Finite element analysis for partly using MONEL 400 material in plastic injection tile spacer holder mold for ceramic tiles

Abstract

The plastics industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world.The use of plastics in products used in daily life is quite common and most of these plastics can be produced by injection molding. The effects of the mold materials selected in the injection mold design stages on mechanical properties are very important. For this reason, it is one of the main topics to be investigated. In today’s technology, the use of additive manufacturing systems in metal processes has become widespread. As a result of these developments, new approaches in injection mold manufacturing have increased research opportunities on the selection of different materials. Superalloys, which are widely used in various industrial applications, have high mechanical strength, high corrosion resistance, good surface stability and high resistance to thermal creep deformation. The aim of the study is, as the technology advances, to increase the ability of the researchers to analyze how the change of the material used in molds affects the partial strength of the mold. For this purpose, two materials were used as structural elements of the support pin used in the plastic injection molds for tile spacer holders for ceramic tiles. One of the materials used is a superalloy called Monel 400 and the other material is the material that is used conventionally in making molds, called AISI 4130. By utilizing the finite elements analysis tool of SolidWorks, investigations were performed to determine the strength of support pins designed with both materials.