Integrating Moldflow and Abaqus in the Package Simulation Workflow

Tetra Pak has used numerical simulation tools for plastic injection molding (Moldflow) and structural analysis (Abaqus/Implicit and Abaqus/Explicit) for many years. Today these two simulation tools are used independently of each other without any coupling. How these two disciplines can be combined to better predict the mechanical response of a polymer component is presented in this work. The manufacturing process, in this case injection molding, creates the mechanical properties of the produced polymer part. Process settings, material selection and molding tool geometry affect the polymer flow, material orientation and rate of crystallinity. A method to build a layered finite element model in Abaqus using results from Moldflow simulations regarding crystallinity growth and molecular orientation is proposed. Relatively simple material models were utilized and assigned for each individual material layer through the thickness in the polymer part. These constitutive models were derived phenomenologically from experimental test results and could adequately capture both the microscopic and the macroscopic behavior in a more realistic way. The numerical results showed a good agreement with the experimental results, both regarding visual appearance and force/displacement response.http://www.3ds.com/fileadmin/PRODUCTS/SIMULIA/PDF/scc/scc-2013-abstracts.pd