Research Of Multi-Material Molding & Its CAD/CAE

After China's entry to The World Trade Organization, the technical cooperation and intercourses between China and other countries occur more frequently and widely, and many new techniques came into China. The Multi-Material Molding (MMM) also has been widely learned as one advanced technique for injection molding in China. As one manufacture technique earliest appeared in 1970s, it has been widely used abroad. The Multi-Material Molding has a great difference to the Single-Material Molding, especially the MMM is usually accomplished with some special injection molding machine and process. During the early years, many substitute methods are used to manufacture Multi-Material parts in China because of the high cost of MMM machine and the complicated techniques, such as the methods of using two-step injection and changing the design of parts. Though these methods can produce some Multi-Material parts, but these productions have many differences with those injected by Multi-Material Molding machine and process, especially in the aspects of qualities and capabilities. With the development of China's manufacturing, the primary purpose is to produce more productions with high qualities and capabilities, and the cost of machine is not the primary cause of limiting the use of new techniques. So the Multi-Material Molding techniques are wished to be used more widely in China. It's also a trend in the world's manufacturing fields to reach its widely use of computer and network, such as CAD/CAE/CAM. The CAD/CAE technique has developed quickly. Though the CAD/CAE has been widely used in the injection molding fields, it's still so fresh for the Multi-Material Molding because of the complicated courses and so many influence factors. At present, most CAE software can simulate well for Single-Material Molding process, but can't make an accurate simulation for Multi-Material Molding process. Now it's a great question for all CAE software. In this thesis, we made a contrast of these methods basing on the study of eachMulti-Material Molding process, and had a conclusion about the factors influencing the MMM processes. With the study of many numerical simulation methods, we discussed the use of these methods in the simulation of Multi-Material Molding. And at last we simulated one kind of Multi-Material Molding process (Co-injection Molding) with Moldflow Plastics Insight, discussed current use of CAE software for Multi-Material Molding based on its process and result.