Optimizing plastic components and tools at an early stage

Simulation & Analysis

Today, simulation and analysis are a central component of modern product development in mechanical engineering, toolmaking and plastics technology. With digital simulation solutions, components, manufacturing processes and tools can be virtually analyzed and optimized as early as the development phase.

These include injection molding simulations to analyze material flow, cooling and warpage, design simulations to evaluate loads and component behavior, as well as simulations for additive manufacturing, which can be used to check printing processes, component quality and manufacturability at an early stage.

With solutions such as Autodesk Moldflow, Fusion Simulation Extension and Netfabb, WESTCAM supports companies in reducing development risks, avoiding iterations in toolmaking and getting products ready for series production faster.

Our offer for you

Injection molding simulation

Today, injection molding simulation is a central component of modern product development in toolmaking, mold making and plastics technology.

With a professional injection molding analysis, filling behavior, warpage, cooling and material flow can be simulated on the basis of CAD data – even before a tool is built.

This reduces costly modification grinding in toolmaking and ensures that plastic components are ready for series production more quickly.

With Autodesk Moldflow WESTCAM offers one of the world’s leading solutions for simulation in injection molding. Companies from development, toolmaking and production can use it to digitally analyze and optimize injection moulding processes.

What is injection molding simulation?

Injection molding simulation describes the digital simulation of the entire injection molding process on the basis of:

CAD geometries
Material data
process parameters

Key aspects of plastics processing are analyzed virtually before a tool is built or a component is produced.

Typical questions of injection molding analysis:

How does the component fill in the mold?
Where do weld lines or air pockets occur?
How does cooling affect the process?
Where can delays occur?
How do material properties influence the component?

Especially in tool and mold making, simulation helps to identify critical points at an early stage and to make well-founded decisions regarding gating, cooling and tool design.

Why injection molding simulation is crucial in toolmaking

For toolmakers and mold makers, changes to the tool are one of the biggest cost factors in the development process.

If problems only become apparent during sampling, adjustments are often very time-consuming.

With Moldflow Simulation, many of these risks can be identified in advance.

Typical advantages:

Fewer change loops in toolmaking – simulation helps to identify design weaknesses at an early stage and reduce tool changes.

Better tool design – toolmakers receive valuable information on:

Injection points
Flow paths
Cooling
Pressure distribution

Autodesk Moldflow – Market leader for injection molding simulation

Autodesk Moldflow is one of the world’s leading solutions for the simulation of injection molding processes.

The software makes it possible to realistically simulate the entire plastic injection molding process and to analyze critical influencing factors as early as the development phase.

The most important simulation areas include

Fill analysis (fill simulation)
Reprint analysis
Cooling analysis
Warpage analysis
Material flow analysis
Evaluation of injection points

A particular advantage of Moldflow is the extensive material database, which integrates real material properties into the simulation.

Practical example: Injection molding simulation at Kromberg & Schubert

To the report

The example of automotive supplier Kromberg & Schubert Austria shows just how great the influence of digital simulation can be.

The company uses Autodesk Moldflow to digitally secure plastic components as early as the development phase.

By using injection molding simulation, the company was able to:

Improve development processes
Better tool design
Reducing risks in the injection molding process
Evaluate new materials and processes digitally

Today, simulation is an integral part of the product development process.

Moldflow Adviser – Injection molding simulation for component development

Details

Moldflow Adviser is the ideal introduction to injection molding simulation for developers, designers and toolmakers.

The software supports the development process by making critical areas of a component visible at an early stage.

Typical areas of application:

Analysis of filling behavior
Evaluation of injection points
Identification of weld lines and air pockets
Initial assessment of warpage and shrinkage

Moldflow Adviser is a valuable tool, especially for toolmakers and mold makers, for evaluating components even before the tool is designed.

This allows risks in the injection molding process to be reduced at an early stage.

Moldflow Insight – Advanced injection molding analysis for complex parts

Details

Moldflow Insight offers significantly extended simulation options for more demanding issues in injection molding and toolmaking.

The software is aimed at companies that want to carry out in-depth analyses in the injection molding process.

Moldflow Insight can be used to simulate, among other things:

Detailed cooling processes in the tool
Warpage and dimensional accuracy of components
Complex material models
Demanding component geometries
Multi-component processes

Moldflow Insight provides a valuable basis for decision-making, especially for toolmaking companies that develop tools for sophisticated plastic parts.