Influence of thermo-mechanical loads on the lifetime of plastic inserts for injection moulds produced via additive manufacturing

Abstract This paper investigates the dependence of functional life additively manufactured plastic insert moulds on occurring shear stresses and temperatures during injection moulding process. As a first step, dedicated is designed that allows for experimentally simulating different rates thermal loads injected polymer in single shot, allowing to assess their effect lifetime insert. Then, numerical optimisation pipeline allow parameters, which obtained by combining Noesis Optimus with Autodesk Moldflow. To enhance accuracy results, several important mould characteristics are verified using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermo-mechanical analysis (TMA). An experimental campaign aims at validating optimised parameters assesses damage material. Finally, flow orientation stemming from results validated images generated electron microscope (SEM) based fibre reinforced material, an additive machined tool steel mould.