Articles & Tech Briefs

VIRTUAL PROTOTYPE
SOLUTIONS FOR BODY SEALING
SYSTEMS MANUFACTURING

by Eng. Marcelo P. Moraes

N owadays, Automated Design (CAutoD) costs and react to market

manufacturers and Computer Aided opportunities by releasing
are under Engineering (CAE) software innovative new products in
pressure to reduce time to to validate a design before less time than the competitor.
market and optimize committing to making a It is also easier to meet
products to higher levels of physical prototype. The use industry standards and
performance and reliability. o f v i r t u a l p ro t o t y p i n g regulations but still achieve
A much higher number of
products are being
developed in the form of
virtual prototypes in which
engineering simulation
software are used to predict
performance prior to
constructing physical
prototypes. ANSYS, Inc.

Virtual Prototyping
A method in the
process of product software can have a great the desired design without
development that involves impact on a company's the need for countless
using Computer Aided performance. The company iterations and costly physical
Design (CAD), Computer is able to slash its production prototypes. In adopting this
Virtual Prototype Solutions for Body Sealing Systems Manufaturing by Eng. Marcelo P. Moraes
approach, companies can
outperform competition and
re a c t m o re q u i c k l y t o
changing markets.
Computer Aided
Engineering (CAE)
We can describe the
process of analysis by a
process that through static,
dynamic, thermal, magnetic,
uid, acoustic, and impact
analysis can describe the
phenomena that occur
during the process. The CAE
p ro c e s s a n a l y z e s a n d
evaluates an engineering
design using computational
techniques to calculate
p ro d u c t o p e r a t i o n a n d
functionality and very
complex manufacturing
parameters for classical
methods.
Among several
options of computational
analysis methods: nite
element analysis (FEA),
computational uid
dynamics (CFD), multibody
dynamics (MBD) others; we
can highlight two of the main
methods used in the body
Virtual Prototype Solutions for Body Sealing Systems Manufaturing by Eng. Marcelo P. Moraes
sealing systems development
process: FEA and CFD.
Finite Element Analysis
(FEA)
It is very widespread
in the practice of
engineering, it allows the
study of displacements and
tensions in mechanical
parts; a method based on
computer simulation,
analyzing the behavior of
engineering structures and
components under a variety
of conditions; Is an advanced
engineering tool that is used
in design to shorten design
time and replace
experimental testing.
Finite element
analysis, as related to the
mechanics of solids, is the
solution of a nite set of
algebraic matrix equations
t h a t a p p ro x i m a t e t h e
relationships between load
and deection in static
a n a l y s i s a n d v e l o c i t y,
acceleration, and time in
dynamic analysis. Robert
Hooke set down the basis for
modern nite element stress
analysis as Hooke's Law.
Stated simply, an elastic body
stretches (strain) in
proportion to the force
(stress) on it. Were the
Force= Proportional
Constant X Distance of
Stretching.
For analysis of
material with nonlinear
behavior, the variable [k] is
not constant it varies
according to applied force.
The most FEA applications
undertaken by design
engineers were limited to
linear analysis. Such linear
analysis provides an
acceptable approximation of
real-life characteristics for
m o s t p ro b l e m s d e s i g n
e n g i n e e r s e n c o u n t e r.
Nevertheless, occasionally
more challenging problems
arise, problems that call for a
nonlinear approach.
Stiffness is a property of a
part that characterizes its
response to the applied load
and denes the fundamental
difference between linear
and nonlinear analysis.
There being a number of
factors affect stiffness.
Computational Fluid
Dynamics (CFD)
It is the use of applied
mathematics, physics and
computational software to
visualize how a gas or liquid
ows, as well as how the gas
or liquid affects objects as it
ows past. It is based on the
Navier-Stokes equations
these equations describe how
t h e v e l o c i t y, p re s s u re , Newton's second law of motion for uids
Continuity Equation
temperature, and density of a
moving uid are related. A
methodology for obtaining a
discrete solution of real
world uid ow problems.
The Navier-Stokes equations
govern the motion of uids
and can be seen as Newton's The Navier-Stokes equations

second law of motion for

uids. These equations are
always solved together with
the continuity equation:

Automotive Body Sealing Systems

Basically, has the objective of sealing elastomers (rubber) and thermoplastics, and
vehicle compartments: passenger, trunk, it is commercially produced using a process
engine. Effectively prevents direct intrusion of called extrusion.
water, dust and other contaminants besides
sealing external noises and wind noises. The
trims of sealing are divided into primary,
secondary and auxiliary, the trim should also
aid in the style (shape, geometry, appearance
and nish) in reducing the noises stemming
from the closing the doors. The trims can be
manufactured in various materials like Door

Virtual Prototype Solutions for Body Sealing Systems Manufaturing by Eng. Marcelo P. Moraes
 Extrusion Process

Extrusions are parts 2) Screw Extrusion

forced through a die of the
required cross section under
pressure of an extrusion
machine or extruder. Proles
are manufactured in straight
lengths or coils depending on
size of prole and can be cut
to length to suit customer
requirements. In the case of
rubber, the material is
extruded with a metal insert
and vulcanized, during the
process some of the steps are
developed with the aid of
simulation processes, being
through the FEA analyzes or
CFD analyzes.
Copra FEA
of the process from each
individual set of rolls to every
potential product deformity
that roll or material aws
It is one of the core
operations in polymer
processing and is also a key
component in many other
processing operations. The
foremost goal of a screw
extrusion process is to build
pressure in a polymer melt so
that it can be extruded
through a die or injected into
a mold. Most machines are
plasticating: they bring in
solids in pellet or powder
form and melt them as well as
building pressure.

1) Roll Forming might cause. Armed with this

It is a multi-step
process in which each roll
performs a different part of
the operation, FEA modeling
is especially useful and
enables examine every part
valuable information, it is
possible to make adjustments
or design recommendations
to help ensure the best
possible part quality for your
application. Benets of this
process include: analyze and
3) Extrusion Die
improve product
It is a component on an
performance and reliability;
extruder afxed to the
evaluate different designs
extruder head through which
and materials; optimize
designs and reduce material
usage; reduce tool iterations
during product development;
shorten manufacturing lead
times among others.

Virtual Prototype Solutions for Body Sealing Systems Manufaturing by Eng. Marcelo P. Moraes
the melt is pushed to form the
desired prole, in polymer
p ro c e s s i n g i s a m e t a l
restrictor or channel capable
of providing a constant
cross-sectional prole to a
stream of liquid polymer.
This allows for continuous
processing of shapes such as
sheets, lms, pipes, rods, and
other more complex proles.
3.1) Extrusion ow
Should supply the
polymer melt with uniform
pressure, viscosity and
temperature at all along of
tool until the exit. The
balanced ow where all of
the polymer is exiting at the
same velocity and closely
duplicates the shape of the
die orice is a task is
complicated by the fact that
polymers exhibit different
degrees of non-Newtonian
(shear-thinning) behavior
when exposed to different
Virtual Prototype Solutions for Body Sealing Systems Manufaturing by Eng. Marcelo P. Moraes
shear rates in the die's
varying cross-section.
3.2) FSI (Fluid-Structure
Interactions)
It is the interaction of
some movable or deformable
structure with an internal or
surrounding uid ow. It can
be stable or oscillatory, in
oscillatory interactions, the
strain induced in the solid
structure causes it to move
such that the source of strain
is reduced, and the structure
returns to its former state
only for the process to repeat.
3.3) Extruded Prole
Occurs during the
extrusion process a
phenomenon called die
swell, also known as
extrudate swell or Barus
effect, is a common
phenomenon in polymer
processing. Die swell occurs
in instances of polymer
d
ude
E xtr
Di
e
extrusion, in which a stream
of polymeric material is
forced through a die, a
specialized tool in
manufacturing to shape or
cut polymeric materials. Die
swell is an instance where a
polymer stream is
compressed by entrance into
a die, and is followed by a
partial recovery or swell
back to the former shape and
volume of the polymer after
exiting the die, hence the
term die swell.
4) Trims of Sealing
There are different
types of proles with different
applications (Door Seals,
Glass Run Seal, Trunk Seal,
Hood Seal, among others).
Door Seals, the trims of
sealing are divided into
primary, secondary and
auxiliary, and each has
nse
De
tal rt
Me Inse

MSC Software
specic concepts of xation
and actuation. The main
factors inuencing the door
closing effect can be
classied as: Hinge friction;
Hinge axis inclination, door
weight & Centre of Gravity;
Check strap System;
Latching force; Door Seal
force and Air binding effect.
Resistance to the door
closing depends on the
nonlinear elastic
compression load deection
(CLD) resistance, which are
determined by the fractional
volume decrease curve that is
CLD curve of seal. The
compressive deformation
characteristics of the seal
Virtual Prototype Solutions for Body Sealing Systems Manufaturing by Eng. Marcelo P. Moraes
play an important role in seal
energy consumption. The C o m p u t e r
seal is compressed gradually Simulation Helps to
during the door closing Reduce Extrusion Cost
process, so the seal by 50 Percent. Derby
deformation is continuous. Celluar recently found it
The seal system is discredited difcult to protably
into tiny segments with produce an EPDM
certain length, and the total environmental seal for a
energy consumption can be complex geometry. The
calculated by adding the initial plan was to produce
energy consumed by each the part using a single-
segment together. cavity die. As a result of
the complex geometry,
approximately 20 trials on
the extrusion line would
have been required at a
total cost of about
$16,000 for a single
p ro l e . B e c a u s e t h e
production rate of the
single-cavity die was too
low to compensate for the
expense of operating the
extrusion line, Derby
Cellular decided to use
computation uid
dynamics (CFD) to
evaluate whether or not
the part could be
produced using a two-
cavity die.
(extracted from the case study
ANSYS, Inc.)
About the Author