In-line Process and Material Property Measurement in Injection Moulding - a Theoretical Review

In running production the measurement of process and material properties in-line, is a requirement to design and implement effective process control in injection moulding. This work presents a structured thorough analysis and review of the research concerned with in-line measurements of selected processes and material properties on the injection moulding machines. This review sets the current state of art within a range of process and material properties, and identifies areas for future research. The process and material property measurements reviewed are; Viscosity, Melt temperature, pvT and Melt density. It is identified that the largest research effort has been placed on the measurement of viscosity and melt temperature, whereas pvT and melt density measurement are less developed. Finally, gaps within the literature are identified and the proposal of a direction within the field is stated.