Optimum design of gas-assisted injection molding

Finite element method and Taguchi method are used to simulate the process of gas-assisted injection molding (GAIM) to find out the optimal design condition of manufacturing a polystyrene product. In this study, the experimental design of Taguchi method is used to determine the process condition of the GAIM, while a software, M-Flow, is used in simulating the injection process. Eight parameters are discussed including material and process parameters for gas-assisted injection. By using the Taguchi method and analysis of variance, ANOVA, four parameters are found to have a great influence on the GAIM product. It is found that a slower gas injection speed, higher melt temperature, higher gas pressure, and longer gas packing time would yield lesser warpage.