FMS Mold flow Analysis: Engineering Success Across the Life cycle
At FMS, mold flow analysis is driven by decades of hands-on manufacturing expertise, not just software operation. We translate data into actionable insights—optimizing your mold design from the ground up and accurately predicting potential production risks before steel is cut. Beyond supporting our turnkey projects, we offer this advanced simulation as a standalone engineering service.
Seamless Virtual Collaboration
Through our cloud-based collaborative platform, our engineering team integrates seamlessly with yours. Review analysis reports, discuss optimizations, and troubleshoot in real time—giving you the precise support of an in-house engineering department, no matter the distance.
First-rate Mold Solution Co., Ltd. delivers high-precision engineering services that seamlessly balance premium quality with cost efficiency. By leveraging advanced CAE mold flow simulation, our engineering team optimizes complex injection molding designs long before tooling begins.
This data-driven approach allows us to accurately predict polymer behavior, assess material options, and refine process parameters. Through detailed simulation, we analyze critical variables—including optimal gate location, runner efficiency, weld lines, air traps, shear stress, and clamping force—to eliminate potential molding defects proactively. By mitigating risks during the design phase, we ensure accelerated time-to-market and optimized production reliability for our clients.
For different molds, our molding analysis engineers often do:
1) Flow analysis
Predict product filled if hysteresis, whether playing, filling is balanced, with lines and pack wind position, filling the required injection pressure / clamping force sizes, into the plastic location / number / size are reasonable.
2) Runner balance analysis
For a multi-cavity mold cavity or family, can be automatically balanced runner system analysis, through the analysis, we can recommend the flow channel dimensions, how much of the flow channel dimensions, several cavities filled at the same time, to achieve flow balance.
3) Gate location analysis
Moldflow gate location analysis which is called Gate location Analysis, whose role is to automatically analyze the best gate location. When the model already exists in one or more of the gate, and then manually set the gate already exists, the system will automatically analyze the best location for the other gate.
4) Cooling analysis
Prediction mold cooling water layout is reasonable, what areas need to be strengthened cooling, determine the thickness of product design is reasonable to predict molding cycles.
5) Warpage analysis
Predict product deformation and X, Y direction shrinkage values, combined with the adjustment of water / hold pressure parameters / methods into the plastic deformation and thus provide the smallest possible options before making the mold deformation
6) Shrinkage analysis
Analysis of the materials forming the product, the molding shrinkage fit put the number, and the volume contraction, if sink mark .
7) Gas-assisted analysis
Predict gas-assisted molding gas penetration distance, penetration effect, the best location and airway inlet arrangement to assess the product gas assisted molding shrinkage and deformation, etc.
8) Core shift analysis
Mold core offset forecast trends and offset by correcting the mold design, reduce the process of filling the core of the impact strength of the weak, extended tool life.
9) Stress Analysis
Predicted residual stress distribution molded product and size.
10) Fiber orientation Analysis
It is to analyze and control the fiber orientation of the plastic, injection-molded parts in order to reduce shrinkage, warpage , and the floating fibers.
Many different types of fibers, including glass fibers, carbon fibers, silicon carbide fibers, synthetic fibers, boron fibers and the like, the simulation can be based on different fibers we percentage simulation. Fibers can improve the material properties are as follows:
1) over time, reducing material plastic deformation occurs and stress relaxation / 2) improve the flexural strengt / 3) Improve the tensile strength / 4) Improved heat distortion temperature
5) Improving the dimensional stability of the mixture
11) Overmolding analysis
Two-color molding molding products can be analyzed flows, warping and bonding situation.
12) Microchip Encapsulation IC chip package analysis
Predict chip package, thermosetting plastics in the mold cavity flow and curing conditions, flows on the impact of gold wire and pin
13) Underfill analysis
Optimization of thermosetting material molding conditions and filling dispensing model simulations predict various forms (I, L or … form) predicted injection pressure and clamping force of wind and demand forecasting package combines line position.
14) Birefringence Prediction
After forming the refractive index of refractive index difference can be manifested in the form tensor. General 0.1 The results for the optical parts is too large, it should be by adjusting the gate position, adjusting the process conditions or modify the product structure to achieve low residual stress. Asymmetric tensor indicate the occurrence of birefringence, the more serious the description of asymmetric birefringence more serious, actually see the “double word” the more obvious
It is optimal to utilize Molding analysis software before starting the tooling production process. After designing and testing your mold through the software program, a virtual model of the initial design will be developed. Utilizing data and aware of mold qualities, Molding analysis software will virtually predict how the material will flow through and fill the cavities of a mold.
With information regarding pressure, fill time, melt temperature, and other data points, one can analyze and adjust the mold accordingly, retest the improved model, and continue the process until a perfect mold simulation is created This software mitigates risk and error before production even begins.
Molding analysis analysis is the process of simulating an injection molding cycle with a particular plastic and analyzing the results. Mold flow analysis should occur before the injection molding process ever begins, through the use of specialized software that simulates the design of the part to be manufactured. Since the flow of the liquid material in the mold makes a massive difference to the behavior of the product, this step can save a great deal of effort down the road. This software creates color maps of different properties of the design as they would be reflected in the actual mold flow. These may include heating/cooling, fill pattern, injection pressure, potential air traps, shear stress, fiber orientation, and many more properties. Molding analysis is a careful, hands-on-process meant for experts.
When Should Mold Flow Analysis be Used? In case it wasn’t clear, MFA is conducted before tooling production launches. (It wouldn’t make much sense to use it afterward!) Using a selected gate location and material properties, the software is able to predict how the part will fill during molding. Different data points can be assessed, including pressure, fill time and melt temperature. Doing so allows for optimization of the process before tool manufacturing ever begins.
There are multiple benefits to Moldflow analysis. They include:
Resolution of wall thickness complications
Gate location optimization
Mold cavities fill consistently and uniformly
Discover defects in design geometry
Prevent expensive tooling errors and rework
Enhance manufacturability
Reduce time to market
Boost efficiency and quality
Reveals potential visual defects, including air traps, sink marks and weld lines
Assess different material options, pre-production
Provides data to support design changes
The consumer product development process is much more complex than just creating a design and having a machine spit out material in a desired shape; plastics are not as inert as they seem and do not operate like static building blocks. The color maps created by mold flow analysis assist in adaptive changes of the design in order to create a quality product before the molding process actually occurs. This ensures that when a prototype or product goes into production, it is going to perform and behave optimally. Despite the overhead that it adds to the process, mold flow analysis more than makes up for this in terms of final quality. In fact, it has been considered a factor in keeping North American manufacturing competitive in the face of cheaper product development processes elsewhere. Furthermore, it demonstrates a commitment to quality, and is a good indicator of design and engineering firms who are competent, reliable, and produce quality solutions.
Is Analysis Necessary for Every Application?
The short answer: not necessarily. The following factors can help you decide whether MFA should be used for your application:
PRODUCT GEOMETRY
The more complex the product geometry, the more benefit you’ll receive from MFA. Why? When the product’s design is more intricate, the flow is less predictable. It’s easier to predict how a simple mold design would fill, for example.
TOLERANCE REQUIREMENTS
Tight tolerances are an anathema to plastic injection mold designers anyway. Software that can analyse and demonstrate whether a product will meet spec prior to cutting a tool is a godsend.
PROJECT SCOPE
Clearly a project would have to meet certain financial requirements to warrant the investment of resources — time, software and talent — to run the tests.
UNUSUAL MATERIALS
Engineers know the fill patterns of standard materials but others — especially materials that include fillers — benefit from up-front analysis.
Today, mold flow analysis (MFA) software can simulate the flow of plastic through your proposed mold, allowing for enhancements to the mold design and producing high-quality parts—all before any machining is done on the tool! The MFA allows designers a look into the future, showing them how the plastic will fill the mold’s cavities and pointing out potential problems.
Everyone agrees that quality parts come from a flawless mold, and digitally simulating the process is the key to starting out with flawless tooling. Moldflow, an MFA software company owned by Autodesk, is one of the leading companies providing software to improve injection molding designs.
Here are some of the benefits you can expect from their software:
Optimized gate locations: In the past, gates (those areas that control plastic flow to the cavities) were made smaller initially and then re-machined after sampling the part—a costly and time-consuming step.
Mold cavities that are filled uniformly and consistently
Ability to find visual defects: Air traps and sink marks are discovered and eliminated up front.
Wall thickness issues are resolved
Weaknesses in design can be corrected
Various materials can be evaluated before production
Improvements to the manufacturability of the part can be made
The time it takes to get your parts to market is reduced
If you’ve had plastic parts manufactured in the past using traditional methods, you probably remember the process. You wouldn’t exactly call it hit-and-miss. The shop you worked with was reputable, and their team had the experience to take your part, design a mold, and produce samples for you to measure and test.
But despite the best efforts of everyone involved, your part came out of the initial mold trial with flaws. It may have been a visual defect, a wall thickness problem, or a design issue. It’s not surprising. With all of the variables that can affect the molding process, it isn’t easy to produce a perfect part on the first try.
Moldflow analysis simulation software is a valuable tool that aids in bringing quality parts to market on time and on budget. Simulation software is an essential tool in the development of complicated 3D part designs and also helps to predict the effects on quality of making existing products lighter and thinner. Although simulation software will not produce results with 100% accuracy it will stop you from making some huge mistakes.
Creating a high performing mold is a vital part of the injection molding process, but can be a challenging. While one might think liquid plastic simply takes on the shape of the mold it’s injected into, a strong initial design and innovative techniques are vital to consistent part production.
Today, many manufacturers have proven mold flow analysis (MFA) to be the medium between a flawless design and production. Vital to the injection molding process, investing in MFA software will enhance mold quality, product appearance, and final performance. The return on investment more than justifies the cost of the MFA software.