For plastic parts, you can import temperatures and in-mold residual stresses from SolidWorks Plastics Premium in a nonlinear static study.
Available for SolidWorks Simulation Premium.
By simulating the cooling down process from temperatures sustained during the injection molding process to room temperature, you can calculate the final residual stresses and displacements of the plastic part.
You can only import data from SolidWorks Plastics Premium for a single part that meshes with solid elements.
After you run the packing process (Flow + Pack) in SolidWorks Plastics Premium, you can export the in-mold residual stresses and temperature data to a file (
*.POE) in a binary format that can be read by Simulation. The binary file stores:
- Node coordinates and element connectivity of the original mesh
- Nodal values for temperature and in-mold residual stresses (three normal and three shear stress components)
- Material properties
You import the data stored in the binary file (*.POE) in a Simulation nonlinear static study to calculate the final displacements of the part.
Simulation applies a time curve from time t = 0 sec to t = 1 sec to the nodal temperatures to cool uniformly the part to room temperature (298 Kelvin). Shrinkage of the part may occur during the cooling process.
Simulation adds the in-mold residual stress components (at pseudo time t = 0 sec) and the quenching thermal stress components (at time t = 1 sec) to calculate the final results.
You cannot control how long it will take to cool the part, since time in nonlinear static studies is pseudo time.