ZHOU Hang chao, JIANG Shao fei, LI Ji quan, XU Fu yu

(Key Laboratory of Special Purpose Equipment and Advanced Manufacturing Technology,

Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China)

 

 

Abstract: Aiming at the complex thermal response analysis of rapid heat cycle molding (RHCM) mold, the thermal response of electrical rapid heat cycle molding (ERHCM) mold was studied. Based on the method of conformal heating system design, a complex ERHCM mold was simplified as a single heating cell unit for thermal response analysis. Then, combined with matlab graphical interface module and ANSYS software, a thermal response aided analysis program of ERHCM mold based on heating cell units was developed, in which the specifications and layout of electrical heating element were the design variables, the required heating time and cavity surface temperature difference were the thermal response index. Moreover, the accuracy of the program was evaluated. The results indicate that this thermal response aided analysis program can well predict the heating efficiency and cavity surface temperature uniformity and provides a fast and efficient way in the integration of ERHCM mold design and analysis.

Key words: electrical rapid heat cycle molding (ERHCM); structural design; parametric modeling; finite element analysis(FEM)