Automated Molding Design Methodology to Optimize Multiple defects in Injection Molded Parts

Plastic molding designers are frequently faced with optimizing multiple defects in injection molded parts. these defects are usually in conflict with each other, and thus a tradeoff needs to be made reach a final compromised solution. In this study, an automated injection molding design methodology has been developed to optimize multiple defects of injection molded parts. Two features of the proposed methodology are as follows: one is to apply the utility theory to transform the original multiple objective optimization problem into single objective optimization problem with utility as objective function, the other is an implementation of a direct search-based injection molding optimization procedure with automated consideration of process variation. The modified complex method is used as a general optimization tool in this research. The developed methodology was applied to an actual molding design and the results showed that the methodology was useful through the CAE simulation using a commercial injection molding software package. Applied to production, this study will be of immense value to industry in reducing the product development time and enhancing the product quality.