Effects of Different Mold Materials and Coolant Media on the Cooling Performance of Epoxy-Based Injection Molds
Metal additive manufacturing techniques are frequently applied to the manufacturing of injection molds with a conformal cooling channel (CCC) in order to shorten the cooling time in the injection molding process. Reducing the cooling time in the cooling stage is essential to reducing the energy cons...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/2/280 |
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| author | Chil-Chyuan Kuo Jing-Yan Xu Yi-Jun Zhu Chong-Hao Lee |
| author_facet | Chil-Chyuan Kuo Jing-Yan Xu Yi-Jun Zhu Chong-Hao Lee |
| author_sort | Chil-Chyuan Kuo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Metal additive manufacturing techniques are frequently applied to the manufacturing of injection molds with a conformal cooling channel (CCC) in order to shorten the cooling time in the injection molding process. Reducing the cooling time in the cooling stage is essential to reducing the energy consumption in mass production. However, the distinct disadvantages include higher manufacturing costs and longer processing time in the fabrication of injection mold with CCC. Rapid tooling technology (RTT) is a widely utilized technology to shorten mold development time in the mold industry. In principle, the cooling time of injection molded products is affected by both injection mold material and coolant medium. However, little work has been carried out to investigate the effects of different mold materials and coolant media on the cooling performance of epoxy-based injection molds quantitatively. In this study, the effects of four different coolant media on the cooling performance of ten sets of injection molds fabricated with different mixtures were investigated experimentally. It was found that cooling water with ultrafine bubble is the best cooling medium based on the cooling efficiency of the injection molded parts (since the cooling efficiency is increased further by about 12.4% compared to the conventional cooling water). Mold material has a greater influence on the cooling efficiency than the cooling medium, since cooling time range of different mold materials is 99 s while the cooling time range for different cooling media is 92 s. Based on the total production cost of injection mold and cooling efficiency, the epoxy resin filled with 41 vol.% aluminum powder is the optimal formula for making an injection mold since saving in the total production cost about 24% is obtained compared to injection mold made with commercially available materials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:40:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8df3e3551c0a4dd0bfbcbe8cdc4f78a2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:40:27Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-8df3e3551c0a4dd0bfbcbe8cdc4f78a22023-11-23T15:08:58ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602022-01-0114228010.3390/polym14020280Effects of Different Mold Materials and Coolant Media on the Cooling Performance of Epoxy-Based Injection MoldsChil-Chyuan Kuo0Jing-Yan Xu1Yi-Jun Zhu2Chong-Hao Lee3Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 24301, TaiwanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 24301, TaiwanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 24301, TaiwanDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 24301, TaiwanMetal additive manufacturing techniques are frequently applied to the manufacturing of injection molds with a conformal cooling channel (CCC) in order to shorten the cooling time in the injection molding process. Reducing the cooling time in the cooling stage is essential to reducing the energy consumption in mass production. However, the distinct disadvantages include higher manufacturing costs and longer processing time in the fabrication of injection mold with CCC. Rapid tooling technology (RTT) is a widely utilized technology to shorten mold development time in the mold industry. In principle, the cooling time of injection molded products is affected by both injection mold material and coolant medium. However, little work has been carried out to investigate the effects of different mold materials and coolant media on the cooling performance of epoxy-based injection molds quantitatively. In this study, the effects of four different coolant media on the cooling performance of ten sets of injection molds fabricated with different mixtures were investigated experimentally. It was found that cooling water with ultrafine bubble is the best cooling medium based on the cooling efficiency of the injection molded parts (since the cooling efficiency is increased further by about 12.4% compared to the conventional cooling water). Mold material has a greater influence on the cooling efficiency than the cooling medium, since cooling time range of different mold materials is 99 s while the cooling time range for different cooling media is 92 s. Based on the total production cost of injection mold and cooling efficiency, the epoxy resin filled with 41 vol.% aluminum powder is the optimal formula for making an injection mold since saving in the total production cost about 24% is obtained compared to injection mold made with commercially available materials.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/2/280conformal cooling channelrapid tooling technologymold materialcooling medium |
| spellingShingle | Chil-Chyuan Kuo Jing-Yan Xu Yi-Jun Zhu Chong-Hao Lee Effects of Different Mold Materials and Coolant Media on the Cooling Performance of Epoxy-Based Injection Molds Polymers conformal cooling channel rapid tooling technology mold material cooling medium |
| title | Effects of Different Mold Materials and Coolant Media on the Cooling Performance of Epoxy-Based Injection Molds |
| title_full | Effects of Different Mold Materials and Coolant Media on the Cooling Performance of Epoxy-Based Injection Molds |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Different Mold Materials and Coolant Media on the Cooling Performance of Epoxy-Based Injection Molds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Different Mold Materials and Coolant Media on the Cooling Performance of Epoxy-Based Injection Molds |
| title_short | Effects of Different Mold Materials and Coolant Media on the Cooling Performance of Epoxy-Based Injection Molds |
| title_sort | effects of different mold materials and coolant media on the cooling performance of epoxy based injection molds |
| topic | conformal cooling channel rapid tooling technology mold material cooling medium |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/2/280 |
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