INJECTION MOULDING PROCESS OPTIMIZATION OF CITRUS FIBER BIOCOMPOSITES BY SIMULATIONS AND TAGUCHI EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNFajs, Peter (Avtor) Ren, Zoran (Mentor) Borovinšek, Matej (Komentor) injection moulding optimizationmaterial characterizationMoldflowinjection moulding simulationsTaguchi DOEbio-compositescitrus waste fibresPLAThe objective of the master thesis is to determine the filling properties of injection moulding process for newly created material, and to understand how the variation of processing parameters affects the flow possibilities. In thesis two materials were analysed, i.e. neat PLA material, which was used as a benchmark material and newly created composite CitrusPLA that is based on biodegradable PLA matrix and reinforced with citrus fibres. To fulfil the aim, the virtual and experimental design of experiment with the Taguchi methodology was conducted with use of spiral flow test, where the flow length of material through mould cavity was observed. The experimental results were the basis for the accuracy validation of numerical results and also to determine the optimum process parameters for injection moulding products with best flow conditions through statistical evaluation. It has been concluded that the newly created composite has lower viscosity compared to benchmark virgin PLA which results in better flow conditions in spiral flow test analysis. Both materials have the same optimal conditions in terms of flow conditions. The contribution of mould temperature is in both cases negligible. However, other two variated parameters i.e. melt temperature and injection speed have higher influence on filling characteristics for both materials.[P. Fajs]20192019-05-13 12:16:13Magistrsko delo/naloga73549UDK: 519.876.5:678.7.027(043.2)COBISS_ID: 22654998NUK URN: URN:SI:UM:DK:DJ7O45DRsl