Temperature, RHC thermocouples (transient) result

The Temperature, rapid heating and cooling thermocouples (transient) result displays the temperature reading at a user-specified thermocouple location over a stabilized production cycle.

When using a rapid heating or cooling process, or if heater cartridges are used in the mold, the user has the option to control the production cycle using the temperature of a specified mold node. This simulates a thermocouple being used to turn the steam cycle or heater bands on or off. This result plots the temperature of the thermocouple node through the production cycle.

Using this result

When specifying the control of the system by temperature, the target temperature at the thermocouple triggers the turning on or off of the heating and cooling components of the cycle. The minimum time the steam cycle or heater element is on can also be specified.

The slope of the plot shows if the mold is heating or cooling.

This result confirms that the thermocouple settings are tuned to the specified production cycle.

Things to look for

When viewing the Temperature, rapid heating and cooling thermocouples (transient) result, watch for the following.

• Melt temperature at the beginning of the cycle is correct.
• The length of the heating cycle is appropriate and that the heating component is turned on and off as required.
• The steam cycle or heater element is not turned on and off many times through the cycle. If this occurs, adjust the minimum time on or off in the Heat control by temperature dialog.
• If the time taken to reach the switch off temperature is excessive, a higher steam temperature or a more powerful heater element may be required.