Navi: Journal Volume 3 Volume 3 No 1 Optimization of the Injection Molding Parameters Using the Taguchi Method

Optimization of the Injection Molding Parameters Using the Taguchi Method

E-mail Print PDF

Optimization of the Injection Molding Parameters Using the Taguchi Method


S. Kamaruddin, Zahid A. Khan & K. S. Wan

ABSTRACT

In this study, the Taguchi method, a powerful tool to design and process optimization for quality, is used to determine the optimal parameters for an injection molding process. An orthogonal array, the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) are employed to investigate the quality characteristics of a plastic tray which is made on an injection molding machine from polypropylene (PP) plastic material. Through this study, not only the optimal molding parameters for an injection molding process can be obtained, but also the main parameters that affect the performance of the tray can be obtained. Experimental results are provided to confirm the effectiveness of this approach

Keywords: Optimization; Taguchi method; Injection molding; Polypropylene(PP); Bending strength; Shrinkage

References
[1] Rubin, I. I. (1972). Injection Molding Theory and Practice. (John Wiley & Sons, New York).
[2] Glanvill, A. B. and Denton, E. N. (1988). “Injection-Mould Design Fundamentals”. (Industrial Press Inc., New York).
[3] Belofsky, H. (1995). “Plastics: Product Design and Process Engineering”. (Hanser Publishers, New York).
[4] Brown, R. P.  (1988). “Handbook of Plastic Test Methods”. 3 ed. (Longman r d Scientific & Technical, New York).
[5] Chen, R. S., Lee, H. H. and Yu, C. Y. (1997). “Application of Taguchi’s Method on the optimal process design of an injection molded PC/PBT automobile bumper”. Composite Structures 39, 209-214.
[6] Huang, M. C. and Tai, C. C. (2001). “The effective factors in the warpage problem of an injection-molded part with a thin shell feature”. J. of Materials Processing Technology 110, 1-9.
[7] Min, B. H. (2003). “A study on quality monitoring of injection-molded parts”. J. of Materials Processing Technology 136, 1-6.
[8] Wang, W. H. and Tarng, Y. S. (1998). “Design optimization of cutting parameters for turning operations based on the Taguchi method”. J. of Materials Processing Technology 84, 122-129.
[9] Syrcos, G. P. (2003). “Die casting process optimization using Taguchi methods”. J. of Materials Processing Technology 135, 68-74.
[10] Ghani, J. A., Choudhury, I. A. and Hassan, H. H. (2004). “Application of Taguchi method in the optimization of end milling parameters”. J. of Materials Processing Technology 145, 84-92. 92 Optimization of the Injection Molding Parameters Using the Taguchi Method
[11] George, P. M., Pillai, N.  and  Shah, N.  (2004). “Optimization of shot peening parameters using Taguchi technique”. J. of Materials Processing Technology 153, 925-930.
[12] Yang, H. J., Hwang, P. J. and Lee, S. H. (2002). “A study on shrinkage compensation of the SLS process by using the Taguchi method”. Int. J. of Machine Tools and Manufacture 42, 1203-1212.
[13] Lee, B. H., Abdullah, J. and Khan, Z. A. (2005).“Optimization of rapid prototyping parameters for production of flexible ABS object”. J. of Materials Processing Technology 169, 54-61.
[14] Bendell, A., Disney, J. and Pridmore, W. A. (1989).”Taguchi methods: Applications in World Industry”. (IFS Publications, UK).
[15] Phadke, M. S. (1989). “Quality Engineering Using Robust Design”. (Prentice Hall International Inc., New York).