Numerical simulation of foam cup molding process for mold head design

Purpose One of the crucial steps in the molded bra production is the process of developing the mold head. The purpose of this paper is to determine the final cups style and size. Compared with traditional development process of the mold head, less time-consuming and a more quantitative method is needed for the design and modification of the mold head. Design/methodology/approach A three-dimensional (3D) numerical model for the simulation of large compressive deformation was built in this paper to research the foam bra cup molding process. Since the head cones have more representative than the mold heads, the male and female head cones were used in the simulation. All of the solid shapes are modeled by using 3D Solid 164 elements as well as an automatic surface-to-surface contact between head cones. Findings Simulation of the foam cup molding process is conducted by inputting different properties of the foam material and stress-strain curves under different molding temperatures. Research limitations/implications In order to simulate the laminated foam moulding process, heat transfer through a layered textile assembly can be studied by using the thermo-mechanical coupled FE model. Practical implications According to the different foam performance parameters under different temperatures along with different head cone shapes, distribution and variation in the stress field can be obtained as well as the ultimate capacity of foam materials. Social implications A computer-aided parametric design system for the mold heads provides an effective solution to improving the development process of mold heads. Originality/value The distribution and variation in the stress fields can be analyzed through simulation, providing a reference for the mold head design.