Automated Design of Honeycomb Conformal Cooling Channels for Improving Injection Molding Quality

Abstract

The study of conformal cooling channel usually has adopted two assumptions in model design: the use of (1) a hot runner system and (2) a one-mold-one-cavity design. These assumptions substantially simplify the research. However, most molds are designed using a cold runner system and multiple cavities. These two assumptions may not apply to all commercial systems; hence, a design method for honeycomb CCCs for cold runner systems and multiple cavities is proposed in this study. Specifically, an algorithm was developed to automatically design CCCs for such systems. This algorithm can be used to reduce the cooling time, improve product quality, and ensure that the system temperature is relatively homogenous in practical situations. According to the result of this study, the honeycomb CCC models were more effective at maintaining a homogeneous temperature distribution, reducing shrinkage, and reducing warpage for both parts produced from the same two-cavity mold, thus ensuring consistent part quality.