Optimization of the Mold Flow Structure for Hybrid Glass Insulator Molding Based on Joint Simulation

CHEN Riqing; LIU Donglei; ZHANG Shaojian; REN Kailin; CAI Xuyang; LUO Xin

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.11.011

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Journal of Netshape Forming Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (11) : 126-135. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.11.011

Intelligent Processing of Advanced Materials

Optimization of the Mold Flow Structure for Hybrid Glass Insulator Molding Based on Joint Simulation

CHEN Riqing, LIU Donglei, ZHANG Shaojian, REN Kailin, CAI Xuyang, LUO Xin^*

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Abstract

To address the issue of low yield in one-shot injection molding of hybrid glass insulators for ultra-high voltage (UHV) power transmission due to defects such as cracking and uneven encapsulation caused by the high brittleness and dimensional deviation of the glass insulator parison, as well as the high deformation resistance and high Mooney viscosity of solid silicone rubber, the work aims to conduct experimental verification and numerical simulation to optimize the mold flow structure design to enhance molding stability and yield. Initially, a series of mold-filling experiments were conducted on a 160 kN hybrid glass insulator, with filling rates set at 10%, 30%, 90%, and 100%, to verify the accuracy and reliability of the numerical simulation model. Then, three mold flow structures were designed for a larger 420 kN hybrid glass insulator and evaluated, including a three-umbrella coaxial symmetrical runner, a two-umbrella coaxial runner with one vertically symmetrical branch and a two-umbrella coaxial runner with one 45° inclined vertical branch. Moldflow simulations were employed to analyze the flow characteristics during mold filling, while the mechanical response of the glass insulator parison was further evaluated through fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations in ANSYS. The results confirmed a high degree of agreement between the simulation predictions and the experimental filling behaviors for the 160 kN insulator across all filling stages. For the 420 kN insulator, all three mold flow structures achieved complete cavity filling. However, Scheme 1 led to fracture due to axial stress imbalance, Scheme 2 exhibited a risk of mechanical damage arising from significant differences in local filling speeds. In contrast, Scheme 3 demonstrated the most favorable performance, achieving uniform filling, reduced shear stress compared to Scheme 2, and minimal air entrapment. It also exhibited the lowest maximum strain (1.415 4×10^-5) and equivalent stress (3.462 MPa) among the three schemes. In conclusion, the numerical simulation model accurately captures the key features of the molding process. The optimized runner design featuring a two-umbrella coaxial configuration combined with a 45° inclined vertical branch effectively minimizes defect risks and improves the first-injection yield rate for 420 kN hybrid glass insulators. These findings offer valuable guidance for refining the molding process of UHV hybrid glass insulators.

Key words

hybrid glass insulators / fill balance / flow channel configuration / mold flow analysis / fluid-structure interaction

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CHEN Riqing, LIU Donglei, ZHANG Shaojian, REN Kailin, CAI Xuyang, LUO Xin. Optimization of the Mold Flow Structure for Hybrid Glass Insulator Molding Based on Joint Simulation[J]. Journal of Netshape Forming Engineering. 2025, 17(11): 126-135 https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.11.011

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