A method of designing a mould cooling duct layout by modelling it as an equivalent thermal membrane

摘要

A method of designing the cooling duct contours for a mould is disclosed. The method uses a "thermal membrane" to map temperature variations with the mould. The membrane initially has the same shape as the mould cavity but spaced a distance from the moulding surface within the mould. During an iterative process areas may be moved closer or further away from the moulding surface in response to limits placed on the surface temperature and the ability of ducts to cool that area. When complete the membrane becomes the guide surface that cooling ducts conform to within the mould to enable the temperature variation tolerances to be conformed to over the mould surface during the operation of the mould.