Rheology for processing

The core competence of the Materials Technology group (MATE) is formed by the triangle of numericalmethods, constitutive equations and experimental methods. The ultimate goal of the group is to bridgethe gap between science and technology in the area of materials processing and design, via the useof computational tools in the modelling of the full thermo-mechanical history of material (elements)during their formation, processing and nal design, in order to be able to quantitatively predict productproperties.This approach will be demonstrated with some illustrative examples of research projects. The rstexample is the (extended) POMPOM model for describing viscoelastic ows of polymer melts. Thisnew model shows excellent predictive capability and is considered to be a break through in the area ofviscoelastic modelling. The results of viscoelstic modelling are an important part of other issues like owinstabilities (example 2) and ow induced crystalization of semi-crystaline polymers (example 3). Thelast two examples are applied to injection moulding. Finally, the modeliing of mixing is dealed elds. A new tool, the so-calledmapping method, is demonstrated, This method allows, for the rst time, optimization of highly viscousmixing processes with a constant rheology