Heat transfer simulation for injection molding of polylactic acid parts

Biodegradable and biocompatible polymers represent an excellent alternative to conventional polymers for various applications. One of the most promising biopolymers is represented by polylactic acid (PLA). During injection molding process, the cooling stage has a great importance because it ensures the dimensional stability of the produced articles. In this simulation study regarding the cooling process in the injection molding of PLA, with cold water, it was analyzed the temperature distribution in the mold-material system in the case of a polymeric plate and the cooling time was calculated. The model of heat transfer was solved in COMSOL Multiphysics software, by defining the geometry of the mold, the materials properties and the cooling conditions.