Conformal Cooling Inserts for Lens Molding Thermal Uniformity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lens manufacturing systems face issues with uneven cooling in injection molding, leading to defects such as weld-lines, warping, and birefringence due to non-uniform heat transfer across mold cavities, which increases production costs and decreases efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of conformal heat transfer inserts with sealed fluid inlets, outlets, and conduits that are shaped to match the geometry of the lens cavities, allowing for uniform cooling and enhanced heat transfer through the use of additive manufacturing technologies to create complex conduit geometries that facilitate efficient heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional cooling channels are used in injection molding, then the manufacturing process is simple, but uneven cooling occurs leading to defects such as weld-lines, warping, and birefringence
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channels are designed with conformal geometry that matches the local thickness and shape of the mold cavity. This allows different regions of the mold to receive appropriate cooling rates tailored to their specific thermal requirements, ensuring uniform cooling across the entire part while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channels transition from conventional straight or curved paths to three-dimensional conformal pathways that follow the contour of the mold cavity. This dimensional complexity enables the cooling fluid to access all regions of the cavity uniformly, eliminating hot spots and thermal gradients that cause defects.
2Productivity
If conventional cooling channels are used, then device complexity is low, but manufacturing cycle time increases due to non-uniform heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The conformal cooling channels are positioned at optimal distances from the cavity surface in different regions, allowing thick sections to receive more cooling and thin sections to receive less, thereby achieving uniform cooling rates across the entire part and reducing overall cycle time.
Solution Approach 2:
By implementing three-dimensional conformal cooling pathways that follow the mold cavity geometry, the system achieves superior heat transfer efficiency compared to conventional two-dimensional cooling plates, significantly reducing manufacturing cycle time.
3Manufacturing precision
If conformal heat transfer inserts are implemented, then cooling uniformity and quality improve, but manufacturing complexity and initial cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conformal cooling channels are designed and fabricated as integral parts of the mold or as pre-assembled heat transfer inserts before the actual production process begins. This preliminary fabrication, though complex, eliminates the need for complex assembly during mold setup and ensures consistent cooling performance throughout production.
Solution Approach 2:
Heat transfer inserts serve as intermediary components that can be separately fabricated using advanced manufacturing techniques and then integrated into the mold. This approach allows for optimized cooling channel design while maintaining ease of mold assembly and replacement.
4Loss of time
If conformal cooling channels are used, then manufacturing cycle time decreases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conformal cooling channels provide locally optimized cooling rates throughout the mold cavity, ensuring that all regions cool at the appropriate pace simultaneously. This eliminates the need for extended cooling times required by conventional systems that must accommodate the slowest-cooling region.
Solution Approach 2:
The conformal cooling channels maintain continuous and uniform heat extraction throughout the entire cooling process, eliminating thermal gradients and hot spots that would otherwise require extended cooling time. This continuous effective cooling action significantly reduces the loss of time in manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures uniform cooling across all cavities, reducing the risk of defects and significantly decreasing manufacturing cycle times, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of lens production.
Implementation Method 1
a conformal fluid conduit extending from the sealed fluid inlet to the sealed fluid outlet... enhanced heat transfer through the use of additive manufacturing technologies
Implementation Method 2
circulating a cooled fluid through the conformal cooling channels... facilitates efficient heat dissipation
Implementation Method 3
uniform cooling across all cavities... efficient heat dissipation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The disclosed embodiments include a system and method for manufacturing a lens. In one embodiment, the system includes a lens mold. According to the embodiment, the lens mold contains a part cavity and a material flow path fluidly coupled to the part cavity and a lens material inlet. The system also includes a heat transfer insert. According to the embodiment, the heat transfer insert includes an insert surface positioned adjacent to a part surface of the cavity, a sealed fluid inlet, a sealed fluid outlet, and a conformal fluid conduit that extends from the sealed fluid inlet to the sealed fluid outlet.