Modelling and prediction of weld line location and properties based on injection moulding simulation

One of the important quality issues for injection moulded parts is weld lines. The injection moulding simulation has been greatly developed over a couple of decades. However, current simulation packages are incompetent of detection and evaluation of weld lines location and properties. In this paper, a detection model of weld lines location is presented, which is based on the characteristics of the initial meeting node. A quantitative evaluation model using the artificial neural network approach is also established in this paper. For identifying the input of the network, the affecting factors of weld line properties are discussed in detail - the orientation coefficient of the material, the meeting angle, and the melt mobility history coefficient. Comparison with experimental results shows that these presented models are capable of predicting weld line location and properties for engineering design.