How to Calculate the Projected Area of Hot Runners?

One of our Moldflow Partners (who is also a Moldflow Instructor) asked me about hot runners and if the addition of a hot runner would increase the projected area. They claimed that adding a hot runner increased the clamp force prediction.

I told them that I didn’t think hot runners would increase the projected area and that the increase in clamp force prediction was likely caused by a higher fill pressure.

Just to be sure – I ran a couple of Moldflow studies to verify my theory. As you can see, the addition of the hot runner did not increase my projected area.

I have lost count of how many times I have tested my own theories in Moldflow by running a simple study (or studies).

How often do you run Moldflow to verify your own questions?