Busting the Conformal Cooling Myths

Conformal cooling is opening up new ways of doing things with new tools to solve problems. As cooling lines get smaller and closer to the core and cavity wall, and take a torturous path through the mold, the hydraulic resistance is increasing for each channel. There is a myth, at the floor level, that if the main water inlet to the mold is connected to say a 12-port manifold, that the manifold splits the water into 12 equal parts. This is not true. Hydraulic resistance determines that. The higher the hydraulic resistance is in each channel, the less water that goes into the channel.

In a conformal mold, it is important to measure the flow rate of each cooling line and calculate the Reynolds number to see that it is above 5000 for turbulent flow. This can be done by installing a flow meter with a metering valve on each cooling line on the return manifold so that each cooling line can be manually balanced.

If we continue to do what we have always done, we deserve to get what we’ve always gotten.

For more on the myths of conformal cooling, check out an upcoming new FastTrack training program on September 4th and 5th, near Toledo, OH, sponsored by Plastic Technologies, Inc. (PTI), which will feature two modules— Conformal Cooling for Injection Molding (September 4th) and Medical Plastics Design and Processing (September 5th).

Conformal Cooling Seminar Outline

1.) Understanding heat management

2.) How resin selection affects heat management.
How resins can be modified to cycle faster.

3.) Choosing the right mold metal.

4.) Understanding how Fluid Dynamics impacts Dynamic Heat Transfer.

5.) Alternative cooling technologies to be used with conformal cooling.

6.) Conforming Cooling Technologies, including a European technology
presentation not seen in North America.

7.) Examples why Moldflow and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) are important,
if not necessary, tools for designing conformal cooling channels

 

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About the Author

 

Robert A. Beard is president of Robert A. Beard & Associates, Inc. which was formed in 1984.  He has more than 40 years of experience in plastics. He has been president of the Chicago and Philadelphia sections of the Society of Plastics Engineers, and has served as National Councilman for the Chicago Section.  He presents seminars nationally and internationally entitled: Purchasing & Quoting of Plastic Parts, and Virtual Workshop On Trouble Shooting The Injection Molding Process.  He has been elected to the prestigious grade of Fellow and is a Honored Service Member in the Society of Plastics Engineers, and has served as the Chairman of the Fellows Selection Committee. Contact: (262) 658-1778; email: rabeard@plastic-solvers.com; website: plastic-solvers.com