbox{s}^{-1}\)) and temperatures (293 to 353 K). Compression tests under these conditions were performed using a SHIMADZU universal testing machine and a split Hopkinson pressure bar. Falling weight impact testing was carried out on an Instron Dynatup 9200 drop tower system. The rate- and temperature-dependent deformation behavior of polycarbonate was discussed in detail. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) tests were utilized to observe the glass (\(\alpha \)) transition and the secondary (\(\beta \)) transition of polycarbonate. The DMA results indicate that the \(\alpha \) and \(\beta \) transitions have a dramatic influence on the mechanical behavior of polycarbonate. The decompose/shift/reconstruct (DSR) method was utilized to decompose the storage modulus into the \(\alpha \) and \(\beta \) components and extrapolate the entire modulus, the \(\alpha\)-component modulus and the \(\beta\)-component modulus. Based on three previous models, namely, Mulliken–Boyce, G’Sell–Jonas and DSGZ, an adiabatic model is proposed to predict the mechanical behavior of polycarbonate. The model considers the contributions of both the \(\alpha \) and \(\beta \) transitions to the mechanical behavior, and it has been implemented in ABAQUS/Explicit through a user material subroutine VUMAT. The model predictions are proven to essentially coincide with the experimental results during compression testing and falling weight impact testing.
Haitao Wang; Huamin Zhou; Zhigao Huang; Yun Zhang; Xiaoxuan Zhao. Constitutive modeling of polycarbonate over a wide range of strain rates and temperatures. Mechanics of Time-Dependent Materials 2016, 21, 97 -117.
AMA StyleHaitao Wang, Huamin Zhou, Zhigao Huang, Yun Zhang, Xiaoxuan Zhao. Constitutive modeling of polycarbonate over a wide range of strain rates and temperatures. Mechanics of Time-Dependent Materials. 2016; 21 (1):97-117.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHaitao Wang; Huamin Zhou; Zhigao Huang; Yun Zhang; Xiaoxuan Zhao. 2016. "Constitutive modeling of polycarbonate over a wide range of strain rates and temperatures." Mechanics of Time-Dependent Materials 21, no. 1: 97-117.
The purpose of this work is to characterize the mechanical behavior of blends of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) during monotonic and cyclic loading. Compression experiments were performed using a SHIMADZU universal testing machine (10−4 to 10−2 s−1) and a split Hopkinson pressure bar (1600–5000 s−1), with, the test temperatures ranging from 293 to 353 K. The influence of the rate and temperature on the deformation of PC/ABS is discussed in detail. Based on the investigation of numerous constitutive models, a phenomenological model called DSGZ was chosen to describe the compression behavior of PC/ABS. This model could not accurately reproduce the deformation of polymers at high strain rates when utilizing the same material coefficients for the low and high strain–rate deformations. In addition, this model was unable to capture the deformation features during unloading and subsequent reloading when adopting the original stress–strain updating algorithm. Hence, some improvements to the model have been implemented to better predict the deformation. Finally, the model predictions are shown to be consistent with the experimental results.
Haitao Wang; Huamin Zhou; Zhigao Huang; Yi Zhang; Haiyu Qiao; Zhipeng Yu. Experimental investigation and modeling of the mechanical behavior of PC/ABS during monotonic and cyclic loading. Polymer Testing 2016, 50, 216 -223.
AMA StyleHaitao Wang, Huamin Zhou, Zhigao Huang, Yi Zhang, Haiyu Qiao, Zhipeng Yu. Experimental investigation and modeling of the mechanical behavior of PC/ABS during monotonic and cyclic loading. Polymer Testing. 2016; 50 ():216-223.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHaitao Wang; Huamin Zhou; Zhigao Huang; Yi Zhang; Haiyu Qiao; Zhipeng Yu. 2016. "Experimental investigation and modeling of the mechanical behavior of PC/ABS during monotonic and cyclic loading." Polymer Testing 50, no. : 216-223.
Numerical prediction of morphology in polymer blends during injection molding is of vital importance for mastering the material microstructure and optimizing the property of molded parts, in which modeling the morphological evolution in processing is the premise. The principle and crucial factors of the deformation of dispersed phases have been investigated in this paper, followed by introducing six deformation models (MM, JT, YB, affine model, shear model, and Cox models) systematically. Simulation results of these models under five typical flows (steady deformation in simple shear flow, transient deformation in simple shear flow, relaxation after step shearing, shearing reversion, and droplet broadening) are compared and evaluated. It shows that the MM model can be chosen for modeling the steady deformation or small deformation process in the injection molding, and the affine model is highly feasible for the transient large deformation in the high shearing process of injection molding. Finally, the selected models are used in the injection molding simulation for verification.
Yi Zhang; Fen Liu; Zhigao Huang; Xiaolin Xie; Bin Shan; Huamin Zhou. Dispersed Phase Deformation Modeling of Immiscible Polymer Blends in Injection Molding. Advances in Polymer Technology 2015, 34, 1 .
AMA StyleYi Zhang, Fen Liu, Zhigao Huang, Xiaolin Xie, Bin Shan, Huamin Zhou. Dispersed Phase Deformation Modeling of Immiscible Polymer Blends in Injection Molding. Advances in Polymer Technology. 2015; 34 (4):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYi Zhang; Fen Liu; Zhigao Huang; Xiaolin Xie; Bin Shan; Huamin Zhou. 2015. "Dispersed Phase Deformation Modeling of Immiscible Polymer Blends in Injection Molding." Advances in Polymer Technology 34, no. 4: 1.