Moldflow 2 Part 3 ppsx

Introduction 1-24 MoldWorks2006 User Guide 4. Add cavity inserts to the mold (for inserts that were not selected in the first step) 5. Add Standard or User Defined components - Retrieved from standard catalogs, components such as screws, ejector pins, cooling lines, and so on, are added to complete the design of the mold base. You can define the characteristics of the components, including dimensions and location, and then place them into the mold base. Also you can use any part created within SolidWorks as a User Defined component, functioning as if it was created as a standard MoldWorks component. 6. Modify Components and Mold size – By selecting a component or its locating hole in one of the plates you can modify the parameters of a component and/or groups of components. Components can also be deleted or repositioned. You can modify the attributes of the different mold base parts (i.e. the information which is written into the BOM). A global change of the mold plate’s dimensions can be done at any stage of the mold design process. 7. Analyze the mold base with the collision utility, which allows you also to check thin walls. 8. Output to the mold maker – You can output the CNC technology file as well as the Bill of Materials (through the drafting routines) as an integral part of the production process. In addition to the BOM information, you can create detailed drawings using the SolidWorks drafting mode. Plate geometry, including all of its components, can be detailed and delivered to the mold maker for final mold production. Introduction 1-25 MoldWorks2006 User Guide 1.6 Special Functions In addition to the basic functionality, which was described in the previous section MoldWorks has special functions in order to allow you to create a complete mold including the following tools: Add Plate: To add a standard or non-standard plate. A part created by SolidWorks can also be used as a plate. In this way you can use MoldWorks to design Progressive Dies, Blow Molds, Jigs and Fixtures, etc. Add User Part: You can use this tool to integrate the inserts into the mold base. You can also integrate user components i.e. use any part created within SolidWorks as a component. In this way you can integrate components not included in the catalogues (i.e. hot runners) and specific homemade components within the mold base. Utilities: To output CNC technological file, check collision or thin walls between components, inserts and plate faces and hide or show all the components in one action. Options: To set the names and colors of components and plates, colors of component holes and default catalogue as well as default mold type This information is stored in the registry to be used in subsequent mold creation. Introduction 1.7 User Interface MoldWorks uses a unique user interface so that you are guided through every step of the mold design process while allowing you to modify any step previously defined without having to begin the process from scratch. Most of the menus (Except NEW MOLD which works under the New Property Manager) display a control dialogue box from which the steps of the design process are displayed. Following is an example of the Add Component control dialogue box: The top level of the control box includes the icons for the different steps to complete the task, in this instance to add a component. The bottom level of the control dialogue box is the same for all and includes the “Create”, “Create and New”, and “Cancel” icons. This dialogue box is displayed throughout the whole process. Each top-level icon displays a dialogue box whose appearance depends on the step. Here is an example of the dialogue box displayed when the first icon of this control dialogue box is pushed (by default it opens immediately). This dialogue box allows you to choose the component that is to be created from the component library. Every dialogue box has the icon. This icon guides you to the next step of the design process. Alternatively you may just press the next icon in the top level of the control dialogue box. The steps can be created in any order (if enough data exists) and any step that you have already created can be accessed through the top level at any time and modified before the process is complete. 1-26 MoldWorks2006 User Guide Introduction Once you have completed all the steps only the control dialogue box will remain displayed on the screen. If you are satisfied with the parameters and data that you have entered in the dialogue boxes, (generally you will see a dynamic preview of the parts that are to be created), then activate the creation process using the following icons. Activate the process and close the control dialogue box. Activate the process and leave the control dialogue box displayed while initializing the data. Cancel the process and close all the dialogue boxes. NOTE: The graphics we use in this User Guide have mixed styles between classic Windows 2000 and new Windows XP. 1-27 MoldWorks2006 User Guide Introduction 1.8 MoldWorks FeatureManager Tree The MoldWorks FeatureManager tree appears after an initial mold is created through the MoldWorks > New Mold menu or by clicking on . The MoldWorks FeatureManager tree contains a Display Configuration folder in order to organize the display or suppression of various mold configurations and a Heat Exchange folder to organize the cooling cycles and cooling cycle menus. 1-28 MoldWorks2006 User Guide Introduction 1.8.1 Display Configuration This folder is useful when adding components, since it allows you to concentrate on the specific display suitable to the component being created. MoldWorks only cuts the plates (or inserts), which are visible (and of course not suppressed). Parts which are not visible are not taken into account when adding components, helping to achieve better performance. Furthermore parts which are suppressed are not resident in memory, which is useful when working on complex molds. MoldWorks automatically displays (or resolves) mold parts when necessary (i.e. when modifying components plates or inserts will be resolved and/or displayed if relevant). The Display Configuration tab allows you to easily create SolidWorks Configurations. After the creation of an initial mold base MoldWorks adds a “Display Configuration” folder to the MoldWorks FeatureManager tree allowing the user to Show Only/Resolve Only different configurations of the mold assembly using the RHM button menu. 1-29 MoldWorks2006 User Guide Introduction 1.8.2 Heat Exchange This folder organizes the data (in folder form) and the menus enabling you to create and modify cooling cycles. There are three levels of folders under the Heat Exchange heading: Data • Cooling Cycle for each cooling cycle defined. • Pipe name for each pipe segment with the Cycle • Component name for each component connected to a pipe. Selecting a folder or component will highlight the relevant geometry on the screen. 1-30 MoldWorks2006 User Guide Introduction Menus The complete menu environment for the Heat Exchange functionality is accessed from the MoldWorks FeatureManager by clicking the RHM button on the relevant folders, cycles/pipes or components. The Heat Exchange folder accesses the Insert Cycle… menu to begin the process (also available through the MoldWorks > Insert Cycle… or relevant icon.) and the Settings menu to define parameter values for subsequent use. RHM button on the Cooling Cycle folder accesses the following menus: These menus are used to manage the Cooling Cycle data. 1-31 MoldWorks2006 User Guide Introduction The Pipe and Component environment have their own context sensitive menus: RHM click on a pipe segment RHM click on a component Check out the Modification section in the Heat Exchange chapter for detailed menu descriptions. 1-32 MoldWorks2006 User Guide 2 2 Mold Base The MoldWorks > Mold Base > Coordinate System menu or relevant icon enables you to define the mold base coordinate system, i.e. the direction of the plate assembly. The MoldWorks > Add User Part… menu or relevant icon allows you to define the inserts to be included within the mold base. The MoldWorks > Mold Base > New Mold menu or relevant icon creates the initial mold base. Prior to this stage you should have created the core and cavity inserts by using SplitWorks™ or the standard SolidWorks™ tools, or by importing external geometry, in any case an initial mold can only be created within a previously saved assembly. The inserts must be coherent SolidWorks™ parts or sub- assemblies. The initial mold base can be created with or without components by adjusting the Type: parameter in the dialogue box to Standard, Non-Standard or Plates Only respectively. The Non-Standard and Plates Only types allow the user to change the mold dimensions (width and length) as well. MoldWorks standard mold base is based on a 9 plate standard mold as defined in the commercial mold industry catalogues. With the Change Mold Type icon a standard Mold Base of 7 or 8 plates can be created by setting the clamping plate, of the static side, thickness to zero (MoldWorks Plate1) and/or by setting the thickness of the support plate to zero (MoldWorks Plate9). Once you have a suitable mold size the mold plates, initial components are automatically created according to the selected catalogue definitions. Component positions for the Non-Standard and Plates Only type are automatically calculated according to the distance to the corner points of the plates. The plate assembly is created by mating between the plates and equations constraining the dimensions within each plate, and constraining the complete plate assembly to 4 sketches (Base Plate/Raiser Plates/Ejector Plate). These sketches and equations facilitate editing of the initial mold base even after the mold tool has been created. 2-1 MoldWorks2006 User Guide [...]... Selected Plane This menu (icon) is available only before creation of a new mold base The Coordinate System of the mold base may not be modified after the mold has been created MoldWorks2006 User Guide 2- 2 Mold Base 2. 2 New Mold This is the New Mold dialogue box, which appears when the MoldWorks > Mold Base > New Mold menu or relevant icon is picked, which allows creation of the initial mold base A preview... been defined through the MoldWorks > Add User Part menu) Injection Machine allows the display of both the Standard and User Defined Injection Machines Groups are accessed exclusively; only one tab can be open at any time Following is a detailed description of the New Mold dialogue parameters according to the different groups MoldWorks2006 User Guide 2- 3 Mold Base Catalogue Name: Window to select specific...Mold Base 2. 1 Coordinate System This is the Mold Coordinate System dialogue box which appears when the MoldWorks > Mold Base > Coordinate System menu or relevant icon is picked, allowing you to define the plane and the origin on which the mold base will be created Selected Plane/Coordinate System: Choose a Plane or Coordinate System on which to create the mold base The default is Plane 2 - Plane The... define the Mold Dimensions as well Plates Only creates only the plates and the sketches defining the standard positioning This option is useful when a non-standard mold base is required MoldWorks2006 User Guide 2- 4 Mold Base Click on this button to change the plate configuration The plate configurations depend on the selected catalogue Here is an example of the plate configurations for the Training catalogue... base sizes as defined in the chosen catalogue For each standard dimension there is a set of plate thickness, which is automatically updated and shown in the Plate Thickness parameter box MoldWorks2006 User Guide 2- 5 . Modification section in the Heat Exchange chapter for detailed menu descriptions. 1- 32 MoldWorks2006 User Guide 2 2 Mold Base The MoldWorks > Mold Base > Coordinate System menu or relevant. of the mold base may not be modified after the mold has been created. 2- 2 MoldWorks2006 User Guide Mold Base 2. 2 New Mold This is the New Mold dialogue box, which appears when the MoldWorks. graphics we use in this User Guide have mixed styles between classic Windows 20 00 and new Windows XP. 1 -27 MoldWorks2006 User Guide Introduction 1.8 MoldWorks FeatureManager Tree The MoldWorks