Theoretical and visual study of bubble dynamics in foam injection molding

This article presents an experimental observation and a theoretical prediction of bubble dynamics in foam injection molding process with a main focus on the cell collapse phenomenon under pressure. Using a visualizing setup, cell growth behavior under a nonisothermal condition was monitored. In conjunction with the growth behavior, dynamics of cell collapse under different pressures and the effect of growing time on collapse behavior and final cell size were studied. Theoretical simulation of bubble behavior included power law model, which predicted bubble dynamics during foaming process. The results show that collapse phenomenon strongly depends on both exerted holding pressure and growth time. The presented model can also give a reasonable prediction of growth and collapse of cells and could give insight to control of cell size in injection foaming process. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers