This article presents a 3D‐finite element simulation package for the prediction of the fibre orientation in injection moulding. The fibre orientation is calculated by using a mathematical model based on orientation tensors, which not only takes into account the 3D‐flow field, but also the shape of the fibres and the fibre‐fibre interaction. The tensor model has been verified in many scientific investigations and has proven to yield satisfying results. Therefore we decided to use this model for implementation into a 3D‐finite element simulation package, which is currently being developed at the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. The implementation of this model using both the finite element method and the finite volume method is described and the different parameters used in this model are analysed and discussed separately, as are the parameters used for the injection moulding process. The results obtained are compared to similar results from literature.
Model of the flow channel (10 mm × 10 mm × 100 mm) used for the simulations.
