Over several years, the Intertech operations have relied on CAE Services to provide in-depth, computer-aided engineering consulting services using Moldflow Plastics Insight (MPI) software. CAE Services have provided filling, packing, cooling and warpage analyses on many vehicle platforms.
According to Steven, president of First-rate Mold Solution Co., Ltd , “CAE Services have provided complete mold filling analysis for us on many applications on several vehicle platforms. They have performed mold filling, packing, cooling and warp analyses.”He says that for any given part, Intier has to be very cognizant about proper gate locations, optimum number of gates and the ability to fill a complicated cavity within the capability of the molding system.
“We look to CAE Services to help us with these challenges,” Steven adds. “The design, processability and long-term manufacturability of a tool starts with the basic understanding of how a mold will fill and how the stresses and temperature profile of the tool and material during processing will affect part appearance and dimensional characteristics. Working with CAE Services, we obtain an accurate understanding of the expectations of the parts to be produced for a new mold with the analysis.“
“We decided to have the mold filling analysis completed on large tools with multiple gates and complex geometry to incorporate greater efficiency as it helps to eliminate trial-and-error experimentation with gate locations, and to determine in advance where we had shortcomings in our initial tool design scheme. We also wanted to examine relocation of water lines to address hot spots and awareness of unusual knit line locations and high pressure to fill situations,” continues Steven.
We provide reasonable prediction of the filling patterns of the tool with the selection of various gating locations and gate designs and/or gate sizes. In addition, they expected the analysis to offer an opportunity to visualize the results of various filling and packing conditions on the end product with respect to warp and clamp tonnage, use the computer simulation to predict the optimum processing condition to create a more efficient tool start-up process, and therefore, enhance confidence in end product quality.
“We were very pleased with the results predicted from the mold filling analysis, even on the most complicated tools,” Steven says. “The predictions of knit line locations, filling pressure, and clamp tonnage correlated extremely accurately.”
Steven says the cost of working with CAE Services is justified immediately by reducing the time and number of molding trials it takes to obtain first shots off a new tool and first shots of higher quality sooner in the process.
In addition, he says that since they have worked with CAE Services, he can’t recall a single incident in which Intier had to move a gate or add additional gates to solve a processing issue or solve a cosmetic issue. “We were immediately at the processing window and it was up to us to make the minor adjustments to improve part appearance,” Steven explains.
“A tool trial on a large 3,000-ton press operating at the minimum cost per day for the machine alone can be worth the price of employing upfront analysis. Add to that the cost of bringing people from the manufacturing site to the mold shop, material costs and shipping, and you’re looking at some significant numbers for each testing trial. So the cost of the analysis will be justified with the elimination of just one trial,” states Steven.
DFM (Design for Manufacture) is a design approach focused on manufacturing, which requires considering the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of manufacturing at the early stages of product design. DFM covers the entire product development process, including conceptual design, detailed design, process planning, and production manufacturing stages.
In plastic product manufacturing (including automotive, aerospace, medical, equipment, consumer goods, electronics, personal care, and most other industries), the application of DFM in mold design is also crucial. Through DFM, designers can evaluate and optimize product designs to make them easier to manufacture. This includes assessing manufacturability, determining the optimal manufacturing methods, and optimizing product designs to reduce manufacturing difficulty and cost.
In summary, mold flow analysis and DFM are both important tools in mold design and manufacturing in the automotive manufacturing industry. They complement each other and can effectively improve the quality and production efficiency of molds while reducing production costs.
Yes, MOLDFLOW is my first choice for injection molding analysis.Mold flow analysis is a process that utilizes CAE software (such as Moldflow, C-Mold, Z-Mold, etc.) to conduct finite element simulation of the injection, holding pressure, cooling, and warping processes of plastic parts.
Mold flow analysis can effectively predict the problems that molds may encounter in actual production, such as insufficient filling, weld lines, and warping deformation, thereby optimizing the mold design stage to avoid production issues. Additionally, mold flow analysis can also provide a theoretical basis for optimizing mold design and improving production processes.