ISE assists Honda in developing a computer-aided engineering-based method for establishing process windows for injection-molded parts

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The Ohio State ISE Department is teaming up with Honda Development & Manufacturing of America (HDMA) to test the use of computer-aided engineering (CAE) in developing process windows for the production parameters to meet the quality criteria for the relevant performance measures for injection-molded automotive parts. 

Honda photo
L to R: Matt Mulyana, two of the students participating in the project, Mason Myers and Travis O’Leary, and Jose Castro

Professor Jose M. Castro and ISE Research Engineer Dr. Matt Mulyana are heading up the project along with Honda Research Engineer Ben Hoffman. 

“The Ohio State University has demonstrated strong capability in previous projects toward the advancement of injection molding processes both experimentally and through simulation,” Hoffman says. “Combining those capabilities with our long-term relationship with OSU, made them an ideal candidate for this project.” 

The two-year research project will focus on developing and experimentally testing the CAE method to construct process windows for injection molding of automotive components. 

“Process windows are the values of the parameters that result in acceptable values for the performance measures, that are quality indicators relevant to part production,” Castro says. “For example, in the injection molding process, what is the range of relevant production parameters such as mold temperature, melt temperature, packing pressure, etc., that translate into parts with ‘acceptable’ performance measures such as, for example, surface quality, shrinkage mechanical properties or others. 

“By experimentally verifying the CAE-based method, that will only require us to measure the plastic material to be used in the molding operation and will allow us to set the best process conditions before the operations starts and/or select adequate changes in case there are issues on the manufacturing floor.” 

The ISE Department has a long history of working with Honda, including the evaluation of in-mold coating as an alternative to painting for injection molding parts, mold thermal analysis for injection molding, evaluation of co-injection molding both numerically and experimentally, evaluation of grounding methods on the paint transfer efficiency for plastic painting, and the evaluation of recycling of defective molded bumpers both painted and unpainted. Both graduate and undergraduate students will participate in the current project as they have in the past.  

“These types of research projects that are closely related to industrial needs increase the reputation of our Department,” Castro says. “The students involved in the project will be trained in an industrially relevant project.” 

 

Story by Nancy Richison

Category: Faculty