Optimal locations of heaters in a shoe outsole rubber injection mold using FEA and parametric analysis

Temperature control of a rubber injection mold is important for the dimensional accuracy of the product. In this study, the arrangement of mold heater cartridges was optimized by using finite element analysis (FEA) and experiments. First, a heat transfer analysis was performed about the rubber mold currently used in a factory. The locations of heater cartridges were modified based on the analytic results. A FE analysis was then performed to improve the rubber mold and experiments were conducted to validate the FE analysis. The FE analysis was in good agreement with the experimental results. Design factors were selected for the arrangement of heater cartridges. Based on parametric analysis, we propose an optimal design method for the arrangement of heater cartridges in the rubber injection mold, thereby improving the outsole mold design.