Analytical models for the prediction of temperatures in injection molds: 2D
Transient Heat Transfer Analysis

Injection molding is a key manufacturing process widely used in industries such as automotive, medical devices, consumer goods, and electronics due to its ability to produce complex, high-precision plastic parts at large volumes and low cost. This study aims to investigate the influence of model dimensions on thermal behavior in injection-molded parts, using a geometric scaling approach. The objective is to understand how changes in part size affect the transient temperature of the injected part during the cooling phase.

Numerical simulations were performed in 2D using the finite element method (FEM) software ANSYS Workbench 2025 R1. Several models with different geometric scales were analyzed under equivalent boundary and initial conditions. The results show that larger models tend to retain heat for longer periods, while smaller models cool more rapidly, leading to differences in temperature gradients and potential internal stresses. Well-defined linear relationships could be established between the model dimensions and the temperature evolution in the part, indicating a predictable and scalable thermal response.

These findings suggest that scaling laws can be effectively used to estimate thermal performance in molds of varying sizes without the need for exhaustive simulation. Future work will focus on developing analytical models for the prediction of the influence of the dimensions of the model on the temperature of the injected part.