Prediction of Polymer Flow Length by Coupling Finite Element Simulation with Artificial Neural Network

In this study, computer-aided engineering (CAE) simulation software and the design of experiments (DOE) method were used to simulate the injection molding process in terms of the melt flow length, using a spiral part. Process parameters such as melt temperature, mold temperature, injection pressure and mold cavity thickness were considered as injection molding variables. A predictive model for the flow length was created using a three-layer artificial neural network (ANN). The ANN model was trained with both simulation and experimental data, and the predictive performances were compared in terms of correlation coefficient, root mean square error and mean relative error. The cavity thickness and melt temperature were found to be the most significant factors for both the simulation and the experiment, while the injection pressure and the mold temperature had little effect on the flow length. The ANN model trained with Moldex3D data shows a significantly higher prediction capacity than the ANN model trained with experimental data. However, the melt flow lengths predicted by the ANN model for both Moldex3D and Moldflow simulation data are statistically significant, indicating that the proposed prediction methodology, which combines the ANN model, DOE method and the CAE simulation technology, can effectively predict the flow length of injection molded parts, with a small number of data.