Analytical models for the inflation of a polymeric tube

Fabrice Schmidt (1) , A. Rodriguez-Villa (2) , Jean-François Agassant (2) , Michel Bellet (2)

1 CROMeP - Centre de Recherche Outillages, Matériaux et Procédés
2 CEMEF - Centre de Mise en Forme des Matériaux

In the blow moulding processes, a tube-shaped parison (also called preform) made of polymer is inflated inside a mould in order to obtain the desired bottle shape. The free inflation of a cylindrical tube (a simplified kinematic of inflation for the preform before contacting the mould) has been investigated in order to develop analytical models and then provide reliable validation material for finite element software. The solutions calculated for a tube made of a Newtonian fluid and a Lodge's rubberlike liquid material using both exact volumic approach and thin shell approximation have been analysed and compared.

Mots clés: thickness-averaged problem; blow moulding process; analytical model; analytical problem; tube free inflation; elongation flows; volumic approach; thin shell assumption; viscoelastic fluid

Domaines: Génie des procédés

Fabrice Schmidt, A. Rodriguez-Villa, Jean-François Agassant, Michel Bellet. Analytical models for the inflation of a polymeric tube. European Journal of Mechanics - A/Solids, 2000, 19 (1), pp.89-104. ⟨10.1016/S0997-7538(00)00150-9⟩. ⟨hal-02051036⟩