By Thierry Marchal, POLYFLOW Product Market Manager

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POLYFLOW 3.10 is scheduled for release in June 2003. The latest version includes numerous features that will simplify tasks for existing users and further extend the scope of current capabilities.

Optimization of a PVC die, Courtesy of Plastinnov, St Avold, France

A fully coupled fluid structure interaction (FSI) model allows for the calculation of thermo- mechanical stress within a solid die or part(s) of it. Deformations induced by the flow and the possible impact of these on particle behavior is taken into account. Two new types of optimization are available: 1) for extrusion applications, optimization of the die geometry using the third party software VisualDoc to balance the flow profile across the die lip, and 2) for blow molding simulations, optimization of the thickness map of the initial parison. User-defined templates (UDTs) will allow users to define their own templates by flagging parameters as easily as defining an evolution or a PMAT dependence. An inexperienced user will be able to use a UDT to run similar simulations on similar geometries. The adaptive meshing technique has been extended to refine the mesh when large variations in certain variables are calculated across a given element. For example, this feature makes simulation of a thin thermal layer caused by viscous heating less dependent upon the initial mesh. Similarly, a sizing function for adaptive meshing has been very helpful for simulations involving large deformations, such as glass forming applications.

Extension of 64-bit compatibility to several UNIX platforms, a LINUX version, the Pom- Pom viscoelastic model1, and slippage along a rotating part are some of the other new features to be found in POLYFLOW 3.10.

Reference:

1 McLeish T.C.B. and Larson R.G. "Molecular constitutive equations for a class of branched polymers: the pom-pom polymer," J. Rheol. 42(1), p. 81-110, 1998.

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