Thermal-Structural optimization of a rapid thermal response mold: Comprehensive simulation of a heating rod system and a fluid cooling system implemented MSR-PSO-FEM

Abstract

In this work, the heating and cooling systems of a rapid thermal response mold (RTRM) are optimized applying the response surface methodology (RSM) and an optimization technique. An experiment design with six factors and three levels was carried out, and variables such as the distance between the heating rods, and the distance between the cooling channel and the heating plate, among others, were analyzed. First, thermal, and thermal-structural resistance analyses were performed using the finite element method (FEM), and response surface mathematical models were developed using the mixed regression and response surface models. Then, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method was used to verify the precision of these models. With the models obtained, the position of the heating rods and the dimensions of the cooling channels were optimized, minimizing at the same time the heating and cooling time and maintaining a reasonable temperature distribution and structural resistance, using the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The results show that it is possible to reduce the heating time by 43%, which is significantly. The cooling time in the molding cycle by 29%, thus improving the effectiveness of the heating and cooling system with respect to the cooling plate, the Von Mises stress reported an improvement in its structural value of 67% with respect to the initial value.