| Abstract: | On-line ultrasonic monitoring of injection molding of a simple polymer box is studied using pulse-echo techniques. The flow front of molten polymers inside the mold has been probed by a multiple-channel probing system with a time resolution of 2 ms. This information can be used to control the plunger movements. The gap development, because of the shrinkage of the part in the mold, is also monitored. This information, which is important for the understanding of the part's cooling process, has been found to be superior than that measured by a conventional pressure probe. The relation between the gap formation time and the packing pressure has been investigated at various part locations characterized by different thicknesses. The velocity and the amplitude variations of ultrasonic waves, in a reflection as well as in a transmission configuration, have also been measured in the part's material during its solidification. The behavior of these ultrasonic parameters contributes to the interpretation of the solidification process. |
