MOLDEX-3D

Story Overview/Challenge:

Andy Chen works in the Mold Engineering Department at Foxlink. Foxlink uses Moldex3D not only in analyzing manufacturability of a new design before the mold is built, but also uses it in finding viable solutions to solve molding issues of an existing mold. Multiple cases of the plastic components of a scanner machine were used to illustrate the importance of using a CAE tool. With Moldex3D, they were able to avoid potential issues such as short shots and uneven shrinkage by making the appropriate design changes and adjusting the process parameters before the mold is built. In the scenario of the existing molds, they were able eliminate the visible weld line in one case and the warpage issue due to the influence of fiber orientation in another case. In both cases, they were able to modify the existing molds and make the proper changes in a cost-effective way.

Solution:

Foxlink used Moldex3D’s Boundary Layer Mesh (BLM) technology to attain the highest-accuracy of the simulation results. In the case of a scanner cover, the short shot issue was predicted in all the possible gating locations. The design front was made aware of this potential major molding issue and was able to make an appropriate design change successfully to avoid it before the mold is built. Moreover, in a fiber-added molded product, with the help of Moldex3D’s fiber simulation, the team found out fiber orientation can influence the part warpage behavior. Thus, they were able to identify the root cause of the warpage issue and successfully improved it to avoid costly mold reconstruction. Moldex3D served as a valid reference point to communicate effectively between the different departments including part designers and mold engineers to promote a more efficient workflow and drive up the company’s overall productivity.

Results/Benefits:

• Solved potential molding issues such as short shots and uneven shrinkage
• Eliminated existing molding defects such as weld lines and warpage
• Avoided costly mold reconstructions and improve the overall productivity

Product Used:

• Moldex3D Advanced Package
  – Flow
  – Pack
  – Cool
  – Warp
  – Designer BLM
  – Fiber