[Mold Flow Simulation Pdf 20
Hanne Rylaarsdam
Mold flow analysis (MFA) software simulates the flow of plastic, which allows you to elevate part and mold design to create products of impeccable quality. Like other simulation software, MFA gives you a virtual sneak peek into how your material of choice will fill the mold's cavities and offers a head's up on potential problem spots. The benefit is obvious, right? Simulating the process digitally means you can make changes BEFORE A TOOL IS CUT. This one thing is a big cost savings, not to mention a time saver as well.
In case it wasn't clear, MFA is conducted before tooling production launches. (It wouldn't make much sense to use it afterward!) Using a selected gate location and material properties, the software is able to predict how the part will fill during molding. Different data points can be assessed, including pressure, fill time and melt temperature. Doing so allows for optimization of the process before tool manufacturing ever begins.
You'll find a variety of MFA software on the market. They all perform similar functions but are geared toward different users along the spectrum. We found this comprehensive article What Injection Molding Software Can Do For You on the Digital Engineering News website. Rather than rewrite the material, we recommend you read it to learn more about the different types of MFA software and how each is applied.
We also recommend that you work with a seasoned contract manufacturer, one that can guide you through the Design for Manufacturing (DFM) process from start to finish. Find a manufacturing partner who has the know-how and experience to handle the flow analysis for you.
Our helpful design aid demonstrates part features that are too thin or too thick, bad bosses, right and wrong ribs, and other considerations to be mindful of while designing parts for injection molding.
Designing a good injection-molded part is dependent on many factors. Proper flow of the resin into the mold is one of them. Our mold flow analysis is a proprietary software program that was created by Protolabs to digitally simulate flow of resin through your part geometry. The resulting data that emerges will essentially help you design a part that will mold better.
Mold flow analysis is a software simulation that can show how resin will fill the mold during the injection molding process. By understanding material fill, injection mold designers can better position gates, anticipate where knit lines will appear, and locate difficult to fill spots in the mold. It can also aid in material selection since fill will vary by resin.
The analysis also examines how resins flow with certain temperatures and injection pressures (Figure 2). As material cools it begins to harden which is why gate pressure increases. The higher the pressure, the more difficult the fill, which translates to greater concern about weak knit lines (contributing to poor part integrity), flash, sink, and shorts.
Our mold flow analysis works to pinpoint issues that can arise from these difficult flowing materials as well as other issues like thin walls and complicated geometries, providing solutions to improve flow and moldability.
If you have any questions about your injection molding quote or our general capabilities, a Protolabs application engineer is available at 877-479-3680. You can also try the mold flow analysis by viewing our sample injection molding quote. For additional resources such as molding and prototyping processes, resin options, video tutorials, and more, check out protolabs.com.
Autodesk Moldflow simulation software provides plastic injection molding and compression molding insights to improve manufactured part quality. Advanced tools and a simplified user interface help you address manufacturing challenges such as part warpage, cooling channel efficiency, material selection, and cycle time reduction.
Run multiple simulations concurrently to quickly discover optimal designs. Mesh and solve Moldflow Insight simulation jobs through local, remote, and secured cloud servers. Run multiple simulations concurrently.
Connect product design teams with Autodesk Drive and Shared Views to minimize delays and rework costs. Achieve quicker geometry changes with in-product Fusion 360 push. Export CAD and results for post-processing.
Autodesk Moldflow simulations provide analysts insights to help predict and possibly prevent part defects such as sink marks, weld lines, and part warpage. It also allows for exploring options that reduce cycle time.
Moldflow Insight provides detailed material flow, cooling, and warpage results for both injection molding and compression molding processes. Additional control on materials, machines, molds, and processes is possible with Moldflow Insight.
Automation with scripts/API accelerate setup and post-processing capabilities. Thermoplastic and thermoset materials are supported, along with customization of materials for part inserts and mold inserts. Advanced molding methods, such as gas-assisted injection molding, injection compression molding, co-injection molding, microcellular injection molding, and many more, are available to discover the best option for your part. Moldflow Insight also has advanced customization of the process including the ability to select the molding machine, specify valve gates, adjust mold materials, solve for a Design of Experiments (DOE) or parametric study, and much more.
Yes, Moldflow Insight has a cloud solving option using Autodesk Tokens. The cost of cloud solving varies between the simulation study types. This cloud solve is in addition to the Moldflow Insight local solve and remote server solve options.
With a subscription to Autodesk Moldflow software, you can install it on up to three computers or other devices. However, only the named user can sign in and use that software on a single computer at any given time. Please refer to the Software License Agreement for more information.
Please contact your Autodesk sales representative or our sales team to learn about the monthly, annual, or 3-year subscription costs. If some of your users only occasionally use Moldflow, consider buying tokens to access it for 24 hours at a time. Visit www.autodesk.com/flex to learn more.
Autodesk Moldflow is used for simulating the plastic injection molding process and the plastic compression molding process.\n \nIt enables engineers, analysts, and mold designers to optimize material choice, process settings, cooling efficiency, and feed system designs to minimize the risk of poor molded part quality.\n \nAutodesk Moldflow simulations provide analysts insights to help predict and possibly prevent part defects such as sink marks, weld lines, and part warpage. It also allows for exploring options that reduce cycle time.\n"}]},"@type":"Question","name":"Who uses Autodesk Moldflow?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"
- \n
- Engineers and analysts who are interested in understanding how plastic material is flowing through a mold cavity, and the resulting part quality.\n
- Plastic process engineers who are interested in understanding the molding process of a given plastic part and gaining insights into a processing window.\n
- Mold tool designers and engineers who are interested in optimizing a mold\u2019s cooling design or the mold\u2019s runner or gating design.\n\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"What is the difference between Moldflow Adviser and Moldflow Insight?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"Moldflow Adviser provides manufacturability guidance and directional feedback for thermoplastic part and mold designs through high-level material flow, mold cooling, and part warpage results.\n \nMoldflow Insight provides detailed material flow, cooling, and warpage results for both injection molding and compression molding processes. Additional control on materials, machines, molds, and processes is possible with Moldflow Insight.\n \nAutomation with scripts/API accelerate setup and post-processing capabilities. Thermoplastic and thermoset materials are supported, along with customization of materials for part inserts and mold inserts. Advanced molding methods, such as gas-assisted injection molding, injection compression molding, co-injection molding, microcellular injection molding, and many more, are available to discover the best option for your part. Moldflow Insight also has advanced customization of the process including the ability to select the molding machine, specify valve gates, adjust mold materials, solve for a Design of Experiments (DOE) or parametric study, and much more.\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"Which operating system does Moldflow run on?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"Moldflow Adviser runs on Microsoft Windows. See Moldflow Adviser system requirements for details.\n \nMoldflow Insight and Moldflow Synergy can run on Microsoft Windows and Linux. See Moldflow Insight and Synergy system requirements for details\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"Does Autodesk Moldflow support cloud solving?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, Moldflow Insight has a cloud solving option using Autodesk Tokens. The cost of cloud solving varies between the simulation study types. This cloud solve is in addition to the Moldflow Insight local solve and remote server solve options.\n \nMoldflow Adviser does not support cloud solving.\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"Is there a certification program for Moldflow?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, there are three certification levels for Autodesk Moldflow: Associate, Professional, and Expert.\n \nYou can find more information on the certification and how to become certified within this Autodesk Moldflow Certification article.\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"Can I install Moldflow on multiple computers?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"With a subscription to Autodesk Moldflow software, you can install it on up to three computers or other devices. However, only the named user can sign in and use that software on a single computer at any given time. Please refer to the Software License Agreement for more information.\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"How much does a Moldflow subscription cost?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"Please contact your Autodesk sales representative or our sales team to learn about the monthly, annual, or 3-year subscription costs. If some of your users only occasionally use Moldflow, consider buying tokens to access it for 24 hours at a time. Visit www.autodesk.com/flex to learn more.\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"Can I access Moldflow Adviser or Moldflow Insight with Flex using tokens?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Moldflow Adviser, Moldflow Insight, and Moldflow Synergy can each be accessed through Flex to obtain a 24-hour license for one user.\n \nMore information on Flex can be found at Autodesk Flex.\n \nFor current Flex rates, visit the Flex Rate Sheet.\n"]],"@type":"FAQPage","@context":" "} Autodesk Company overview Careers Investor relations Autodesk Trust Center Newsroom Diversity and belonging