Enhancing Thermal Simulations for Prototype Molds

Abstract

Our goal was the thermal analysis of epoxy acrylate-based prototype molds with numerical simulations, and to compare and analyze the measured values and calculated results. The difference between the thermal calculations and the measured values is significant; the actual temperature of the mold is higher than the calculated values. Based on the numerical simulations, we found that in the case of epoxy acrylate-based mold inserts, temperature results can be made significantly more accurate by changing the heat transfer coefficient between the surface of the mold insert and the melt. We proved that in the case of small-series epoxy acrylate-based molds, the temperature dependence of the thermal properties of the mold material, and the temperature and pressure dependence of the heat transfer coefficient need to be taken into account for accurate temperature results. We proved that the heat transfer coefficient between the mold surface and the melt is considerably lower than in the case of metal molds, due to lower cavity pressure and a lower temperature difference between the mold surface and the melt.