Conformal cooling molds with lattice structures for injection molding

A method comprising:

• obtaining temperature data and pressure data for a three dimensional model of a conformal cooling mold from a computer simulation of an injection molding process using the conformal cooling mold;
• replacing at least a portion of a solid volume of the three dimensional model of the conformal cooling mold with a lattice structure to reduce a total mass of the conformal cooling mold;
• adjusting a number of lattice unit cells for the lattice structure in accordance with the temperature data from the computer simulation to increase heat conduction through the lattice from hotter areas of the conformal cooling mold;
• adjusting one or more thicknesses of beams forming the lattice structure in accordance with the pressure data from the computer simulation to prevent structural failure of the conformal cooling mold;
• and
• providing an updated version of the three dimensional model of the conformal cooling mold that incorporates the lattice structure after adjustment of the number of lattice unit cells and the one or more thicknesses of beams forming the lattice structure;
• wherein the three dimensional model of the conformal cooling mold defines cooling lines integrated into the conformal cooling mold, and adjusting the number of lattice unit cells for the lattice structure comprises:
• increasing the number of lattice unit cells for the lattice structure by reducing lattice unit cell size in one or more first regions of the three dimensional model in proximity to the hotter areas of the conformal cooling mold identified by the temperature data from the computer simulation;
• and
• reducing the number of lattice unit cells for the lattice structure by increasing lattice unit cell size in one or more second regions of the three dimensional model to prevent recirculation of heat by the cooling lines integrated into the conformal cooling mold.

A system comprising:

• a data processing apparatus including at least one hardware processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to
• replace at least a portion of a solid volume of a three dimensional model of a conformal cooling mold with a lattice structure to reduce a total mass of the conformal cooling mold,
• adjust a number of lattice unit cells for the lattice structure, in accordance with temperature data from a computer simulation of an injection molding process using the conformal cooling mold, to increase heat conduction through the lattice from hotter areas of the conformal cooling mold,
• adjust one or more thicknesses of beams forming the lattice structure in accordance with pressure data from the computer simulation to prevent structural failure of the conformal cooling mold, and
• save an updated version of the three dimensional model of the conformal cooling mold that incorporates the lattice structure after adjustment of the number of lattice unit cells and the one or more thicknesses of beams forming the lattice structure;
• wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium encodes the instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to replace the at least a portion of the solid volume of the three dimensional model by replacing a first portion of the solid volume with the lattice structure in accordance with the temperature data and the pressure data from the computer simulation, and removing a second portion of the solid volume entirely in accordance with the temperature data and the pressure data from the computer simulation, leaving an empty space within the three dimensional model of the conformal cooling mold, the empty space of the second portion having no material therein and being in addition to the lattice structure of the first portion.

A system comprising:

• a data processing apparatus including at least one hardware processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to
• replace at least a portion of a solid volume of a three dimensional model of a conformal cooling mold with a lattice structure to reduce a total mass of the conformal cooling mold,
• adjust a number of lattice unit cells for the lattice structure, in accordance with temperature data from a computer simulation of an injection molding process using the conformal cooling mold, to increase heat conduction through the lattice from hotter areas of the conformal cooling mold,
• adjust one or more thicknesses of beams forming the lattice structure in accordance with pressure data from the computer simulation to prevent structural failure of the conformal cooling mold, and
• save an updated version of the three dimensional model of the conformal cooling mold that incorporates the lattice structure after adjustment of the number of lattice unit cells and the one or more thicknesses of beams forming the lattice structure;
• wherein the three dimensional model of the conformal cooling mold defines cooling lines integrated into the conformal cooling mold, and the non-transitory computer-readable medium encodes the instructions configured to cause the data processing apparatus to adjust the number of lattice unit cells for the lattice structure by increasing the number of lattice unit cells for the lattice structure by reducing lattice unit cell size in one or more first regions of the three dimensional model in proximity to the hotter areas of the conformal cooling mold identified by the temperature data from the computer simulation, and reducing the number of lattice unit cells for the lattice structure by increasing lattice unit cell size in one or more second regions of the three dimensional model to prevent recirculation of heat by the cooling lines integrated into the conformal cooling mold.