Chair of Injection Molding
Injection molding technology occupies a special position within the polymer industry. It is a technology driver in many industries and has the highest innovation potential among the polymer processing methods.
We, the Chair of Injection Molding, see our task in further developing this technology with regard to simulation, process control and maximum economic efficiency, in passing on the results of our research to industry and business and thus making them useful to society. In the field of teaching, it is our task to impart to students the specialized knowledge in the field of injection molding in such a way that they can use it successfully in their later work in industry and business.
Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont. Walter Friesenbichler
walter.friesenbichler(at)unileoben.ac.at
+43 3842 402 - 2900 | +43 664 1287497
Liste von Publikationen | CV | Profil (Pure) | Profil (LinkedIn) | Web of Science ResearcherID J-6048-2019
Fogh-lis. Saeid Saeidi Aminabadi
+43 3842 402 - 2909
saeid.saeidi-aminabadi@unileoben.ac.at
Profil (Pure)
Dipl.-Ing. David Zidar
david.zidar(at)unileoben.ac.at
+43 3842 402 - 2910
Profil (Pure) | Profil (LinkedIn)
Teaching
In addition to injection molding expertise, our teaching aims to impart networked thinking and problem-solving skills to students.
The courses offered by the department include basic training in machines, molds, special injection molding processes, process control and the use of injection molding simulation in component development and process optimization. Special courses taught by lecturers from industry on the topics of "Injection molds" and "Troubleshooting in injection molding operations" bring practical experience from companies into the teaching.
Cooperation with industry
The elective course "Systematic Design of Injection Molded Parts" provides a theoretical introduction to systematic product development and the use of simulation methods for injection molded parts. In the "Project for Systematic Component Design", a product development is carried out in a team of 4 to 6 students, usually with industrial participation, up to the virtual prototype.
Research & Projects
Through intra-university networking and interdisciplinary cooperation with chairs and institutes of the University of Leoben, synergies between the departments of Mechanical Engineering (component design, service life prediction), Physics (surface characterization), Automation (surface inspection), Processing (mineral fillers) and Injection Molding Technology are used to expand the chair's areas of strength.
→ Injection moulding simulation and robust process control
The area of injection moulding simulation and robust process control focuses on the systematic application of injection moulding simulation and statistical test planning for thermoplastics and reactive moulding compounds.
The software packages Cadmould® 3D-F, Varimos®, Sigmasoft® Thermoplast & Elastomer, COMSOL®, Minitab® and Creo® 2.0 are available to the chair for this purpose.
→ Injection Molding Compounding
he injection molding compounder is an highly energy efficient production technology. The processing is done in “single-heat” at lower working temperatures and shorter residence times and therefore less material stress .
→ Injection moulding of cross-linking moulding compounds
The area of injection moulding of reactive moulding compounds focuses on the processing of elastomers.
→ Variothermal injection moulding
Variothermal process control is defined by active heating of the mould surface above 100 °C before injection and active or passive cooling during the cooling phase.
The area of Variothermal Injection Moulding at the Chair of Injection Moulding of Plastics and the PCCL focuses on concepts for dynamic mould temperature control and variothermal process control and their effect on component properties
→ Systematic design of injection moulded components
Since 2002, Kunststofftechnik Leoben and its partners have been engaged in the development and adaptation of systematic product development processes for highly complex injection moulded parts. This includes the consistent application of structured product development processes (Pro4Plast, Fig. 1) with stages (development sections) and gates (checkpoints), the promotion of system partnerships between OEMs and SMEs and, in particular, frontloading in the sense of early error prevention through the increased use of simulation methods for virtual product development in order to arrive at the series product more quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.
→ Wetting behaviour of polymer melts
Adhesion and friction between polymer and mould surface play a major role in plastics processing. In injection moulding, for example, one tries to reduce the demoulding forces by modifying the physical or chemical properties or the roughness of the mould surfaces.
E-motion 740/180TCompounder ZSE 27 MAXX
The injection molding compounding system consists of a ZSE 27 MAXX Leistritz compounder, an all-electric 1800 kN Engel injection molding machine, gravimetric Brabender metering units, a Witte melt pump, a continuous melt filter and an Econ underwater pelletizer. A 3-way valve and a special system control allow both injection molding compounding and separate operation as a compounding system or pure injection molding machine.
Engel Victory Electric 940/130
This injection molding machine has a clamping force of 1300 kN and an additional hydraulic unit enables the measurement of pressure-dependent viscosity data. In addition to the special processes X-Melt® (expansion injection molding) and Exjection® (IB Steiner), the machine is also suitable for processing elastomers thanks to an exchangeable injection unit. Screw diameters of 35 and 50mm are available in the thermoplastics range and 50mm in the rubber range.Technical dataClosing force (kN)1300Max. Injection volume (cm3)212/432 432Max. Injection pressure (bar)2400Max. Injection rate (cm3/s)142/291 291Max. Temperature (°C)350Screw diameter (mm)35/50 50 ProjectsPCCL-Project "RubSim", In-house research
The injection molding machine rheometer for thermoplastics enables the shear viscosity to be measured directly at the injection molding machine as a function of shear rate, temperature and pressure.
The advantages over the high-pressure capillary rheometer (HKR) are the greater achievable shear rate due to the available machine injection pressure, the consideration of the actual material prehistory (plasticizing conditions) of the injection molding process, and the measurement of the pressure dependence.
Technical data: Rectangular slot: Slot length (mm)100Slot height (mm)0.5 / 1 / 1.5 / 2 / 2.5Material requirement min. 10 kg granules ProjectsPCCL project "RubSim",measurements.
D-RPA 3000, MonTech Werkstoffprüfmaschinen GmbH
The Rubber Process Analyser is a measuring instrument for the characterization of dynamic properties of cross-linked and non-cross-linked rubber compounds as well as for the measurement of cross-linking kinetics (vulcametry).Measuring options
- Vulcametry
- Dynamic viscosity
- Visco-elastic material behavior
- Non-isothermal measurements
Krüss DSA100S-HT400
Measuring device for determining the wetting behavior of unfilled or micro- or nano-filled polymer mixtures on solid surfaces by means of drop shape analysisTechnical Data
- Electronic single dosing system for standard liquids
- High temperature dosing system for polymer melts (up to 400°C)
- High temperature chamber for solid surfaces (up to 400°C)
- Contact angle analysis
- Sessile drop and pendant drop
- Surface energy or stress, interfacial tension
Used in project in cooperation with PCCL "Reduction of Friction" Financed by means of the Zukunftsfonds Steiermark
CQC® - eDAQ Portable System II
Mobile data acquisition and control unit for recording and further processing of machine and process data
- 16 analog measuring channels (4 x T, 4 x U/I, 8 x load)
- Digital input and output channels
- Integrated industrial PC with 17" TFT screen
- CQC Workbench Monitoring e-DAQ 4.04
Financed by means of the Zukunftsfonds Steiermark
The International Standard Organization (ISO) injection molding tool can be used to injection mold standard-compliant test specimens for mechanical material tests (e.g. tensile tests, impact bending tests) and sample parts (e.g. plates, step plates, surface samples).In addition, rheological tests to determine flow path lengths and pressure losses can be carried out or weld line strengths determined using special additional mold inserts.
Test specimens that can be manufactured:
- ISO tensile bar (Z gating) (DIN EN ISO 527-2)
- Standard small bars (80x10x4 mm)
- Test plate (60x60x2 mm)
- Max. Mold temperature 220°C
Donor: VÖK
Injection molding tool with integrated, practical friction test on exchangeable mold inserts. Friction test takes place directly during component demolding
- Adjustable contact pressure between 1.5 and 5.0 N/mm²
- Measuring travel 30 mm, relative speed 15 - 70 mm/s
- Demolding inclination 0°
- Automated part removal via robot system
- Static and sliding coefficient of friction
- Investigation of thermoplastics up to 120°C mold temperature
PCCL project "Reduction of Friction "Financed by hKplus competence center program (property PCCL)
Variotherm tool with BFMold® and ceramic heating elementsShort descriptionTest mold for the production of injection molded parts with highly polished or microstructured stochastic surfaces or with weld lines in combination with dynamic mold temperature control Technical data2-platen mold with quick-change inserts: BF-Mold® (flat), ceramic heating elements (local)
Components:
- ISO 3167 tension rods conventional or with central weld line
- Plates with openings, ribs and wall thickness jumps for surface defects
- Components with wall thickness jumps over a large area
Sensor technology: FOS cavity pressure mold temperature-mass temperature sensors.
Used in the PCCL project "E-Variotherm
Financed by the Zukunftsfonds Steiermark
Cadmould V6.1, Simcon
Cadmould® simulates the injection molding process and enables its virtual optimization. From the calculation of the filling phase, conclusions can be drawn about the necessary injection pressure, the clamping force and, as a result, possible cavity numbers can be estimated and suitable injection molding machines can be selected.
Furthermore, weld lines, air inclusions and the like can be detected. The simulation of the holding pressure and residual cooling phase enables the prediction of shrinkage and warpage properties as well as potential sink marks and other optical defects.
In the field of rubber processing, it is also possible to calculate the necessary heating time as well as a crosslinking profile over the cross-section and possible material and mold temperatures.
Varioms- Virtual And Real Injection Moulding Optimisation System
Varimos is an extension of the injection molding simulation Cadmould. Systematic test plans are used to record the effects of changed process parameters on the one hand, but also of geometry parameters on the other. This enables virtual product sampling and the detection of any necessary changes to the mold design prior to mold construction.
Furthermore, an optimal process point that best fulfills the required quality characteristics is already worked out without practical tests.
Used for diploma theses and own research