Noncontact measurement of parison thickness profiles affected by swell and sag in continuous extrusion blow molding

Optimization of final part thickness distributions is crucial in the extrusion blow molding process in order to minimize resin usage. Prediction of part thickness distributions from basic process and material parameters would be ideal. However, attempts to do so have been unsuccessful, largely because of the inability to predict parison thickness profiles. One must therefore resort to measurement of the parison thickness profile and estimation of the final part thickness distribution by computational methods. This paper describes a new technique for the noncontact estimation of parison thickness profiles in continuous extrusion blow molding. The method accounts for sag and requires no previous knowledge of rheological data. It can be employed on-line for the purposes of process monitoring and control. The approach is based on the measurement of the parison length evolution with time during extrusion, the parison diameter profile, the flow rate, and the melt temperature gradient along the length of the parison. These parameters are utilized in conjunction with a theoretical approach that describes the extrusion of a parison under the effects of swell, sag, and extrusion into ambient conditions. Results are presented for three resins of various molecular weight distributions. The degree of sag is minimal at the top and bottom of the parison, and reaches a maximum near the center of the parison. Results are also presented to demonstrate the versatility of the method under other process conditions, such as varying flow rate, die temperature, and die gap.     

A comprehensive experimental study and numerical modeling of parison formation in extrusion blow molding

Parison dimensions in extrusion blow molding are affected by two phenomena, swell due to stress relaxation and sag drawdown due to gravity. It is well established that the parison swell and sag are strongly dependent on the die geometry and the operating conditions. The availability of a modeling technique ensures a more accurate prediction of the entire blow molding process, as the proper prediction of the parison formation is the input for the remaining process phases. This study considers both the simulated and the experimental effects of the die geometry, the operating conditions, and the resin properties on the parison dimensions using high density polyethylene. Parison programming with a moving mandrel and the flow rate evolution in intermittent extrusion are also considered. The parison dimensions are measured experimentally by using the pinch-off mold technique on two industrial scale machines. The finite element software BlowParison® developed at IMI is used to predict the parison formation, taking into account the swell, sag, and nonisothermal effects. The comparison between the predicted parison/part dimensions and the corresponding experimental data demonstrates the efficiency of numerical tools in the prediction of the final part thickness and weight distributions. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:1–13, 2007. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Experimental and theoretical investigation of the inflation of variable thickness parisons

In today's blow molding of complex parts, an optimal resin distribution is critical to a successful operation. These goals are mostly attained through a technique known as parison programming. The process involves varying the die gap during extrusion and therefore results in a parison having a variable thickness along its length. The subsequent inflation of a variable thickness parison is a complex phenomenon involving the interaction of many process variables. The final thickness distribution and inflation patterns were obtained for various programmed parisons. Constant, one step, two step, and sinusoidal thickness parisons were studied. The inflation patterns were monitored by employing a transparent mold in conjunction with a video camera. The experimental data indicated the presence of an oscillatory inflation pattern for some of the variable thickness parisons. The experimental final part thickness distribution for these cases was highly nonlinear. Theoretical predictions of the final thickness distribution were also obtained for some of the cases. The simulation is based on the inflation of a Mooney-Rivlin hyperelastic material. A wide range of deformation is accounted for by introducing an evolutionary Mooney constant, dependent on the level of deformation.     

A comparison between experiments and predictions for the blow molding of an industrial part

We present a numerical simulation for the blow molding of an industrial high density polyethylene part. The rheology of the polymeric material is described by means of an integral viscoelastic fluid model with a multi-mode relaxation spectrum. A membrane element is applied for performing the blow molding simulation of geometrically complex objects such as a bottle with a handle; the motion governing equations are described by means of a Lagrangian representation. The contact between the parison and the moving mold is handled by means of a robust algorithm. The numerical tool is applied for the production of a bottle with a handle. The predicted results are compared with their experimental counterparts. In particular, we focus on the thickness distribution of the blow product.     

A modeling approach to the effect of resin characteristics on parison formation in extrusion blow molding

The most critical stage in the extrusion blow‐molding process is the parison formation, as the dimensions of the blow‐molded part are directly related to the parison dimensions. The swelling due to stress relaxation and sagging due to gravity are strongly influenced by the resin characteristics, die geometry, and operating conditions. These factors significantly affect the parison dimensions. This could lead to a considerable amount of time and cost through trial and error experiments to get the desired parison dimensions based upon variations in the resin characteristics, die geometry, and operating conditions. The availability of a modeling technique ensures a more accurate prediction of the entire blow‐molding process, as the proper prediction of the parison formation is the input for the remaining process phases. This study considers both the simulated and the experimental effects of various high‐density polyethylene resin grades on parison dimensions. The resins were tested using three different sets of die geometries and operating conditions. The target parison length was achieved by adjusting the extrusion time for a preset die gap opening. The finite element software BlowParison® was used to predict the parison formation, taking into account the swell and sag. Good agreements were found between the predicted parison dimensions and the experimental data. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. Published by Society of Plastics Engineers     

Measurement and calculation of parison dimensions and bottle thickness distribution during blow molding

Experimental data are reported regarding the dynamics of the blow molding process, including parison formation, growth, and inflation. These data have been obtained with the aid of high speed cinematography and pinch mold experiments, in conjunction with two commercial blow molding polyethylene resins. It is shown that pinch mold experiments alone do not yield accurate data regarding thickness and diameter swell. Furthermore, the inflation process involves decreasing rates of inflation with time, as a result of the rise in viscosity due to the cooling of the parison during inflation. Mathematical procedures are proposed for a first-order estimation of parison length and swell as a function of time and the inflation behavior after clamping. In the absence of more dependable basic procedures, the proposed treatment is employed to estimate the effective transient swell functions for the parison using experimental data obtained under the specified conditions. The mathematical treatment is extended to determine the thickness distribution of the bottle. Good agreement is obtained between experimental and calculated results.     

The dynamics of parison development in blow molding

An experimental program was carried out to study the dynamics of parison swell and development in extrusion-blow molding. Two commercial blow molding grade polyethylene resins were employed in conjunction with an Impco, Model A13-R12 reciprocating screw blow molding machine equipped with a cylindrical bottle mold. Parison weight swell was measured with the aid of a parison pinch-off mold. In order to obtain more reliable and useful information regarding diameter and thickness swell of the parison and the dynamics of parison formation and development, high speed cinematography was employed. Data obtained by this technique are more reliable than results obtained with the pinch-off mold alone. They also give further insight into the phenomena of swell, sag, and parison spring back or recovery.     

Effect of melt temperature on the final thickness distribution of blow moulded parts

The extrusion blow moulding process is becoming increasingly important in the polymer industry. Parison programming is a crucial component of the extrusion blow moulding process, since it allows for the optimization of resin usage in a given part. However, the inflation of programmed (variable thickness) parisons is very complex and is not a well understood phenomenon. The goal of this work is to present some experimental results demonstrating the effects of melt temperature on the inflation of programmed parisons. The inflation of parisons into a non-axisymmetric motor oil bottle is considered. Four parison thickness profiles are studied. These are (i) low magnitude constant thickness, (ii) high magnitude constant thickness, (iii) one step high to low magnitude thickness and (iv) two step low to high to low magnitude thickness. Three melt temperatures were used; 180, 200 and 220°C.     

Integrated numerical modeling of the blow molding process

The numerical modeling of the extrusion blow molding of a fuel tank is considered in this work. The integrated process phases are consecutively simulated, namely, parison formation, clamping, and inflation, as well as part solidification, part deformation (warpage), and the buildup of residual stresses. The parison formation is modeled with an integral type viscoelastic constitutive equation for the sag behavior and a semi-empirical equation for the swell behavior. A nonisothermal viscoelastic formulation is employed for the clamping and inflation simulation, since parison cooling during extrusion strongly affects the inflation behavior. Once the parison is inflated, it solidifies while in the mold and after part ejection. Warpage and residual stress development of the part are modeled with a linear viscoelastic solid model. Numerical predictions are compared with experimental results obtained on an industrial scale blow molding machine. Good agreement is observed. A process optimization based on a desired objective function, such as uniform part thickness distribution and/or minimal part weight, is performed. The integrated clamping, inflation, and cooling stages of the process are considered. The optimization is done by the systematic manipulation of the parison thickness distribution. Iterations are performed employing a gradient based updating scheme for the parison thickness programming, until the desired objective of uniform part thickness is obtained.     

基于神经网络的挤出吹塑中型坯尺寸预测

延续了本课题组在挤出吹塑中利用人工神经网络(ANN)预测型坯尺寸的工作,建立一个新的ANN模型。经过样本训练和检验后,模型能在一定范围内预测型坯任意位置上的尺寸(直径和厚度);与以往工作相比,相同的实验量能提供更丰富的训练样本。     

双轴向拉伸吹塑成型技术原理和实验研究

针对传统拉伸吹塑工艺生产出的聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯(PET)瓶具有底部积料严重、材料拉伸不充分等缺点,提出双轴向拉伸吹塑方法。在双轴向拉伸吹塑中,模具的底模中心设置一根下杆,下杆在吹塑过程中上升到一定高度并停留一段时间,使底部材料能够充分拉伸,然后下杆卸载,上杆继续下降至底模位置,瓶坯在高气压下进一步成型为瓶子。通过实验和运用仿真软件Polyflow,对质量85 g体积4 500 mL的PET瓶分别在双轴向拉伸吹塑工艺和现有拉伸吹塑工艺下成型进行对比,发现双轴向拉伸吹塑能明显降低瓶底的厚度和质量。通过对比两种工艺在底部开始发生大幅度变形时刻的温度分布,数据表明在双轴向拉伸吹塑工艺中瓶底部分在接触模具之前保持高温状态的时间更长。分别对下杆停留时间、下杆上升延迟时间和下杆上升高度三项重要影响参数进行实验研究,三个参数均能显著降低瓶底质量,而且下杆上升高度会影响瓶整体材料分布。     

基于RBF神经网络的挤出吹塑中型坯尺寸的预测

在利用BP神经网络预测挤出吹塑中型坯尺寸工作的基础上,采用径向基神经网络(RBF)来预测挤出吹塑中型坯尺寸,并与BP神经网络的预测结果进行了比较。结果表明,虽然RBF与BP神经网络均能较好地预测挤出吹塑中型坯尺寸,RBF网络的训练时间比BP少很多,只是BP的0.7%。     

Three‐dimensional simulation on multilayer parison shape at pinch‐off stage in extrusion blow molding

We tried to predict the multilayer parison shape at pinch‐off stage in extrusion blow molding by nonisothermal and purely viscous non‐Newtonian flow simulation using the finite element method (FEM). We assumed the parison deformation as a flow problem. The Carreau model was used as the constitutive equation and FEM was used for calculation method. Multilayer parison used in this simulation was composed of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) as inner and outer layers and low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) of which viscosity is five times lower than HDPE as a middle layer. We discussed multilayer parison shape in pinch‐off region. The results obtained are as follows; the parison shape of each layer was clearly visible in the pinch‐off during the mold closing. In addition, the distribution of parison thickness ratios for each layer was located for a large deformation near the pinch‐off region. The melt viscosity for each layer has an influence on the melt flow in the pinch‐off region. In a comparison with an experimental data of parison thickness ratios, the simulation results are larger than the experimental data. These simulation results obtained are in good agreement with the experimental data in consideration of the standard deviations. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Variables affecting parison diameter swell and their correlation with rheological parameters

An important factor in the selection of blow molding resins for producing handled bottles is the effective diameter swell of the parison. Ideally, the diameter swell is directly related to the weight swell and would require no separate consideration. In actual practice, the existence of gravity, the finite parison drop time and the anisotropic aspects of the blow molding operation prevent reliable prediction of the parison diameter swell directly from the weight swell. The parison diameter swell is a complex function of the weight swell, the rate of swell and the melt strength. Elements of this function are presented which show the effect of extrusion rate, parison drop time and parison weight. A technique is presented which allows the estimation of local weight and diameter swell ratios. Their direct relationship is confirmed by data obtained on several blow molding resins. The relationship between weight swell and diameter swell is definitely anisotropic. A mathematical model for swell is proposed which incorporates experimentally determined rate constants and swell coefficients. Correlations are given which suggest fundamental relationships between these derived coefficients and basic variables such as resin properties or process conditions. The model's predictive capability is demonstrated by using it to back calculate parison dimensions.     

Numerical simulation of suction blow molding process for producing curved ducts

During suction blow molding process, the extruded parison undergoes twisting deformation within the mold cavity, as the air drawing flow around the deforming parison exerts non‐uniform shear stresses on its surface. Such twisting deformation can compromise the specific radial and circumferential variations in parison thickness that are intentionally generated during extrusion. This research is devoted in developing a fluid–structure interaction model for predicting parison deformation during suction blow molding process, with a specific emphasis on the suction stage. A fluid flow model, based on Hele‐Shaw approximations, is formulated to simulate the air drag force exerted on the parison surface. The rheology of the material of the parison is assumed to obey the viscoelastic K‐BKZ model. As the suction process also involves the sliding of the parison within the mold cavity, a modified Coulomb's law of dry friction is used to simulate the frictional contact between parison and mold. The numerical results of this study allowed identifying a clear correlation between the twisting deformation undergone by the parison during the suction stage, also observed experimentally and the design parameters, namely, the air drawing speed, the geometry of the duct mold cavity, and the parison/mold eccentricity. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:418–434, 2019. © 2018 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada     

New Strategies for Predicting Parison Dimensions in Extrusion Blow Molding

In this work, two new strategies were proposed for predicting the parison thickness and diameter distributions in extrusion blow molding. The first one was a finite-element-based numerical simulation for the parison extruded from a varying die gap. The comparison of simulated and experimental parison thickness distributions indicates that the new method has certain accuracy in predicting the parison thickness from a varying die gap. The second one was an artificial neural network (ANN) approach, the characteristics of which are in sufficient patterns that can be obtained without doing too many experiments. The diameter and thickness swells of the parisons extruded under different flow rates were obtained by a well-designed experiment. The obtained data were then used to train and test the ANN model. The dimension of one location on the parison can provide one pattern to train the ANN model. Trained and tested ANN model can be used to predict the dimensions at any location on the parison within a given range. The proposed two strategies can help search the processing conditions to obtain optimal parison thickness distributions.     

Experimental study and finite element analysis of the injection blow molding process

A finite element numerical analysis of preform inflation associated with the injection blow molding process has been developed using a neo-Hookean constitutive model. The analysis is capable of predicting final wall thickness distributions for axisymmetric mold geometries. Experimental studies were conducted on a Uniloy injection blow molding machine (Model 189-3 and Model 122). A twelve ounce (355 mL) cylindrical bottle mold was instrumented with contact sensors, thermocouples, and pressure transducers. Visualization studies of the inflation process were performed using specialized tooling and high-speed video cameras. The experimental studies provide justification for analyzing the deformation by means of a static elastic approach. The predicted wall thickness distribution is in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. Nonuniformities in the temperature distribution in the preform were found to have the most significant impact on the inflation behavior and the resulting wall thickness.     

Fast online acquisition and analysis for parison swell and sag in blow molding

It is critical to quantitatively and reliably characterize the effects of swell and sag phenomena on the final parison dimensions in extrusion blow molding. To achieve this goal, an online image acquisition and analysis technique was developed. The successive images of parison were automatically taken using the online acquisition apparatus. These images were then analyzed by the combined use of the conventional digital image processing method and the new one developed by the authors. So the development of parison diameter and thickness swells with the extrusion time could be determined online. On the basis of the online obtained actual swell values, the pure swell and sag components were quantitatively determined. The developed technique was tested through a series of experiments using several resins under different processing parameters and die types. Shown in the present article were the results for a converging die under three different die gaps and a high‐density polyethylene. Some new phenomena were observed using the proposed technique. The results showed that the technique yields fast and accurate determination of the evolution of diameter, thickness, and length of parison during its extrusion. The technique can be employed as a part of the closed loop control for blow molded part thickness. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 2399–2406, 2006     

挤出吹塑型坯吹胀的CAD/CAE技术

对挤出吹塑型坯吹胀过程的CAD／CAE技术进行了初步研究。此技术可通过对吹塑CAD几何造型，CAD／CAE间信息传递，以及CAE分析的集成，实现对挤出吹塑型坯吹胀成型工艺过程的模拟和分析。最后用实例验证了此技术的可行性，为塑料制品的设计、材料选择、模具设计、吹塑成型工艺的制定及吹塑成型工艺过程的控制提供了科学依据。     

Numerical simulation of blow molding—prediction of parison diameter and thickness distributions in the parison formation process

In our previous study, we calculated the time course of parison length in the parison formation stage, but it could predict only the parison area swell. The next target in our study is to calculate the parison diameter and thickness swell. Annular extrudate swell simulation is necessary for the understanding of various kinds of swelling ratios in blow molding. We have examined three kinds of swells (outer diameter, thickness, and area swells) obtained from simulation results of annular extrudate swell, using the Giesekus model, and have developed a method of predicting parison outer diameter and thickness swell values. The predicted values of parison outer diameters are discussed in comparison with experimental data, and reasonable results are obtained by the proposed method. This prediction method could also be applied to the parison formation process using a parison controller. As a result, it is possible to predict approximately the whole process of parison formation by numerical simulation.