A similar breakout by role and task is taken with Moldex3D simulation packages: eDesign Basic, eDesign, Moldex Professional and Moldex Advanced. “A part designer may not need to understand the detailed design of the hot runner nozzle, so he or she does not have to use the advanced hot runner module on our high level package,” says Tober Sun, division manager at Moldex3D’s Product Support Division. “But he or she has to determine if a certain boss will cause problems during filling, so Moldex3D eDesign and Professional will help them assess geometrical problems on the part design, while ignoring the more detailed mold design and processing conditions.”All four Moldex3D products employ a full 3D boundary-layer meshing approach that offers very fast processing times; each version also supports a number of add-on modules. According to Susan Lin, support engineer at Moldex3D North America, the conformal cooling add-on is one of their best sellers. “It’s a no-brainer for users to acknowledge the benefits of conformal cooling channels,” says Lin, “if these channels are designed the right way. They have to extract heat from the exact hot area and homogenize the temperature across the part and between the mold halves. This is why simulation is needed. The benefits, including cycle time reduction and warpage improvement, can all be quantified from the simulation results.”Other Moldex3D modules include support for design of experiments, gas- and water-assisted molding and powder-injected molding; Sun says that the next software release will add new modules such as for chemical foaming. The Moldex3D material database has more than 7000 entries (including thermosets, coolant materials and mold materials), and lets users measure and add their own material property information. For added ease of use, the Moldex3D eDesign SYNC add-on connects with SOLIDWORKS, PTC Creo and Siemens PLM Software NX, while the FEA interface supports such advanced analysis packages as SIMULIA Abaqus, ANSYS, MSC Nastran, LS-DYNA and more.Creo Mold Analysis (CMA) is a PTC product based on Moldex3D technology. Working on top of PTC Creo, its user interface and workflow differ from that of Moldex3D, though its functionality is similar to that of Moldex3D eDesign SYNC. “The analysis object is the design model, so CMA provides injection molding process simulation for preliminary product design directly within Creo. This has reduced the need to perform exchange operations with external tools,” explains Russell Hsu, PTC Creo product management manager. He notes that two wish-list items for future CMA releases are to include design optimization and cloud computing capabilities. The picture shows the temperature distribution for two concepts. The left concept shows hot spots on the cavity cores whereas the right-hand layout leads to a much more homogenous temperature distribution. Image courtesy of SIGMA Engineering.Another company that offers complementary injection molding software packages (under the VISI family name) is Vero Software. A huge advantage of the VISI modular structure is that a license can be shared across departments, supporting tasks such as part analysis, geometry validation and even a preventative flow analysis, all before a tool designer would work on the mold core/cavity and plan the manufacturing process, notes Marc Freebrey, group marketing director at Vero Software.First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database. Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.A la Carte or All-Inclusive?Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

The Case for 3D-Printed MoldsWhen injection molding a plastic part, you consider the material for the part, the material for the mold (usually CNC-machined steel) and perhaps an insert made of aluminum. But nowadays, especially if conformal cooling is desirable, you might also think: “Could I make the mold with additive manufacturing?” and that leads to a variety of questions and answers.“Generally tool steel such as P20 (when used in 3D printing) has the same strength and usability,” says David Lindemann, application engineer for Cimatron, a 3D Systems partner and developer of CAD/CAM software for tooling. “The biggest issue for using a printed core or cavity is to get the required finish. The core must be printed slightly larger so material remains all around, so a good CNC-machined finish can be cut after printing.” Lindemann also points out a benefit you might not consider with 3D-printed conformal cooling channels. “The inside of the waterlines will have a rough printed finish because the quality is determined by the depth of the print layer with each pass,” he notes, “but that is actually a good thing because it creates turbulence in the water, drawing out heat.”Steel isn’t the only possibility for AM-produced injection molds. Formlabs, which recently introduced its Form 2 advanced desktop SLA (stereolithography) 3D printer, describes new possibilities for its 3D-printed High-Temp Resin in a white paper called “Moldmaking with 3D Prints: Techniques for Prototyping and Production”. It is one of several 3D printers with high-temp plastic materials that support injection molding of other plastics.3D-printed plastic molds generally have a lifetime of 100 shots before they break down. The pros and cons are discussed by Kip Hanson of service bureau Proto Labs in his blog post, “3D-Printed Molds vs. Aluminum Tooling.” He also gives advice on design rules, such as the need to increase draft angles over those intended for aluminum.Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJWThe company is also developing enhanced versions of these packages that will integrate in the full Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE. The benefit will be that advanced users won’t have to go back and forth between Abaqus, CATIA and Simpoe-Mold, but instead work within a single platform. Sawyer says that hot topics for the future include the ability to run analyses of mold cores and improve simulations of both hot and cold runners.For SOLIDWORKS CAD-based users, Dassault Systemès offers an adaptation of Simpoe-Mold that uses the same simulation engine but has its own GUI (graphical user interface) and is available in three versions. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Standard is targeted to part designers, offering such information as fill time, automatic gate location and predication of sink marks. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional, intended for mold designers or builders, includes multi-cavity layouts, a runner design wizard, packing analysis and gas-assist injection analysis. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Premium has all these features plus advanced capabilities so CAE analysts and others can work on such tasks as designing complex cooling-line layouts, predicting part warpage and optimizing processing parameters.A similar breakout by role and task is taken with Moldex3D simulation packages: eDesign Basic, eDesign, Moldex Professional and Moldex Advanced. “A part designer may not need to understand the detailed design of the hot runner nozzle, so he or she does not have to use the advanced hot runner module on our high level package,” says Tober Sun, division manager at Moldex3D’s Product Support Division. “But he or she has to determine if a certain boss will cause problems during filling, so Moldex3D eDesign and Professional will help them assess geometrical problems on the part design, while ignoring the more detailed mold design and processing conditions.”All four Moldex3D products employ a full 3D boundary-layer meshing approach that offers very fast processing times; each version also supports a number of add-on modules. According to Susan Lin, support engineer at Moldex3D North America, the conformal cooling add-on is one of their best sellers. “It’s a no-brainer for users to acknowledge the benefits of conformal cooling channels,” says Lin, “if these channels are designed the right way. They have to extract heat from the exact hot area and homogenize the temperature across the part and between the mold halves. This is why simulation is needed. The benefits, including cycle time reduction and warpage improvement, can all be quantified from the simulation results.”Other Moldex3D modules include support for design of experiments, gas- and water-assisted molding and powder-injected molding; Sun says that the next software release will add new modules such as for chemical foaming. The Moldex3D material database has more than 7000 entries (including thermosets, coolant materials and mold materials), and lets users measure and add their own material property information. For added ease of use, the Moldex3D eDesign SYNC add-on connects with SOLIDWORKS, PTC Creo and Siemens PLM Software NX, while the FEA interface supports such advanced analysis packages as SIMULIA Abaqus, ANSYS, MSC Nastran, LS-DYNA and more.Creo Mold Analysis (CMA) is a PTC product based on Moldex3D technology. Working on top of PTC Creo, its user interface and workflow differ from that of Moldex3D, though its functionality is similar to that of Moldex3D eDesign SYNC. “The analysis object is the design model, so CMA provides injection molding process simulation for preliminary product design directly within Creo. This has reduced the need to perform exchange operations with external tools,” explains Russell Hsu, PTC Creo product management manager. He notes that two wish-list items for future CMA releases are to include design optimization and cloud computing capabilities. The picture shows the temperature distribution for two concepts. The left concept shows hot spots on the cavity cores whereas the right-hand layout leads to a much more homogenous temperature distribution. Image courtesy of SIGMA Engineering.Another company that offers complementary injection molding software packages (under the VISI family name) is Vero Software. A huge advantage of the VISI modular structure is that a license can be shared across departments, supporting tasks such as part analysis, geometry validation and even a preventative flow analysis, all before a tool designer would work on the mold core/cavity and plan the manufacturing process, notes Marc Freebrey, group marketing director at Vero Software.First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database. Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.A la Carte or All-Inclusive?Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has released final figures for NPE2024: The Plastics Show (May 6-10; Orlando) that officially make it the largest ever NPE in several key metrics.

Determining the source of streaking or contamination in your molded parts is a critical step in perfecting your purging procedures ultimately saving you time and money.

In this three-part collection, veteran molder and moldmaker Jim Fattori brings to bear his 40+ years of on-the-job experience and provides molders his “from the trenches” perspective on on the why, where and how of venting injection molds. Take the trial-and-error out of the molding venting process.

Fortunately, as the materials, machinery and ideas involved in injection molding have progressed, so have the capabilities of related simulation software to tackle such questions. Whether hailing from companies based in the United States the U.K., France, Germany or Japan, these packages address the concerns of everyone involved in this field, though with different ways of dividing up the tasks.

More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

Pamela Waterman worked as Digital Engineering’s contributing editor for two decades. Contact her via .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

While the melting process does not provide perfect mixing, this study shows that mixing is indeed initiated during melting.

Despite price increase nominations going into second quarter, it appeared there was potential for generally flat pricing with the exception of a major downward correction for PP.

Steel isn’t the only possibility for AM-produced injection molds. Formlabs, which recently introduced its Form 2 advanced desktop SLA (stereolithography) 3D printer, describes new possibilities for its 3D-printed High-Temp Resin in a white paper called “Moldmaking with 3D Prints: Techniques for Prototyping and Production”. It is one of several 3D printers with high-temp plastic materials that support injection molding of other plastics.3D-printed plastic molds generally have a lifetime of 100 shots before they break down. The pros and cons are discussed by Kip Hanson of service bureau Proto Labs in his blog post, “3D-Printed Molds vs. Aluminum Tooling.” He also gives advice on design rules, such as the need to increase draft angles over those intended for aluminum.Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJW

All four Moldex3D products employ a full 3D boundary-layer meshing approach that offers very fast processing times; each version also supports a number of add-on modules. According to Susan Lin, support engineer at Moldex3D North America, the conformal cooling add-on is one of their best sellers. “It’s a no-brainer for users to acknowledge the benefits of conformal cooling channels,” says Lin, “if these channels are designed the right way. They have to extract heat from the exact hot area and homogenize the temperature across the part and between the mold halves. This is why simulation is needed. The benefits, including cycle time reduction and warpage improvement, can all be quantified from the simulation results.”Other Moldex3D modules include support for design of experiments, gas- and water-assisted molding and powder-injected molding; Sun says that the next software release will add new modules such as for chemical foaming. The Moldex3D material database has more than 7000 entries (including thermosets, coolant materials and mold materials), and lets users measure and add their own material property information. For added ease of use, the Moldex3D eDesign SYNC add-on connects with SOLIDWORKS, PTC Creo and Siemens PLM Software NX, while the FEA interface supports such advanced analysis packages as SIMULIA Abaqus, ANSYS, MSC Nastran, LS-DYNA and more.Creo Mold Analysis (CMA) is a PTC product based on Moldex3D technology. Working on top of PTC Creo, its user interface and workflow differ from that of Moldex3D, though its functionality is similar to that of Moldex3D eDesign SYNC. “The analysis object is the design model, so CMA provides injection molding process simulation for preliminary product design directly within Creo. This has reduced the need to perform exchange operations with external tools,” explains Russell Hsu, PTC Creo product management manager. He notes that two wish-list items for future CMA releases are to include design optimization and cloud computing capabilities. The picture shows the temperature distribution for two concepts. The left concept shows hot spots on the cavity cores whereas the right-hand layout leads to a much more homogenous temperature distribution. Image courtesy of SIGMA Engineering.Another company that offers complementary injection molding software packages (under the VISI family name) is Vero Software. A huge advantage of the VISI modular structure is that a license can be shared across departments, supporting tasks such as part analysis, geometry validation and even a preventative flow analysis, all before a tool designer would work on the mold core/cavity and plan the manufacturing process, notes Marc Freebrey, group marketing director at Vero Software.First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database. Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.A la Carte or All-Inclusive?Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

Two mammoth 8000-ton presses built at its St. Valentin plant in Austria have been delivered to Infiltrator Water Technologies in Winchester, Ky.

August 29-30 in Minneapolis all things injection molding and moldmaking will be happening at the Hyatt Regency — check out who’s speaking on what topics today.

Thousands of people visit our Supplier Guide every day to source equipment and materials. Get in front of them with a free company profile.

Across all process types, sustainability was a big theme at NPE2024. But there was plenty to see in automation and artificial intelligence as well.

Join Wittmann for an engaging webinar on the transformative impact of manufacturing execution systems (MES) in the plastic injection molding industry. Discover how MES enhances production efficiency, quality control and real-time monitoring while also reducing downtime. It will explore the integration of MES with existing systems, emphasizing compliance and traceability for automotive and medical sectors. Learn about the latest advancements in IoT and AI technologies and how they drive innovation and continuous improvement in MES. Agenda: Overview of MES benefits What is MES? Definition, role and brief history Historical perspective and evolution Longevity and analytics Connectivity: importance, standards and integration Advantages of MES: efficiency, real-time data, traceability and cost savings Emerging technologies: IoT and AI in MES

Join this webinar to explore the transformative benefits of retrofitting your existing injection molding machines (IMMs). Engel will guide you through upgrading your equipment to enhance monitoring, control and adaptability — all while integrating digital technologies. You'll learn about the latest trends in IMM retrofitting (including Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits) and discover how to future-proof your machines for a competitive edge. With insights from industry experts, it'll walk you through the decision-making process, ensuring you make informed choices that drive your business forward. Agenda: Maximize the value of your current IMMs through strategic retrofitting Learn how to integrate digital technologies to enhance monitoring and control Explore the benefits of Euromap interfaces and plasticizing retrofits Understand how retrofitting can help meet new product demands and improve adaptability Discover how Engel can support your retrofitting needs, from free consultations to execution

Say “manufacturing automation” and thoughts immediately go to the shop floor and specialized production equipment, robotics and material handling systems. But there is another realm of possible automation — the front office.

Exhibitors and presenters at the plastics show emphasized 3D printing as a complement and aid to more traditional production processes.

In a time where sustainability is no longer just a buzzword, the food and beverage packaging industry is required to be at the forefront of this innovation. By adopting circular packaging processes and solutions, producers can meet regulatory requirements while also satisfying consumer demand and enhancing brand reputation. Join Husky to learn more about the broader implications of the circular economy — as well as how leading brands are leveraging this opportunity to reduce costs, increase design flexibility and boost product differentiation. Agenda: The cost and operational benefits of embracing circularity Key materials in circular packaging — including rPET and emerging bioplastics How to design a circular food and beverage package Strategies for selecting sustainable closures to future-proof packaging solutions Optimization and streamlining of production processes for enhanced efficiency How Husky Technologies can enable your sustainable success

Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant, Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA explains, for example, that while ENG lets users simulate filling and packing plus the cool-down stage for the part inside the mold, TOOL then adds support for analyzing cooling lines in the mold itself, using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) to predict where cooling is needed and FEA (finite element analysis) to calculate potential part warpage.The Case for 3D-Printed MoldsWhen injection molding a plastic part, you consider the material for the part, the material for the mold (usually CNC-machined steel) and perhaps an insert made of aluminum. But nowadays, especially if conformal cooling is desirable, you might also think: “Could I make the mold with additive manufacturing?” and that leads to a variety of questions and answers.“Generally tool steel such as P20 (when used in 3D printing) has the same strength and usability,” says David Lindemann, application engineer for Cimatron, a 3D Systems partner and developer of CAD/CAM software for tooling. “The biggest issue for using a printed core or cavity is to get the required finish. The core must be printed slightly larger so material remains all around, so a good CNC-machined finish can be cut after printing.” Lindemann also points out a benefit you might not consider with 3D-printed conformal cooling channels. “The inside of the waterlines will have a rough printed finish because the quality is determined by the depth of the print layer with each pass,” he notes, “but that is actually a good thing because it creates turbulence in the water, drawing out heat.”Steel isn’t the only possibility for AM-produced injection molds. Formlabs, which recently introduced its Form 2 advanced desktop SLA (stereolithography) 3D printer, describes new possibilities for its 3D-printed High-Temp Resin in a white paper called “Moldmaking with 3D Prints: Techniques for Prototyping and Production”. It is one of several 3D printers with high-temp plastic materials that support injection molding of other plastics.3D-printed plastic molds generally have a lifetime of 100 shots before they break down. The pros and cons are discussed by Kip Hanson of service bureau Proto Labs in his blog post, “3D-Printed Molds vs. Aluminum Tooling.” He also gives advice on design rules, such as the need to increase draft angles over those intended for aluminum.Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJWThe company is also developing enhanced versions of these packages that will integrate in the full Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE. The benefit will be that advanced users won’t have to go back and forth between Abaqus, CATIA and Simpoe-Mold, but instead work within a single platform. Sawyer says that hot topics for the future include the ability to run analyses of mold cores and improve simulations of both hot and cold runners.For SOLIDWORKS CAD-based users, Dassault Systemès offers an adaptation of Simpoe-Mold that uses the same simulation engine but has its own GUI (graphical user interface) and is available in three versions. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Standard is targeted to part designers, offering such information as fill time, automatic gate location and predication of sink marks. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional, intended for mold designers or builders, includes multi-cavity layouts, a runner design wizard, packing analysis and gas-assist injection analysis. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Premium has all these features plus advanced capabilities so CAE analysts and others can work on such tasks as designing complex cooling-line layouts, predicting part warpage and optimizing processing parameters.A similar breakout by role and task is taken with Moldex3D simulation packages: eDesign Basic, eDesign, Moldex Professional and Moldex Advanced. “A part designer may not need to understand the detailed design of the hot runner nozzle, so he or she does not have to use the advanced hot runner module on our high level package,” says Tober Sun, division manager at Moldex3D’s Product Support Division. “But he or she has to determine if a certain boss will cause problems during filling, so Moldex3D eDesign and Professional will help them assess geometrical problems on the part design, while ignoring the more detailed mold design and processing conditions.”All four Moldex3D products employ a full 3D boundary-layer meshing approach that offers very fast processing times; each version also supports a number of add-on modules. According to Susan Lin, support engineer at Moldex3D North America, the conformal cooling add-on is one of their best sellers. “It’s a no-brainer for users to acknowledge the benefits of conformal cooling channels,” says Lin, “if these channels are designed the right way. They have to extract heat from the exact hot area and homogenize the temperature across the part and between the mold halves. This is why simulation is needed. The benefits, including cycle time reduction and warpage improvement, can all be quantified from the simulation results.”Other Moldex3D modules include support for design of experiments, gas- and water-assisted molding and powder-injected molding; Sun says that the next software release will add new modules such as for chemical foaming. The Moldex3D material database has more than 7000 entries (including thermosets, coolant materials and mold materials), and lets users measure and add their own material property information. For added ease of use, the Moldex3D eDesign SYNC add-on connects with SOLIDWORKS, PTC Creo and Siemens PLM Software NX, while the FEA interface supports such advanced analysis packages as SIMULIA Abaqus, ANSYS, MSC Nastran, LS-DYNA and more.Creo Mold Analysis (CMA) is a PTC product based on Moldex3D technology. Working on top of PTC Creo, its user interface and workflow differ from that of Moldex3D, though its functionality is similar to that of Moldex3D eDesign SYNC. “The analysis object is the design model, so CMA provides injection molding process simulation for preliminary product design directly within Creo. This has reduced the need to perform exchange operations with external tools,” explains Russell Hsu, PTC Creo product management manager. He notes that two wish-list items for future CMA releases are to include design optimization and cloud computing capabilities. The picture shows the temperature distribution for two concepts. The left concept shows hot spots on the cavity cores whereas the right-hand layout leads to a much more homogenous temperature distribution. Image courtesy of SIGMA Engineering.Another company that offers complementary injection molding software packages (under the VISI family name) is Vero Software. A huge advantage of the VISI modular structure is that a license can be shared across departments, supporting tasks such as part analysis, geometry validation and even a preventative flow analysis, all before a tool designer would work on the mold core/cavity and plan the manufacturing process, notes Marc Freebrey, group marketing director at Vero Software.First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database. Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.A la Carte or All-Inclusive?Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

Mike Sepe has authored more than 25 ANTEC papers and more than 250 articles illustrating the importance of this interdisciplanary approach. In this collection, we present some of his best work during the years he has been contributing for Plastics Technology Magazine.

This month’s resin pricing report includes PT’s quarterly check-in on select engineering resins, including nylon 6 and 66.

Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJW

Austrian injection molding machine and automation supplier Engel (Schwertberg) has delivered the two largest-ever injection molding it has built to the U.S., shipping a pair of 8000-ton duo combi machines to Advanced Drainage Systems‘ (ADS) subsidiary Infiltrator Water Technologies (IWT) in Winchester, Ky.

While the major correction in PP prices was finally underway, generally stable pricing was anticipated for the other four commodity resins.

This Knowledge Center provides an overview of the considerations needed to understand the purchase, operation, and maintenance of a process cooling system.

Discover how artifical intelligence is revolutionizing plastics processing. Hear from industry experts on the future impact of AI on your operations and envision a fully interconnected plant.

Sustainability continues to dominate new additives technology, but upping performance is also evident. Most of the new additives have been targeted to commodity resins and particularly polyolefins.

When, how, what and why to automate — leading robotics suppliers and forward-thinking moldmakers will share their insights on automating manufacturing at collocated event.

Join KraussMaffei for an insightful webinar designed for industry professionals, engineers and anyone interested in the manufacturing processes of PVC pipes. This session will provide a comprehensive understanding of the technology behind the production of high-quality PVC pipes: from raw material preparation to final product testing. Agenda: Introduction to PVC extrusion: overview of the basic principles of PVC pipe extrusion — including the process of melting and shaping PVC resin into pipe forms Equipment and machinery: detailed explanation of the key equipment involved — such as extruders, dies and cooling systems — and their roles in the extrusion process Process parameters: insight into the critical process parameters like temperature, pressure and cooling rates that influence the quality and consistency of the final PVC pipes Energy efficiency: examination of ways to save material and energy use when extruding PVC pipe products

Thoughtful designs combine art and engineering (see “Design Considerations for Injection Molding”) generally requiring some trade-offs divided between adjusting the part design, the mold design and/or the process. Autodesk, which offers three levels of its Moldflow injection-molding simulation software, introduces the basic challenges faced by manufacturers in this field: Will the mold fill completely? Will the final part warp or have visual defects? What changes could be made to the part geometry, materials, wall thickness or gate (injection port) locations to improve the part or process? How would decreasing the cycle time or temperature affect the part quality? With these questions as starting points, experts know there’s much more work to be done.

Join Engel in exploring the future of battery molding technology. Discover advancements in thermoplastic composites for battery housings, innovative automation solutions and the latest in large-tonnage equipment designed for e-mobility — all with a focus on cost-efficient solutions. Agenda: Learn about cutting-edge thermoplastic composites for durable, sustainable and cost-efficient battery housings Explore advanced automation concepts for efficient and scalable production See the latest large-tonnage equipment and technology innovations for e-mobility solutions

Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.

Moldflow Adviser Premium is aimed at the part designer, while Adviser Ultimate builds on this package to also help the tooling engineer. “The Moldflow Insight product line,” explains Van Raalte, “is Adviser’s big brother and is more geared toward a specialized user, typically a plastics engineer or expert manufacturing engineer. Whereas Moldflow Adviser is tuned for speed, Moldflow Insight is tuned to provide very detailed and quantitative insight into the molding process.”Both Moldflow product lines have access to the same plastics material database of more than 9500 materials, with each material characterized for injection molding simulation. Autodesk also has a significant mold-material database, available in Moldflow Insight, which lets users evaluate differences between, say, using an aluminum tool instead of one made from P20 tool steel. The company has recently added new capabilities that automate design changes to optimize a part for different quality objectives.Dassault Systèmes supports injection-molding simulation for two of its major product lines. Within its SIMULIA simulation product family, the company offers Simpoe-Mold ENG for plastic part designers and Simpoe-Mold TOOL (which includes ENG) for part designers, mold designers and mold makers.Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant, Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA explains, for example, that while ENG lets users simulate filling and packing plus the cool-down stage for the part inside the mold, TOOL then adds support for analyzing cooling lines in the mold itself, using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) to predict where cooling is needed and FEA (finite element analysis) to calculate potential part warpage.The Case for 3D-Printed MoldsWhen injection molding a plastic part, you consider the material for the part, the material for the mold (usually CNC-machined steel) and perhaps an insert made of aluminum. But nowadays, especially if conformal cooling is desirable, you might also think: “Could I make the mold with additive manufacturing?” and that leads to a variety of questions and answers.“Generally tool steel such as P20 (when used in 3D printing) has the same strength and usability,” says David Lindemann, application engineer for Cimatron, a 3D Systems partner and developer of CAD/CAM software for tooling. “The biggest issue for using a printed core or cavity is to get the required finish. The core must be printed slightly larger so material remains all around, so a good CNC-machined finish can be cut after printing.” Lindemann also points out a benefit you might not consider with 3D-printed conformal cooling channels. “The inside of the waterlines will have a rough printed finish because the quality is determined by the depth of the print layer with each pass,” he notes, “but that is actually a good thing because it creates turbulence in the water, drawing out heat.”Steel isn’t the only possibility for AM-produced injection molds. Formlabs, which recently introduced its Form 2 advanced desktop SLA (stereolithography) 3D printer, describes new possibilities for its 3D-printed High-Temp Resin in a white paper called “Moldmaking with 3D Prints: Techniques for Prototyping and Production”. It is one of several 3D printers with high-temp plastic materials that support injection molding of other plastics.3D-printed plastic molds generally have a lifetime of 100 shots before they break down. The pros and cons are discussed by Kip Hanson of service bureau Proto Labs in his blog post, “3D-Printed Molds vs. Aluminum Tooling.” He also gives advice on design rules, such as the need to increase draft angles over those intended for aluminum.Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJWThe company is also developing enhanced versions of these packages that will integrate in the full Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE. The benefit will be that advanced users won’t have to go back and forth between Abaqus, CATIA and Simpoe-Mold, but instead work within a single platform. Sawyer says that hot topics for the future include the ability to run analyses of mold cores and improve simulations of both hot and cold runners.For SOLIDWORKS CAD-based users, Dassault Systemès offers an adaptation of Simpoe-Mold that uses the same simulation engine but has its own GUI (graphical user interface) and is available in three versions. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Standard is targeted to part designers, offering such information as fill time, automatic gate location and predication of sink marks. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional, intended for mold designers or builders, includes multi-cavity layouts, a runner design wizard, packing analysis and gas-assist injection analysis. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Premium has all these features plus advanced capabilities so CAE analysts and others can work on such tasks as designing complex cooling-line layouts, predicting part warpage and optimizing processing parameters.A similar breakout by role and task is taken with Moldex3D simulation packages: eDesign Basic, eDesign, Moldex Professional and Moldex Advanced. “A part designer may not need to understand the detailed design of the hot runner nozzle, so he or she does not have to use the advanced hot runner module on our high level package,” says Tober Sun, division manager at Moldex3D’s Product Support Division. “But he or she has to determine if a certain boss will cause problems during filling, so Moldex3D eDesign and Professional will help them assess geometrical problems on the part design, while ignoring the more detailed mold design and processing conditions.”All four Moldex3D products employ a full 3D boundary-layer meshing approach that offers very fast processing times; each version also supports a number of add-on modules. According to Susan Lin, support engineer at Moldex3D North America, the conformal cooling add-on is one of their best sellers. “It’s a no-brainer for users to acknowledge the benefits of conformal cooling channels,” says Lin, “if these channels are designed the right way. They have to extract heat from the exact hot area and homogenize the temperature across the part and between the mold halves. This is why simulation is needed. The benefits, including cycle time reduction and warpage improvement, can all be quantified from the simulation results.”Other Moldex3D modules include support for design of experiments, gas- and water-assisted molding and powder-injected molding; Sun says that the next software release will add new modules such as for chemical foaming. The Moldex3D material database has more than 7000 entries (including thermosets, coolant materials and mold materials), and lets users measure and add their own material property information. For added ease of use, the Moldex3D eDesign SYNC add-on connects with SOLIDWORKS, PTC Creo and Siemens PLM Software NX, while the FEA interface supports such advanced analysis packages as SIMULIA Abaqus, ANSYS, MSC Nastran, LS-DYNA and more.Creo Mold Analysis (CMA) is a PTC product based on Moldex3D technology. Working on top of PTC Creo, its user interface and workflow differ from that of Moldex3D, though its functionality is similar to that of Moldex3D eDesign SYNC. “The analysis object is the design model, so CMA provides injection molding process simulation for preliminary product design directly within Creo. This has reduced the need to perform exchange operations with external tools,” explains Russell Hsu, PTC Creo product management manager. He notes that two wish-list items for future CMA releases are to include design optimization and cloud computing capabilities. The picture shows the temperature distribution for two concepts. The left concept shows hot spots on the cavity cores whereas the right-hand layout leads to a much more homogenous temperature distribution. Image courtesy of SIGMA Engineering.Another company that offers complementary injection molding software packages (under the VISI family name) is Vero Software. A huge advantage of the VISI modular structure is that a license can be shared across departments, supporting tasks such as part analysis, geometry validation and even a preventative flow analysis, all before a tool designer would work on the mold core/cavity and plan the manufacturing process, notes Marc Freebrey, group marketing director at Vero Software.First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database. Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.A la Carte or All-Inclusive?Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

In this collection, which is part one of a series representing some of John’s finest work, we present you with five articles that we think you will refer to time and again as you look to solve problems, cut cycle times and improve the quality of the parts you mold.

Successfully starting or restarting an injection molding machine is less about ticking boxes on a rote checklist and more about individually assessing each processing scenario and its unique variables.

Second quarter started with price hikes in PE and the four volume engineering resins, but relatively stable pricing was largely expected by the quarter’s end.

Processors with sustainability goals or mandates have a number of ways to reach their goals. Biopolymers are among them.

The Case for 3D-Printed MoldsWhen injection molding a plastic part, you consider the material for the part, the material for the mold (usually CNC-machined steel) and perhaps an insert made of aluminum. But nowadays, especially if conformal cooling is desirable, you might also think: “Could I make the mold with additive manufacturing?” and that leads to a variety of questions and answers.“Generally tool steel such as P20 (when used in 3D printing) has the same strength and usability,” says David Lindemann, application engineer for Cimatron, a 3D Systems partner and developer of CAD/CAM software for tooling. “The biggest issue for using a printed core or cavity is to get the required finish. The core must be printed slightly larger so material remains all around, so a good CNC-machined finish can be cut after printing.” Lindemann also points out a benefit you might not consider with 3D-printed conformal cooling channels. “The inside of the waterlines will have a rough printed finish because the quality is determined by the depth of the print layer with each pass,” he notes, “but that is actually a good thing because it creates turbulence in the water, drawing out heat.”Steel isn’t the only possibility for AM-produced injection molds. Formlabs, which recently introduced its Form 2 advanced desktop SLA (stereolithography) 3D printer, describes new possibilities for its 3D-printed High-Temp Resin in a white paper called “Moldmaking with 3D Prints: Techniques for Prototyping and Production”. It is one of several 3D printers with high-temp plastic materials that support injection molding of other plastics.3D-printed plastic molds generally have a lifetime of 100 shots before they break down. The pros and cons are discussed by Kip Hanson of service bureau Proto Labs in his blog post, “3D-Printed Molds vs. Aluminum Tooling.” He also gives advice on design rules, such as the need to increase draft angles over those intended for aluminum.Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJW

Creo Mold Analysis (CMA) is a PTC product based on Moldex3D technology. Working on top of PTC Creo, its user interface and workflow differ from that of Moldex3D, though its functionality is similar to that of Moldex3D eDesign SYNC. “The analysis object is the design model, so CMA provides injection molding process simulation for preliminary product design directly within Creo. This has reduced the need to perform exchange operations with external tools,” explains Russell Hsu, PTC Creo product management manager. He notes that two wish-list items for future CMA releases are to include design optimization and cloud computing capabilities.

In this collection of articles, two of the industry’s foremost authorities on screw design — Jim Frankand and Mark Spalding — offer their sage advice on screw design...what works, what doesn’t, and what to look for when things start going wrong.

Infiltrator Water Technologies will use the machine’s 270-lb combined shot weight to injection mold water management products. Photo Credit: Engel

Autodesk offers two relevant packages with several levels of each: Moldflow Adviser (Premium and Ultimate) and Moldflow Insight (Standard, Premium and Ultimate), with some overlap. Hanno Van Raalte, Autodesk Moldflow product manager, notes that, for example, both Adviser Ultimate and Insight Premium cover cold and hot runner mold designs but are targeted to different users. “Adviser is intended for a designer or a manufacturing engineer who has some basic understanding of the molding process, but needs quick answers,” says Van Raalte, Typical questions would include: “Is this part design good for injection molding,” “how can I lay out a multi-cavity mold” and “how will my choices affect product quality and manufacturing cost?”

REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

Take a deep dive into all of the various aspects of part quoting to ensure you’ve got all the bases—as in costs—covered before preparing your customer’s quote for services.

Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

The Engel duo 130000/130000H/8200 combi machines each feature two 85,000 cm³ (approx. 2900 oz.) injection units capable of a combined total shot weight of 270 lbs (122 kg). In terms of footprint, the machines measure 96 feet (29.3 meters) long and 37 feet (6.4 meters) wide. Big no doubt, but in relation to their shot size and clamp force, Engel points out that these behemoths actually have a relatively small footprint made possible by the duo’s two-platen design.

Additive technology creates air pockets in film during orientation, cutting down on the amount of resin needed while boosting opacity, mechanical properties and recyclability.

The enormous size of these machines required new manufacturing facilities to house them. Infiltrator completed a 59,000-ft2 building expansion over the same time as the parts were delivered. Over 2 months, the machine was assembled while the building and all the necessary auxiliary equipment and utilities were installed, including a 150-ton overhead crane intended to move molds in and out of the machine but used to help assemble the new press in the interim.

Introduced by Zeiger and Spark Industries at the PTXPO, the nozzle is designed for maximum heat transfer and uniformity with a continuous taper for self cleaning.

Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

Resin drying is a crucial, but often-misunderstood area. This collection includes details on why and what you need to dry, how to specify a dryer, and best practices.

Other Moldex3D modules include support for design of experiments, gas- and water-assisted molding and powder-injected molding; Sun says that the next software release will add new modules such as for chemical foaming. The Moldex3D material database has more than 7000 entries (including thermosets, coolant materials and mold materials), and lets users measure and add their own material property information. For added ease of use, the Moldex3D eDesign SYNC add-on connects with SOLIDWORKS, PTC Creo and Siemens PLM Software NX, while the FEA interface supports such advanced analysis packages as SIMULIA Abaqus, ANSYS, MSC Nastran, LS-DYNA and more.Creo Mold Analysis (CMA) is a PTC product based on Moldex3D technology. Working on top of PTC Creo, its user interface and workflow differ from that of Moldex3D, though its functionality is similar to that of Moldex3D eDesign SYNC. “The analysis object is the design model, so CMA provides injection molding process simulation for preliminary product design directly within Creo. This has reduced the need to perform exchange operations with external tools,” explains Russell Hsu, PTC Creo product management manager. He notes that two wish-list items for future CMA releases are to include design optimization and cloud computing capabilities. The picture shows the temperature distribution for two concepts. The left concept shows hot spots on the cavity cores whereas the right-hand layout leads to a much more homogenous temperature distribution. Image courtesy of SIGMA Engineering.Another company that offers complementary injection molding software packages (under the VISI family name) is Vero Software. A huge advantage of the VISI modular structure is that a license can be shared across departments, supporting tasks such as part analysis, geometry validation and even a preventative flow analysis, all before a tool designer would work on the mold core/cavity and plan the manufacturing process, notes Marc Freebrey, group marketing director at Vero Software.First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database. Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.A la Carte or All-Inclusive?Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

“Generally tool steel such as P20 (when used in 3D printing) has the same strength and usability,” says David Lindemann, application engineer for Cimatron, a 3D Systems partner and developer of CAD/CAM software for tooling. “The biggest issue for using a printed core or cavity is to get the required finish. The core must be printed slightly larger so material remains all around, so a good CNC-machined finish can be cut after printing.” Lindemann also points out a benefit you might not consider with 3D-printed conformal cooling channels. “The inside of the waterlines will have a rough printed finish because the quality is determined by the depth of the print layer with each pass,” he notes, “but that is actually a good thing because it creates turbulence in the water, drawing out heat.”Steel isn’t the only possibility for AM-produced injection molds. Formlabs, which recently introduced its Form 2 advanced desktop SLA (stereolithography) 3D printer, describes new possibilities for its 3D-printed High-Temp Resin in a white paper called “Moldmaking with 3D Prints: Techniques for Prototyping and Production”. It is one of several 3D printers with high-temp plastic materials that support injection molding of other plastics.3D-printed plastic molds generally have a lifetime of 100 shots before they break down. The pros and cons are discussed by Kip Hanson of service bureau Proto Labs in his blog post, “3D-Printed Molds vs. Aluminum Tooling.” He also gives advice on design rules, such as the need to increase draft angles over those intended for aluminum.Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJW

Ultradent's entry of its Umbrella cheek retractor took home the awards for Technical Sophistication and Achievement in Economics and Efficiency at PTXPO.

More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

In a release, Jim Moran, business development manager at Engel North America, laid out the logistical challenges of transporting the machines from Austria to Kentucky. Actually, since each press was fully assembled and tested prior to shipping and then disassembled to be delivered to the U.S., the company was technically shipping components with 29 truckloads of parts eventually arriving in Kentucky from Austria, including the platens which were transported to and from St. Valentin via barge on the Danube River.

Plastics Technology’s Tech Days is back! Every Tuesday in October, a series of five online presentations will be given by industry supplier around the following topics:  Injection Molding — New Technologies, Efficiencies Film Extrusion — New Technologies, Efficiencies Upstream/Downstream Operations Injection Molding — Sustainability Extrusion — Compounding Coming out of NPE2024, PT identified a variety of topics, technologies and trends that are driving and shaping the evolution of plastic products manufacturing — from recycling/recyclability and energy optimization to AI-based process control and automation implementation. PT Tech Days is designed to provide a robust, curated, accessible platform through which plastics professionals can explore these trends, have direct access to subject-matter experts and develop strategies for applying solutions in their operations.

Plastics Technology covers technical and business Information for Plastics Processors in Injection Molding, Extrusion, Blow Molding, Plastic Additives, Compounding, Plastic Materials, and Resin Pricing. About Us

Gifted with extraordinary technical know how and an authoritative yet plain English writing style, in this collection of articles Fattori offers his insights on a variety of molding-related topics that are bound to make your days on the production floor go a little bit better.

Core Technology Molding turned to Mold-Masters E-Multi auxiliary injection unit to help it win a job and dramatically change its process.

The aim of this presentation is to guide you through the factors and the numbers that will help you determine if a robot is a smart investment for your application. Agenda:  Why are you considering automation? What problems are you trying to solve? How and why automation can help Crunch the numbers and determine the ROI

Dassault Systèmes supports injection-molding simulation for two of its major product lines. Within its SIMULIA simulation product family, the company offers Simpoe-Mold ENG for plastic part designers and Simpoe-Mold TOOL (which includes ENG) for part designers, mold designers and mold makers.Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant, Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA explains, for example, that while ENG lets users simulate filling and packing plus the cool-down stage for the part inside the mold, TOOL then adds support for analyzing cooling lines in the mold itself, using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) to predict where cooling is needed and FEA (finite element analysis) to calculate potential part warpage.The Case for 3D-Printed MoldsWhen injection molding a plastic part, you consider the material for the part, the material for the mold (usually CNC-machined steel) and perhaps an insert made of aluminum. But nowadays, especially if conformal cooling is desirable, you might also think: “Could I make the mold with additive manufacturing?” and that leads to a variety of questions and answers.“Generally tool steel such as P20 (when used in 3D printing) has the same strength and usability,” says David Lindemann, application engineer for Cimatron, a 3D Systems partner and developer of CAD/CAM software for tooling. “The biggest issue for using a printed core or cavity is to get the required finish. The core must be printed slightly larger so material remains all around, so a good CNC-machined finish can be cut after printing.” Lindemann also points out a benefit you might not consider with 3D-printed conformal cooling channels. “The inside of the waterlines will have a rough printed finish because the quality is determined by the depth of the print layer with each pass,” he notes, “but that is actually a good thing because it creates turbulence in the water, drawing out heat.”Steel isn’t the only possibility for AM-produced injection molds. Formlabs, which recently introduced its Form 2 advanced desktop SLA (stereolithography) 3D printer, describes new possibilities for its 3D-printed High-Temp Resin in a white paper called “Moldmaking with 3D Prints: Techniques for Prototyping and Production”. It is one of several 3D printers with high-temp plastic materials that support injection molding of other plastics.3D-printed plastic molds generally have a lifetime of 100 shots before they break down. The pros and cons are discussed by Kip Hanson of service bureau Proto Labs in his blog post, “3D-Printed Molds vs. Aluminum Tooling.” He also gives advice on design rules, such as the need to increase draft angles over those intended for aluminum.Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJWThe company is also developing enhanced versions of these packages that will integrate in the full Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE. The benefit will be that advanced users won’t have to go back and forth between Abaqus, CATIA and Simpoe-Mold, but instead work within a single platform. Sawyer says that hot topics for the future include the ability to run analyses of mold cores and improve simulations of both hot and cold runners.For SOLIDWORKS CAD-based users, Dassault Systemès offers an adaptation of Simpoe-Mold that uses the same simulation engine but has its own GUI (graphical user interface) and is available in three versions. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Standard is targeted to part designers, offering such information as fill time, automatic gate location and predication of sink marks. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional, intended for mold designers or builders, includes multi-cavity layouts, a runner design wizard, packing analysis and gas-assist injection analysis. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Premium has all these features plus advanced capabilities so CAE analysts and others can work on such tasks as designing complex cooling-line layouts, predicting part warpage and optimizing processing parameters.A similar breakout by role and task is taken with Moldex3D simulation packages: eDesign Basic, eDesign, Moldex Professional and Moldex Advanced. “A part designer may not need to understand the detailed design of the hot runner nozzle, so he or she does not have to use the advanced hot runner module on our high level package,” says Tober Sun, division manager at Moldex3D’s Product Support Division. “But he or she has to determine if a certain boss will cause problems during filling, so Moldex3D eDesign and Professional will help them assess geometrical problems on the part design, while ignoring the more detailed mold design and processing conditions.”All four Moldex3D products employ a full 3D boundary-layer meshing approach that offers very fast processing times; each version also supports a number of add-on modules. According to Susan Lin, support engineer at Moldex3D North America, the conformal cooling add-on is one of their best sellers. “It’s a no-brainer for users to acknowledge the benefits of conformal cooling channels,” says Lin, “if these channels are designed the right way. They have to extract heat from the exact hot area and homogenize the temperature across the part and between the mold halves. This is why simulation is needed. The benefits, including cycle time reduction and warpage improvement, can all be quantified from the simulation results.”Other Moldex3D modules include support for design of experiments, gas- and water-assisted molding and powder-injected molding; Sun says that the next software release will add new modules such as for chemical foaming. The Moldex3D material database has more than 7000 entries (including thermosets, coolant materials and mold materials), and lets users measure and add their own material property information. For added ease of use, the Moldex3D eDesign SYNC add-on connects with SOLIDWORKS, PTC Creo and Siemens PLM Software NX, while the FEA interface supports such advanced analysis packages as SIMULIA Abaqus, ANSYS, MSC Nastran, LS-DYNA and more.Creo Mold Analysis (CMA) is a PTC product based on Moldex3D technology. Working on top of PTC Creo, its user interface and workflow differ from that of Moldex3D, though its functionality is similar to that of Moldex3D eDesign SYNC. “The analysis object is the design model, so CMA provides injection molding process simulation for preliminary product design directly within Creo. This has reduced the need to perform exchange operations with external tools,” explains Russell Hsu, PTC Creo product management manager. He notes that two wish-list items for future CMA releases are to include design optimization and cloud computing capabilities. The picture shows the temperature distribution for two concepts. The left concept shows hot spots on the cavity cores whereas the right-hand layout leads to a much more homogenous temperature distribution. Image courtesy of SIGMA Engineering.Another company that offers complementary injection molding software packages (under the VISI family name) is Vero Software. A huge advantage of the VISI modular structure is that a license can be shared across departments, supporting tasks such as part analysis, geometry validation and even a preventative flow analysis, all before a tool designer would work on the mold core/cavity and plan the manufacturing process, notes Marc Freebrey, group marketing director at Vero Software.First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database. Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.A la Carte or All-Inclusive?Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

Another company that offers complementary injection molding software packages (under the VISI family name) is Vero Software. A huge advantage of the VISI modular structure is that a license can be shared across departments, supporting tasks such as part analysis, geometry validation and even a preventative flow analysis, all before a tool designer would work on the mold core/cavity and plan the manufacturing process, notes Marc Freebrey, group marketing director at Vero Software.First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database. Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.A la Carte or All-Inclusive?Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

Across the show, sustainability ruled in new materials technology, from polyolefins and engineering resins to biobased materials.

Both Moldflow product lines have access to the same plastics material database of more than 9500 materials, with each material characterized for injection molding simulation. Autodesk also has a significant mold-material database, available in Moldflow Insight, which lets users evaluate differences between, say, using an aluminum tool instead of one made from P20 tool steel. The company has recently added new capabilities that automate design changes to optimize a part for different quality objectives.Dassault Systèmes supports injection-molding simulation for two of its major product lines. Within its SIMULIA simulation product family, the company offers Simpoe-Mold ENG for plastic part designers and Simpoe-Mold TOOL (which includes ENG) for part designers, mold designers and mold makers.Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant, Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA explains, for example, that while ENG lets users simulate filling and packing plus the cool-down stage for the part inside the mold, TOOL then adds support for analyzing cooling lines in the mold itself, using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) to predict where cooling is needed and FEA (finite element analysis) to calculate potential part warpage.The Case for 3D-Printed MoldsWhen injection molding a plastic part, you consider the material for the part, the material for the mold (usually CNC-machined steel) and perhaps an insert made of aluminum. But nowadays, especially if conformal cooling is desirable, you might also think: “Could I make the mold with additive manufacturing?” and that leads to a variety of questions and answers.“Generally tool steel such as P20 (when used in 3D printing) has the same strength and usability,” says David Lindemann, application engineer for Cimatron, a 3D Systems partner and developer of CAD/CAM software for tooling. “The biggest issue for using a printed core or cavity is to get the required finish. The core must be printed slightly larger so material remains all around, so a good CNC-machined finish can be cut after printing.” Lindemann also points out a benefit you might not consider with 3D-printed conformal cooling channels. “The inside of the waterlines will have a rough printed finish because the quality is determined by the depth of the print layer with each pass,” he notes, “but that is actually a good thing because it creates turbulence in the water, drawing out heat.”Steel isn’t the only possibility for AM-produced injection molds. Formlabs, which recently introduced its Form 2 advanced desktop SLA (stereolithography) 3D printer, describes new possibilities for its 3D-printed High-Temp Resin in a white paper called “Moldmaking with 3D Prints: Techniques for Prototyping and Production”. It is one of several 3D printers with high-temp plastic materials that support injection molding of other plastics.3D-printed plastic molds generally have a lifetime of 100 shots before they break down. The pros and cons are discussed by Kip Hanson of service bureau Proto Labs in his blog post, “3D-Printed Molds vs. Aluminum Tooling.” He also gives advice on design rules, such as the need to increase draft angles over those intended for aluminum.Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJWThe company is also developing enhanced versions of these packages that will integrate in the full Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE. The benefit will be that advanced users won’t have to go back and forth between Abaqus, CATIA and Simpoe-Mold, but instead work within a single platform. Sawyer says that hot topics for the future include the ability to run analyses of mold cores and improve simulations of both hot and cold runners.For SOLIDWORKS CAD-based users, Dassault Systemès offers an adaptation of Simpoe-Mold that uses the same simulation engine but has its own GUI (graphical user interface) and is available in three versions. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Standard is targeted to part designers, offering such information as fill time, automatic gate location and predication of sink marks. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional, intended for mold designers or builders, includes multi-cavity layouts, a runner design wizard, packing analysis and gas-assist injection analysis. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Premium has all these features plus advanced capabilities so CAE analysts and others can work on such tasks as designing complex cooling-line layouts, predicting part warpage and optimizing processing parameters.A similar breakout by role and task is taken with Moldex3D simulation packages: eDesign Basic, eDesign, Moldex Professional and Moldex Advanced. “A part designer may not need to understand the detailed design of the hot runner nozzle, so he or she does not have to use the advanced hot runner module on our high level package,” says Tober Sun, division manager at Moldex3D’s Product Support Division. “But he or she has to determine if a certain boss will cause problems during filling, so Moldex3D eDesign and Professional will help them assess geometrical problems on the part design, while ignoring the more detailed mold design and processing conditions.”All four Moldex3D products employ a full 3D boundary-layer meshing approach that offers very fast processing times; each version also supports a number of add-on modules. According to Susan Lin, support engineer at Moldex3D North America, the conformal cooling add-on is one of their best sellers. “It’s a no-brainer for users to acknowledge the benefits of conformal cooling channels,” says Lin, “if these channels are designed the right way. They have to extract heat from the exact hot area and homogenize the temperature across the part and between the mold halves. This is why simulation is needed. The benefits, including cycle time reduction and warpage improvement, can all be quantified from the simulation results.”Other Moldex3D modules include support for design of experiments, gas- and water-assisted molding and powder-injected molding; Sun says that the next software release will add new modules such as for chemical foaming. The Moldex3D material database has more than 7000 entries (including thermosets, coolant materials and mold materials), and lets users measure and add their own material property information. For added ease of use, the Moldex3D eDesign SYNC add-on connects with SOLIDWORKS, PTC Creo and Siemens PLM Software NX, while the FEA interface supports such advanced analysis packages as SIMULIA Abaqus, ANSYS, MSC Nastran, LS-DYNA and more.Creo Mold Analysis (CMA) is a PTC product based on Moldex3D technology. Working on top of PTC Creo, its user interface and workflow differ from that of Moldex3D, though its functionality is similar to that of Moldex3D eDesign SYNC. “The analysis object is the design model, so CMA provides injection molding process simulation for preliminary product design directly within Creo. This has reduced the need to perform exchange operations with external tools,” explains Russell Hsu, PTC Creo product management manager. He notes that two wish-list items for future CMA releases are to include design optimization and cloud computing capabilities. The picture shows the temperature distribution for two concepts. The left concept shows hot spots on the cavity cores whereas the right-hand layout leads to a much more homogenous temperature distribution. Image courtesy of SIGMA Engineering.Another company that offers complementary injection molding software packages (under the VISI family name) is Vero Software. A huge advantage of the VISI modular structure is that a license can be shared across departments, supporting tasks such as part analysis, geometry validation and even a preventative flow analysis, all before a tool designer would work on the mold core/cavity and plan the manufacturing process, notes Marc Freebrey, group marketing director at Vero Software.First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database. Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.A la Carte or All-Inclusive?Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

For SOLIDWORKS CAD-based users, Dassault Systemès offers an adaptation of Simpoe-Mold that uses the same simulation engine but has its own GUI (graphical user interface) and is available in three versions. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Standard is targeted to part designers, offering such information as fill time, automatic gate location and predication of sink marks. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional, intended for mold designers or builders, includes multi-cavity layouts, a runner design wizard, packing analysis and gas-assist injection analysis. SOLIDWORKS Plastics Premium has all these features plus advanced capabilities so CAE analysts and others can work on such tasks as designing complex cooling-line layouts, predicting part warpage and optimizing processing parameters.A similar breakout by role and task is taken with Moldex3D simulation packages: eDesign Basic, eDesign, Moldex Professional and Moldex Advanced. “A part designer may not need to understand the detailed design of the hot runner nozzle, so he or she does not have to use the advanced hot runner module on our high level package,” says Tober Sun, division manager at Moldex3D’s Product Support Division. “But he or she has to determine if a certain boss will cause problems during filling, so Moldex3D eDesign and Professional will help them assess geometrical problems on the part design, while ignoring the more detailed mold design and processing conditions.”All four Moldex3D products employ a full 3D boundary-layer meshing approach that offers very fast processing times; each version also supports a number of add-on modules. According to Susan Lin, support engineer at Moldex3D North America, the conformal cooling add-on is one of their best sellers. “It’s a no-brainer for users to acknowledge the benefits of conformal cooling channels,” says Lin, “if these channels are designed the right way. They have to extract heat from the exact hot area and homogenize the temperature across the part and between the mold halves. This is why simulation is needed. The benefits, including cycle time reduction and warpage improvement, can all be quantified from the simulation results.”Other Moldex3D modules include support for design of experiments, gas- and water-assisted molding and powder-injected molding; Sun says that the next software release will add new modules such as for chemical foaming. The Moldex3D material database has more than 7000 entries (including thermosets, coolant materials and mold materials), and lets users measure and add their own material property information. For added ease of use, the Moldex3D eDesign SYNC add-on connects with SOLIDWORKS, PTC Creo and Siemens PLM Software NX, while the FEA interface supports such advanced analysis packages as SIMULIA Abaqus, ANSYS, MSC Nastran, LS-DYNA and more.Creo Mold Analysis (CMA) is a PTC product based on Moldex3D technology. Working on top of PTC Creo, its user interface and workflow differ from that of Moldex3D, though its functionality is similar to that of Moldex3D eDesign SYNC. “The analysis object is the design model, so CMA provides injection molding process simulation for preliminary product design directly within Creo. This has reduced the need to perform exchange operations with external tools,” explains Russell Hsu, PTC Creo product management manager. He notes that two wish-list items for future CMA releases are to include design optimization and cloud computing capabilities. The picture shows the temperature distribution for two concepts. The left concept shows hot spots on the cavity cores whereas the right-hand layout leads to a much more homogenous temperature distribution. Image courtesy of SIGMA Engineering.Another company that offers complementary injection molding software packages (under the VISI family name) is Vero Software. A huge advantage of the VISI modular structure is that a license can be shared across departments, supporting tasks such as part analysis, geometry validation and even a preventative flow analysis, all before a tool designer would work on the mold core/cavity and plan the manufacturing process, notes Marc Freebrey, group marketing director at Vero Software.First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database. Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.A la Carte or All-Inclusive?Other simulation companies structure their injection molding software products in different ways. Simcon markets three fundamental packages in its Cadmould 3D-F line: ESSENTIAL, RAPID and FILL, all based on the same high-end solver—along with 25 add-on or stand-alone modules that target different materials, processes, analysis types and more.Cadmould ESSENTIAL is termed the starter software: It simulates the filling process so that users can optimize the position and number of gates, detect weld lines and air traps, and determine cooling time and part volume. Cadmould RAPID performs these tasks along with automatic gate placement, and also generates custom reports. Cadmould FILL builds on RAPID and brings it to expert-level with the addition of tasks such as visualizing hot and cold runner systems, balancing the gating system for multiple-gate parts and using DOE (design of experiments) for optimizing process parameters.Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP). Shrinkage and warpage of an injection-molded part (after cool-down to ambient temperature), as simulated with Simcon’s Cadmould 3D-F line of injection-molding software products. Image courtesy of Simcon.The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

ADS, which places a high level of corporate emphasis on sustainability, said it has made significant investments in new equipment in recent years to help it more efficiently create its products, which are used to move water and now include high levels of recycled plastic. For Engel, which was recently been granted an EcoVadis gold rating, sustainability is also a top priority.

In this collection of content, we provide expert advice on welding from some of the leading authorities in the field, with tips on such matters as controls, as well as insights on how to solve common problems in welding.

3D-printed plastic molds generally have a lifetime of 100 shots before they break down. The pros and cons are discussed by Kip Hanson of service bureau Proto Labs in his blog post, “3D-Printed Molds vs. Aluminum Tooling.” He also gives advice on design rules, such as the need to increase draft angles over those intended for aluminum.Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJW

When injection molding a plastic part, you consider the material for the part, the material for the mold (usually CNC-machined steel) and perhaps an insert made of aluminum. But nowadays, especially if conformal cooling is desirable, you might also think: “Could I make the mold with additive manufacturing?” and that leads to a variety of questions and answers.“Generally tool steel such as P20 (when used in 3D printing) has the same strength and usability,” says David Lindemann, application engineer for Cimatron, a 3D Systems partner and developer of CAD/CAM software for tooling. “The biggest issue for using a printed core or cavity is to get the required finish. The core must be printed slightly larger so material remains all around, so a good CNC-machined finish can be cut after printing.” Lindemann also points out a benefit you might not consider with 3D-printed conformal cooling channels. “The inside of the waterlines will have a rough printed finish because the quality is determined by the depth of the print layer with each pass,” he notes, “but that is actually a good thing because it creates turbulence in the water, drawing out heat.”Steel isn’t the only possibility for AM-produced injection molds. Formlabs, which recently introduced its Form 2 advanced desktop SLA (stereolithography) 3D printer, describes new possibilities for its 3D-printed High-Temp Resin in a white paper called “Moldmaking with 3D Prints: Techniques for Prototyping and Production”. It is one of several 3D printers with high-temp plastic materials that support injection molding of other plastics.3D-printed plastic molds generally have a lifetime of 100 shots before they break down. The pros and cons are discussed by Kip Hanson of service bureau Proto Labs in his blog post, “3D-Printed Molds vs. Aluminum Tooling.” He also gives advice on design rules, such as the need to increase draft angles over those intended for aluminum.Injection molding simulation software vendors say their software is up to the job. Dwayne Sawyer, growth senior solution consultant at Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA, sees 3D-printed tools as useful for prototyping the final tool. Autodesk’s Moldflow expert Hanno Van Raalte notes that it’s important to simulate the coolant flow within conformal cooling to understand where coolant may become “stagnant.” Bernhard Helbich, managing director at Simcon, says as long as the heat transfer properties are available, injection molding software can simulate conformal cooling for standard and 3D-printed molds.—PJW

Learn about sustainable scrap reprocessing—this resource offers a deep dive into everything from granulator types and options, to service tips, videos and technical articles.

Simulation of filling an injection-molded multi-pin electronics connector, performed in SOLIDWORKS Plastics from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Image courtesy of Dassault Systèmes.

While prices moved up for three of the five commodity resins, there was potential for a flat trajectory for the rest of the third quarter.

Improvements in nozzle design in recent years overcome some of the limitations of previous filter, mixing, and shut-off nozzles.

Mold maintenance is critical, and with this collection of content we’ve bundled some of the very best advice we’ve published on repairing, maintaining, evaluating and even hanging molds on injection molding machines.

Modifications to the common core pin can be a simple solution, but don’t expect all resins to behave the same. Gas assist is also worth a try.

The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids.

The third related product, VISI Mold, is targeted to the tool designer and allows users to work with either solid, surface, wireframe or a combination of all three formats for maximum flexibility. Users can access a design wizard to simplify creating cooling channels, import intelligent standard components whose dimensions automatically adjust to fit mold parameters, and readily create undercut release mechanisms such as side actions and lifters.

Engel notes that dozens of individuals worked thousands of hours with a perfect safety record to complete the project. Engel received the purchase order in November 2020, with the handover of the first machine completed in February 2022. In Februray 2023, the second machine, a replica of the first, was delivered.

technotrans says climate protection, energy efficiency and customization will be key discussion topics at PTXPO as it displays its protemp flow 6 ultrasonic eco and the teco cs 90t 9.1 TCUs.

The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

The company is very focused on automatic optimization of part, mold and process and thus has developed additional products with this in mind, according to Bernhard Helbich, Simcon managing director. A package called Varimos combines injection molding simulation with design of experiments and optimization, which the company says can cut down mold iterations by up to 50% and development time by up to 30%. And, through its partnership with PART Engineering, Simcon markets CONVERSE, an advanced mechanical analysis package that couples process and structure interactions (like weld lines and fiber orientations) for predicting part stiffness or failure.Taking a somewhat different approach, SIGMA Engineering builds its SIGMASOFT products around a single Virtual Molding principle based on finite volumes that creates a 3D simulation of flow, heat flux and warpage. This allows part designers, tool makers and part manufacturers to reproduce processing conditions over multiple consecutive production cycles, which the company says is critical to understanding the complex heat-transfer conditions required to reach equilibrium. SIGMA Engineering structures its simulation products to fit the requirements of particular end-materials or processes, offering SIGMASOFT Thermoplast, SIGMASOFT Thermoset, SIGMASOFT Elastomer and even SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM (for metal and ceramic powders).The main differences between offerings are the material types for each full-function package (individually licensed), says Vanessa Schwittay, marketing manager, Engineering at SIGMA Engineering. “Different models for the material data are used,” explains Schwittay, “and of course you have some specific results, e.g., crystallization for SIGMASOFT Thermoplast or powder-binder separation in SIGMASOFT MIM/CIM. Also depending on the material, different material and flow models may be used.” She notes that some of the next big features for their software will be DOE and autonomous optimization functionalities.The phrase “last but not least” comes to mind when describing Transvalor’s REM3D injection molding process simulation package. Launched in 2014, it builds on the more than 30-year Transvalor legacy of simulation software for forming processes. REM3D helps users not only simulate filling, determine packing time and identify best gate positions, but also adds many advanced features, such as handling water- and gas-assisted injection molding, overmolding, fiber reinforced materials, polyurethane foams, thermoset materials, injection-compression and injection of highly viscous fluids. Fiber orientation simulation of an injection-molded filled-plastic foot-section for a piece of furniture, performed with REM3D software from Transvalor. Image courtesy of Solvay.Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

It’s not just the part; it’s the process. Successful injection molding of plastic parts involves three stages: design the part to be produced; design the corresponding tool/mold; and define the process that fills the mold for manufacturing. For each of these stages, whether for part designers, mold designers or part producers, simulation software packages stand ready to identify and guide optimized approaches, with some pretty amazing results.

Today, more than ever, granulation is an important step in the total production process. Our expert explains a few of the many common traps to avoid when thinking about granulators

Noting the range of advanced capabilities in REM3D, Nicolas Poulain, Transvalor technical manager, says: “Users do not need to have any knowledge of Navier-Stokes equations or any FEM background. The input data are process-related such as cavity design, material grade and initial melt temperature. Thanks to our revolutionary Automatic, Anisotropic and Adaptive (AAA) re-meshing technique, the user does not even have to worry about the mesh definition; the solver will refine the mesh as-needed, automatically.”REM3D offers a user-adaptable material database that includes characterizations for foam material properties. Transvalor is also working to incorporate the standard database known as CAMPUS (Computer-Aided Material Preselection by Uniform Standards), which will add an additional 10,000 entries to REM3D resources.More InfoAutodeskDassault Systemès SimpoeDassault Systemès SOLIDWORKSMoldex3DPTCSIGMA EngineeringSimconTransvalorVero Software

Multiple speakers at Molding 2023 will address the ways simulation can impact material substitution decisions, process profitability and simplification of mold design.

Add-on modules to Simcon’s Cadmould FILL bring advanced capabilities. For example, Cadmould WARP simulates part shrinkage and warping at demolding and after cool down to room temperature, and accounts for parameters such as pressure distribution during packing. Cadmould COOL calculates conventional, conformal and impulse cooling functions, and handles different cooling agents and different materials for molds and inserts. The Cadmould add-ons FIBER, FOAM, RUBBER and THERMOSETS help users work with those specific materials, while bundled software is also available (e.g., Warp Expert includes FILL, PACK, FIBER and WARP).

Special transportation was required for many parts of this huge machine. Pictured is the arrival of the 257,941 lb stationary platen at the Infiltrator facility in Winchester, Ky. Photo Credit: Engel

Mixed in among thought leaders from leading suppliers to injection molders and mold makers at the 2023 Molding and MoldMaking conferences will be molders and toolmakers themselves.

After successfully introducing a combined conference for moldmakers and injection molders in 2022, Plastics Technology and MoldMaking Technology are once again joining forces for a tooling/molding two-for-one.

First, VISI Analysis offers solutions for the validation and preparation of model geometry, including splitting a model into core and cavity; creating parting and shut-off faces; checking draft angles and radii; and automatically checking for design changes. Second, based on a proprietary hybrid meshing technology, VISI Flow uses 3D flow simulation to forecast and visualize the development of the plastic melt front as well as to predict and measure the final molded shape. It addresses the complete process for part/mold designers and injection molding technicians, from filling analysis to warpage calculations to thermal optimization analyses, with options for adding to or modifying its material database.

An improved line of large two-platen injection presses offers new sizes plus greater speed, educed maintenance, more operator-friendly design, and added flexibility for a range of molding requirements.

An Engel spokesperson told Plastics Technology that ADS and Infiltrator wanted to keep most of the key details around the machine close to the vest, but Engel says going forward it will be manufacturing even larger machines, including the possibility of presses with clamp forces exceeding 12,000 tons and shot weights of a few hundred kilograms. For these machines, maximum platen size would 13 by 10 ft, with the ability to run molds weighing up to 444,000 lb and offer material throughput of 4400 lb/hr.

Formnext Chicago is an industrial additive manufacturing expo taking place April 8-10, 2025 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Formnext Chicago is the second in a series of Formnext events in the U.S. being produced by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and Gardner Business Media (our publisher).