PREDICTION OF THE MORPHOLOGY OF SEMI-CRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICS

Alongside the pure filling simulation, the prediction of internal properties for plastics parts is becoming increasingly important. Results achieved at the macroscopic level (e.g. the filling pattern) are not sufficient for a full description of the internal properties of a plastic part, which means that it is necessary to describe the detailed processes in the polymer as it is solidifying. Apart from describing the microstructure of a polymer through the degree of crystallisation, it is increasingly important to take the morphology into account. The IKV has thus developed a software that can be used to predict the crystal structure and crystal distribution. Initial results reveal a satisfactory quality but also point to the problems that still remain to be solved.