Analysis of shrinkage on the thick plate part using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Abstract

This study is about research on the analysis of the quality (shrinkage) on the thick plate part using response surface methodology (RSM). The objective of this study is to improve the quality of thick plate part by reducing the shrinkage on the part. Previous study of injection moulding were reviewed to find the significant factor. From the review, it have found that the most influence factor that effect the moulded part is mould temperature and melt temperature. Before the real process of injection moulding is start, the simulation were done. Moldflow Analysis Insight (AMI) 2013 was used to run the simulation. The objective of this simulation is to know the suitable parameter setting of injection moulding. By using thick plate part mould design in 3D, three analysis which is fill, fill + pack and cool (FEM) analysis were conducted. From the simulation, four variable parameter were obtained, including of mould temperature, melt temperature, packing pressure and packing time. With using RSM method, both result of analysis, simulation analysis and experiment analysis were optimised. From the optimisation, it showed that packing pressure is the most significant factor that affecting the shrinkage of the moulded part. Result after optimisation for simulation analysis shown that the shrinkage has reduce 42.48% for parallel direction and 14.41% for normal direction. While for experiment, shrinkage was achievable minimise for 6.45% and 19.44% respectively for parallel and normal direction. From this study, parameter that suitable to reduce the shrinkage were obtained.