| Abstract | The aim of this work is to show both the latest developments and capabilities of BlowDesign, the design optimization package of the BlowView1 software, to improve the extrusion blow molding process for the manufacturing of multilayer plastic fuel tanks (PFT). The design optimization scheme in BlowDesign for the manufacturing of blow moulded multilayer fuel tanks uses two main consecutive optimization steps: die shaping geometry and processing conditions optimization. The die shaping optimization consists of manipulating the geometry of the bushing-mandrel shape in order to distribute the material uniformly around the inflated part using static flexible deformable ring (SFDR) die technology. The process optimization consists of manipulating design variables such as the extrusion flow rate, extrusion time, pre-blow pressure and the die gap programming profile (programming points) to minimize the part thickness variance around the desired thickness distribution or to minimize the part weight subject to a minimum thickness constraint. The client performance requirement criteria could be achieved using one of the following die technologies: vertical wall distribution system (VWDS), partial wall distribution system (PWDS) or die slide motion (DSM). In this work, the proposed optimization approach will be investigated on a specific Jerry Can and PFT. During the former optimization, a barrier layer thickness optimization is performed simultaneously to minimize the hydrocarbon permeation through the PFT wall to satisfy the daily emission imposed by government regulation. This numerical optimization is shown to be an excellent tool to cost effectively improve the design while satisfying the process constraints. |
|---|
