SIGMASOFT® reduces costs in LSR injection molding

SIGMA_LSR

The SIGMA Engineering GmbH, Aachen, presents the applications of Virtual Injection Molding with SIGMASOFT® in LSR processing. Through a comprehensive concept that also considers the complete tool and all process information, the production of LSR components can be fully modeled. The simulation is thus used to solve a variety of problems: for troubleshooting issues such as air entrapment, for planning venting systems, designing cold runner systems, and for holistic optimization of the temperature control concept.

The use of LSR components will continue to increase in the future, especially in medical technology. Although many processors have been working with this material for years, tool development and the previously unavoidable troubleshooting in production still often follow the trial-and-error method. With the help of the SIGMASOFT® process simulation from SIGMA Engineering GmbH, Aachen, early optimization of component and tool design is possible, thereby minimizing troubleshooting in production. The result is drastic reductions in development and production times and significant savings in material consumption.

“Many companies processing LSR rely on the experience and practical knowledge of their team to develop solutions. Technical decisions, such as the positioning of injection points or vents, balancing the cold runner, and the placement of temperature control components in the tool, are mostly made intuitively,” explains Dr. Marco Thornagel, authorized signatory of SIGMA. “This often leads to questions arising very late in the development process—after the tool has been built and initial trials have been conducted. Extensive rework of the tool, for example to solve venting problems, or even discarding the entire tool concept, is not uncommon. Today, however, this costly approach is unnecessary, as production can be virtually replicated in detail. This allows early identification of the best tool concept and the most economical process window before the tool manufacturing begins.”

Virtual injection molding with SIGMASOFT® employs a complete 3D approach to integrate the component and tool in the simulation. It was designed to accompany the entire development process of LSR components—from component design to the determination of process parameters. A fill analysis of the component is just as possible as predicting the curing behavior of the component and mold system or the achievable cycle time in production. The unique feature of considering all tool information in the simulation enables assessment of the temperature control concept, insert parts, and the thermal and rheological interactions between LSR and tool materials. Process times are realistically represented, including tool downtime between cycles and delays before injecting the material.
Problems that affect component quality, such as air entrapment or regions with premature curing, weld lines, and uneven filling, are identified early. Once the basic tool concept is established, the next step is to find the optimal placement of the temperature channels and finally to optimize the entire tool regarding cycle time. With the unique “multi-cycle analysis” option of SIGMASOFT®, changes in temperature conditions of the tool and component over multiple cycles can be analyzed to find the optimal process window. This way, it is possible to optimize component, tool, and process early in development before the tool is built. Unnecessary iteration loops are avoided, material and energy consumption are reduced, and product launch times are shortened.