Simulation predicts shrinkage and warpage in resins

A common problem in molding high-precision plastics involves getting the molds sized so that parts come out in the correct size and shape. C-MOLD, a producer of CAE tools, thinks it has solved the problem, particularly for such unwieldy semi-crystalline materials as nylons or PETs, based on new simulation software it has developed. The "scientific procedure" for capturing the effect of crystallinity on material properties is based on research done by C-MOLD, the Cornell Injection Molding Program (CIMP), and experimental validation performed by the Polymers Department of the GM Research and Development Center. With the simulation, "we can now capture the cooling rate dependence of (shrinkage and warpage) properties by incorporating crystallization kinetics," says Manju Mahishi, project leader. No other simulation software uses fundamental material properties that yield this level of accuracy." E-mail [email protected].