A virtual injection molding system based on numerical simulation

CAD and CAE have now become very popular in injection molding development. Integration with virtual reality is a new boost to these fields. This paper presents a research effort targeting the creation of a desktop-based, low-cost and independent virtual injection molding system, which is implemented based on the techniques such as virtual reality, finite element analysis, motion simulation and scientific visualization. With the stereoscopic display of the mold design and motion, the system provides engineers a cohesive view of mold structure and assembly. And by analyzing the numerical CAE results, the possible faults during molding process can also be highlighted. With this integration, the overall system would be a new powerful tool to mimic the real process of injection molding and evaluate various influences from product design to manufacturing, capable, therefore, of improving the moldability and the quality of molded products.