GOALI: Intelligent Melt Rotation for Enhanced Injection Molding of Polymer and Nanocomposite Products

该研究项目将提供学术与工业联络（GOALI）的资助机会，用于开发一种称为智能熔体旋转的制造技术，以增强聚合物和纳米复合材料产品的成型。 该项目的一个特点是将重点放在非常重要但经常被忽视的聚合物熔体流动动力学，发生在成型流道系统。传统系统中基于流道的流动问题可导致显著的不期望的工具内熔体流动不平衡和显著的产品质量问题。 作为现有多年研究伙伴关系的延伸，利哈伊大学和博蒙技术公司的研究人员合作小组。将通过推进熔体旋转科学来解决这些问题，以此作为操纵和优化流道系统流动动力学的一种手段。该项目将包括以下阶段：1）熔体旋转如何影响关键产品质量变量的演变; 2）通过熔体旋转可以实现的尺寸、机械和电气产品质量增强; 3）熔体旋转对产品中包含的任何填料的迁移、分散和分布的影响。如果成功，这项研究的好处将包括发展所需的基本实验和分析科学基础，以确定如何，何时以及在何处应用熔体旋转原理来实现选定的制造目标。 这将增强美国在工业领域的竞争力。从更广泛的角度来看，该项目还将针对加强教育和工程劳动力的多样性。一个新的跨州推广计划将开发，将合作伙伴利哈伊研究生和本科生，宾夕法尼亚州立大学伊利本科生，和K-12学生从宾夕法尼亚州两端的行业为导向的产品实现项目，涉及熔体旋转。 这将建立协作，团队为导向，跨学科的科学进步作为一个愉快的和富有成效的规范，在所有参与的头脑。

This Grant Opportunity for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) research project will provide for the development of a manufacturing advancement known as intelligent melt rotation for the enhanced molding of polymer and nanocomposite products. A distinction of the project will be a focus on very important but often overlooked polymer melt flow dynamics that occur in molding runner systems. Runner based flow issues in conventional systems can lead to dramatic undesired in-tooling melt flow imbalances and significant product quality problems. As an extension of an existing multi-year research partnership, a collaborative team of researchers at Lehigh University and Beaumont Technologies, Inc. will address these problems by advancing melt rotation science as a means to manipulate and optimize flow dynamics through runner systems. The project will include phases focused on 1) how melt rotation affects the evolution of critical product quality variables; 2) dimensional, mechanical, and electrical product quality enhancements that can be realized through melt rotation; and 3) the effects of melt rotation on the migration, dispersion, and distribution of any fillers to be included in products. If successful, the benefits of this research will include the development of the fundamental experimental and analytical science base required to determine exactly how, when, and where to apply melt rotation principles to achieve selected manufacturing goals. This will enhance U.S. competitiveness on the industrial front. From a broader perspective the project will also target enhanced education and engineering workforce diversity. A new cross-state outreach program will be developed that will partner Lehigh graduate and undergraduate students, Penn State Erie undergraduate students, and K-12 students from both ends of Pennsylvania on industry- oriented product realization projects involving melt rotation. This will establish collaborative, team-oriented, and interdisciplinary scientific advancement as an enjoyable and productive norm in the minds of all involved.