Injection Location PropertyManager

Polymer material at the specified Melt Temperature is introduced into the cavity through injection locations. You can define multiple injection locations for each cavity, but a minimum of one injection location per cavity is required. You can also define Control Valves (also known as Gate Valves) in the injection system that open and close during the injection process.

To open the Injection Location PropertyManager:

  • In the PlasticsManager, expand Boundary Conditions and double-click Injection Location.
You must mesh the part and apply material before you define injection locations.

Type and Selection

If your model includes an injection system (gates, runners, sprue), you can define an injection location at the sprue inlet. You can also optionally define Control Valves at one or more gates. If your model includes only a cavity, you can define injection locations directly on the cavity. In this case, the effects of the injection system and gate geometry on the polymer temperature and flow are ignored.
  Injection Location (Node) Positions the injection location on a selected vertex on the part. The injection location snaps to the nearest node of the mesh.
  Injection Location (Face) Available for solid mesh only.

After you added an injection location, the corresponding mesh faces are highlighted. You can modify the injection location definition by selecting more or fewer mesh faces.
  Control Valve Available for solid mesh only. Control valves are defined by a set of mesh elements that extend across the entire cross section of a gate. Polymer flow through these elements is blocked when the Control Valve is closed, and permitted when the Control Valve is open.
Control valves are commonly used together with hot runners to prevent the polymer material from freezing behind the gate. Make sure that you also define the Filled Hot Runner boundary condition upstream of all valve gates.
Pointer Diameter Controls the size of the gate. Sets the diameter of the conical pointer which indicates the injection location.
  Add Location Adds an injection location on the selected face of the part cavity. You can select multiple faces to add multiple injection locations. Mesh elements enclosed by the projection of the pointer diameter are highlighted in the graphics area and set the injection location boundary.
When you use multiple injection locations, the cavity is partially filled with material entering from all injection locations. Weld lines develop where the flow fronts merge together. To display weld lines: Double-click Flow Results (under Results) and select Weld Lines.
  Add Valve Available when you select Control Valve. A cutting plane widget identifies the elements that define the Control Valve. Position the cutting plane across the gate and click Add Valve. A control valve is created on the set of elements intersecting the cutting plane.
Delete Injection Location Deletes the highlighted injection location.
Delete All Injection Locations Deletes all defined injection locations.
Automatically Add Locations Defines up to 10 injection locations on the part cavity automatically. The program adds injection locations onto the part based on the geometry and optimized balanced fill pattern.
  Automatically Add Valves Available when you select Control Valve.

Creates automatically control valves at the locations where runner and cavity domains meet. A message alerts you about the number of control valves that the program detected.

The Automatically Add Valves feature requires that you define the runner domain and cavity domain separately during mesh setup. Applying the Runner Element boundary condition is not sufficient to enable Automatically Add Valves.

Predict Flow Pattern Predicts the plastic flow pattern through the cavity at the end of fill.

Specify Material Injection Range

Applies for co-injection simulation. You set the injection range (in terms of filling time or filled volume ratio) for the first and second material.

Volume Ratio (%) Controls the injection range for the selected gate based on the percentage of the cavity volume that is filled.
Time (sec): Controls the injection range for the selected gate based on the filling time.
Volume Ratio (exclusive runner ) (%) Available for shell mesh. Controls the injection range for the selected range based on the percentage of the cavity volume that is filled excluding the runner's volume.

Valve Open Range

Options for defining when a control valve opens and closes.

Volume Ratio (%) Controls the opening and closing of the control valves based on the percentage of the cavity volume that is filled.
Time (sec): Controls the opening and closing of the control valves based on the elapsed time since the start of Filling.
Automatic Opens automatically the control valve when the polymer melt front passes the valve location. The time at which the control valve automatically opens is reported in the results log. Note that after opening, control valves set with the Automatic option remain open for the rest of Filling.