Open AccessDetermining the Optimum Parting Direction in Plastic Injection Molds Based on Minimizing Rough Machining Time during Mold Manufacturing
Author(s) -
SarmientoMerida L. A.,
GuevaraMorales A.,
FigueroaLópez U.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advances in polymer technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.523
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1098-2329
pISSN - 0730-6679
DOI - 10.1002/adv.21656
Subject(s) - mold , machining , materials science , fender , mechanical engineering , automotive industry , discretization , composite material , metallurgy , engineering , mathematical analysis , mathematics , aerospace engineering
The versatility of plastic materials allows engineering components of very complex geometries and functionalities to be injection molded from them. Because the manufacturing cost of a mold increases with the complexity of the cavity, it is important to optimize the design of component and mold concurrently. In this study, a methodology for determining the optimum parting direction (PD) considering mold‐manufacturing factors such as tool accessibility and the amount of material to be removed is presented. The methodology starts with an accessibility analysis in which a three‐dimensional part is discretized, and candidate PDs are selected based on maximizing the accessible area, that is, the area that can be machined with a single workpiece orientation or setup. Then, the rough machining process is considered, and an optimum PD that minimizes the rough machining time for both the cavity and core plates is selected. The methodology is applied to four different automotive components: a mirror cover, an interior panel, a pillar, and a fender splash shield.