If you are using one of the shell models, you can compute the mass of the blown product as described in Calculation of the Mass of the Blown Product. By default, the calculation will be performed for the entire parison or sheet, but you can restrict the calculation in two ways.
You can limit it to the portion of the parison or sheet that lies on the positive side of one or more cutting planes.
You can limit it to the portion that is in contact with a part of the mold or form.
The second option is useful, for example, if you want to evaluate the actual mass of a container, once the scraps have been trimmed. Here, use several different subdomains to define the mold, one of which represents the cavity. Then you can restrict the calculation domain to the region that is in contact with the mold cavity, by selecting the subdomain representing the cavity in the procedure below.
The procedure for setting up the calculation of the mass of the blown product is as follows:
Create a new sub-task.
Create a sub-task
Select Postprocessor as the sub-task type.
Postprocessor
When prompted, enter a name for the postprocessor sub-task.
In the F.E.M. Task Postprocessor menu, select Mass of blown product.
Mass of blown product
Ansys Polydata will tell you where the calculation will be performed. You can click in the message panel to continue.
Check the density of the material, and modify it if necessary.
Density of layer [Layer-name]
(Layer-name represents the name you assigned when you defined the layer.)
Select Upper level menu.
Define one or more cutting planes, if desired. Cutting planes can be used to restrict the region of the blown product for which the mass is to be computed. If you want to compute the mass of the entire blown product, then do not define any planes; simply select Upper level menu again and continue the definition. If you want to restrict the computation region, follow the instructions provided for the volume calculation in step 3 of Inputs for Computing the Volume of the Blown Product. Note, however, that cutting planes are optional for the evaluation of the mass of a blown product. In addition, cutting planes can be arbitrarily selected, but must be properly oriented.
Next you will have the opportunity to restrict the calculation to the part of the parison or sheet that is actually in contact with a part of the mold or form (as described at the beginning of this section).
If you do not want to restrict the calculation in this way, simply click Upper level menu in the panel. If you want to restrict the calculation, follow these steps:
Select the contact domain to which you want to restrict the calculation. By default, it will be preceded by Ignore contact with, which indicates that the calculation will not be limited to the portion that is in contact with this domain.
Click Modify.
Select Restricting contact domain.
Repeat to restrict the calculation based on contact with other subdomains.
Click Upper level menu to complete the definition.
The calculation will now be limited so that only the mass of the part of the blown product that is in contact with the specified subdomain(s) will be computed.