Plastics and moulds

Mathematical modelling techniques are tools of difficult to apply to the generation of models of manufacturing processes. With these techniques, it is very difficult to know the degree of interrelation with the variables involved in the process of the injection of thermoplastics. These relations, as well as their degree of dependence, are not well defined when using traditional tools. For this reason, and to make more effective process modeling methodologies, it is necessary to rely on graphical methods for later analysis. IDEF0 is a suitable tool for process modeling and its application in the injection of thermoplastics will provide graphically the relationship between the variables involved.

This technique originated in the 1960s as a result of the investigation of the U.S. air force to improve productivity. It is based on SADT (Structured Analysis and Design Technique) and is used for the documentation, analysis and improvement of all processes. The actual activities are model for diagrams.

The application of this methodology is not widespread in the study of industrial processes, and entering a higher level of detail, are not totally studies dealing with the use of this technique with the specific process of molding by injection of thermoplastics.

To hear about this manufacturing process, the variables involved and the characteristics that affect the material during the injection, it is necessary to raise a representative of the process model. The characteristics and advantages of the IDEF0 technique make this method a good tool to model the process, with guarantees, graphically showing the interrelationships between activities and the different variables involved.

The objective of this study is the present the results of the modeling using IDEF0 process thermoplastics injection technique, taking into account the complexity of the functions of the influence of the variables in the various activities; and determining which variables involved in the process can affect several activities simultaneously.