Design Example: Optimizing gates and ram

speed profile
Purpose of this example

This example illustrates various aspects of the power of CAE software for
the plastics industry, and how such software can be strategically applied. It
shows how to put into practice many of the concepts that are discussed in
detail in the Design and Processing > Physics topics. These topics include
injection pressure, filling pattern, melt-front area and melt-front velocity,
runner design and balancing, and gate design.

Description of this example

The example steps through the design considerations for a molded plastic part in a
concurrent engineering environment. It illustrates the role of computer simulation at each
iterative step in the process. The software package used for this example is C-MOLD
Process Solution. Phase I uses C-MOLD Filling EZ to analyze the initial design and
determine the gate location and ram speed profile; Phase II uses C-MOLD Filling and
Post-Filling for a more detailed analysis of the material selection, part and tool design,
and process conditions.

Phase I: Fast and easy simulation with C-MOLD

Filling EZ
In this first phase of the design process, we run an initial simulation using C-MOLD
Filling EZ, which performs a three-dimensional mold-filling simulation of Newtonian
fluids under isothermal conditions. Filling EZ is designed for preliminary analysis of part,
gate, and process designs. We then go through several design iterations, each time
modifying the design variables (such as loaction and number of gates), rerunning the
analysis, and observing the results. At the end of Phase I, we will have determined the
best location for the gate and an optimal ran-speed profile.

Given
An initial product design.

Objective
To determine the proper gate location and optimal ram-speed profile.

Design criteria
• Produce a uniform filling pattern with a minimum flow length and a minimum
injection pressure requirement.
• Maintain a constant melt-front velocity to minimize property variation.
• Design for manufacturing and assembly, concurrent engineering, and early vendor
involvement.

Design 1
Design 1 set-up Action taken
Gate: Fan gate at one side We ran the Filling EZ analysis with the
Ram-speed profile: Constant variables specified in the Design 1 set-up.
Result 1.1
The melt-front advancement plot
at the right shows that the
maximum flow length is about
the same as the part length.

Problem to overcome
A longer flow length generally
requires a high injection pressure
to fill the part. Long flow length requires high pressure
Result 1.2
With a constant ram speed (i.e.,
constant volumetric flow rate),
the melt-front velocity varies
with time, depending on the
melt-front area.

Problem to overcome
A variable MFV introduces
differential molecular or fiber
orientation on the part surface
region, potentially resulting in Material at melt front
differential shrinkage and flows at different velocities
warpage.
 Design 2
Design 2 set-up Action taken
Gate: Center gate We moved the gate to be near the
Ram-speed profile: Constant geometric center of the part, and re-ran
the analysis.
Result 2.1
The maximum flow length is
reduced, compared with Design
1. This gate location change
reduces the maximum flow
length and thus the injection
pressure.

Flow length reduces with center gate

Problem to overcome
The initial radial filling pattern
with a variable MFV remains
undesirable.

Constant ram-speed profile

Variable melt-front velocity

 Design 3
Design 3 set-up Action taken
Gate: Center gate We used the optimal ram-speed profile
Ram-speed profile: recommended by Filling EZ results for Design 2
Variable and re-ran the analysis.
Result 3.1
The variable MFV is
eliminated by
employing an optimal
ram-speed profile.

Variable ram-speed profile

Uniform melt-front advancement

Phase II: Optimize the design with C-MOLD Filling

& Post Filling
The preliminary phase of the design process has produced some improvements on
the initial design. The next phase employs C-MOLD Filling and Post-Filling analysis
for a more detailed study. This is a three-dimensional mold-filling simulation that
takes into account the heat transfer and non-Newtonian flow behavior of
thermoplastics. It provides a more rigorous and detailed analysis, including
examination of material selection, part and tool design, and process conditions. By
the end of Phase II, we have fine-tuned the gate location and runner system, and have
optimized the process conditions (such as fill time, and melt and coolant
temperatures).

Given
A product design with a preliminary gate position (from Design 2) and an
optimal ram-speed profile (from Design 3).
Objectives
To optimize the gate location, runner system, and process conditions for cavity
filling.

Design criteria

• Produce a uniform filling pattern to reduce the injection pressure

requirement and clamp force requirement, to save energy and machine
cost.
• Maintain a constant melt-front velocity to minimize property variation.
• Minimize spatial melt temperature variation to eliminate localized
hot/cold spots and the resulting surface defects.
• Keep the maximum shear stress and shear rate levels within the
recommended value given by the resin supplier.

Design 4
Design 4 set-up Action taken
Gate location: Center We ran a series Filling & Post-Filling analyses
Ram-speed profile: with different feasible fill times (i.e., a fill-time
Variable scan).
Result 4.1
The melt-front
advancements show a
constant space between
the contours, an
indication of constant
MFV.

Constant melt-front velocity

Result 4.2
The fill-time scan we ran
established a U-shaped
process curve. When
plotting the required
injection pressure vs.
various fill times, we can
find the optimal fill-time
range that requires the
least injection pressure.
 Optimal fill time
What if?
If the required injection
pressure exceeds the
maximum machine
capability (80 MPa in
this case), the process
conditions or design
must be modified.

Injection pressure too high

Solution
Always start with
simple and less
expensive remedies that
use existing tools, and
evaluate the pros and
cons of each option.
Analyze alternative
cases with different melt
and mold-wall
temperatures, gate and
runner designs, or part
thickness.
Iterate all competing Try alternative process conditions
designs and select the
optimal one.

Design 5
Design 5 set-up Action taken
Gate location: Multiple We ran a Filling EZ analysis to determine
Ram-speed profile: Variable the proper locations for multiple gates and
an optimal ram-speed profile.
Solution
Since it is in the early design
phase, we decided to modify
the tool design instead of
changing the melt/mold
temperatures, which may
adversely increase the cycle
time. In the design at the right,
we employed additional gates
to reduce the flow length. This
reduced the injection pressure
requirement.

Result 5.1
Filling EZ predicted the new Selected gate locations
filling pattern with gates at
three possible locations.

Melt-front advancement with the modified gate

design

Design 6
Design 6 set-up Action taken
Gates: Three gates We added a hot-runner system and ran a
Runners: Hot-runner system Filling & Post-Filling analysis.
Ram-speed profile: Variable
Result 6.1
With multiple gates, the flow
length was significantly
reduced, resulting in a lower
injection pressure requirement.

Result 6.2
Adding a hot-runner system
reduced the scrap from runners
with minimum pressure drop Lower pressure with shorter flow length
within the runners.
Problem to overcome
One major drawback of the
multi-gate system is the
formation of weld and meld
lines. C-MOLD Filling analysis
can predict their location.

Suggestion
If the location of weld lines is
unacceptable, you can change
the gate location or program the
opening and closing of valve
gates to alter the weld-line
locations. Multiple gates lead to weld lines

DESIGN 7
Design 7 set-up Action taken
Gates: Three valve gates We added valve gates for sequential
Runners: Hot-runner system opening and closing control.
Ram-speed profile: Variable
Result 7.1
Using sequential valve-gate
openings eliminated the weld line
while keeping the merits of
multiple gates.

Initially, only center valve gate is opened

Result 7.2
The gates downstream remain
closed until the melt front arrives,
when they will open to continue
the filling process.

The center gate can either be

closed or remain open after the
other downstream gates open.
Downstream gate opens after melt arrives
Result 7.3
The bulk temperature distribution
shown by C-MOLD gives the
spatial temperature variation
across the part at various time
instants during filling and post-
filling stages.
 Bulk-temperature distribution
Result 7.4
Melt fracture or dimensional
instability will occur when the
maximum shear stress exceeds a
certain level. The wall-shear stress
distribution shown by C-MOLD
can be used to pinpoint the
potential problem.
Wall-shear stress distribution