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Numerical simulation of three‐dimensional fiber orientation in injection molding including fountain flow effect
Author(s) -
Han KyeongHee,
Im YongTaek
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.10427
Subject(s) - materials science , flow (mathematics) , fiber , orientation (vector space) , mechanics , molding (decorative) , computer simulation , finite element method , backflow , composite material , geometry , mechanical engineering , mathematics , physics , thermodynamics , engineering , inlet
It is essential to predict the nature of flow field inside mold and flow‐induced variation of fiber orientation for effective design of short fiber reinforced plastic parts. In this investigation, numerical simulations of flow field and three‐dimensional fiber orientation were carried out in special consideration of fountain flow effect. Fiber orientation distribution was described using the second‐order orientation tensor. Fiber interaction was modeled using the interaction coefficient C I . Three closure approximations, hybrid, modified hybrid, and closure equation for C I =0, were selected for determination of the fiber orientation. The fiber orientation routine was incorporated into a previously developed program of injection mold filling (CAMP mold ), which was based on the fixed‐grid finite element/finite difference method assuming the Hele‐Shaw flow. For consideration of the fountain flow effect, simplified deformation behavior of fountain flow was employed to obtain the initial condition for fiber orientation in the flow front region. Comparisons with experimental results available in the literature were made for film‐gated strip and centergated disk cavities. It was found that the orientation components near the wall were were accurately predicted by considering the fountain flow effect. Test simulations were also carried out for the filling analysis of a practical part, and it was shown that the currently developed numerical algorithm can be effectively used for the prediction of fiber orientation distribution in complex parts.