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front Vol. 1, Issue 1 2001 Introducing MPI 3.0 Estée Lauder Avenue Mould case studies tips & techniques How to Model Direct Sprues, Hot Runners, and Gates www.moldflow.com Changing Times for Mold Designers Technology Leads the Way September 2001 The Magazine of Choice for Moldflow Plastics Professionals

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front

Vol. 1, Issue 1 2001

IntroducingMPI 3.0

Estée Lauder

Avenue Mould

case studies

tips & techniques

How to Model Direct Sprues, Hot

Runners, and Gates

www.moldflow.com

Changing Times forMold Designers

Technology Leads the Way

September 2001

The Magazine of Choice for Moldf low P last ics Profess iona ls

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Flow front

contentsfocus on

Moldflow Manufacturing Solutions for the Automation, Control

and Monitoring of the Injection Molding Process

cover story

Introducing MPI 3.0 - Moldflow Plastics Insight and C-MOLD

2000 Work in Synergy

cover story 15

IntroducingMPI 3.0!

For more information, contact us at:

Tel: 508-358-5848

Fax: 508-358-5868

Web: www.moldflow.com

Email: [email protected]

Mail: 430 Boston Post Road

Wayland, MA 01778

Editor: Laura Carrabine

Copy Editor: Marcia Swan

Designer: Joanna King

How to Advertise

Contact Marcia Swan at 607-257-4280, ext. 467 for rates and availability, or go to our Web site at www.moldflow.com and click on the FLOWfront icon, then click for advertisers. Here you candownload a PDF file that describes our insertion

order and rates.

focus on 5

ManufacturingSolutions forInjection Molding

from the editor

tips and techniques

the executive view

the analyst says

professional development

Enhancing Customer Education

real world success

Avenue Moulds Wins Top

Honors as Toolmaker of the

Year

the polymer pages

Moldflow Plastics Insight 3.0

Thermoplastic Materials

Properties Database

learning curves

Plastics Engineering Education

at the University of 

Massachusetts Lowell

what’s new

Exploring Moldflow Plastics

Insight 3.0 Finite-ElementMeshing Capabilities

design & molding

Changing Times for Mold

Designers - Technology Leads

the Way

user review

Estée Lauder Uses Moldflow Part

Adviser to Design Sleek Shapes

for Cosmetic Lines

FEATURES

5

15

11

12

22

23

26

28

30

4

9

19

33

COLUMNS

DEPARTMENTS

©2001 Moldflow Corporation. All rights reserved. Flowfront is a bi-yearly publication of Moldflow Corporation

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Harry “Hercules” Adams: Ski equipmentBob “The Conqueror” Carson: Assembly machinery Steve “Invincible” Thomas: Medical instruments

New SolidWorks Office.More than a great value, it gives you

quite a powerful feeling.You can do it all. Now everything you need to beef-up your productivity and add more

muscle to your presentations is in your hands. You are the product designer with all the tools:SolidWorks® 3D CAD software   PhotoWorks™

SolidWorks Animator   3D Instant WebsiteSolidWorks Toolbox   FeatureWorks®

SolidWorks Utilities. You have all the power in one very

affordable package. SolidWorks Office, the complete 3D CAD solution. Find out more, big guy.Log on to: www.solidworks.com/flowpower or call 1-800-693-9000 ext. 3556.

©2001 SolidWorks Corporation. SolidWorks and the SolidWorks logo are registered trademarks and PhotoWorks is a trademark of SolidWorks Corporation.FeatureWorks is a registered trademark of Geometric Software Solutions Co. Limited. All other company and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

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4Flow front Vol . 1 I s sue 1 www.moldf low.com

from the editor

Dear Readers,

 Welcome to the first edition of the new format of Flowfront. Flowfront begins its life cycle as a semi-annualpublication with an issue targeted for spring and fall of each year. Each issue contains a myriad of compelling articles that are focused on technology, academic and R&D breakthroughs, and industry trends and issues. Thisnew magazine format allows us to get more in depth on each topic we cover.

Flowfront, unlike other publications that briefly touch on issues important to injection molding professionals, will explore these topicsmore deeply and help our readers find solutions to the problems they face every day. For this to happen, we need contributions from ourreaders. We are always on the lookout for interesting application stories, topics of industry interest, and articles discussing technology andautomation. If you feel that you have a topic or story to contribute, we encourage you to contact us.

Moldflow product line manager Dean Piepiora explains Moldflow's exciting new Synergy technology inside Moldflow Plastics Insight3.0. Synergy is a powerful new pre- and post-processor for model preparation and cleanup, as well as for viewing and manipulating 

analysis results. The technological breakthrough integrates the best features of Moldflow Plastics Insight (MPI) andC-MOLD 2000 (CM2K) products into a single, merged product family. Also in this issue, product line manager Peter Rucinski offersinsight to Moldflow's Manufacturing Solutions for automating, controlling, and monitoring injection-molding processes. He gives full,updated descriptions of Moldflow Plastics Xpert, Moldflow Shotscope, and Moldflow EZ Track manufacturing software solutions.

Each edition of Flowfront will feature innovative commentary authored by Moldflow customers and partners, as well as Moldflow resources. In fact, each month guest author and Gartner Group research director Marc Halpern, Ph.D., will offer his overviews of CAD/CAM/CAE, plastics engineering, e-commerce, and the supply chain. In this issue, he addresses the need for manufacturers andsuppliers to develop collaborative product commerce (CPC) networks.

 As you will see in this issue, Moldflow customers Avenue Mould (Sligo, Ireland) and Estée Lauder (New York, NY) offer insights as tohow these world class manufacturers are using Moldflow products to reduce product development lead times, enhance product quality,and win industry awards! Each Flowfront edition will contain exclusive customer success stories from applications around the world. If you would like your application featured in an upcoming issue of Flowfront, please contact me at [email protected].

 Also in this issue, Barr Klaus, vice-president of technology at Milacron, Inc., comments about how Milacron is responding to the globalenergy crisis in the Executive Spotlight. This column is a forum for senior management to discuss industry trends, solutions to problems,and what's on the horizon in terms of new technology. In his commentary, Mr. Klaus explains how all-electric injection molding machinescan help save manufacturers millions of dollars in terms of conserving energy and why the benefits of converting to all-electric faroutweigh the costs of retaining inefficient equipment.

Professor Robert Malloy of the Plastics Engineering Program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell provides an interesting historicaloverview of the Plastics Engineering Program at the school. From its humble beginnings in 1895, the program today is rich in technology and resources. Support and endowments from outside sources such as Moldflow and Milacron are testament to the program's success.

This issue of Flowfront also provides tips and techniques for using Moldflow Plastics Advisers (MPA) 5.0 design-for-manufacture analysissoftware from product line manager Murali Anna-Reddy. Using MPA tools, designers can test every part and mold concept formanufacturing feasibility before the tool is cut, when the cost of change is minimal.

ProMold's sales and engineering manager, Scott Peters, tells us how the role of mold designer has changed over the course of his career. Fromoverpaid draftspeople to valued team members, Scott says that technically savvy mold designers today are key to a manufacturer's success.

Soon, Moldflow will open its Center for Professional Development. Stephen Thompson, Moldflow's global training manager, explains why the facility came to be and how it will be used. The Center is a corporate university that is being developed for Moldflow customersto help empower their Moldflow users.

Enjoy this first issue. We are excited to bring you the latest news and technology via this format. We welcome reader input and encourageyou to submit article ideas, suggestions, and comments about what you like and don't like about the publication. If you have softwaretips and/or techniques that you would like to share, please do. Send your feedback to [email protected].

Laura CarrabineEditor

 Welcome

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5Flow f ront Vol . 1 I ssue 1 www.moldflow.com

Focuson

Moldflow ManufacturingSolutions for the Automation,

Control, and Monitoring of theInjection Molding Process

Molders today are constantly in the search for waysto squeeze inefficiencies out of every step in themanufacturing process. The pressure to reducedowntime and scrap, leverage the know-how of experienced die-setters, and implement systemsthat maximize the productivity of every machineand every operator at every site, regardless of location, is constant. Increasingly, this industry isturning to technology to provide the solution totheir problems.

Custom and captive injection molders wanted a suite of products from one global supplier that would provide injection molding manufacturing personnel with all the tools necessary for scheduling, setup, optimization, control, and reporting of the injection molding process. Specifically, customers pointed out that existing molding practices often resulted in:

Moldflow's Manufacturing Solutions products address all of these problems with scalable solutions that will work for small, custominjection molders, and large, multi-national corporations.

Plastic injection molding

The plastic injection molding process is integral to many of today's mainstream manufacturing processes. Industries such astelecommunications, consumer electronics, medical devices, computers, and automotive all have large, constantly increasing demands forinjection molded plastic parts. In addition, these industries continually must decrease time-to-market as product life cycles are being compressed.

 While demand for injection molded plastic parts is increasing, the problems associated with the process often can cause significant timedelays and cost increases. This is because the injection molding process is a complex mix of machine variables, mold complexity, operatorskills, and plastic material properties. In addition, there are constant pressures to reduce mold setup times and scrap, improve part quality,and maximize the productivity of every injection molding machine. Due to these pressures, it is becoming increasingly important to havesystems in place to allow the molding process to be scheduled, set up, optimized, controlled, and monitored using an intuitive, systematic,documentable, and globally supported methodology.

Intuitive— so machine operators can maximize productivity by not having to be experts on every machine/mold combination they areresponsible for running.

Systematic— so the process of setting up and optimizing the molding process can be done with a scientific method that does not rely solely on the skills of the machine operator.

Documentable — to meet the strict quality control reporting requirements that are commonplace today.

Globally Supported — so that large, multi-national corporations can source these solutions from one supplier and implementcompany-wide standards across their enterprises.

In response to market feedback regarding these pressures and existing plastics manufacturing practices Moldflow Corporation hasdeveloped a complete suite of Manufacturing Solutions for the automation, control, and monitoring of the injection molding. Theseproducts consist of:

Moldflow Plastics Xpert — a process automation and control system that decreases mold setup time, cycle time, and scrap; andimproves molded part quality and labor productivity.

❑ Inefficient scheduling of mold, machine, and laborresources.

❑ Long process setup times and associated scrap.

❑Non-optimized cycle times.

❑Unacceptable molded part quality.

❑Unacceptable production scrap rates.

❑ Poor or inconsistent control of the molding process.

❑ Lack of part traceability.

❑ Lack of manufacturing management information.

By Peter Rucinski, Moldflow Corporation

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Shotscope— a process monitoring andanalysis system that collects critical data inreal time from the injection molding machine and then records, analyzes, andreports on that data.

EZ-Track — a real time productionmonitoring and reporting system that canbe attached to virtually any cyclic

manufacturing equipment.

Moldflow Plastics Xpert

Throughout the injection molding industry today, the number of molds thatmust be set up and optimized for high-volume part production is far outpacing the number of process engineers ortrained technicians qualified to do so. It isnot uncommon for a molding operationto have a small number of individuals whohave the education or experience to set up

the injection molding process. And, eventhose who can set up the process often donot have time to optimize it due toproduction pressures. This scenario resultsin problems such as long process setuptimes and associated scrap, non-optimizedcycle times, unacceptable molded partquality, unacceptable production scraprates, and poor or inconsistent control of the molding process.

Moldflow Plastics Xpert (MPX) processautomation and control technology provides machine operators with an easy-to-learn and easy-to-use tool for the setup,optimization, and control of the injection

molding process. MPX allows a less-experienced operator to set up molds,optimize the process, and controlproduction.

MPX functionality isarranged into threemodules

I: The Setup Xpert module allows users toperform a variety of injection-velocity andpressure-phase-related setup routines tofix certain defects, such as short shots,

flash, burn marks, sink marks, etc.Setup Xpert helps users achieve one good

molded part with no defects. A user moldsa part, then provides feedback to the MPX system regarding molded part quality.MPX processes this feedback along withdata being collected from the machineand (if necessary) determines a processchange that will improve the result.

 After completing Setup Xpert and

determining a combination of processing parameters that results in a single,satisfactorily molded part, the user stilldoes not know if these parameters are

 within a robust processing window. Forexample, any process parameter drift orvariation could easily result in parts of unacceptable quality. In the injectionmolding process, variation is inherent.

 Whether the material, machine, process,operator, or environment causes it, there

 will always be some variation. Thisvariation may or may not result in the

production of bad parts. The variation isnormal, so the processing window mustbe robust enough to compensate for it

 without producing bad parts.

Design of experiments (DOE) is a usefultool in determining a robust processing 

 window. The process window is defined asthe maximum amount of allowable processvariation — allowable, because it will notresult in the production of bad parts.

However, the historical perception of DOEis that it can be complicated, resulting inextensive training requirements and costsfor those responsible for running it. DOE

is also time consuming, thus increasing thetime required to put a given mold intoproduction.

II: Optimize Xpert is an automated design

o f experiments(DOE) thatcan be runquickly andeasily. Thesoftware does not requireany special training in statistical process

control. The goal of using Optimize Xpertis to obtain a robust processing window that will compensate for normal processvariation and ensure that acceptablequality parts are produced consistently.

 While the Optimize Xpert DOE isautomated, easy to use, and relatively fastto complete, it is far from simple. Thereare five process parameters that can beused as DOE factors: packing pressure,mean (or average) injection velocity,velocity stroke, packing time, and cooling time. In addition, there are a number of 

molding defects that can be used tomeasure part quality criteria, including short shots, flash, sink marks, burn marks,poor weld line appearance, weight,dimension, and warpage problems.

 Assuming a robust processing window isdetermined using the Optimize Xpert,control mechanisms are still required tomake sure that the process stays within itsspecified limits.

III: Production Xpert is a comprehensiveprocess control system that maintains theoptimized processing conditionsdetermined with Optimize Xpert.Production Xpert allows the user tomaintain the production processconsistently, resulting in reduced rejectrates, higher part quality, and moreefficient use of machine time. If desired,Production Xpert will correct the processautomatically should it drift or go out of control.

There are still many functions required ina manufacturing operation, including 

production scheduling, processmonitoring, statistical process control(SPC), statistical quality control (SQC),scrap tracking, production monitoring and reporting, preventive maintenancescheduling, and more.

Moldflow Shotscope

The Moldflow Shotscope processmonitoring and analysis system is a comprehensive product suite that collectscritical data in real time from molding machines on the factory floor. Thesoftware then records, analyzes, reports,and allows access to the information for

While demand for injection molded plasticparts is increasing, the problems associatedwith the process can often cause significanttime delays and cost increases.

Focuson

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7Flow f ront Vol . 1 I ssue 1 www.moldflow.com

use in criticaldecision making.

 Addi tional ly,the product canbe used forboth plastic

injection molding and metaldie casting operations.

Shotscope allows molders to maximize theirproductivity by providing necessary tools toschedule mold and machine resourcesefficiently. The software also monitors thestatus and efficiency of any mold/machinecombination. By monitoring the efficiency of a given mold/machine combination,molders can schedule jobs based on a number of criteria, including minimumcycle times, highest production yields, andso on. Users also can define periodicmaintenance schedules for molds andmachines, and, after a pre-determined

number of cycles or operating hours,Shotscope will signal that preventativemaintenance is required.

Shotscope also maintains and displaysstatistical process control (SPC) data in a variety of formats, including trend charts,

 X-bar and R charts, histograms, andscatter diagrams. This informationprovides molders with the knowledge thattheir processes are in control, and, shouldthey go out of control, Shotscope can alertto an out-of-control condition and divertsuspect-quality parts. Furthermore,because the Shotscope system can measureand archive up to 50 process parameters(such as pressures, temperatures, times,etc.) for every shot monitored, theprocessing "fingerprint" for any part canbe stored and retrieved at any time in thefuture. This functionality is extremely important to any manufacturersconcerned with the potential failure of a molded part in its end-use application (forexample, a medical device).

Shotscope maintains a reporting 

mechanism that communicates all thedata collected and entered into the systemacross a manufacturing enterprise. As a result, informed decisions can be made.Users can generate production, scrap,downtime, efficiency, and job summary reports, any of which also can be used asdocumentation that accompanies partshipments.

Moldflow EZ-Track

Moldflow EZ-Track is software for real-time, plant-wide production monitoring and reporting. The EZ-Track system canbe attached to virtually any cyclicmanufacturing equipment and machinery,such as ultrasonic welders, assembly machines, packaging equipment, etc., inaddition to injection molding machines.The EZ-Track system provides a scalablesolution for production monitoring,

 which can be used by small, custommolders with fewer than 10 machines orby large, multi-national corporations withdistributed injection molding andmanufacturing operations around the

 world. There are extens ive setupcapabilities that allow complete definitionof resources and flexible customization of most displays and reports.

The EZ-Track system collects data oncycle times, cycle/part counts, and numberof rejects, and it uses this data as thefoundation to perform powerfulscheduling tasks. The EZ-Track schedulercan check for mold conflicts and machinefeasibility and highlight any problems.The product continuously updatesestimates of job completion times basedon actual cycle time, downtime, rejects,and cavitation. In addition, the schedulersupports family molds.

EZ-Track monitors machine status,downtime, scrap, raw material usage, andlabor activity. The product can also beused to track machine efficiencies and

compute yield efficiencies. Labor, time,and attendance can be tracked by employee and associated with machines,

 jobs, and activities. In this way,manufacturing managers can determine

 what jobs, machines, or activities requiremore labor resources than others require.This capability can allow managers toinvestigate areas where more efficiency,possibly in the form of processautomation, could be introduced intotheir manufacturing operations.

EZ-Track can be used to count good parts,diverted parts, packed cases, and othervariables. Downtime is measured

automatically and can be classified into anunlimited number of causes. Onceproduction data is collected, there is anextensive set of Web-based reports that canincorporate trend charts, tabular reports,pie charts, and Pareto charts. It is possibleto interface the EZ-Track system toERP/MRP systems via an advanced SQLdatabase that is open, fully documented,and ODBC-compliant.

There are many companies today across a broad range of industries for which plasticinjection molding and related upstreamand downstream manufacturing processesare on the critical path to achieving successful and profitable productlaunches. These companies face a variety of issues that make it difficult to remain

competitive:

❑ Product life cycles are decreasing while short-term volumerequirements are increasingexponentially.

❑ Customers continue to demandincreased quality at lower costs.

❑ There is a shortage of skilled laborto run ever-more-sophisticatedinjection molding equipment.

❑ Inefficiencies in the scheduling,monitoring, and reporting ofproduction do not allow for efficientmanufacturing management.

❑ Molded part process documentationand traceability increasingly arebecoming a standard requirement.

Competitive companies require tools thatare intuitive, systematic, documentable,and globally supported, such as theMoldflow Manufacturing Solutionsproducts, to remain globally successful.

For the latest information on Moldflow 

Manufacturing Solutions products, visit www.moldflow.com.

Focuson

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FREE Report 

Reveals the Best Kept Secrets

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Recent breakthroughs in training technology aremaking this possible like never before. This new technology, developed by A. Routsis Associates, takes

full advantage of multimedia while using the latest inlearning technology. Utilizing this powerfulcombination results in shorter training times and higheremployee retention rates.

Over 100 Interactive Training titles, including moldmaking and mold design, injection molding technology & plastic part design.

For a FREE copy of The Best Kept Secrets of In- House Training and the latest issue of  Plastics Training  Review contact:

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 www.tr aininteracti ve.com

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Technique to model a

direct sprue gate or hot

sprue

For cylindrical or symmetrical

shaped parts (boxes, cups, helmets,

etc.) that are molded in single-

cavity molds, a sprue gate is

preferred. Here, the part is gated

directly from the sprue. If the sprue

is cold, then there is no gate and

the sprue directly connects to the

part. However, with a hot sprue asmall gate is used to facilitate

automatic degating. When

modeling these types of gates, the

key is to understand that Mold

Adviser requires a sprue and a gate

as the minimum for a feed system.

Since there is no gate in the case of

a cold sprue, you will need to model

a portion of the sprue as gate

entity. Say, for example, that your

cold sprue is three inches long.

Then, you could model 2.5 inch as

Sprue and the remaining 0.5 inch asa Gate. Use the taper angle to

calculate the starting and ending

diameters of the Sprue and the

Gate. Here is a step by step

procedure to model these two

gates.

9Flow f ront Vol . 1 I ssue 1 www.moldflow.com

tips & techniques

Using Moldflow Plastics Advisers 5.0By Murali Anna-Reddy, Moldflow Corporation

1. Import the part model and set the model type to Single Cavity.

2. Orient the part such that the sprue is in the positive Z-axis. Next, select

the injection location.

3. Select Parting Plane and position the parting plane a small

distance above the injection point. The distance between the parting

plane and the injection point will be the length of your gate.

4. Select Specify Mold dimensions . Set the 'A Plate' thickness to

the length of the sprue.

5. Select Edit Runner Defaults . Set the dimensions of the sprue and

gate.

6. Select Sprue Location . Click on the middle of the injection

location, and click OK. This will create the sprue directly above the

injection location

7. On the Runner Generation dialog, select Generate Sprue and Gates,

and click OK.

This should complete the creation of the direct sprue gate or the hot

sprue. Examples of each are shown below.

Sprue Gate (Cold Sprue) Sprue Gate (Hot Sprue)

Technique to model a hot drop runner system

The process of modeling a hot drop runner system is outlined below using a simple example of a single-cavity mold.

However, the same procedure can be applied to multi-cavity and family molds, as well as to modeling 3-plate cold runner

systems.

1. Import part model and set the model type to Single

Cavity.

2. Orient the part such that the sprue is in the positive

Z-axis. Next, select the injection location.

3. Select Parting Plane and position the parting

plane a small distance above the injection point. The

distance between the parting plane and the injection

point will be the length of your gate. Typically, with hot

drops and 3-plate cold runner molds, a restricted gate

called a Pin Point Gate is used for automatic degating

purposes. The gate dimensions are typically very small

compared to other types of gates.

continued on page 10

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tips & techniques

4. Select Specify Mold dimensions . Set the A

Plate thickness to the length of the sprue. Turn on the

Floating Plate, and set its thickness to the length of the

hot drop.

5. Select Edit Runner Defaults . Set the

dimensions of the sprue, runner and gate.

6. Select Sprue Location . Click on the middle of

the injection location, and click OK. This will create the

sprue directly above the injection location.

7. On the Runner Generation dialog, select Generate

Sprue, and click OK.

8. Select Design Runners . This will allow you to

create runners and gates manually. Click the bottom of

the sprue. The Runner Creation dialog pops up. Select

Create Drop and the hot drop will be created

automatically using the dimensions specified earlier.

9. Only the gate is left to be created. Select Display

Beam Elements to display the runner as a beam

element. This is quite useful, especially if the runner is

large and obstructs the view. Similarly, select Display

Cavities to turn off the display of the cavities. Thistoo can be helpful during the modeling of gates.

10. Now select Design Runners again and click on

the end of the hot drop and then on the injection cone.

The gate will be created automatically between the hot

runner and the injection point.

This will complete the creation of a single-cavity mold

with a hot runner system. An example of such a model

is shown below. As mentioned earlier, the same

procedure could be applied for creating hot runners for

multi-cavity and family molds as well as 3-plate cold

runner systems. Examples of such molds are shown

below.

Techniques to model fan, film, ring, or diaphram gatesUsing the geometry tools provided in the Moldflow Mold Adviser module, you can very easily model tunnel, cashew, and

tab gates. However, when it comes to modeling fan, film, ring, and diaphram gates, the geometry modeling tools fall

short. The limitations arise from being unable either to accurately represent the volume of plastic in the gate region or

to accurately model the flow of the plastic from the gate into the cavity. The common aspect of all these types of gates

is that the gates are very wide (sometimes extending the entire width or circumference of the part). The larger gate

width spreads and slows the melt as it enters the cavity. If your object is to simulate only the effect of the gate on the

plastic flow, you can do so by modeling several injection points along the edge where the gate connects to the part. In

this case, you need not model the runners and gate, and the analysis would be done in the Part Only mode.

On the other hand, if you would like to design the entire sprue, runner, and gate system, then our suggestion is to model

these types of gates in your CAD system. The STL file you would export from the CAD system should contain both the

part and the gate geometry. The sprue and runners would later be added inside the Mold Adviser.

The example shown below features a part model with a fan gate. The two modeling scenarios explained above are

shown in the accompanying images.

Model with the part andfan gate designed in theCAD system

Several injection pointsused to represent plasticflow through the fan gate

Sprue and runner added tothe fan gate model tocomplete the runner system

Single-cavity mold with a hot runner 

 system

Family mold with ahot runner system

Single-cavity mold witha 3-plate cold runner 

 system

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real world success

 Avenue Mould is Ireland's and the UK's leading mold-making company. The company specializes in manufacturing ultra-precise, multi-cavity, hot-runner, injection molds for the medicaldevice, closure, and personal care industries. Its molds aredesigned for long service life with fully interchangeable cores andcavities.

Established in 1988 in Sligo, Ireland, Avenue Mould heralds a customer list of world class manufacturers including AbbottLaboratories, Bausch & Lomb, Braun Ireland, Becton Dickinson,Ferrero, Donegal Healthcare, Tyco Healthcare, United Closures &

Packaging (UCP), Hewlett-Packard, Honeywell/AlliedSignal,Nypro, SIMS Portex, and Tech Group Ireland.

 According to Avenue Mould Director Felim McNeela, "We havebeen using Moldflow software since 1992. We were the first Irishcompany to implement the technology to prove we are committedto using state-of-the-art products and techniques to develop ourmolds. As a result, we have retained top manufacturers and enjoy 98% return business from them. Product quality and customersatisfaction go hand-in-hand. Our goal is to exceed theirexpectations. Using our experience, Moldflow, and the best moldmaking equipment help us achieve that."

Due to the increasing complexity of product shapes, materialproperties, and the relentless drive for minimum cycle times,

 Avenue Mould uses Moldflow tools as an inherent part of thedesign process performing analyses on fill, cooling, pressure, andvolumetric shrinkage.

Process flow path

Once Avenue Mould engineers obtain a mold design, they exportthe solid model as an STL file to initiate a Moldflow analysis.Typically, fill analyses are performed first to establish optimumgate locations. Temperature simulations are invaluable aids todesign mold cooling circuits. The simulations also providevaluable information on areas that might be prone to short shots.Complex, thin-walled parts can be analyzed directly with minimalpreparation. Hot runners can be incorporated at this stage. Using Moldflow, a variety of different materials can be tested in eachsimulation.

McNeela adds, "Moldflow helps us investigate how the plastic willflow in the mold prior to machining the mold. We use it as a technique to confirm with the customer that the plastic will flow reasonably well without too much stress and without air traps.Generally speaking, the models we work on are reasonably welldesigned without major problems. Using Moldflow providescustomer peace of mind and satisfaction that the mold will work 

 well once we manufacture it. The customer knows that the partdesign is acceptable and the mold will function effectively."

Moldflow as proactive tool

"The software is a confidence booster for both us and ourcustomers," says McNeela. "If we didn't use Moldflow, AvenueMould would out-source much of the work and lose revenue. We

 would also take a lot of shots in the dark practicing risky trial-and-

error efforts," notes McNeela. "This business has enough risks without adding taking technical risks. Our work demandsprecision and quality. Using Moldflow assures us and ourcustomers of both."

He and his team also use Moldflow for large projects in whichproposals require analyses and results. The Moldflow simulationresults are submitted as part of the complete quotation package.

 Avenue Mould molds range in price from $75,000 to $200,000and are intended for high volume, long term production — threeto five years or longer. "Our customers invest a lot of money intheir molds, and they expect them to work according tospecifications. If a post-manufacturing problem occurs with the

mold, it's going to compromise that customer's volumeproduction and the life of the mold," adds McNeela. "Ourcustomers are focused on mold quality for long term use. Using Moldflow is invaluable for achieving this objective."

Advanced testing center

 Avenue Mould maintains a very advanced tool-testing center thatadheres to clean-room standards. McNeela says, "Since we do a lotof work for the health care and medical device industries, a facility that meets their testing criteria is necessary."

MPX allows production professionals to take control by eliminating the usual trial-and-error method of injection molding 

machine setup and optimization and replacing it with systematictechnology. Bringing the benefits of injection molding simulation

Avenue Mould Nears Decade as MoldflowCustomer — Company Wins Top Honors as

Toolmaker of the YearBy Laura Carrabine, Editor

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real world success

to the shop floorenables processengineers andmolders to quickly optimize machinesetup, reduce cycle

times, andmonitor andcorrect molding processes during production.

Some of the majorbenefits that Avenue Mould has found using MPX include theability to:

❑ Optimize mold setups and shorten tool trials.

❑ Produce optimum processing conditions.

❑ Determine the size of the process tooling window toallow greater insight into minor adjustments.

❑ Complement results used with Moldflow PlasticsInsight (MPI).

❑ Reduce cycle times.

❑ Scrutinize tools in production.

Toolmaker of the Year

Recently Avenue Mould won the Toolmaker of the Year award, a top honor sponsored by The Plastics Industry Awards and BASFplc. Avenue Mould won in three categories: Product Quality,Complete Project Support, and Investment in Design and

Manufacturing. The Plastics Industry Awards, the industry's mostprestigious honors, recognize and celebrate achievements in theUK plastics industry. Entrants are categorized as supplier,processor, product, or people. The awards offer insight intocurrent development in material usage, product design, andinnovative ways in which they are being manufactured.

For more information about Avenue Mould, visit www.avenuemould.com. Visit www.moldflow.com for moreinformation about Moldflow and its products and services.

DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL?

If so, we want to hear from you. To submit

articles, case studies, or user reviews of any

Moldflow technology, please contact Laura

Carrabine at [email protected]

or call +1 440 247 8653.

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INTRODUCING MOLDFLOW PLASTICS INSIGHT 3.0It's been touted as one of the biggest engineering undertakings in the CAE market in

years. It's taken two of the most in-depth plastics analysis programs ever created and

merged the best features into one product. It's Moldflow Plastics Insight™ version 3.0,

the latest desktop analysis product release from Moldflow Corporation.

MPI™ 3.0 incorporates the best features from the Moldflow Plastics Insight and

C-MOLD 2000 products, as well as multiple new features, creating one powerful suite

of software. Some of the enhancements and new features found in MPI 3.0 include:

New Graphical User Interface: MPI/Synergy

Enhanced CAD Interfaces

Powerful Mesh and Mesh Editing Capabilities

MPI/Fusion and MPI/3D Enhancements

Expanded thermoset and gas process analyses

Power = Productivity = MPI 3.0

To find out more, contact us or visit our Web site at www.moldflow.com

C O R P O R A T I O N

Moldflow Corporation430 Boston Post Road Wayland,MA 01778

Tel (508)358-5848 • Fax (508)358-5868

www.moldflow.com

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cover story

It's been touted as one of the biggestengineering undertakings in the CAEmarket in years. It's taken two of the mostin-depth plastics analysis programs evercreated and merged the best features intoone product. It's Moldflow PlasticsInsight™ version 3.0, the latest desktopanalysis product release from Moldflow Corporation.

The Moldflow Plastics Insight (MPI™)and C-MOLD® 2000 suites of software

are advanced injection molding softwaretools for predicting and eliminating potential manufacturing problems beforethey occur. When Moldflow Corporationand C-MOLD became one company inearly 2000, one of the first goals set among the management and developers was tointegrate the two existing advancedanalysis products into one superset. Sincethat time, under the code name "Synergy,"Moldflow development has moved aheadfull force to create this integrated,advanced analysis product, which is being 

released as MPI version 3.0.

This product development effort has beenaccomplished on both technology anduser-interface levels. In addition, many new features have been added to leveragethe combined technical expertise of theMoldflow and C-MOLD productengineering teams. The result is a productmuch more powerful than the sum of thetwo — the definition of Synergy!

Many release goals and user enhancementrequests drove the development of MPI3.0. One major enhancement request wasto improve the integration to leading 

CAD packages to make it easier to get 3D

solid CAD models into the Moldflow environment. Users also needed meshing and mesh editing tools to create a finite-element model that would be completely ready for analysis. To accomplish this,Moldflow developers created a new userinterface to perform all pre- and post-processing functionality and eliminate theneed for users to switch among multipleprograms to complete their tasks. Userrequests also made it very important for usto put enhancements for MPI/Fusion and3D analyses on the critical path. This

combined development work also fosteredimprovements to the materials database

and resulted in additional benefits to other

analysis modules. A description of some of the major features and functionality enhancements follows.

New pre- and post-processor: MPI/Synergy

The MPI/Synergy module is a new pre-and post-processor used for modelpreparation, meshing, mesh editing,model validation, job setup, job control,results visualization and report generation.MPI/Synergy provides a new graphicaluser interface that supports all analysismodules of both the MPI and C-MOLDproduct lines. MPI/Synergy also supports

IntroducingMoldflow Plastics

Insight 3.0Moldflow Plastics Insight and C-MOLD 2000 Work in Synergy

By Dean Piepiora, Moldflow Corporation

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m i d p l a n e ,MPI/Fusion and 3DTET mesh models in a single multi-window, multi-

document, Windows-basedenvironment.

The MPI/Synergy user interface hasbeen streamlined to provide a cleaner,more intuitive working environment.The previous six-tabbed projectmanager has been replaced with twodockable work panes. The top pane,Project View, provides a quick visualreview of the different studies and analysesperformed and is used for organizing projects. The lower pane provides the

Study Tasks, which are designed to guideusers through the necessary tasks toimport their CAD model, then set up andrun an analysis.

MPI/Synergy takes advantage of many of the popular Windows-based, ease-of-usefunctions, including drag-and-drop,double clicking, and right-mouse-buttonaccess for performing the most commontasks, and also includes many commandshortcuts (control keys) that advancedusers prefer to use.

Enhanced CAD Interfacesand GeometryRepresentation

The Moldflow Design Link (MDL) iscompletely integrated with MPI/Synergy.MDL provides data integration to leading CAD systems through standard interfacessuch as IGES, STEP, and ParaSolid. New in MPI 3.0 is an option to directly importPro/ENGINEER ® part files. This works

 without the need to have a separatePro/ENGINEER license.

In addition, imported geometry is now represented in MPI/Synergy as trimmedNURBS surfaces. These surfaces can beindependently viewed, grouped, ormeshed. NURBS surfaces are supportedby the IGES, STEP, ParaSolid andPro/ENGINEER file formats.

Meshing and Mesh Editing

MPI/Synergy provides a complete set of tools to create, edit and validate meshesfor midplane, MPI/Fusion and full 3D

analyses. Moldflow is the only CAE

softwareavailable today thatsupports simulation of theplastic injection molding process

 with all three of these mesh types.

New in MPI 3.0 is a fully automatic 3Dtetrahedral mesh generator. Unique to thisfeature is the ability to control the numberof elements through the thickness of a part. This complements other automaticmeshing capabilities already in theproduct for creating midplane and

MPI/Fusion meshes.

 Also new in MPI 3.0 is a large set of meshing editing and validation tools. Thenew Mesh Diagnostics provide the ability to easily visualize the quality of the meshin areas such as aspect ratio, overlapping elements, connectivity, thickness, freeedges, and occurrence number. Severalnew mesh editing tools are provided toclean up and refine the mesh. Also, new selection methods are available to allow users to quickly and easily focus on

specific problem areas.

In addition, MPI 3.0 also includesmodeling wizards to automate thecreation of multiple cavities, runnersystems, cooling systems, and moldinserts. To learn more about mesh typesand modeling tools, see "Exploring Moldflow Plastics Insight 3.0 Finite-Element Meshing Capabilities" on page26.

Layers

MPI 3.0 includes a very powerful andeasy-to-use layers system. Layers

are used to group entitiestogether and to limit user

interaction to specificmodel areas. You

can create a few or as

m a n y  layers

a sn e e d e d .

There is a defaultlayer, as well as layers for

specific model entities such asCAD geometry, nodes, and elements.

 You can turn layers on and off to get a better view of the area of your model

 where you are focusing your interest. When a layer is turned off, features on it will not be selected. You can modify entity properties, such as element color orvisualization style, layer by layer.

The use of layers is an integral part of efficient model preparation and meshediting. When using the MeshDiagnostics tools to display issues, such ashigh aspect ratio elements, you may selectto have them placed on a new layer calledDiagnostic Results. This allows you toturn off all other layers and visualize only 

the problem elements.

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MPI/Flow3D now works with theMPI/Reactive Molding module tosimulate thermoset injection molding,

rubber injection molding, and thermosettransfer molding processes in full 3D. Inaddition, MPI/Flow3D has beenenhanced to support compressible flow during the filling stage of the injectionmolding process, and now producesresults for clamp force and shear-ratecalculations for beams.

Design of experimentsmanager

The new Design of Experiments (DOE)solver is an exciting addition to MPI 3.0.This function automatically sets up and

performs a sequence of analyses, varying the parameters that you specify. Once thisis done, interpolated results displays arecreated automatically to provide quick andsimple access to results data. Examples of input parameters include mold and melttemperatures, injection time, pack pressure, pack time, and part thickness.Output data include both single-pointquality indicators such as volumetricshrinkage, injection pressure, clamp force,or flow front temperature, as well asinterpolated displays of fill time, pressure,

and temperature.

 A DOE provides people with a reasonablearrangement of the experiments andstatistically analyzes the results to finally optimize the processing parameters andthe end product. The DOE analysisrequires multiple analyses to run,depending on the number of factors you

 want to investigate. For this reason, theDOE is closely integrated with thedistribution queue within the MPI 3.0 JobManager to distribute the analysesautomatically to available machines listedon the server.

Analysis enhancements

In MPI 3.0, we have integrated many of the modules from the MPI and C-MOLD

products into a single, merged simulationsolution set. For example, C-MOLD usersnow can access the optional MPI/Fusion(Cool, Fiber, Optim and Warp), MPI/3D(Flow and Cool), MPI/Stress, andMPI/Optim modules, as well as expandedcapabilities in the MPI/Warp andMPI/Cool modules. Moldflow users canaccess the optional Injection Compressionand Co-injection analysis modules, as wellas extended capabilities in theMPI/Microchip Encapsulation andMPI/Gas modules. All analysis modules

are available directly through the new MPI/Synergy graphical user interface.

 An added enhancement for MPI/Gas usersis the new ability to simulate fiber-filledgas-assisted injection molded partsthrough to warpage predictions. Thisprovides the means to understand theaffect of the gas on the final part shape andallows you to study changes to the designof the gas channels and their effects on thepart.

Finally, in all modules there are no longerany programmed limits to the number of nodes and elements that can be used in ananalysis. As part models, especially multi-cavity models, increase in physical size, thenumber of elements required to representthem also increases. Removing these limits

benefits those who have to simulate very large models.

Conclusion

There are many companies today across a broad range of industries for which plasticinjection molding and related upstreamand downstream manufacturing processesare on the critical path to achieving successful and profitable productlaunches. MPI 3.0 has been specifically developed to meet those needs, integrate

numerous user enhancement requests, andtake the best functionality from both MPIand C-MOLD products and merge theminto one.

 While this article introduces many of thehighlights of MPI 3.0, it does not providea complete list of all the new features andenhancements that have been included inthe product. For the latest information onMoldflow Plastics Insight and all of Moldflow's products and services, visit our

 Web site at www.moldflow.com.

cover story

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the executive view

"Energy crisis" seems to wax andwane as a news headline, butanyone with more than a few yearsof business experience can see thelong-term trend for energy costs is —

and will continue to be —  up, not

down. For injection molders underpressure for cost reductions or"rebates" on past work, the recentCalifornia crisis helped bring intofocus the painful reality that energyis one of the top three or four costcomponents of a molded part, and

hydraulically powered moldingmachines consume about three timesmore energy than all-electricinjection machines. It's now clear themore efficient electric machine canput that operating cost difference

right back on the molder's bottomline.

All this has been proven byindependent tests, but few moldershave considered the large-scaleimpact for the nation and their ownbusinesses. Milacron estimates all-electric injection molding machines

could annually cut 8.9 millionmegawatt hours of electricity fromthe process on a national basis —

700,000 megawatt hours and $42

million annually in California alone.

Large companies realize there's a lotof energy money being left on thetable, not just in molding, butthroughout the enterprise. Manyhave mandated across-the-board

energy reductions in their operationsbecause they realize energy costsavings go straight to the bottomline. At three times the efficiency ofconventional machines, new-generation, all-electric injectionmolding technology figures heavilyin many programs. So to make

electric molding more accessible andaffordable for the industry, Milacronhas opened the world's first EnergyResource Center for plastics injectionmolding.

The center addresses the interests oftop corporate management, moldmakers, financial executives, facilitydesigners, utilities and energyaggregators/brokers, as well asmolding managers.

We are teaming up with energyservice companies who can packageall-electric molding technology aspart of a long-term operational costsolution that makes sense in theboardroom. This offers the industry aunique advantage for rapidintegration and justification of all-

electric molding for green-fieldplants.

The Energy Resource Center willassist in benchmarking an existing

process against all-electric injectionmolding, with comparison of a widerange of cost and productivityfactors. We're already working withenergy service companies to givethem the benchmark data they needto make sound financial decisions inhelping their own customers designenergy-efficient facilities or

processes. For customers who needmore data or assistance, the EnergyResource Center will run productionlots of product or provide fee-based

design services for re-configuring aplant for higher efficiency or

creating a new plant on a clean sheetof paper.

All-electric injection moldingmachines were once considered"special purpose," but they've

established themselves as the newstandard in cost-effectiveness for anyapplication. While they continue toincrease market share in precisionmolding, they are more often usedfor ordinary products from

automotive parts and cutlery to pet-food dishes and soft drink cases. In

short, all-electric injection presseshave turned a technology corner andare now measurably better thanhydraulic or hybrid machines formainstream applications.

The four independently powered

and controlled axes of electricinjection molding machines overlapthe functions of clamp, injection,extrusion, and ejection, giving a

molder lots of ways to shave cycletime. And the direct, mechanicalconnections between motor andmachine components mean drift-

free, precision positioning for theclamp, screw, ejectors, and injectionunit —  nothing can move in anydirection without a command fromthe control. Thus, pre-injection andcoining are standard capabilities onmost electric machines.

In fact, all-electric presses outperformhydraulic and hybrid machines in a

number of key areas, even high-speedpackaging applications. It's a real eye-opener for a packaging tool-maker tosee an electric machine run stack

molds and inject at 100+ in3 /sec. AtNPE 2000, a 550 ton electric machinemolded 5-gallon buckets with aninjection unit capable of 600+ lb/hrthroughput, speeds of 521 mm/sec,and pressure to 27,500 psi. And the"speed record" for injection belongsto a newly developed electricmachine with linear motors on the

injection axis: 2000 mm/sec for"paper-thin" molding.

Energy savings: a new revenue sourcefor molders By Barr Klaus, Vice President, Technology, Milacron, Inc.

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the executive view

This new breed of electric machine is no longer a limiting factor on cycletime. It's not uncommon for an all-electric machine to “outrun” a moldthat was already taxing the limits of a high-performance, accumulator-

boosted hydraulic machine, which shifts the focus of the process designquite a bit.

Mold design can be simpler and less expensive for an all-electric machineas well, because independent operation of clamp and injection allowsparting-line venting during tonnage build. This reduces cost and time for

excessive or difficult mold vents. Venting during pre-injection meansthere's less resistance in the mold; fill times are shorter. Hot gas that canoverheat the mold or melt is relieved. And mold maintenance is reducedbecause plasticizer does not build up so quickly in the vents.

Precise control of mold position also reduces wear, especially for stack

molds, allowing more design freedom and lower cost. Higher cavitation orlarger parts can often be accommodated in the same clamp area, too,because the precision shot control on an electric machine typically reducesclamp force requirements.

Electric injection molding machines continue steady market penetration in

the USA (30+%) and Japan (70+%) as energy costs rise and cost gapsbetween electrics and hydraulics decline. The only disadvantage of electrictechnology is that, ton for ton, ounce for ounce, the equipment has ahigher initial cost. Despite an initial cost premium, electric injectionmolding machines cost so much less to operate that real savings accruefrom the very first part molded on the machine, rapidly offsetting thedifference.

Can the "more expensive" machine actually cost less to own long term?

The market has already decided that it does.

1. There's no warm-up, no delay inwaiting to find out what quality of

part will be produced on the machinethat day. Output is usually stable andpredictable after the first 3-4 parts, aswell as after 4-5 years.

2. Material use can be lowered, close tothe threshold of a short shot, withoutexceeding that threshold.

3. There's no expense for cleaning,storage, disposal, or maintenance ofhydraulic fluid.

4. Air conditioning load on the plant isgreatly reduced.

5. Low noise levels (<68 dBA) allowmore flexibility in plant layout, sitingother functions or facilities nearmolding machines.

6. For new construction, electricalservice to the plant can be reducedabout two-thirds, tower waterrequirements reduced, and plumbingreduced.

7. Faster cycles are achieved due to theinherent ability to overlap functions.

Milicron’s MasterPowerline 330-M 

Powerline 935 

Milicron’s MasterPowerline 550

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Go to the source...

Moldflow Plastics Labs constantly strive to provide the highest quality material data that yields the

most accurate simulation results. Our commitment to continuous improvement has lead to numerous

innovations in material testing and behavior modeling as simulation technology has evolved.

Standard testing packages include a rigorous array of molding trials and data verification in

Moldflow software. Each material tested and modeled for shrinkage predictions undergoes molding

trials at over two dozen process settings. You can be sure that material properties data from

Moldflow Plastics Labs represents the best data for Moldflow simulations.

Moldflow Plastics Labs. The right source... and we prove it.

How can you be sure your material properties

data is right for Moldflow solutions?

C O R P O R A T I O N

Moldflow Corporation430 Boston Post Road Wayland, MA 01778

 Tel (508)358-5848 • Fax (508)358-5868

www.moldflow.com

Moldflow Plastics Labs — USA31 Dutch Mill Road • Ithaca, NY 14850

 Tel +1 607 257-4280 • Fax +1 607 257-6355

[email protected]

Moldflow Plastics Labs — Australia259-261 Colchester Road • Kilsyth,Victoria 3137

 Tel +1 61 3 9720 2088 • Fax +1 61 3 9729 0433

[email protected]

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the polymer pages

Introduction

Moldflow Corporation's predictive analysis products, Moldflow Plastics Insight (MPI) and Moldflow Plastics Advisers (MPA), areused to simulate the complex behavior of injection-moldedpolymer melts. As Moldflow is constantly striving to assure thatour analysis results are as accurate as possible, one of our highestpriorities is to provide analysis solver algorithms and material data to achieve that goal. Regarding material data, Moldflow hasdeveloped some of the world's most innovative testing methods toassure that the material characteristics used for analysis representthose of injection-molded polymer melts. For example, Moldflow uses instrumented injection molding machines to determinerheological data, which is basic to all flow analyses.

This article covers the thermoplastic material properties requiredfor Moldflow analysis, the test methods used to derive the data,and some of the unique features which contribute to making theMoldflow Material Database the most comprehensive of its kindin the world. We follow internationally recognized standard testmethods as well as fully documented, internal standard methods,

 which have allowed us to achieve significant simulationimprovements. We provide a large database on as wide a range of polymer materials as possible, including data obtained from resin

manufacturers and third-party sources. Also introduced are thekey features and enhancements of the Moldflow Plastics Insight3.0 (MPI 3.0) Material Database.

Viscosity test methods

Moldflow's injection molding simulation software is used topredict the flow of polymer melts through mold sprues, runners,gates, and part cavities. As such, the most accurate analyses thatcan be performed start with the most accurate material rheologicaldata. Moldflow studies have clearly shown that rheologicalcharacteristics measured on instrumented injection molding machines can yield better simulation results for both filled and

unfilled materials. Therefore, Moldflow's standard andrecommended test method employs instrumented injectionmolding machine rheometers.

However, standard capillary rheology data is widely available andit may be the only data available to many of our users. Othertesting techniques are also applied at times due to unique materialbehavior or limited access to preferred techniques. Moldflow willcontinue to provide such data upon request, and will offer suchdata within our standard databases.

 A major drawback of having such a variety of testing techniques isthat Moldflow users were previously unaware of which testing technique was used for each data set. Therefore, a new feature of 

the MPI 3.0 Material Database is that each data set within a given

material grade now includes test method information, including the source, date of testing, and test method used, if theinformation is available.

Viscosity data models

In order to provide a more consistent database, the Cross/WLFmodel has been applied as the default model to the materials inMoldflow's database. The Moldflow second-order model is stillavailable and will be provided for many materials.

Viscosity indexes

Users have expressed a desire to have a simple, single-pointcomparison of viscosity for different grades. While such values donot show the relevant effects of shear and temperature uponviscosity, they often can be useful for comparing very similarmaterials. Melt Flow Rate (MFR) values are listed in the Moldflow Material Database when available. To avoid any confusion incomparisons, only complete MFR data sets, with appropriate testtemperature and plunger mass details, are listed.

However, it is important to note that there are some limitations toMFR data: it is not available for all materials, and it is a 

measurement performed at fairly low shear rates relative to thosethat occur during injection molding. To address these issues, theMoldflow Material Database lists a Moldflow Viscosity Index value. This single-point viscosity value is generated from a material’s actual viscosity model at a typical melt processing temperature and a shear rate of 1000 1/sec. To further aid in theease of comparing materials of the same generic type, theMoldflow Material Database now has Moldflow Viscosity Index values generated at the same temperature. This makes it very easy to search the database to identify materials of the same generictype with similar Moldflow Viscosity Index values.

Transition temperature data

 A single-point transition temperature is used to define thematerial's state transition from melt to solid. This data iscommonly measured by a differential scanning calorimeter in a cooling mode. However, various methods may be used by different data sources. The MPI 3.0 Material Database now provides the method used to measure or estimate the transitiontemperature, if the information is available.

Thermal conductivity and specificheat data

The thermal properties of polymers change with temperature. Inorder to improve the accuracy of simulation, the ability to store

and use temperature-dependent thermal data is required. A new 

Moldflow Plastics Insight 3.0Thermoplastic Material Properties

DatabaseBy Robert Newman, Moldflow Corporation

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the polymer pages

feature of MPI 3.0 is that tabulated thermal conductivity andspecific heat data as a function of temperature can be used forsimulations. Such data is available for over 2,000 grades. Becausethermal properties data may be generated by a variety of testmethods, the MPI 3.0 Material Database now provides the test

method used, if the information is available.

Pressure-volume-temperature data

The effect of temperature and pressure on material density is animportant property for simulations. Data can be gathered by either indirect or direct dilatometry techniques.

pvT data model

The two-domain, modified Tait model currently is used for alldata in MPI 3.0. In order to assure consistency within a data set,all single-point density values are derived from the pvT model inuse. The MPI 3.0 Material Database now provides the source of pvT data, date of testing, and test method used, if theinformation is available.

Shrinkage data

MPI 3.0 allows the use of three types of shrinkage data andmodels:

1. Residual Stress model (mechanical properties data required).

2. Residual Strain model (Moldflow shrinkage data required).

3. Corrected In-Mold Residual Stress (CRIMS) model. (Moldflow shrinkage data required).

Moldflow strongly recommends using the CRIMS model toachive the best simulation results. The CRIMS technique uses thepredicted residual in-mold stress from the theoretical model andcorrects it to achieve unprecedented accuracy in the prediction of shrinkage and warpage. The result is anisotropic residual stressdistributions that account for morphology and structure in bothamorphous and semi-crystalline materials.

The CRIMS method combines a theoretical model for residualstress, a model for morphology development, and correction of errors due to the use of material data that are obtained underlaboratory conditions rather than those experienced by thematerial in injection molding. Because CRIMS data must be

correlated with the remaining data set and to the software build,the MPI build number has been added to the data set.

Conclusion

 Accurate material properties data is critical to assure the accuracy of your analysis predictions. For this reason, Moldflow spendsconsiderable development resources to maintain and update theMaterial Database, as well as to develop and improve testmethodology.

The Moldflow Material Database for MPI 3.0 includes data onover 7,500 resins and the following enhancements:

❑  Additional information regarding data source, last modifieddate, and test method will be provided if it is available.

❑ Viscosity index data has been improved by listing MFRdata only when complete with test conditions and byimproving the consistency of Moldflow Viscosity Index data 

 within generic families.

❑ The Cross/WLF viscosity model is applied universallythroughout the database.

❑ Multi-point specific heat and thermal conductivity data as a function of temperature now can be stored.

❑ pvT data is fit to the two-domain, modified Tait Model.

❑ CRIMS data is provide with a build ID number to assureappropriate data is used with MPI releases.

For information on the MPI 3.0 Material Database, Moldflow'sinjection molding rheology, or CRIMS shrinkage modeling,contact Moldflow Plastics Labs at: [email protected].

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learning curves

The past

The Plastics Engineering Program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell has a very strong history as a leader in thefield of plastics education. The school, first known as the LowellTextile School, was founded in 1895 to serve the needs of the localtextile companies. Over time, the textile industry gradually startedmoving away from the Lowell area to the southern states, and thefocus of the school shifted to other newly emerging technicalareas. In 1954, the name of the school was changed to LowellTechnological Institute to reflect this broader educational mission,the very same year that the plastics program was founded. There

 were only eight students in the 1958 first graduating class whoreceived Bachelor of Science degrees in Plastics Technology. Astime went on, student interest in this novel plastics program grew rapidly, due in large part to the great demand and good jobopportunities for well-trained plastics technologists. The wordspread quickly, and subsequent classes included as many as 100graduates.

In these early years, three dedicated faculty members molded theprogram's curriculum and laboratory facilities. There is noquestion that Lowell's plastics program would not be where it is

today without the efforts of these three professors, especially thelate Russell W. Ehlers. Russ was responsible for bringing thestrong, hands-on processing focus to the plastics department,

 which still exists today. Russ also served as department chair formany years. The late Raymond Normandin was responsible fordeveloping the chemistry and materials aspects of the program.His influence can be still be felt today as approximately 25% of the current curriculum credits are chemistry and plastics materialscourses. The third founder, the late Henry Thomas, wasresponsible for bringing the solid engineering and design focus tothe department. Once again, this remains as an integral part of theprogram.

In fact, this balanced curriculum is what continues to make thenow Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)Plastics Engineering program at the University of MassachusettsLowell so unique. Students enrolled in the Plastics Engineering program receive an education that is a well-rounded balance of engineering and design fundamentals, hands-on processing andtesting experience, and a strong plastics materials background. TheB.S. program has always been the backbone of the PlasticsEngineering Department, and the department has maintained its

 ABET Plastics Engineering accreditation since 1977. In morerecent years, the department also developed a strong set of graduate programs and a research focus. The department hasoffered an M.S. degree in Plastics Engineering since 1968, a jointPolymer Science/Plastics Engineering Ph.D. degree since 1981,and a Doctor of Engineering degree since 1986.

The present

The Plastics Engineering Department at UMass Lowell has grownto the point where it now has sixteen full-time faculty and 30,000square feet of laboratory space. The Plastics Engineering faculty strive to maintain a balance of the theoretical and hands-onaspects of plastics engineering education that was set forth by thedepartment founders. As of this year, more than 3,000 studentshave received undergraduate or graduate degrees in plastics. Thedepartment attracts both men and women, and this year's juniorclass has an equal number of male and female students.

There have been some major changes and improvements to theprogram over the years. The theoretical aspects of engineering education, such as the laws of thermodynamics or condensationpolymerization reaction kinetics, are the same today as they were47 years ago when the program started. However, the technologiesused to design, manufacture, and test plastic products have

Plastics Engineering Education at theUniversity of Massachusetts Lowell: the

Past, the Present, and the FutureBy Robert Malloy, Professor of Plastics Engineering, UMass Lowell

Professor and plastics department founder, the late Russell W. Ehlers instructs student Keith Orrell during an injection-molding laboratory experiment (circa 1975).

Students hard at work in the new Moldflow Process SimulationLaboratory at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

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what’s new

The enhanced user interface available in Moldflow Plastic Insight(MPI) version 3.0 now provides significantly improved finite-element mesh creation, diagnostic, and editing tools that allow organizations to speed products to market faster at more economiccosts. It's now easier than ever to create the right mesh for theanalysis you want to perform, whether you start from scratch or

 with a CAD solid model. You'll also findnew wizards to streamline cavity duplication, runner creation, andcooling circuit creation in the MPIenvironment.

Midplane meshThe midplane mesh, or thin shell mesh,is the basic model format required fortraditional MPI analyses of thermoplastic and thermoset molding processes. A midplane mesh represents a solid model of a thin-wall part withtriangular elements that are formed by three co-planar nodes and have thicknessvalues assigned to add the thirddimension. In MPI 3.0, you can create a midplane mesh by creating the surfacesand regions manually. Moldflow also

offers the optional Midplane Generator, which automatical ly classifies andmatches the corresponding elements andcollapses them to a midplane mesh,complete with the appropriate thicknessassigned.

MPI/Fusion mesh

The MPI/Fusion mesh is based on Moldflow's patented dual-domain technology and represents a solid model of a thin-wallpart with midplane mesh elements and surface (double-skin) shellelements. A MPI/Fusion mesh more closely matches the exactshape of the 3D model and is much faster and easier to create than

a midplane mesh.

 A MPI/Fusion mesh is created automatically when you mesh a solid model in MPI 3.0. New in this release is the ability tovisualize and modify the thickness of a MPI/Fusion mesh. Meshediting has been extended to better support local refinement, andtools are provided to re-match meshes between top and bottomsurfaces. A MPI/Fusion mesh can be used for MPI/Flow, Cool,

 Warp, Shrink, Fiber, and Optim analyses, and new in MPI 3.0, forReactive Molding and Microchip Encapsulation analyses as well.

3D TET Mesh

For thick and chunky parts, true 3D analysis is required to

simulate the molding process accurately. A 3D TET meshrepresents a solid model with tetrahedral, solid volume elements.The 3D TET mesh provides the most accurate representation of 

the actual part geometry. A 3D TET mesh is required forMPI/Flow3D and Cool3D analyses, and new in MPI 3.0, theReactive Molding module also accepts a 3D TET mesh. Also new in MPI 3.0 is an automatic tetrahedral mesh generator used tocreate 3D TET meshes automatically from your CAD solidmodel.

Mesh diagnostics and editing tools

No matter which type of mesh you use, depending on thecomplexity of the initial geometry, you may have to edit the meshto clean it up before it is ready for analysis. Use the comprehensiveMesh Statistics report to assess mesh quality. The Mesh Statisticsreport tells you the number of nodes and elements, as well as the

types of elements, included in your model. It also identifies meshquality problems, such as elements that overlap, have high aspectratio, or are not oriented correctly.

 Your next step is to use the Mesh Diagnostics tools to highlightspecific areas where you need to focus your mesh editing tasks.MPI 3.0 provides a number of powerful mesh editing tools forperforming operations such as merging, inserting, and moving nodes automatically or manually. MPI 3.0 also provides enhancedremeshing capabilities that function on a local or global level,allowing you to control the density of the mesh generated on yourmodel. This is particularly important in areas of your model whereyou need a much finer mesh for improved simulation accuracy,

such as on a living hinge.

Exploring Moldflow Plastics Insight 3.0Finite-Element Meshing Capabilities

By Dean Piepiora, Moldflow Corporation

Mesh Model Formats MPI 3.0 Analysis Modules

Midplane Fusion 3D TET

 X X X MPI/Flow    Thermoplastic

Molding

 X X X MPI/Cool   Processes

 X X MPI/Warp

 X MPI/Stress

 X X MPI/Fiber

 X X MPI/Optim

 X MPI/Gas

 X MPI/Co-Injection

 X MPI/Injection Compression

 X X X MPI/Reactive Molding    Thermoset Molding

 X X MPI/Microchip Encapsulation   Processes X X MPI/Underfill Encapsulation

(Flip-Chip)

Expanded Analysis Capabilities Take Advantage of EnhancedMeshing Capabilities in MPI 3.0

 More Ana ly si s Opt ions for Mesh Types 

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what’s new

Many of the mesh diagnostics results can be presented either as a Text Output, which opens a new window with a description orlist, or as a Display, which is highlighted directly on your mesh

model as a shaded plot. As you edit your mesh, the diagnosticsdisplay will update actively, so you can see when you havecorrected each problem area. You can choose to place thediagnostic display in a diagnostics layer, which will allow you to

turn off the rest of your mesh and make it much easier to edit theelements that need to be addressed.

New wizards streamline modeling tasks

Use the Cavity Duplication Wizard to create a multi-cavity layoutand position the cavities before you create a runner system. Youcan position the cavities automatically so that the gates are in line,then use the Runner Wizard to connect all the cavities, or modelthe runner system manually.

Use the Runner Wizard to create and lay out a runner systemautomatically, complete with sprue, runners, and gates. You canspecify the sprue position and choose hot or cold runners; specify 

the dimensions of the sprue and runners, as well as of the drops if you chose hot runners; and specify the dimensions of the gates.

Use the Circuit Wizard to create and lay out a simple mold cooling system automatically. Use these cooling circuits to run a Cooling analysis immediately, or as the basis for a more complex cooling system that you add manually.

To get detailed information about the new modeling and meshing capabilities in MPI 3.0 and all of Moldflow's design optimizationsolutions and services, visit www.moldflow.com.

Enhanced remeshing capabilities let you control the mesh density on a local 

or global level, you can improve simulation accuracy by specifying a finer 

mesh to better capture information in critical areas of your model.

Use the new mesh diagnostics and editing tools to change the thickness of a 

 MPI/Fusion model directly in the MPI 3.0 environment. The diagnostic 

display is updated automatically to give you a visual cue that the change has 

been made.

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design & molding

I am uniquely positioned inour industry to comment onthe ever-changing culture of the mold making industry. Ibegan my career in thisbusiness as an apprentice moldmaker/designer, and later as a manufacturing engineer.Today, I am a sales/engineering manager and have beenfortunate to see first-hand the

kinds of changes we are experiencing today.

For years, in some companies, mold designers were consideredoverpaid draftspeople. Many toolmakers and product engineersenvisioned these individuals as a means to obtaining a functionalinjection mold. However, these overpaid draftspeople were only needed when it came time to determine parting lines and generalmold construction methods. The actual completed design was leftto the artisan toolmaker. The toolmaker alone understood themold as no one else could, due to his/her experience and expertise.The toolmaker determined actions, fit, and function. The designerdetermined that there was adequate steel and specific, accurategate locations, based primarily on trial and error, past experiences,and a product engineer's guidance.

Today, however, mold designers are valuable participants in thedesign-to-manufacture process of bringing new products tomarket. They are relied upon for a greater amount of engineering information. Now, mold designers must be familiar with an ever

 widening variety of plastic resins, be more creative in determining moving actions within a mold, and have a working understanding of new and exotic mold materials.

Newer resins demand more engineering

In addition, mold designers need a working knowledge of, or anexcellent resource base for, items such as shear characteristics,shrinkage rates (both in and across flow), chemical reactions withmold materials, and venting requirements. Just as important,mold designers need to understand processing parameters as wellas other key issues, such as being familiar with higher operating temperatures associated with exotic molding resins. For example,some of the toughest new thermoplastic resins mimic thermosetsin terms of dimensional stability at elevated temperatures.

These resins are injected at temperatures often double that of commodity-grade materials. The molds are usually cooled withhot water, live steam, or hot oil. In these cases, the designer notonly has to account for thermal expansion of the mold itself butalso provide adequate insulation to isolate the mold from thepress. If too much heat is lost from the mold to the platen, theprocess can be hindered, and the product will be rejected.

Newer resins allow greater complexityin design

 Along with the elevated temperatures, product engineers arediscovering new ways to add complexity to the end product.

 Where it was once unusual for a product to require unscrewing actions or side cores, it is today becoming the norm. It is alsobecoming almost common for a product to require at least oneaction in a direction out of die draw. Today's designer mustrecognize these requirements and find a proper cost-effectivesolution. In addition, depending on the actual molder, toolbuilder, and the required action, a designer may need to proposeseveral options during the preliminary design phase. Those

options may range from a simple mechanical slide to a complex reciprocation unscrewing action. Whichever the case, it is thedesigner who must find a cost-competitive, durable answer to theactions required.

 As a result of all these new requirements, many componentmanufacturers have begun standardizing items for use in a modular approach to mold building. In this case, the designer notonly has the responsibility of designing the mold but also utilizing standardized parts. In Europe, for example, a designer may commit career suicide if asked to detail a part for manufacture thatcould be purchased commercially. In an industry where lead timesare becoming shorter and shorter, the designer has a greater role inmeeting the delivery schedule.

The electronic and print engineering libraries are becoming morevaluable every day. During slack times, a wise designer spends timebecoming familiar with the various manufacturers andcomponents. Thanks to the Internet, information is available24/7, and geographical and time zone barriers no longer exist.

 With the use of e-mail and catalog data, purchase orders andrequests for quotation can be solicited anytime, in any time zone,and a confirmation will be waiting in the morning. This evolutionhas helped make the task of securing and reviewing catalog information all the more important.

In some instances, the designer must play the role of salesperson

to introduce a new approach to building a mold or using a new standardized component in meeting the product design challenge. Whatever the task, a good designer derives a feeling of success when the mold is finally finished and parts are shot, especially  when new technology has been introduced and implemented.

New mold materials require greaterchemical awareness

 With one eye on cycle reduction and the other on durability,today's designer practically needs a minor in chemicalengineering. For example, designers need to understand therelationship of phosphates in a nickel bath to sulfurs in a rubbercompound. In addition, they should understand the potential for

galvanic corrosion between copper-based alloys and tool steels. What's more, in many cases, designers are expected to determine

Changing Times for Mold Designers:Technology Leads the Way By Scott Peters, Sales/Engineering

Manager, ProMold, Inc.

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the proper type of steel for a given set of properties, know the bestpossible heat treatment conditions, and remember whether thematerial will expand, shrink, twist, or sag as a result of the heattreatment.

 With the introduction of specialty metals — sintered and special

grade types — designers must consider what is to be achieved by each selection that is made. Designers should ask, "Is this materialbeing used because it's what we have always used, or is it being used because it is best suited for wear, hobbing, coining orgalling?" Whatever the case, the designer is now situated at thefront lines in metallurgy. I cannot over emphasize the need toestablish and maintain close relations with the metallurgicaldepartment at your steel supplier. These resources really know their business and can save a tool from certain disaster when they are involved early in a project that requires their expertise.

New software enhances design

 All of the changes occurring in the mold making industry have not

happened in a vacuum. The computer industry has providedhigher levels of sophistication in the hardware available. The new hardware runs more exotic software and provides moreinformation to the designer. With all of this new technology, thedesign/build process is being compressed even more. Molds thattook sixteen weeks a few years ago are now being completed in asfew as eight weeks.

 As a result of this flurry of new technology, design engineers are ina constant state of learning. Just when we think we are program-proficient, the next version of the software release hits the street.

In the 1970s, drafting machines with power-rise tables were thehot technology. In the 1980s, a new product called computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) was launched. The 1990sbrought solid modeling and the integration of finite-elementanalysis (FEA) with CAD. The new millennium is focusing on a heightened awareness for the use of mold cool analysis and moldfilling analysis. As these tools are refined, the designer of today andtomorrow must stretch his/her capabilities to meet the demands of 

our industry.

About the author

Scott Peters is the Sales/Engineering Manager for ProMold, Inc.(Cuyahoga Falls, OH). He has worked in the plastics industry asa mold designer and sales engineer for 25 years. For the past six years he has served on the Mold Making and Mold DesignDivision Board of Directors, Society of Plastics EngineersInternational. Contact him at [email protected], or visit

 www.promoldinc.com.

design & molding

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Flow front Vol . 1 Is sue 1 www.moldf low.com30

user review

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of quality skin care, makeup,fragrance, and hair care products. The company's products are

sold in over120 countriesand territoriesunder well-r e c o g n i z e d

brand names,i n c l u d i n g  Estée Lauder,

 A r a m i s ,C l i n i q u e ,Prescriptives,O r i g i n s ,MoAoC, La Mer, BobbiB r o w ne s s e n t i a l s ,

Tommy Hilfiger, jane, Donna Karan, Aveda, Stila, Jo Malone, andBumble and bumble. The technologically advanced, innovative

company has gained a worldwide reputation for elegant, luxuriousproducts that uphold the finest standards of excellence throughextensive research and stringent product testing.

Paul C. Bergmann, director of corporate engineering, isresponsible for the makeup development group for all 15divisions. He uses Moldflow Part Adviser (MPA) software fromMoldflow Corporation (Wayland, MA) to take control of designsearly on, enabling every part and mold concept to be tested formanufacturing feasibility before the tool is cut, when the cost of change is minimal. MPA, seamlessly integrated with SolidWorks,Estée Lauder's 3D CAD software, allows Bergmann to runsimulations and view results directly on the solid model. Thesoftware identifies critical manufacturability and quality issues andrecommends appropriate actions to address those issues. He alsouses COSMOS finite-element analysis from SRAC.

Moldflow at work

Bergmann and one other colleague have used MPA for more thantwo years. He says, "Since Moldflow acquired C-MOLD, thetechnology combines the best of both worlds. We also selected thesoftware because Moldflow is a SolidWorks Gold Partner."

The team also uses a fused deposition modeler, the next generationof stereolithography (STL). "The fused deposition modeleroutputs an STL file from SolidWorks. We can make a 3D modelright here in my office," adds Bergmann. He creates a totally 

functional prototype that is accurate to within .005-inchengineering tolerance. "The ability to quickly access the 3D CAD

files and turn them around into a working model is essential,"notes Bergmann. "To be able to make a 3D object that people canhold, feel, and evaluate is very powerful. Since we have to be fastto market, all of our solid modeling, flow analyses, and FEA areperformed concurrently."

Moldflow to the rescue

The Clinique product line is Estée Lauder's most profitable

division. Recently, Clinique designers and marketing groupsagreed to provide a product for the travel retail market, such asduty free shops in airports. The groups wanted to provide a Clinique powder compact with a window that showed one of thecompany's high-end lipsticks packaged inside. The designrequired incorporating a void in the cover to allow the lipstick toshow through. "From a molding perspective," says Bergmann,"this was a tricky job."

"When you add a physical cut-out in the cover such as the one we were considering, it totally affects the plastic flow. In other words,as the flow hits that corner, it wraps around the cut-out and thenstreaks everything in line like a turbulent jet flow coming aroundthe side. We used MPA to perform a quick, automatic gate locatorto see what the software predicted. Typically, the software picksgate locations that are optimum for molding but not necessarily optimum for aesthetics."

Compacts, lipsticks, and other Estée Lauder products all adhere tostrict corporate aesthetic guidelines. "We absolutely cannot have a gate located in an area where a woman's hand is going to come incontact with it. All gate locations must be hidden," adds

Bergmann.

Estée Lauder Uses Moldflow Part Adviser

to Design Sleek Shapes for Cosmetic Lines

By Laura Carrabine, Editor

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Do you know what job your machine is currently running? Is it running that job at its peak efficiency?What are the optimal settings on this machine for this specific job? This is information you need to knowwhen producing your parts, but you don’t have to carry that burden on your back!

Moldflow Manufacturing Solutions products can answer all of these questions for you.Whether you are a small,custom injection molder or a large multi-national corporation, our products will enable you to:

Collect critical data in real time from the injection molding machines on the factory floor

Analyze process and production data and access real time reports

Improve molded part quality and labor productivity

Access plant-wide production information from anywhere in the world

Automate the process of scientific molding to decrease mold set up time, cycle time and scrap

Let Moldflow Manufacturing Solutions take the weight off you. To find out more, contact us or go to our web site atwww.moldflow.com to download our new Manufacturing Solutions white paper.

Moldflow Corporation430 Boston Post Road • Wayland, MA 01778

Tel (508)358-5848 • Fax (508)358-5868

www.moldflow.com

t here are bet t er ways t o col l ect dat af r om your inj ect ion mol ding machine!

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the analyst says

As the engineering talent pool hasglobally dispersed, Web-basedcollaboration has gone fromcompetitive differentiator tobusiness necessity, creating work

force dislocations and producingnew collaborative responsibilitieswithin enterprises. Web-enabledcollaboration for productdevelopment, manufacturingengineering, and process planning

will become more than just acompetitive differentiatoras we move forward.

Current demographic andeconomic trends makecollaborative design arequirement for globalmanufacturing enterprisesthat expect to survive andbe competitive during thenext 10 years.

Demographically, the gap

between demand andsupply of experiencedengineering and designtalent is widening in North

America and WesternEurope, as illustrated here.

Most likely, this gap will widen forthe next four years as a result ofenrollments that have continuously

dropped since the 1970s. The trendaccelerated throughout the 1990s.Concurrently, the demand forengineering talent in North Americaand Europe increased. Consequently,the current engineering shortfall of25 percent in North America maygrow to 40 percent by 2005.

As a consequence, the trend tooutsource content creation andmanufacturing becomes increasinglycompelling. This poses a dauntingcommunication challenge, sinceenterprises that subcontract

engineering work often report thattheir geographically remote

suppliers do not contextually

understand their requirements.Consequently, they deliver poorlydesigned components that requirerework at considerable unnecessaryexpense and time lost.

In plastics manufacturing, iterativeand incomplete "low bandwidth"communications via telephone, fax,email, overnight mail, and on-sitemeetings increase the risk of

"communication disconnects" that

delay time to market, increase

manufacturing costs, andcompromise the quality of deliveredparts. Major risks relate to decision-making about molds that is notsynchronized with the most-comprehensive information aboutparts. For example, slight changes to

part features or the plastic selectedcan have a big impact on the design

and fabrication of a mold, such asgate and runner locations, draftangles, etc. The communicationchallenge becomes exacerbated asproduct creation becomes a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week effortacross a global supply chain.

Internet-enabled design and datamanagement applications offer themost viable approach for addressingthis global challenge. Web-centric

architectures provide the outreach

and scalability necessary to enablethe required communications

bandwidth throughout an enterpriseand across suppliers, partners, andcustomers on a global basis.Collaborative design applications areevolving rapidly in the ability tocapture and convey designrequirements contextually. Designshops who have adoptedcollaborative tools to coordinate

with mold makers have reportedthat the timeliness ofcommunication and the broadbandwidth of simultaneousvisual and verbal interactionhave reduced the time todesign competition by 20-30%. They also report

significant reduction in costsassociated with mold designmistakes.

From an economic point of

view, enterprises requiregreater innovation andlocalization of productcontent for continued growthin their markets. A

collaborative product commerce(CPC) infrastructure allowsenterprises to instantaneouslycommunicate localized productrequirements from around the world

and rationalize them into productplatforms. This allows for moreproactive planning of part families

and molds that support flexiblemanufacturing. Toward this end, theavailability of a globally distributeddesign team is advantageous, sincethe CPC architecture enables them to

collaborate on the definition of astandard platform that serves eachof their markets. CPC support ofglobally accessible, federatedcomponent databases would alsoenable the product definition teamto eliminate redundant components,reduce overhead procurement and

manage production schedules.

Collaborative Design Becomes anImperative

By Marc Halpern, Gartner Group Research Director — C-Commerce, Design & Manufacturing,Strategies and Applications

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t was said that it couldn't be done: Start from nothing,

end with a molded part, finish in a day.

Yet, at NPE 2000, this was done not once, but five times.

Five days, five different part designs, five different production

molds, thousands of injected parts produced, live on the show

floor. The software of choice, and the only software needed for

he “Mold-in-a-Day” RUSH Technology team: Pro/ENGINEER®.

Pro/ENGINEER is the only choice to tackle the whole job, taking

industrial design concepts to completed toolpaths with no

translations, while permitting last-minute no-penalty changes.

Art to part at breakneck speed.

To learn more about how you can significantly improve your

time to market visit www.ptc.com Pro/ENGINEER Tool and Die

Manufacturing or keyword search: rush.

Pro/ENGINEER®: Engineered for Innovation in the Mold Industry

Art to Part at Breakneck Speed