Process Simulation of Compression Molding Process and Effect of Fiber Content on Recycled Polymer Natural Fiber Composites Using Moldflow Analysis

This paper presents the process simulation and flow of material in the cavity of the mold during the compression molding process. The composite material used as the charge in the molding process is comprised of recycled polymers waste extracted from various automotive parts and reinforced with engineered wood fibers. The compression molding tool is a re-design version of an automotive battery cover that is currently in application in various car models. The newly designed component is suitable to be manufactured using recycled polymer composite material. Some additives were added to the composite material to make it more viscous and to aid in the flow of material in the mold. The simulation models are built-in Moldflow with the same part geometry and processing conditions were kept the same for all the composite blends. Later, all the composite blend models were compared with only recycled polymer models to see the effects of fiber material on the output of the compression molding process. The final simulation shows that the 10% fiber content in the composite material exhibits the most promising option with no voids or cavities and less fill time of the entire part geometry.