 Mold Flow analysis provides the ability to

accurately simulate the filling, pack & cooling

phase of the injection molding process.
 The ability to simulate any number of part
designs, runner sizes, gate locations, process,
etc. creates a “what if” design environment
before initiating the mold building process.
 The result eliminates typical trial – and – error
methods.
Definition:
 Flow analysis provides the ability
to accurately simulate the filling phase of the
injection molding process. The ability to
simulate any number of part designs, runner
sizes, gate locations, process, etc. creates a
“what if” design environment before initiating
the mold building process. The result
eliminates typical trial – and – error methods.
 Gate Location
 Runner Balancing
 Molding Window
 Fill time
 Fill + Pack time
 Fill + Pack + Cool
 Fill + Pack + Cool + Warp
 Stress
 Gate Location Analysis

It provides the suitable gate location

based on uniformity in filling (all part
extremities to be filled at same time).
 Runner Balancing Analysis

It gives suitable runner size based

on the part distance from the sprue
to each impression (so that each
impression at different distance
from sprue will fill at same time.)
 Molding Window Analysis

• It provides the suitable range processing

parameter for the moulding based on input
data.
• The processing parameter includes injection
time, Mold temperature, Melt temperature.
• The designer can vary the three parameter
and select the suitable / optimum value to get
a best quality in the product.
 Fill Time Analysis provides
 Injection time
 Injection pressure
 Melt temperature
 Mold surface temperature
 Clamp force required
 Fill rate
 Temperature of the melt at flow fronts
 Air traps
 Weld line
 Volume of fill
 Frozen layer
 Shear Stress
 Cooling Analysis
Cooling phase is occur after fill and packing phase.
So Cooling analysis is to be done along with Fill &
Pack.
It gives the following results in addition to the fill
analysis;

• Coolant inlet & Outlet temperatures

• Temperature of the moulding at cavity & core
surfaces (to findout the evennes in cooling).
• Velocity, Renolds no, of the coolant.
 Warp analysis

It is to be done along with Fill + Pack +

Cool.
It gives warpage occurred in the moulding
due to the variations in the moulding
surface temperature, etc.
Types of Mesh available in Moldflow

• Midplane – For uniform

wall thickness parts.
• Fusion (Dual Domain) – For
variable wall thickness & thick
parts.
• 3D. – For solid components
Meshing Types available

• Automatic
• Manual
 Element Types available

• Beam element – For feed

systems (1D element)
• Triangular – For Mid plane &
Dual domain mesh (2D element)
• Tetrahedron – For solid mesh
(3D element).
Mesh Corrections available in Moldflow

• Mesh Gradation or smoothening (editing the

element size)
• Aspect ratio correction
• Overlapping / intersected mesh correction.
• Free edges / manifold edge error corrections.
• Adjustment of nodes & elements can be done
more user friendly.
• Orientation correction
• Thickness correction, etc.
 Meshing
 Applying material

 Selecting the gate location

 Setting the processing condition

Loading Characteristics
Material Properties
Boundary Conditions
3. Post-processing
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
Some Post-processing Results
 ▪▪Elimination of trial-and-error methods
prior to cutting of steel
 ▪▪Reduced set-up time
 ▪▪Solutions to existing filling problems
 ▪▪Material savings
 ▪▪Improved part quality
 ▪▪Optimized processing conditions
 ▪▪Evaluate different materials
 Use Design Principles and Mold flow technoUnidirectional
and controlled flow pattern
 Flow balancing
 Constant pressure gradient
 Maximum shear stress
 Uniform cooling
 Positioning weld and meld lines
 Avoid hesitation effects
 Avoid underflow
 Balancing with flow leaders and flow deflectors
 Controlled frictional heat
 Thermal shut off for runners
 Acceptable runner/cavity ratio
 logy so you don’t have to do this:
 The unidirectional flow principle indicates the
plastic should flow in one direction with a straight
flow front throughout filling. This gives a uni-
directional orientation pattern
Orientation is different
Directions, flow marks,
high stresses, & warping.

Orientation in one
direction, Uniform,
shrinkage, & stresses.
 The flow balancing principle indicates all flow
paths within a mold should be balanced, i.e. fill
in equal time with equal pressure

 Naturally balanced runner system

 Same distance and conditions between the
nozzle and all cavities
 All cavities filling at the same time pressure
and temperature
 The constant pressure gradient principle
indicates the most efficient filling pattern is
when the pressure gradient is constant. i.e.
pressure per unit length, is constant along the
flow path.
 The shear stress during filling should be less than
the critical level. The value of this critical level
depends on the material and application
 Material: ABS
 Stress Limit: 0.3 Mpa
Stress plotted is above the material limit
 When plastic is in contact with the mold, and
one side is cold and the other is hot, differential
cooling takes place. This causes a bowing to
the hot side, as the hot side takes longer to
cool and shrink

Hot Side Tensile Stress

Cold Side
 A change in flow direction between the time an
area fills and the end of fill
 The blue velocity angle arrows should be
perpendicular to the multi-color fill contour lines
 Not
Good
Good!
 Subtly increase “leader” or decrease “deflector” the
wall thickness to influence the filling pattern to
create a balanced fill within the part
Uniform Thickness Unbalanced Filling

Balanced Thickness
Balanced Filling
 Design runner systems for high pressure
drops, thus minimizing material in the runner, in
order to give a low ratio of runner to cavity
volume
 The volume of the runners should be 20% or
less of the part volume
 Position gates as far away as possible from where
the flow divides into thick and thin flow paths to
avoid hesitation effects
 Position weld and meld lines in the least
sensitive areas, if they cannot be eliminated:

 Weld Lines are formed when two flow fronts meet

head on
 Meld Lines are formed when two flow fronts meet
and flow in the same direction .
THANK YOU