Design of an Evaluative Tool for a Multi-Station Injection Molding System Using an Evolutionary Algorithm

Abstract

A tool to facilitate the feasibility study of a newly proposed multi-station injection molding system is developed. The conceptual design and proposed embodiment of the new system are geared toward the development of a system flexible enough to handle multiple part types and production volumes. A comprehensive design model is used to structure the problem by identifying the desired design objectives and the effect the system variables have on the final design. An Evolutionary Algorithm optimization is used to find the combination of system variables that yields optimal system outputs. The algorithm uses a number of components customized to suit the design requirements of the proposed system. This optimization and evaluation process provides a basis by which the new system can be compared with traditional injection molding practices. Results confirm that the new multi-station system is less affected by the degree of product variety than traditional molding machines.