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

这个GOALI学术联系机会(GOALI)研究项目将用于开发一种称为智能熔体旋转的制造先进技术，用于增强聚合物和纳米复合材料产品的成型。该项目的一个区别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上，这些动力学发生在成型流道系统中。在传统系统中，基于流道的流动问题可能会导致严重的不良模具熔体流动不平衡和严重的产品质量问题。作为现有多年研究伙伴关系的延伸，利哈伊大学和博蒙特技术公司的一个合作研究团队将通过推进熔体旋转科学来解决这些问题，作为通过流道系统操纵和优化流动动力学的一种手段。该项目将包括以下几个阶段：1)熔体旋转如何影响关键产品质量变量的演变；2)可通过熔体旋转实现的尺寸、机械和电气产品质量改进；3)熔体旋转对产品中任何填充物的迁移、分散和分布的影响。如果成功，这项研究的好处将包括发展基础实验和分析科学基础，以准确确定如何、何时和在哪里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方面的竞争力。从更广泛的角度来看，该项目还将以加强教育和工程劳动力多样性为目标。将开发一项新的跨州推广计划，将与来自宾夕法尼亚州两端的利哈伊研究生和本科生、宾夕法尼亚州伊利州立大学本科生和K-12学生合作，开展涉及熔体旋转的面向行业的产品实现项目。这将建立协作、面向团队和跨学科的科学进步，使之成为所有相关人员心目中愉快而富有成效的规范。

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.