Experimental study and finite element modeling of tensile deformation in polymer shells

Contemporary production of polymer shells for liquids involves advanced technological solutions, ensuring high quality and adequate mechanical properties for applications in the food and chemical industries. However, current trends aim to reduce shell weight while improving their mechanical characteristics through optimized geometric parameters. Consequently, there is a growing need for modelling new types of shells and their designs, taking into account material distribution during shell formation and its impact on mechanical properties. When designing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymer shells, it is impractical to rely solely on previous development experience to create new product types. To verify product compliance with the required specifications, prototypes (physical samples of moleds) are manufactured, followed by the production of experimental shell samples and their subsequent testing, laboratory research, potential optimization of designs, and documentation changes, which is a time-consuming, costly, and lengthy process. Experimental studies were conducted to obtain real-world characteristics of the distribution of polymeric material (polyethylene terephthalate) during the pneumatic forming of shells. This enables a departure from the idealized distribution of polymeric material during mathematical modelling of the stretching process and optimizes the design process of polymer shells. Finite element modelling of the stretching of polymer shells under internal pressure was performed, and the experimental results were compared with the simulation results. This work presents an experimental study and mathematical modelling of the stretching process of polyethylene terephthalate polymer shells under internal pressure. The research was conducted at the research and production base of LLC "PET Technologies". The influence of the material distribution of polymer shells on resistance to internal pressure was investigated. The process of destruction of polymer shells under internal pressure was experimentally studied and demonstrated, and computer simulation of the process was carried out.