front - weebly

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Vol. 3, Issue 2 2003

special features

www.moldflow.com

October 2003

T h e M a g a z i n e o f C h o i c e f o r P l a s t i c s P r o f e s s i o n a l s

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contentsfocus onToday’s Mold Makers Use Technology and Good Management toRemain Successful

US Manufacturers Meet the Challenges of Doing Business in the 21st Century

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Today’s Mold Makersuse Technology andGood Management

For more information, contact us at:Tel: +1 508 358 5848Fax: +1 508 358 5868Web: www.moldflow.comEmail: [email protected]: 430 Boston Post Road

Wayland, MA 01778 USAEditor: Laura CarrabineCopy Editor: Marcia SwanDesigner: Joanna Gavriel

How to Advertise

Contact Marcia Swan at 607-257-4280, ext. 467for rates and availability, or go to our Web site atwww.moldflow.com and click on the Flowfronticon, then click the “i” icon for “How toAdvertise”. Here you can download a PDF filethat contains our insertion order and rates.

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US ManufacturersMeet the Challengesof Doing Business inthe 21st Century

from the editor

tips & techniques

the executive view

the analyst says

professional developmentThe Virtual Classroom

real world successSimulated Problems, RealResults — RadiciPlastics

imug 2003 recap2003 iMUG Conference aSuccess!

the polymer pagesMoldflow Plastics Laboratories:the Innovators in Material Testing

learning curvesUMass Lowell Student ObtainsReal World Experience atMoldflow

what’s newIntroducing Moldflow PlasticsAdvisers 7.0

FEATURES

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COLUMNS

DEPARTMENTS

©2003 Moldflow Corporation. All rights reserved. Flowfront is a bi-yearly publication of Moldflow Corporation. Moldflow, Moldflow Plastics Advisers, MPA, Dual Domain, Moldflow Plastics Insight, MPI, Moldflow Manufacturing Solutions, MMS, Moldflow Plastics Xpert, MPX, Shotscope, CPI and EZ-Track are trademarksor registered trademarks of Moldflow Corporation. All other trademarks are properties of their respective holders.

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from the editor

4Flow front Vol . 3 I ssue 2 www.moldflow.com

Things are looking up.

I am feeling good, and it's about time we all did. We've certainly endured a long streak of badnews, bad executives, bad earnings results, and bad weather.

What I want to discuss are indications that global markets are finally turning around. Here issome evidence. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) survey is filled out byapproximately 465 purchasing and supply managers across the US every month. They postinformation related to production, new orders, employment, and inventory, which reflects thebreadth of movement of manufacturing activity from month to month. Economists andpoliticians check the survey data for signs that the factory side of the economy is improving aftera three-year slump. The ISM managers' inputs are figured into a single index called PMI based on new orders, production,employment, supplier deliveries, and inventories. A point value of 50 or greater indicates the manufacturing economy isexpanding. June 2003's PMI was 49.8 percent — up from 49.4 percent in May 2003. In addition, the new order index hasbeen above 50 percent for several months (52.2 percent in June 2003 and 51.9 percent in May 2003). These nationalindicators show that there is improvement ahead for US manufacturers.

Meanwhile, high-tech Silicon Valley is showing signs of renewed life. Stocks of eBay, Cisco Systems, and Yahoo, forinstance, that have suffered greatly, are regaining growth and stockholder confidence. According to USA Today, Intelrecently posted an eight percent year over year increase in revenue, “its biggest in three years.” In addition, Oracle is up11.9 percent, Hewlett-Packard is up 25.6 percent, NASDAQ is up 27.1 percent, Cisco is up 35.8 percent, Intel is up 60.1percent, eBay is up 62.5 percent, and Yahoo is up 87.2 percent. This is encouraging news indeed.

Silicon Valley, home to the biggest concentration of venture capitalists and high-tech start-ups, staged the dot-com surgeand subsequent nosedive in the late 1990s. Its resurgence can have significant implications for the nation's economy.

While no one expects the same high-tech boom of the 1990s, analysts expect that the US is returning to a normalenvironment that is nowhere as dismal as in the past few years or as out of control as in the Internet bubble.

For one, there are improved business conditions. Business spending is rising. The Commerce Department reports thathigh-tech sales — hardware, software, and services — are improving. Companies are reducing costs through smarterinvestments and improved sales. This is truly a win-win situation for software providers and their customers.

Second, NASDAQ high-tech stocks are up 27 percent this year. Thirdly, there is a resurgence of research anddevelopment. Companies are again investing in new technology and new products. The reality is that there is renewedenthusiasm and reason to celebrate market growth. And, those elements can only point toward positive growth.

In addition, there are other areas that are experiencing gains. For instance, the worldwide market for handsets took off inthe second quarter of 2003, reflecting a continued consumer demand for mobile telephony. According to information fromIDC, worldwide handset shipments grew by nearly 20 percent in 2003 so far. Nokia maintained its top position in themarket with Ericsson regaining marketshare from LC Electronics. Nokia is strengthening its presence in the US and theworld. Nearly one third of all Nokia phones shipped this quarter had color screens, as well as multimedia and digital inputcapabilities.

Germany's Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder says the country's economy has passed through its low point and is on the wayto recovery. In August 2003, he said, “More and more economic indicators and forecasts from national and internationalinstitutions are pointing to a revival in the economy.” He added that sentiment in the economy was improving andconsumer confidence was significantly better.

While the new direction will take time to take hold across the US, Europe, and Asia, I am confident there will beresurgence in growth and prosperity. What are your thoughts? I am interested in learning how your organization is faring.Do you see a change in the business atmosphere? Send e-mail to [email protected]. I'll include your comments inthe next edition of Flowfront.

Laura Carrabine, Editor


Today's Mold Makers UseTechnology and Good

Management to RemainSuccessful


Focuson

Scott Basilius, president of Basilius, Inc.(Toledo, OH) oversees a full serviceplastics part supplier that can support asmuch or as little of product developmentas its customers require. The companyprovides the technical assistance for partdesign, mold building, and injectionmolding to assist customers from productconception to production. Theorganization is family-owned and wasestablished in 1952. It works as anextension to customers' needs driven byaccountability, responsiveness, andservice excellence.

Basilius, Inc. focuses on several key factors including design thatencompasses 3D surface and solidmodeling capabilities. In addition, itaddresses flow analysis to optimize parttool design and rapid prototyping.

Basilius addresses tool building in termsof networked manufacturing fromengineering to the shop floor; high-speed hard machining; four-axis wire,and EDM capabilities; four-axis RAM EDM capabilities; advancedmanufacturing techniques; grinding;and in-house tool trials.

The company's injection moldingadvancements offer high performanceauxiliary equipment, as well as roboticcontrol for part removal and cycleconsistency. It employs accurategravitational blenders for mixingmaterials.

Basilius employs 34 workers. ScottBasilius says, “As a mold builder andmold supplier, about 50 percent of ourbusiness is automotive related. The restis represented by other industries such asmedical and consumer goods.”

Robert Hoffmann is vice-president ofoperations of CACO PacificCorporation (Covina, CA), a state-of-the-art provider of custom molds forleading international manufacturers.Through continuous technologicaladvances in mold engineering and

manufacturing, CACO gives itscustomers the edge in productivity and speed to market. High volumemanufacturing companies in 27countries worldwide rely on CACOPacific to gain a competitive advantage.Its primary objective is to acknowledgeits customers' products and marketcompetitiveness.

CACO Pacific manufactures precision,high cavitation, high production moldsfor a variety of industries includingpersonal care, medical, writinginstruments, packaging, and opticalmedia. CTI (CACO Technologies Inc.)produces a series of standard products forthe molding industry, including hotrunner temperature controllers, a fullline of hot runner bolt on systems, MPR(Mold Rotating Plates) for multi-material molding, and LIT (Low InertiaTechnology) for multi-material molding.

Edward Mack, president of Tri-MackPlastics, a twenty-nine-year-oldoperation, oversees the management ofthis 70-person firm based in Bristol, RI.It produces high performance plasticparts for critical applications andservices the aerospace, medical,electronics, chemical processing, andindustrial equipment industries. “We area manufacturer of custom plastic partswith a lot of materials expertise. Wework closely with our customers,performing concurrent engineering andplastic product development, inaddition to tool making, injectionmolding, CNC machining, and screwmachining,” says Mack.

Changes in the industry

As a third-generation company head,Basilius has seen some changes in theindustry. “Over the past 20-25 years,we've seen a big change in thetechnology in terms of equipment usedto manufacture the molds. In the lasttwo years, that technology hasn'tchanged quite as fast. But what is more

pervasive is the competition fromoffshore manufacturers.”

In terms of new technology, Basiliustakes advantage of hardware andsoftware innovations that are now partof the marketplace. For instance,Basilius, Inc. uses Moldflow software forplastic flow analysis. The organizationalso uses Delcam Powermill for contour machining.

“Our customers want products quickerand cheaper, a mantra that othermanufacturers are facing around theworld,” says Basilius. “We are beingforced to compete with the lowest costcompetitor on the globe. I think thatEuropean manufacturers are probablyfeeling the same pressures as Americanoperations. It's the offshore Asiannations that offer low wage labor thatare acquiring jobs that traditional US and European mold makers typically obtained.”

Basilius says that offering services likeMoldflow flow analysis is helping themremain competitive. “In terms of beinginvolved in tool design, we normally runan analysis to determine if there will beany problems prior to cutting steel.That's a cost and time saving for us andfor the customer. By using the Moldflowsoftware upfront in the design phase, wecan investigate and solve any problemsbefore real costs are associated to theproject. We perform flow analysis as aservice that's as much a benefit to us asto the customer. Whatever costs andoversights we can eliminate using thesoftware helps both parties. Ourcustomers have learned that our upfrontMoldflow services are well worth theinvestment. We use Moldflow MoldAdviser™ software (a module of theMoldflow Plastics Advisers® (MPA®)product line) analysis for most of ourjobs. We've recognized return oninvestment for the technology manytimes over as a result of purchasingMPA,” says Basilius.


Hoffmann says that the mold makingindustry has changed significantly overthe last decade. “The environment ismuch more competitive,” saysHoffmann. “It's extremely important tohave innovative solutions to provideadded value for our customers toincrease their efficiencies. Withoutinnovative products and solutions, amold maker can only compete on priceand delivery in a market where manymold makers are happy to take a job at aloss to keep doors open a few monthslonger. Competition from lower laborcost regions of the world is acceleratingthe push towards unattendedmachining. By utilizing new equipmentand manufacturing methodologies, weare able to reduce the machinist laborhours required to manufacture a mold.”The company also uses Moldflowsoftware to help verify its designs andensure that its molds are productionready with the least amount of testingand debugging possible.

Mack says that the biggest areas ofchange are in new technology andefficiency that result in higherproductivity. “In terms of customers'business models, we are seeing a realevolution in their desire to utilizesupplier expertise rather than keep allthe expertise in-house. This newstrategy has allowed us to add value toour offerings. We can participate in theconcurrent engineering of their parts.One of the biggest changes in theaerospace industry, for instance, istraditionally a customer would provideus with a print of a part. Many timesthere were features in the part thatcould be problematic but the customerdidn't want to discuss the issue. Theengineer's design was pretty muchetched in stone. Nowadays, there ismuch more give and take between thecustomer and the supplier. The result islower cost parts and much quicker timeto market.”

Tri-Mack rarely receives 2D drawingsanymore. “We import 3D CAD modelstoday,” says Mack. “The biggest area ofconcurrent engineering is in utilizingCAD models. Some of thecharacteristics that make them desirablefor injection molding are items like wallthickness and proper draft angles. Wetypically get a model that is not draftedand do a lot of work to clean it up andaddress any issues that come up in termsof injection molding.”

Tri-Mack uses Moldflow Part Adviser™

software (a module of the MPA productline) as part of every job. Mack says thesoftware is so easy to use that it's asimple step in the development processof each part. He says that using thesoftware differentiates his company fromother tool makers. “I think that beingable to offer concurrent engineeringservices and vertical capabilities such asparticipating in part design through tooldesign, tool building, debugging, andtool making offers our customerstremendous value. The software gives usconfidence to quickly move throughthat process. Traditionally, a customertook several steps in the development ofa new part. From going to an outsidepart designer or mold designer, to a tooland die shop to get it built, to aninjection molder to manufacture theparts, to another shop to do secondarywork or assembly. This strategy createsmany opportunities for mistakes andadded costs.”

“Using the old methodology with fouror five vendors involved, it was unclearas to who would run Moldflow andabsorb the cost,” adds Mack. Instead,Tri-Mack offers all of the productdevelopment steps under one roof.

Elements of change

“The pressure is on large OEMcompanies to show a profit toshareholders on a quarterly basis,” saysHoffmann. “This has caused a shift inpurchasing strategies.” He says that theeconomic downturn has caused manyOEM companies to abandon soundmold purchasing practices. “In the past,”notes Hoffmann, “these companies werefocused on buying tooling that wouldcycle the fastest and last the longest —providing long term profitability. Formany companies, the currentphilosophy is to purchase the cheapesttooling possible in an attempt to regainshort-term profitability. This trend hasaccelerated the move of manufacturingto China and other low cost regions ofthe world.” Hoffmann adds, “In theprocess, these OEM companies areinadvertently transferring decades ofmanufacturing know-how to othercountries. Considerable knowledge canbe transferred even in the quoting stageof a project if previous mold designs areused as the basis for the new quote.”

CACO Pacific has always had thephilosophy of providing innovative

products to help its customers achievethe highest manufacturing efficienciespossible. During the last few years, itslevel of innovation has grownexponentially. In the end, this is theonly philosophy that can prevail.Hoffmann says, “Poor mold purchasingdecisions by OEMs to obtain short-termprofit will in the end become evidentwhen cheap tooling is run on theproduction floor. At the same time, weare continuously improving ourmanufacturing process to produce ourhigh quality, high production molds atthe lowest costs and with the lowestnumber of attended labor hourspossible.”

Success stories

Basilius says one of the company'sspecialties for tooling is automotiveradio bezels, where there are a lot ofopenings in the parts for the buttons.The gate locations on these parts arevery critical to the ability to mold aquality part. “It's advantageous thatMPA allows us to do multiple test runsto determine the best gating locations.”He also says they run several Moldflowanalyses on parts that are of medium todifficult complexity. “We evaluate theresults and show our customer theresults,” adds Basilius. “It's a great visualtool that provides another set of datathat we can study and use to discuss withour customers. Prior to doing anytooling, we can review the data anddecide how we want to build a part.”

He says that using Moldflow is a gooddifferentiator as a sales tool. “Weinclude that as part of our mold designcost,” says Basilius. “We build molds for


Focuson

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In this era of budget cuts and restricted air travel, plasticsprofessionals must continue to receive training withoutsacrificing their business objectives. By embracing alternatives totraditional classroom training and extending the boundaries oflearning to the Internet, today's professionals receive knowledgethat is compelling, compact, and consistent.

E-learning classes or seminars delivered via Web conferences arevirtual classes that use Web-based collaboration programs,including phone lines for audio, to link a group of geographicallydispersed participants. These virtual classrooms are best atknowledge-based learning in which participants primarily getinformation, rather than hands-on skill development and practice.

In practical terms, e-learning has given us the ability to learnoutside a physical classroom. New Internet technology hasprovided the means for an advanced and wide-ranginginfrastructure that provides a distributed learning environment.E-learning allows students to receive effective, specificallytargeted training in a cost-effective way. Companies that supplythe training content can deliver training on a global basis, whiletailoring content to suit the needs of individuals.

The need for a more competent workforce has never beengreater. Globalization, intense competition, and the increasingcomplexity of software systems drive the need for training that isnot only targeted but also cost-effective. Constant retraining andassessment of skills, therefore, is a critical element that successfulcompanies cannot afford to overlook.

For employers, the immediate benefits of e-learning are obvious.It is considerably cheaper than the traditional forms of training,both in terms of the direct cost of paying for individual coursesand transporting staff to remote training facilities. It alsoeliminates the time employees traditionally spent at week-longor more off-site training courses.

Last year, the Moldflow Center for Professional Developmentbegan to test the e-learning waters by launching an exciting neweducation program designed for plastics professionals, which isreferred to as “Moldflow Lunchtime Luminaries.” Key Moldflowapplication developers, training instructors, and supportengineers deliver these free, ninety-minute online seminars,which consist of topics requested by Moldflow customers. Theseminars are also developed based upon the most common issuesbeing addressed by the Moldflow technical support group eachmonth. Topics have included understanding Moldflow designprinciples, analysis results interpretation, cooling analysis tips,and the theory behind the solvers, just to name a few.

Each of these live seminars is also recorded and archived so thatother Moldflow customers can benefit from this information attheir convenience, just two days after the actual seminar isdelivered. The archived seminars include all of the audio andslide presentations used during the live event. Moldflowmaintenance customers may download them from the MoldflowCommunity Center within the GGeett TTrraaiinneedd >> TTrraaiinniinnggRReessoouurrcceess section.

As instructional technology becomes more transparent, trainerswill be able to direct their efforts toward promoting activelearning and learner productivity. Newer more flexibletechnologies are enhancing the once missing interactionbetween students and students with instructors. The traditionalclassroom utilized to educate our customers will always have itsplace, but the virtual classroom — in its many forms — is thefuture of corporate education. The use of Web-based classroomshas grown significantly and continues to be cost-effective,scalable, and perfectly suited to workers with limited budgets andtime constraints. Companies that recognize this benefit andencourage workers to attend online training will have asignificant advantage in the marketplace.

The Virtual ClassroomBy Stephen Thompson, Moldflow Corporation

professional development

For more information about all of Moldflow'scomprehensive education options, including e-learningopportunities, visit www.plasticszone.com. Access theMoldflow Community Center from www.moldflow.com.


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Where to begin?Before that question can be answered, ask yourself, “What is my programmingbackground?” If you have a lot of experience with C++, Visual Basic, or Visual BasicScript (VBS), then you probably can jump right into programming, and this articlewon't help you much. My experience has its roots in FORTRAN (with a very littlebit of C++), so that is where my perspective on learning and using the API is based.

I believe that the best way to start to learn the API is not to start programming at all.I started by using the RReeccoorrdd MMaaccrroo command in MPI/Synergy to do simple tasks,such as move and copy, and reviewed the resulting VBS file to see how the codeworked. Another good place to start is to look at other users' scripts (the simple onesat first) to see how they handle the flow of information and various API calls.

Simple beginningsI used the RReeccoorrdd MMaaccrroo command to generate this code (Figure 1). I band-selectedaround some nodes and elements and copied them by 0,0,1. Then I band-selectedaround some other nodes and elements and moved them by 0,0,1. Easy enough, right?

tips & techniques

Working with the Moldflow Plastics Insight API Tools

By David Rieffel, Product Engineer, Siegel-Robert, Inc., St. Louis, MO


Motivation for using the APII am going to recount my motivation for using the MPI® API tools, and hopefully, itwill become yours as well. Ask yourself these questions:

❑ Has your arm, wrist, or hand ached at the end of the day because you are performing the same repetitive clicks in MPI all day long?

❑ Have you ever wished the mesh editing tools were just a little more powerful or behaved in a different manner?

❑ Have you ever wanted to create your own analysis result?

❑ Is there some missing functionality for which you cannot wait for the next softwarerelease (for an enhancement that may or may not be there)?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, then the Moldflow Plastics Insight®

(MPI) API (Application Programming Interface) most likely is the solution to yourproblems.

A word about reference materialsHere are a few good sources for getting help onthe API and writing scripts:

❑ Obtain a free VBScript editor at: http://www.koansoftware.com/freeware/VBSeditor.zip

❑ The Microsoft VBS reference is at:http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/script56/html/vbscripttoc.asp

❑ Within MPI: Help > Contents > ApplicationProgramming Interface (API) > API CommandReference (the Compound List is a good place tostart)

❑ Check out the following Lunchtime LuminariesSeminars on the Moldflow Community Center(MCC) available from the Get Trained > TrainingResources selection:

❑ Introduction to the MPI 4.0 ApplicationProgramming Interface (API)

❑ Advanced API Topics

❑ Exchange macros with other users on the MCCwith the Get Files > Macro Exchange selection.

❑ Discuss your problems with other users throughthe MCC with the Talk to MPI Users selection.

I am a big fan of the MCC. With people postingscripts on the MCC to solve problems, reducemodeling time, and analyze results better, there isa huge potential to affect the efficiency of Moldflowusers. A similar potential exists with the Talk toMPI Users forum on the MCC. These are greatresources, and I recommend using them.

Upon opening the saved VBS macro file, look at Line 1 and say, “What does this linedo, and what is Set?” From a FORTRAN background I was, and still am, used toworking with numerical, logical, and string data types. Generally, FORTRAN is notused to interface with other programs. I use FORTRAN just for basic processing ofdata files. So now we need to talk about object oriented programming (OOP) andwhat is an object. (NOTE: This is my understanding of objects, not the textbookdefinitions.)

Objects are entities that MPI/Synergy exposes through its OLE/Automationinterface. The SSeett statement links the VBS variable to the MPI/Synergy programobjects, and we use those VBS variables to control MPI/Synergy. In this example:

❑ Line 1 creates the Synergy variable and links it to the main application object inMPI/Synergy (the MPI/Synergy program).

❑ Line 2 creates the Modeler variable and links it to the Modeler object inMPI/Synergy. (Modeler is an object that provides modeling operations.)

Figure 1. Script resultingfrom using the RReeccoorrdd

MMaaccrroo command. ❑ Line 3 tells the Modeler object to create an emptyentity list (which is an object) and links it to theEntList variable.

❑ Line 4 tells the Synergy object to create an emptyvector (which is an object) and links it to the Vectorvariable.

❑ Line 5 finally instructs MPI/Synergy to dosomething with all these objects that have beencreated! Selected nodes and triangles from the studypopulate the empty entity list, EntList.

❑ Line 6 sets the dimensions of the vector to copyalong into the Synergy Vector.

❑ Line 7 translates the EntList, by Vector, and copiesthe EntList (True).

❑ Lines 8-13 perform the same operations as Lines 2-7, but the selected nodes and triangles are onlymoved and not copied.

1 Set Synergy = CreateObject("synergy.Synergy")2 Set Modeler = Synergy.Modeler()3 Set EntList = Modeler.CreateEntityList()4 Set Vector = Synergy.CreateVector()5 EntList.SelectFromString "N279 N278 N281 T427 T428 T668 "6 Vector.SetXYZ 0, 0, 17 Modeler.Translate EntList, Vector, True, 1, False8 Set Modeler = Synergy.Modeler()9 Set EntList = Modeler.CreateEntityList()10 Set Vector = Synergy.CreateVector()11 EntList.SelectFromString "N386 N387 N388 N389 T685 T686 T687 "12 Vector.SetXYZ 0, 0, 113 Modeler.Translate EntList, Vector, False, 1, False


tips & techniques


Make it more flexibleWhile using the RReeccoorrdd MMaaccrroo command is a good first step, theresulting script is not very flexible. Let's modify it to allow anyvector to be specified for copying selected entities (Figure 2).

First, delete Lines 8-13 and comment out Lines 5-7 of the originalscript (comment lines begin with a single quote mark and are notexecuted when the script is run). Next, add an input box so a stringof numbers can be entered to represent the vector for entities to becopied along (Line 7 in the modified script).

As a test, I added a message box (Line 8 in this example) to outputthe vector entered in the input box. When writing code, I find itbest to write a small segment of code and then output some of theresults to a message box to verify that the script is behavingcorrectly. This message box isn't necessary to run the final script, soI commented it out.

To continue, split the string into an array (Line 11) and then set theVector variable to the array components (Line 15). Line 17 is amessage box that prompts the user to select the entities to be copied.Line 19 links the variable SD to the StudyDoc object of the

MPI/Synergy program (StudyDoc is the object used to query andmanipulate studies). Finally, Line 21 translates and copies theentities that have been selected inside MPI/Synergy.

I made two programming mistakes in my first attempt at writing this code:

❑ On Line 15, I initially used a square bracket, [, where I shouldhave used a parenthesis, (, and I got the following error:

❑ On Line 19, I initially omitted the Set statement, and I got this error:

In both cases, the error message identifies the line and the characterwhere the error originates.

From my perspective, this example is not too difficult.Remembering the first time I tried to write a script, that experiencewas rather excruciating and painful. I didn't, and to some extent stilldon't, understand object-oriented programming. It took me a fulltwo days to get my first try at a script to run. The second, third, andfourth scripts didn't fare much better.

So you say, “I'm not going to spend days writing scripts, what a wasteof time!” or “Learning to write VBS is too difficult.” It is not a wasteof time. Rather, it's an investment. Portions of the simple coding getcopied and modified slightly to create a new, more powerful code.Then, you can begin to tackle more difficult things, such as queryingentity properties, putting scripts into Excel, and the like.

The more experience you gain, the quicker you will be able to createmore powerful scripts.

Figure 2. Modified script based on a recorded macro.

Looking at a bit of codeFor a more in-depth example, let's look at the main code of themav.vbs script found on the Macro Exchange area of the MCC(Figure 3). The mav.vbs script moves or copies entities between aset of nodes. This script requires the user to pre-select entities beforerunning the script.

Line 37 uses the SSeett command to link the Syn variable to theMPI/Synergy program.

In the previous examples, extra variables and SSeett statements werecreated to access objects in the MPI/Synergy program. In thisinstance, however, I didn't want to create all these extra variables.Instead, the object and its method invocation are piggybacked ontothe Syn object. Study.Doc.Selection (Line 39) returns a list ofentities selected inside MPI/Synergy as an EntList object. AnEntList object corresponds to an ordered list of model entities. Italso has a public attribute, Size, which tells how many things areselected. So in short, this line tells the script how many things areselected inside MPI/Synergy.

Line 40 displays a message box if no entities have been selected. InLine 41, setting the value of Syn to “Nothing” terminates the life ofthe Syn variable. It is important to terminate the life of a variablewhen it is no longer useful. (Consult the archived LunchtimeLuminaries session for more on this topic.) In Line 42, Wscript.quitterminates the script.

Line 47 allows the user to specify whether the objects are to bemoved or copied. Line 52 prompts the user to input the number ofcopies, if necessary.

Line 56 moves the entities that were pre-selected to the MoveListvariable. Line 57 empties the selection. This is because theStudy.Doc.Selection variable is needed to select the nodes to movealong.

Lines 60-67 prompt the user to select nodes. The prompt displayedto the user depends on whether the script was previously instructedto move or to copy the pre-selected entities (the MoveList).

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36 '/////////////////// Main Code //////////////////////////////////////37 Set Syn = CreateObject("synergy.Synergy")38 39 If syn.studydoc.selection.size = 0 Then40 msgbox("Sorry, you have not selected anything to move/copy. Quiting Script.")41 Set syn = Nothing 42 wscript.quit43 End If4445 Set syn = Nothing 4647 flag = inputbox("Copy objects?"&vbLf&_ 48 "1 for yes,"&vbLf&_ 49 "0 for no",,0)5051 If (flag = 1) Then52 num_copies = inputbox("Enter number of copies",,"1")53 End If5455 Set Syn = CreateObject("synergy.Synergy")56 Set MoveList = Syn.StudyDoc.Selection57 Syn.StudyDoc.Selection = Syn.Modeler.CreateEntityList()585960 If (flag = 1) Then61 msgbox("Select, at least, two nodes for the copying vector."&vbLf&vbLf&_62 "The first node will be the base node and "&vbLf&_63 "all the following nodes will be copied to."&vbLf&vbLf&_64 "Remember,use 'Ctrl' and banded selection, the script sorts out the nodes.")65 Else66 msgbox("Select two nodes for the moving vector.")67 End If6869 Set NodeList = FUNGetSelection(Syn.StudyDoc.Selection,Syn.Modeler,Syn.StudyDoc)7071 If NodeList.Size < 2 Then72 msgbox("Less than two nodes selected. Quiting script.")73 WScript.Quit74 End If757677 ' ---- Deactivate the Local Coordinate Systems.78 Syn.Modeler.ActivateLCS Nothing, False, "LCS"

1 Set Synergy = CreateObject("synergy.Synergy")2 Set Modeler = Synergy.Modeler()3 Set EntList = Modeler.CreateEntityList()4 Set Vector = Synergy.CreateVector()5 'EntList.SelectFromString "N279 N278 N281 T427 T428 T668 "67 VectorString = Inputbox("Enter a translation vector." & vblf & "Separate the numbers by

spaces.")8 'msgbox(vectorstring)910 'take the vector string "VectorString" and separate it into an array.11 VectorArray = Split(VectorString)1213 'Vector.SetXYZ 0, 0, 0.2514 'set the vecot using the vector array.15 Vector.SetXYZ VectorArray(0), VectorArray(1), VectorArray(2)1617 msgbox("Select the entities in the model which you wish to copy.")1819 Set SD = Synergy.StudyDoc()20 'Modeler.Translate EntList, Vector, True, 1, False21 Modeler.Translate SD.Selection, Vector, True, 1, False

Script: C:\MPI_4_1_Projects\scripts\mv_del2.vbsLine: 15Char: 26Error: Expected end of statementCode: 800A0401Source: Microsoft VBScript compilation error

Script: C:\MPI_4_1_Projects\scripts\mv_del2.vbsLine: 19Char: 1Error: Object doesn't support this property or method: 'SD'Code: 800A01B6Source: Microsoft VBScript runtime error

Figure 3. Part 1 of the main code of the mav.vbs script.


11Flow front Vol 2 I ssue 2 www.moldflow.com

tips & techniquesIn Line 69, FUNGetSelection is a function that takes a selectionand separates out the nodes. If the user band-selects around a node,the selection can include associated triangles, curves, etc. Thisfunction weeds out the unwanted selected entities (e.g., triangles).

Note these warnings:

❑ Nodal boundary conditions should not be included in yourselection. The function does not look for nodal boundaryconditions in the list. It would be an easy fix to solve this problem,but instead I just remember not to select those types of entities.

❑ This FUNGetSelection function has been copied into otherscripts. The function has been modified from script to script,depending on how it is required to interact with the main code. So,if you copy this function from my code into yours, be careful tomodify it to fit your purpose.

Line 71 checks to see that at least two nodes have been selected.

Line 78 deactivates local coordinate systems. This script won'tmove things properly if any are active.

Let's continue our examination of the mav.vbs code (Figure 4).

Line 81 prompts the user to enter the distance or a percentage of thedistance between the selected nodes, along the vector to move/copythe entities.

Lines 83-87 determine the last node in the list. Because arrays areindexed from 0, the script takes the size and subtracts 1. If the scriptis moving entities and the user accidentally selected more than twonodes to define the vector, the point to move to is set to the secondnode found in the selection list.

In Line 90, SUBGetCoord is a subroutine that takes the nodecoordinates and places them in the vector VecA. Nodelist.Entity(0)is the base coordinate for moving/copying the selected entities.

Lines 91-104 loop on the second to the nth node.

Line 92 gets the coordinates of the destination node and puts themin vector VecB. (See Line 90.)

In Line 93, SUBSubtract is a subroutine that subtracts two vectors.

In Lines 94-99, the If loop determines if you wanted to use apercentage or an actual distance to specify the actual movementdimension.

In Line 95, SUBScale is a subroutine that scales input (VecB) to thedecimal percentage that was input on Line 81 and outputs it intothe vector Offset.

In Line 97, SUBNormalize is a subroutine that normalizes thedisplacement vector.

The SUBScale subroutine in Line 98 works the same as in Line 95.

Lines 101-102 put the Offset values into another vector.

Finally, In Line 103, the script moves/copies the selection.

Lines 106-109 clear the selection and end the lives of the variables.

Of course, it is possible that my code could be simplified. However,with most of my scripts, once it works, I don't like to mess with ittoo much. As the old saying goes, “If it ain't broke, don't fix it.”

The API in useNow, let's look at an example of using the API to create a manifoldsystem on a part. This example uses three scripts that are availableon the Macro Exchange area of the MCC. Using the scripts helpsto minimize repetitive tasks involved in accomplishing thismodeling task manually.

First, we start with a midplane model of a simple part (Figure 5) onwhich we would like to place five drops. A model of a generic dropis available in another MPI study (Figure 6). Note that it's goodmodeling practice to create different types of entities on differentlayers (for example, one layer to hold part nodes, another layer tohold part triangle elements, another layer to hold beam elements,and so on), to make it easier to view and operate on desired entities.

Note: MPI users who wish to try this example for themselves maydownload the injection_part.sdy and generic_drop.sdy files from theMacro Exchange area of the MCC.

Node 637 in the lower left corner of Figure 5 is at 0,0,0 and the restof the nodes shown are locations where the additional drops arerequired. AAdddd the generic drop to the injection part study. Nowmake sure the Manifold layer is turned off, select all the beams, andturn off the Drop layers (Figure 7).

UUssee tthhee mmaavv..vvbbss ssccrriipptt ttoo ccooppyy tthhee ggeenneerriicc ddrroopp..

Type mmaavv at the command prompt to run the script. Use the copyoption, and specify 11 copy. Using the Ctrl key, first select N637 andthen band-select around the five nodes on the part. Select OOKK onthe message box, and accept the 110000%% default for the distance.Upon turning the Drop layer on, the display will show that thegeneric drop has been copied to the five part nodes that werepreviously selected (Figure 8). Entities that are selected, whethertheir layer is shown or not, will be copied. The copied entities willbe created on the layers on which the parent entity resides.

Figure 5. The model of thegeneric part given ininjection_part.sdy.

Figure 6. The model of thegeneric drop given in

generic_drop.sdy.

Figure 7. The drop has beenadded to the part study.

If you have questions about this article, please post them on the MCC.

798081 scale=InputBox("Enter the distance to move (or '###%' to enter a percent",,"100%")8283 If (flag = 1) Then84 last = Nodelist.Size - 185 Else86 last = 187 End If888990 SUBGetCoord Syn.StudyDoc.GetNodeCoord(NodeList.Entity(0)), VecA 91 For i = 1 To last92 SUBGetCoord Syn.StudyDoc.GetNodeCoord(NodeList.Entity(i)), VecB93 SUBSubtract VecB, VecA, VecB94 If UCase(Right(scale,1)) = "%" Then95 SUBScale VecB, Mid(scale,1,Len(Scale)-1)/100.0, Offset96 Else97 SUBNormalize VecB, VecB98 SUBScale VecB, Scale, Offset99 End If100101 Set Vector_1 = Syn.CreateVector()102 Vector_1.SetXYZ Offset(0), Offset(1), Offset(2)103 Syn.Modeler.Translate MoveList,Vector_1,flag,num_copies,False104 Next105106 Syn.StudyDoc.Selection = Syn.Modeler.CreateEntityList()107 Set Nodelist = Nothing108 Set Movelist = Nothing109 Set syn = Nothing110

Figure 4. Part 2 of the main code of the mav.vbs script.


Scripts for just about anythingScripts can be created for most of the commonly used tasks inMPI/Synergy. I have scripts for just about all of the meshing tools. Ican project nodes to a plane and match nodes on a Fusion mesh. Ihave scripts to adjust the aspect ratios of elements, mergeindividually selected node sets, and control the look of the post-processing. For the most part, the only limits you have are yourprogramming capability and your determination to create the scripts.

A word about selectionsWith the API, a script can query entities selected insideMPI/Synergy. The response is in the form of EntList, as describedabove. It is important to realize how the order and type of selectionused affects the final pattern and content of EntList.

The pattern and order of data passed from the MPI/Synergy programto the recorded VBS macro script can affect the results based onhow the script is coded. Figure 11 shows the different results thatoccur by band-selecting around Node 7, Node 13, and then Nodes7 and 13.

The first thing to note is that any time a banded selection is made,the entity (or query) list is created, or appended, in a Node, Beam,Triangle, Curve, or Nodal Boundary Condition order.

The second thing to note is that using the Ctrl key to append to thesection adds entities in the same order, and items can also occurmultiple times in a selection list, as shown with T9 and T12 inFigure 11. (This is why using CCttrrll++MM to rotate or translate objectscan move an entity 2-3 times farther than intended because it existsin the selection list more than once!)

Now, taking the result from above and using the Shift key todeselect T5 will result in the EntList being reordered and duplicate

entities removed, as shown in Figure 12. Depending on how thescript is coded, this can have an undesired effect on the result.

Using the Ctrl key to deselect preserves the pattern of the EntListand removes only the deselected entity throughout the selection(Figure 13).

The end of the beginningNow you have a general idea about the types of problems that theAPI can help you solve. You have a list of a few good references, andyou have reviewed some examples of a recorded macro, how tomodify a recorded macro to make it more flexible, and how to putscripts to work in a modeling task. You were given a brief overviewof pattern and order in which entities are selected insideMPI/Synergy — recognizing the pattern of selection could help youto sort data for looping scripts.

Don't forget that the MCC is a great resource. Get out there andstart using the API! Download someone else's script and modify itor post your own script on the MCC. If you have problems, ask forhelp on the Talk to MPI Users section of the MCC and post yourcode there.

What's in the future?I am thinking about writing a script to create the clamp tonnageplot for a part oriented in car position. I may also create a script forgrowing valve gate drops. I'm currently working on a script forcreating a more in-depth recommended ram speed output.


UUssee tthhee ssccnn__vv22..vvbbss ssccrriipptt ttoo ccrreeaattee nnooddeess wwhheerree tthhee ddrrooppss iinntteerrsseecctttthhee mmaanniiffoolldd ppllaannee..

To complete the manifold system, turn off all the layers except theManifold Nodes and the Drop Nodes. Select the two manifoldnodes, N639 and N641; these two nodes are used to represent avector in space. Using the Ctrl key, band-select around the nodesfor the outer drops in sets to create additional 3D vectors: N676 andN677, N684 and N685, N660 and N661, N652 and N653, in thisorder (Figure 9). Type ssccnn__vv22 at the command prompt to create thenodes where the drops will intersect the manifold and where themanifold forms a T-intersection. Use the GGlloobbaall MMeerrggee command tomerge coincident nodes.

UUssee tthhee bbeeaamm..vvbbss ssccrriipptt ttoo aadddd bbeeaamm eelleemmeennttss bbeettwweeeenn nnooddeess..

Select the manifold bbeeaamm to be duplicated. Type beam at thecommand prompt, then select the nodes between which to createthe manifold beam. Run the script again to create the annularbeams between the drops and the manifold. See Figure 10.

tips & techniques

Figure 8. Using the mav.vbs script,the drop has been copied to each

of the selected part nodes.

Figure 9. Select pairs ofnodes in order to identifywhere new nodes will becreated on the manifold

plane.

Figure 10. The completedmodel of the part with themanifold and drops added.

Figure 11. Entities selected as a result of band-selecting different nodes or a pair of nodes.

Figure 12. Deselectingan entity using the Shiftkey changes the order ofthe EntList and removes

duplicate entities.

Figure 13. Deselecting anentity using the Ctrl keypreserves the order of theEntList and removes only

the deselected entity.



real world success

Raw materials represent a key factor in the realization of allproducts. However, it is not always sufficient to use a qualitymaterial, for often several other variables linked to design andproduction affect the final results. For this reason, the servicesupplied by Italian material supplier RadiciPlastics begins witha consultation with the customer to define needs, goals, andproblems related to the project. The company may performsimulations related to mold filling and product developmentand, based on the results, suggest solutions to be implementedin terms of materials, equipment, and molding in order toachieve the customer's desired result.

“Through Moldflow Plastics Labs,” says Giovanni Pioltini,marketing manager of the Plastics division at RadiciGroup,“we have characterized a set of RadiciPlastics materials in adatabase which is available for simulations. To this we add theexperience developed in the field of plastic materials, whichenables us to address the various problems that are submittedto us by suggesting what compound to use. Yet the added valueof our service is not restricted to materials alone. Thanks to theknow-how we have gained in plastic molding processes, we areable to suggest modifications to be implemented on molds orpart geometry thickness changes to solve or prevent possibleinconveniences to our customers.”

A full range of analysis

“Providing mold filling and part warpage analysis thus becomesfor us a competitive advantage,” says Pioltini. “When weaddressed the question of what software to use, we decided topurchase Moldflow products, because they provide a completeanalysis package.”

Pioltini continues, “Equipment plays a major role in terms of timeand global costs when developing a project. Hence, it is essentialto gather as much information as possible to avoid having toimplement modifications subsequent to mold construction.When a customer submits a project to us with its relatedproduction problems, including tolerances to be respected,because we have characterized our plastic compounds in order touse Moldflow simulation technology, we can identify the separateeffects that cause warpage in the part, and we are able to suggestthe necessary steps to counteract such problems. Anotheradvantage of the Moldflow simulation software is the fact that itworks in a three-dimensional (3D) environment. Until not longago, software performed only two-dimensional simulations;therefore, if the part thickness was greater than three millimeters,it was difficult to simulate the behavior of a material during fillingof the mold cavity with sufficient accuracy.”

“When we adopted Moldflow technology,” explains Pioltini,“our first experience was to tackle the development of the

wheel for a supermarket shopping cart. The customer turned tous because 30 percent of these nylon wheels broke duringassembly with a metal locking hook. No problem emerged from2D simulations, but during testing with MPI/3D analyses, itbecame clear how the injection of the material at a given pointcreated a turbulence which caused the formation of a bubbleand consequently, the failure of the piece during fitting of thehook. We suggested moving the injection point so as to createa different turbulence. The subsequent process has shown a 30percent reduction in the number of failures, down to just a fewparts per million.”

Through the years, simulation systems have taken onincreasing importance. Greater needs in terms of performanceand esthetics, especially from highly technical sectors, havedriven the need to meet increasingly tight dimensionaltolerances, and hence, the need for instruments that can meetthese requirements.

Technology first

Prior to using Moldflow technology, Pioltini says thecompany's work was based on the tool makers' and moldmakers' expertise in locating gates. “Experience is good,” saysPioltini, “but that strategy caused problems. The tool and moldmakers' experience was used to drive decisions regardinggating. Today, 15-20 percent of our analyses that we performfor our customers are used to check already existing tools —those that were created based on prior experience and noMoldflow analysis. In these instances, the gates have not beenwell placed and there are filling problems. In my opinion, thisproblematic situation can be corrected with a more widespreaduse of Moldflow software throughout the plastic injectionmolding industry.”

Today, in order to eliminate any problems, Pioltini reliescompletely on Moldflow analysis prior to initiating any workfor any project. “Experience is key to reading andunderstanding the analysis, however, we are committed toutilizing Moldflow to help us explore and determine gatinglocations and part filling schemes,” adds Pioltini.

Moldflow for development of under-the-hood applications

Diesel engines for cars and large machinery are fitted with acontrol panel that develops a great amount of heat. Further,diesel oil requires a high operating temperature. Consequently,the idea arose to optimize such factors by creating a heatexchange between the two systems. “The point was to find amaterial that could resist high temperatures under the hoodand in contact with diesel oil,” says Giovanni Pioltini. “Inaddition, the part had a low thickness, up to five or six

Simulated Problems, Real ResultsMaterial supplier combines experience and advanced simulation

technology to add value to its plastic compounds.

By Cristina Beria, Moldflow Corporation


millimeters, hence the material had to exhibit the least possiblewarpage to provide adequate dimensional stability and efficientsealing to fuel outflow. On the basis of mathematical datasupplied by the customer, we have performed Moldflow moldfilling and warpage analyses, to compensate for potentialwarpage where possible.”

“To manufacture the component, we suggested choosing apolyamide 6.6 filled with 30 percent glass fiber, a compound thathas been widely tested in these applications. We alsorecommended that the customer implement some modificationsto the initial design to compensate for warpage and favor partflatness. In particular, some ribs were eliminated and someaspects of fuel inlet and outlet inserts were modified to preventthe creation of turbulence and weak adhesion of the materialwith formation of air bubbles and risks of fuel leakage. At theend of the analysis, the prototype mold was created,implementing the details resulting from the simulation tocounteract part warpage.”

Despite the usefulness deriving from the use of prototype molds,it is still possible that the switch from the prototype mold to theproduction mold could reveal some problems. Often theprototype mold has only one cavity, while the production moldmay have several. The mold material also may differ betweenthe prototype and the production mold, hence there may bedifferences in behavior in terms of conductivity, warpage,shrinkage, and so on. Pioltini concludes, “For all these reasons,mold development time has been moved towards the designstages, cutting construction time required. Thanks to the use ofMoldflow simulation software, we are able to significantlycompress cost and time for mold development, thus avoidinghaving to implement major modifications on the productionequipment.”

Quantifiable results

Pioltini says the use of Moldflow is a terrific time savings tool.For example, it can eliminate the need to build a prototype tool.“We can move directly to a production tool as a result of usingthe analysis. This represents a tremendous savings in terms oftime and money,” says Pioltini. “Prior to using the software,costs of repairing any tool problems — dimensioning, warpage,or filling — were often more expensive than the tool itself.With Moldflow, we avoid this costly situation, so the time tomarket and cost of the part are significantly reduced. Inaddition, we have much more confidence that the final productwill be accurate and satisfy our customers' requirements.”

For large tools, Pioltini says that the cost of building prototypesis prohibitive, so the first shot has to be right. There are noalternatives. “We can make no mistakes,” notes Pioltini.“Moldflow helps the tool makers and the manufacturers reducenew tool start-up costs. The software helps avoid problems thatalways occur in the production of a new tool, which can costupwards of tens of thousands of dollars. Indeed, the technologyhelps us support our customers as well as save valuable time and money.”


real world success

Moldflow analysisresults suggest

ways to optimizethe part design

and the moldingprocess.

Simulating thebehavior of plasticmaterials enables

manufacturingproblems to be

prevented beforeproduction begins.

Founded in 1981, RadiciPlastics is one of the mosthighly qualified suppliers of polyamide and polyesterengineering plastics with operations in Italy, Germany,Spain, the UK, France, Brazil, the USA, and China. Formore information about RadiciPlastics, go towww.radiciplastics.com.

Moldflow MPI/3Danalyses effectivelysimulate all stages

of the moldingprocess.

By identifying thevarious causes of

part warpage,Moldflow

simulations enableproblems to be

solvedappropriately.

DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL?If so, we want to hear from you. To submitarticles, case studies, or user reviews of anyMoldflow technology, please contact Laura

Carrabine at [email protected] call +1 440 247 8653.


the executive view

After contemplating several topics ofdiscussion for this forum, I opted toaddress how Kistler plans to remaincompetitive in the 21st century andbeyond. This commentary is especiallypertinent since Kistler has been doingsignificant planning to continue itsgrowth pattern that we experienced inthe 20th century. These strategies can becategorized in three key areas:

❑ We will cross-pollinate technologiesthat we have developed for specificapplications in unique markets to othermarkets we serve.

❑ We will partner with world classleaders as demonstrated by our recentlycompleted agreement with Moldflow.

❑ We will acquire companies that have asynergistic fit with our strategic growthmarkets.

The following text explains how Kistler isrealizing these strategies and I willexplain how our strategic initiatives are being used to help the plasticscommunity.

Overview of KistlerInstrument CorporationKistler Instrument Corporation is aworldwide company that specializes inpressure, force, and acceleration productsbased on quartz piezoelectric sensortechnology. We are viewed as a leader inmarkets that need the very bestinstrumentation to get the most out ofspecific testing and/or productionprocesses. Hence, our logo includes thewords “measure, analyze, and innovate.”Some of the markets we serve includeengine pressure testing, acceleration, andmanufacturing and plastic processoptimization.

Technology advancementsto be introduced to theplastics marketIn the field of engines, our customers askus for better instrumentation so that theycan measure higher pressures andtemperatures inside the enginecombustion chamber. We haveresponded to this demand by growing anew proprietary crystal called Piezostar®.

We believe that this crystal will be ofbenefit to the plastic community as thetemperatures and pressures that moldersuse to produce parts continue to increase.We recognize this trend not only ininjection molding, but also in extrusionand die casting areas.

In the field of manufacturing, we have anumber of products that can control andmonitor a wide variety of productionprocesses involving force, pressure, oracceleration. We have used thistechnology to help manufacturers inmany types of forming, clinching,welding, and riveting processes.

We believe these controllers will be ofbenefit in the plastics community asmany of the secondary operations onplastic parts involve similar processparameters. We have one application inwhich a pen manufacturer is using ourprocess controller to determine whenthey have a generated a “good pen” bymonitoring the forces needed to insertthe plastic tube into the ballpoint pen. Inanother application, we are assisting amedical manufacturer to reduce scrap andincrease yield by helping them join twoplastic parts together correctly the first time.

In the field of acceleration, Kistler hastaken a leadership role in “plug and play”smart sensor technology. In fact, as ashow of our commitment in this area, oneof our engineers is the secretary of anIEEE group that is determining the

standards onwhat will be“read” from each sensor or actuatorequipped with a transducer electronicdata sheet (TEDS). These sensors andactuators will all be connected on anetwork so they can be polled forinformation.

We believe that this technology will playan important role in the plasticscommunity. We will be able to bring“smart technology” to cavity sensing andhydraulic pressure sensing. For electricmachines, we can include thistechnology in nozzle sensors. Once these“smart sensors” are tied into simulation,the operator can quickly and efficientlydiagnose a problem or do preventativemaintenance.

Cooperation with world-class leadersKistler and Moldflow have been workingtowards a formal relationship during thepast two years. It became apparent toboth organizations that the plasticsindustry wanted to realize the benefits ofboth of our respective technologies.However, plastics customers did not wantto worry about the interface between oursensors and charge amplifiers to theMoldflow platform. The first step inensuring that both companies couldachieve the goals we established was towork together on a non-formal basis. Weworked side-by-side installing both of ourtechnologies on some plant-wideinstallations. The results for ourcustomers were nothing short ofoutstanding. The time we spent duringthe non-formal stage of our relationshipproved we had a winning formula thatwould help the plastic community in itsquest to improve yield, reduce scrap, andslash cycle time. This is the reason thatwe formally announced our relationshipin the US at the 2003 NPE event.

Kistler Instrument Corporation'sTechnology Plans for thePlastics MarketBy Gerald D. Lisowski, Managing Director, Kistler Instrument Corporation, USA




The 2003 InternationalMoldflow User GroupConference was a greatsuccess. More than 175users of all Moldflowtechnologies traveledfrom across the UnitedStates and 14 other countries to attend this secondinternational conference April 1-3 in Pittsburgh, PA USA.More than 80 participants also took advantage of the pre- andpost-conference training and certification opportunities.

During the opening day of the 2003 conference, for the firsttime, a Manufacturing Track “conference within theconference” was held to focus on issues targeted specifically tomanufacturing professionals. Customer and studentpresentations as well as Moldflow technical presentationsfocused on aspects of Moldflow's shop-floor software products,and the launch of Moldflow Manufacturing Solutions™(MMS™) Release 1.0 was announced during the event.

Featured speakers at the 2003 conference represented bothworldwide industry and academia, giving conference attendeestwo important perspectives of the industry as a whole. BrianJones, president of Nypro Inc., presented “Implementing theLean Enterprise Globally.” Professor Phil Coates of theUniversity of Bradford, UK, presented “The Dream Machine— Process and Product Measurements for Enhanced ProcessUnderstanding, Modeling and Control.” In addition,Moldflow Corporation president and CEO, Roland Thomas,presented the Moldflow vision for the future of automationand optimization software technology for the plastics injectionmolding industry, built on the convergence of three primaryknowledge areas: numerical methods, material dataintelligence and manufacturing processes.

In addition to the presentations given by invited speakers andMoldflow technical and marketing staff, 16 customersdelivered excellent presentations on topics ranging fromapplication case studies to research projects involvingMoldflow Plastics Insight®, Moldflow Plastics Advisers®, andMoldflow Manufacturing Solutions™ products.

Students had an opportunity to show off theirwork during a networking session, which focusedon electronic poster presentations submitted bystudents representing Penn State Erie, UMassLowell, Napier University and McGill University.This year, the advisory board awarded two BestStudent Topics, and those students were invited topresent their work during the conference sessions.Laurent Charrel, a graduate student at NapierUniversity (UK), presented “Commissioning andEvaluation of Moldflow Plastics Xpert (MPX)” aspart of the Manufacturing Track, and Kevin Alam,

a graduate student at McGill University (Canada), presented“A Genetic Optimization of Shrinkage by Runner Balancing.”

Special Interest Group (SIG) discussion sessions providedopportunities to create a dialog between Moldflow and ourusers that increases mutual understanding of product usage anddrives enhancement requests for future releases. Each SIGdiscussion was co-moderated by a user representative and aMoldflow representative. Topics at the 2003 conferenceincluded Manufacturing, Moldflow Plastics Insight, MoldflowPlastics Advisers, and 3D Analysis. Plus, two new panelsessions were introduced: the Ask the Experts Panel allowedusers to bring plastics analysis problems for discussion, and theTips and Techniques Panel provided a forum for users to sharetheir favorite ways to save time and improve analysis results.

The 2003 conference also included exhibits anddemonstrations from 13 corporate sponsors, including ourplatinum sponsors, EDS and HP, and gold sponsors, AltairEngineering, PTC and Solidworks. Special events, includingthe Welcome Reception, Sponsor Fair and Customer NightOut at The Church Brew Works provided opportunities fornetworking and interaction among all conference participants.

In addition, participants were able to “test drive” the latestreleases of the Moldflow Plastics Advisers, Moldflow PlasticsInsight and Moldflow Manufacturing Solutions product lines athands-on labs during the conference. Moldflow engineering staffwere on hand to provide help and respond to questions.

The positive response from 2003 conference participants haslead to even more ambitious plans for the 2004 InternationalMoldflow User Group Conference, scheduled May 17-19, 2004in Frankfurt, Germany. Find information about the 2004 iMUGConference in the brochureincluded with this issue ofFlowfront, or visit Moldflow'sWeb site to keep up with thelatest developments. Go towww.moldflow.com and clickon the iMUG logo icon.

2003 iMUG Conference a Success!By Marcia Swan, Moldflow Corporation

imug 2003 recap




In today's fast-paced market place, manufacturers feel thepressure more than ever to shrink time to market, reduce costs,and add value to the products they make. It's not easy,especially with tough challenges such as China and other low-wage nations eating up market share. We talked to severalsenior managers of Ohio-based organizations and learned howthey are addressing these demands. We also discoveredCleveland Advanced Manufacturing Program (CAMP), anon-profit organization that delivers expert, hands onengineering, business, and training services to manufacturersand other technology-based partners. Its mission is to helpexisting and new manufacturers to excel and grow throughunderstanding, adopting, and implementing innovativemethods and technologies.

Chuck Sword is a software developer and owner of DHSDiecast, American Diecast Models, and Zach's ConstructionToys. DHS Diecast sells collectible construction equipmentmodels to adults, and American Diecast buys and sells vintagemodels and holds auctions. Zach's Construction Toys sellsrealistic construction toys to the children's market. Thecombined businesses are located in a facility in Berea, OH, and

have achieved a 150-percent salesgrowth rate each year for the fouryears Sword has owned thecompanies. For 2003, he hasalready exceeded last year's revenuefigures.

For the most part, Sword purchases die cast component partsfor his products. Die casting is a versatile process for producingengineered metal parts by forcing molten metal under highpressure into reusable steel molds. These molds, or dies, can bedesigned to produce complex shapes with a high degree ofaccuracy and repeatability. Parts can be sharply defined withsmooth or textured surfaces, and are suitable for a wide range ofattractive and serviceable finishes.

Die castings are among the highest volume, mass produceditems manufactured by the metalworking industry, and can befound in thousands of consumer, commercial, and industrialproducts. Die cast parts are important components of productsranging from automobiles to toys. Parts can be as simple as asink faucet or as complex as a connector housing. Sword sayshis operations sell products all over the world. He keepsapproximately 2,500 items in stock worth between $500,000 to$1 million.

Kent Marvin is president of STAM, a 30-year old, Grand River,OH, operation that began as a rotary-draw tube bendermanufacturer that was dedicated to the heavy truck industry.The company provided tubing that was used to convey exhaustgases, air into the engine, or coolants that run between the

US Manufacturers Meetthe Challenges ofDoing Business in the21st CenturyBy Laura Carrabine, Editor



engine and the radiator. “Heavy trucks require a lot moreplumbing than automobiles,” notes Marvin. Approximately 10years ago, as vice-president of manufacturing, Marvin says thecompany began to diversify away from the heavy truck industryto become a more general supplier to companies that build alltypes of equipment. “The first logical step,” says Marvin, “wasto target companies that produced engine-driven products thatweren't heavy trucks. So we branched out to address machinessuch as excavators, graters, off-road equipment, and generatorsthat required the same type of plumbing.”

Today, STAM provides a lot of parts and service work for theheavy truck industry, as well as serving a diverse customer base.For instance, STAM builds the legs for the machines used innightclubs that shower audiences with snow or foam. “Benttubular product for that type of application,” adds Marvin, “is afar cry from the heavy truck industry, and the margins are a lot better.”

Dennis Kappos is vice-president of sales and marketing forErieview Metal Treating (Cleveland, OH). The company'sterritory spans from Chicago eastward in the US. The companyis in the business of providing high-quality finishes formanufacturers of fasteners and stampings throughout theautomotive, appliance, electrical, and marine industries. Thecompany prides itself on being one of the innovators in theindustry. New methods and processes are continually beingresearched. They have been a leader in their field in the searchfor environmentally safe processes. Erieview Metal Treating'sphilosophy of researching new methods, coupled with its desireto exceed customers' requirements, has enabled them toexperience continued growth for more than 40 years.

Challenges in today's marketplace

Sword says that maintaining a keen fiscal eye on purchasingand budgets is key to success and profits. Marvin adds thatcreating win-win relationships with suppliers helps growbusiness and good business relationships. “When I worked forLucas Aerospace, I developed strong ties to the various local

machine shops that contracted with Lucas. I supported them,furnished them with the machine tools and tooling, andmanufacturing expertise,” says Marvin. “It was truly a two-waystreet in which I knew what their costs were and we recognizedthat they needed to make a profit.”

He believes that it's in the best interest of most manufacturersto maintain a solid base of several suppliers versus just one ortwo. “Companies can put themselves at risk by sole-sourcing inattempts to keep prices down,” says Marvin. “If a supplier runsinto trouble, the manufacturer can be left with no supplier or,at the very least, has to find a new one. This leads to theadditional investment of educating the new supplier on yourparts and processes. This scenario can be easily avoided bymaintaining several top-notch, stable suppliers.”

He also believes that product diversification has been criticalto broadening STAM's customer base. “Fortunately, because wediversified our product offerings and applications, we haveremained successful,” adds Marvin.

Kappos says that while competition from China is a definitechallenge, his company also faces changing environmentalissues. “There are a lot of materials that are no longer beingused,” says Kappos. “The push to develop and use alternativematerials is being driven primarily by European and Americanautomotive manufacturers. Certain substances are no longerallowed in their facilities. As a result, we developed, and willcontinue to develop new finishes to comply with the variousglobal environmental agencies' specifications. These changeshave made Erieview a more competitive and strongercompany.”

Successful operations

Sword says he added new products that are produced usingnewer technology to be more globally competitive. In the toyindustry, China plays a significant role. “We work very hard towork with many parts manufacturers to not only satisfy mycustomers, but also to help those manufacturers remain inbusiness as China and other off-shore countries continue tomake progress within the toy industry. It's very important tohave a competitive environment,” says Sword.

We work very hard to work withmany parts manufacturers to notonly satisfy my customers, but alsoto help those manufacturers remainin business...It's very important tohave a competitive environment.

continued onto next page


Marvin says that STAM's biggest success story is that thecompany was able to diversify in a slow economy, as wellincrease gross profit margin during a recession. “We made aconscious effort to examine our total operations to determinewhere and how to cut costs while remaining efficient,” addsMarvin. “We did a complete self-evaluation in terms of acompany-wide exercise. We have a terrific group of employeeswho all work as a team. We are a much healthier companytoday then we were on the other side of the recession becauseof what the recession made us do that we never would havedone otherwise.” In addition, Marvin says its Web site is a verypowerful tool for attracting new business.

Kappos says that Erieview is actively pursuing new markets andnew niches. The company is developing new coatings thatremedy existing problems. He notes, “In the sheet metalindustry, Phillips-head drive screws traditionally causeproblems because their painted heads cause washers to stick.The head gets filled up with paint or organic coatings causingthe tool drive not to work well. To remedy that situation, wedeveloped a new coating and system that works well for thosetypes of applications. We try to investigate different niches inthe market place in which we are not competing with othermetal treating companies both in the US and overseas.”

CAMP delivers

For nineteen years, CAMP has assisted nearly 2,000manufacturers with hands on manufacturing improvementprojects, resulting in more than $900 million of economicimpact on Northeast Ohio companies. Its 75 engineers,trainers, and industry experts work with regional manufacturersto develop and implement practical solutions that promotecontinuous improvement throughout the organizations theyserve.

Key areas include:

❑ Manufacturing and business consulting, including:Lean and quality systems Marketing and strategic planninge-Business solutions

❑ Product innovation (design and development)

❑ Entrepreneur and commercialization services

According to CAMP spokeswoman Cindy Nelson, theorganization has three primary areas of focus to help themanufacturing community and provide positive economicimpact to the region. “The first is helping new and existingmanufacturing and technology-based companies grow byproviding hands on and strategic consulting. Both shop floorand front office processes are key areas of focus. Our emphasison continuous improvement processes help these companiesimprove efficiencies, cut costs, improve customer satisfaction,and achieve their strategic goals.”

“The second is helping customers generate ideas and createnew products and markets for new and emerging companies.We have a complete design lab and manufacturing facility tocreate electronic models, and build and test prototypes of thenew products. Providing product innovation support today iscritical to helping companies achieve top line growth,” notesNelson.

CAMP's third focus is around the commercialization ofproducts/services and technology to form new companies.Through its entrepreneur initiative, BUILD (BuildingInnovation Through Learning and Doing), CAMP is able tohelp people with good ideas, create new businesses. Its businessadvisors provide a full range of services in the areas of strategydevelopment, business and financial planning, marketresearch, and access to capital and resources includingintellectual property and patent assistance. Additionally,CAMP's incubator and manufacturing space allows thesecompanies to build and test prototypes all in one facility.Nelson adds, “Our goal is to help companies grow from ideastage to a commercialized, viable business.”

CAMP is an Ohio Edison Center funded by the OhioDepartment of Development and one of 70 ManufacturingExtension Partnership Centers throughout the US funded bythe National Institute of Standards and Technology. Both ofthese programs' missions are to combine private, public, anduniversity support to help small and medium sizedmanufacturing companies grow, thrive, and be morecompetitive by offering services that they may typically not beable to afford. Nelson adds, “Although we are a non-profitorganization, our business model resembles more of a for-profitbusiness providing the greatest value to our customers at areasonable price.”


See www.dhsdiecast.com for more information aboutDHS Diecast, American Diecast Models, and Zach'sConstruction Toys. Go to www.staminc.com to learnmore about STAM. For information about ErieviewMetal Treating, send e-mail to [email protected]. CAMP's Web site is www.camp.org.

Our goal is to helpcompanies grow from ideastage to a commercialized,viable business.


Moldflow Corporation430 Boston Post Road

Wayland, MA 01778 USA Tel: +508-358-5848Fax: +508-358-5868www.moldflow.com

Plastic part designers working in today’s most successfulcompanies run Moldflowanalyses on every plastic partthey design. Why? Becausethey know that optimizingtheir designs for manufacturebefore the mold is cut savesboth time and money duringpart production.

To find out more aboutMoldflow’s software solutionsfor injection molded plasticparts go to www.moldflow.com.


Go to the source.

Moldflow Plastics Labs constantly strive to provide the highest quality material data that yields themost accurate simulation results. Our commitment to continuous improvement has lead to numerousinnovations 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 Moldflowsoftware. Each material tested and modeled for shrinkage predictions undergoes molding trials atover two dozen process settings. You can be sure that material properties data from MoldflowPlastics 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 propertiesdata is right for Moldflow solutions?

Moldflow Corporation430 Boston Post Road • Wayland, MA 01778 Tel +1 508 358 5848 • Fax +1 508 358 5868

www.moldflow.com

Moldflow Plastics Labs — USA2353 North Triphammer Road • Ithaca, NY 14850

Tel +1 607 257-4280 • Fax +1 607 [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]


Quality material data, global reach

Moldflow Plastics Laboratories (MPL) offers material testingand related services that are focused specifically on meeting thematerial data requirements for plastics processing simulations.Since Moldflow first began offering material testing servicestwo decades ago, MPL has built up a wealth of experience anda reputation for innovation. Working closely with customersworldwide as well as Moldflow research and development(R&D) staff, MPL constantly strives to deliver improvedtesting technologies as well as the material properties datarequired for accurate CAE analyses.

MPL works closely with the Moldflow product developmentteams, providing a unique insight into the performance of CAEtechnology. The MPL project team works on customer-basedprojects, providing focused customer support and continualassessment and improvement. In addition, Moldflow maintainsglobal partnerships with customers, universities, materialsuppliers and injection molding machine suppliers, drivinginnovation in direct response to customer expectations.

Today, Moldflow customers can contact MPL easily throughany of the more than 30 sales and support offices located in 14countries. The company also maintains R&D centers in theUnited States, Australia, and Europe. MPL facilities arelocated in Ithaca, New York, US, and Melbourne, Australia,facilitating the close interaction with R&D to which Moldflowis committed.

MPL offers a full range of material testing and data analysisservices, with a special emphasis on Moldflow-recommended,injection molding-based test methods. MPL also offers testmethods developed to meet C-MOLD material datarequirements (C-MOLD was acquired by Moldflow in April2000). The newly expanded and updated MPL facility inIthaca significantly increases the company's material testingpresence in the US, providing faster and more competitiveresponse to local customers for the complete range of Moldflowmaterial tests.

Moldflow has long recognized the importance of characterizingmaterials under actual processing conditions in order to obtainthe most accurate material properties for use in CAEsimulations. MPL has developed innovative material testmethods to address these specific requirements. Injectionmolding machines form an integral part of the MPL materialtesting strategy.

The innovative services offered by MPL include:

❑ Injection molding rheometry (IMR)❑ Corrected residual in-mold stress (CRIMS) model❑ Mold verification❑ Thermoset material testing❑ On-line data-fitting

Injection molding rheometry (IMR)

Moldflow's injection molding simulation software predicts theflow of polymer through mold geometries. Accurate flowanalysis requires the most relevant and accurate materialrheological data. Moldflow studies have shown that rheologicalcharacteristics measured on instrumented injection moldingmachines yield better simulation results for both filled andunfilled materials.

This view is validated by leading researchers Professor RobertMalloy, of the University of Massachusetts Lowell, andProfessor Philip Coates, of the University of Bradford, UnitedKingdom.

Professor Malloy states, “The overall 'processability' of apolymer or plastic melt is influenced by a variety of factors, butmost importantly, by its rheological behavior. A realisticcharacterization of a polymer melt's shear flow behavior isparticularly important for engineers engaged in any type ofpolymer process design, including injection moldingsimulations. Obtaining shear viscosity data at the pressures,

Moldflow Plastics Laboratories: theInnovators in Material Testing

By Russell Speight, Moldflow Corporation

The newly expanded and updated MPL facility inIthaca, New York, significantly increases the

company's material testing presence in the US.

the polymer pages


MPL material testing services include:

MMoollddffllooww GGrroouupp TTeessttss::

❑ MPI / MPA Filling

❑ MPI / MPA Filling and Packing

❑ MPI Filling, Packing and Shrinkage

❑ MPI Filling, Packing, Shrinkage and Mechanical Properties

❑ MPI Reactive Molding

❑ MPI Underfill Encapsulation

CC--MMOOLLDD GGrroouupp TTeessttss::

❑ C-MOLD Filling

❑ C-MOLD Filling and Packing

❑ C-MOLD Filling, Packing and Shrinkage



temperatures, and shear rates associated with the injectionmolding process is most commonly accomplished usingconventional capillary rheometers. These laboratoryinstruments offer outstanding precision, but their 'meltingmechanism' is purely conductive heat transfer. This is unlikeinjection molding, where both conductive heat transfer andviscous heating during plastication and injection can play animportant role (i.e. shear history). Rheological data generatedwith a more realistic melting mechanism should lead to morerealistic process simulation results. This is particularlyimportant for fiber reinforced thermoplastics where the shearhistory associated with injection and plastication can have avery significant influence on fiber length and, therefore, flowbehavior. Injection molding based rheometers also offer awealth of other advantages. They are especially useful whenworking with materials where mixing is critical. In addition,the effects of masterbatch additives (added at the hopper) canbe easily evaluated. They offer advantages in terms of test time,and these rheometers can be easily automated.”

Professor Coates adds to this by stating, “Basically, in-linerheometry (and other in-process measurements which includeflow visualization, rheo-optical measurements, ultrasound,Raman, IR and UV spectroscopy) offers information about thepolymer under relevant process history conditions(temperature, strain and stress histories), which off-linerheometry certainly does not. This is particularly important for‘process sensitive’ materials. Using off-line measurements can,therefore, be very misleading. In-line measurements ininjection molding can also allow thermal stability assessmentswhich are not possible using off-line rheometers, wheretemperature soak times are often several times the typicalpolymer residence time in normal processing.”

Corrected residual in-mold stress(CRIMS) model

Moldflow Plastics Insight® (MPI®) 4.1 simulations allow theuse of three types of shrinkage data and models:

❑ Residual stress model (mechanical properties data required)❑ Residual strain model (Moldflow shrinkage data required)❑ Corrected in-mold residual stress (CRIMS) model

(Moldflow shrinkage data required)

Moldflow strongly recommends using the CRIMS model toachieve the best simulation results. The CRIMS techniqueachieves unprecedented accuracy in the prediction ofshrinkage and warpage using the predicted residual in-moldstress to correct the shrinkage predicted during the flowsimulation.

Moldflow analyzed morethan 20,000 moldings,each with varied processconditions, thickness, ormaterial. The purposewas to compare theaccuracy of predictionsbased on mathematicaltheory alone and thosebased on CRIMS.Greater than 85 percentof the predictions basedon CRIMS were within20 percent of theexperimental result,whereas less than 15percent achieved thisresult for the predictionbased on mathematicaltheory alone.

Mold verification

Mold verification demonstrates the ability of a given materialdata set and simulation program to predict cavity pressure ascompared to experimental molding observations. Plaques aremolded on an injection molding machine which isinstrumented with cavity pressure sensors. Moldings areperformed at the recommended melt and mold temperatures, atvarious flow rates and multiple part thicknesses, as outlined ina design of experiments (DOE). Flow simulations areperformed at each of the molding conditions using themeasured flow, thermal, and pvT data. The predicted cavitypressures are compared to the experimental measurements tovalidate the material data set.

Injection molding machines form an integral part ofthe MPL material testing strategy.

MPL offers traditional capillaryrheometry services for those who

need this type of data.

the polymer pages


MPL recommends injection molding rheometry togenerate optimum data for Moldflow simulations.


Neha Mehta is a graduate student at theUniversity of Massachusetts Lowell(UMass Lowell), scheduled to graduatein September 2003 with a master'sdegree in plastics engineering. Sheearned her undergraduate degree inplastics technology at L.D. College ofEngineering in India. She has beenworking as an intern at MoldflowCorporation's corporate headquarterssince April 2003.

During her internship, she workedprimarily in technical support providingsupport and expertise associated withMoldflow Plastics Advisers® (MPA®)and Moldflow Plastics Insight® (MPI®)products. Her responsibilities includedhelping customers with softwarelicensing, product installation,troubleshooting, and interpretinganalysis results.

She says the work at Moldflow hashelped with preparation of her graduatethesis. “I have been comparing fillingpatterns obtained with a simulationpackage with actual molding trialsassociated with 'micro-molded' parts. Iam using Moldflow software as mysimulation package for that work. It'shelped me a lot in developing anunderstanding for the MPI product. Thework with Moldflow has really helpedme in completing my thesis. At the sametime, the internship opportunity hasprovided me with a great deal of hands-on experience with the software,” says Mehta.

Prior to the internship, Mehta usedMoldflow products at the simulation labat the university. “I began usingMoldflow software during my secondsemester at school,” adds Mehta.

Post graduation plans

Mehta hopes to secure a positionworking with Moldflow products aftergraduating with her master's degree. “Iam very confident that my education

and experience using the simulationpackages will bolster me into a goodcareer. The high exposure to thetechnology and strong work ethics havepositioned me to obtain a good positionin the plastics industry. This has been avery positive and rewarding experiencefor me. Regarding my immediate future,I plan to continue to work withMoldflow products.”

Internship programs

Mehta says the knowledge from books isnot at all sufficient in terms of obtaininga well-rounded education. “At thecollege and post-graduate level,” Mehtanotes, “practical knowledge is almostmore important than book-basedinformation. Internships help preparestudents to face the tough andcompetitive real-world workingenvironment. For engineering students,internships provide hands-on experiencein a real engineering organization.”

She selected UMass Lowell for hergraduate work because she learned thatthe college has an excellent program forplastics engineering. “I became veryinterested in the school because of itsengineering and plastics curricula,” says Mehta.

Mehta's UMass Lowell advisor andassociate professor, Carol Barry, hasworked with Mehta for almost two years.

She teaches all the graduate studentsduring their first semester. “Neha is agood student,” says Barry. “She has beenworking hard on meshing parts andperforming analyses throughout herstudies here. She was one of two studentsworking with me using MPI/3D. Prior totackling the software, we hadn't done alot of work with the 3D capabilities.Learning to use the package, we allbenefited by working together to graspconcepts and functionality.”

Barry says that Mehta's career prospectsare much better now versus the sametime last year. “Our graduate students arevery successful in finding goodpositions,” adds Barry. She says thatUMass Lowell's engineering departmenturges students to participate ininternship programs. “Generally,students with internship experienceobtain better jobs when they graduate.We try to urge students to seek outsideexperience after their sophomore yearsin the undergraduate school. Graduatestudents, and particularly internationalgraduate students, typically choose tospend their summers working ininternship programs. If they can do it,they will.”

“It's also a big advantage to all studentsthat we have the real-world softwaretools here at the university. We use thetechnologies for research and forteaching. If students like the software,they play with it and spend lots of time inthe lab using it. If they don't gravitate toit, then they can work with the injectionmolding machine,” adds Barry.

UMass Lowell Student Obtains RealWorld Experience at Moldflow

Neha Mehta working at her internship atMoldflow Corporation.

You can get more informationabout the Plastics EngineeringPrograms at UMass Lowell atwww.uml.edu or by contactingthe department chairman [email protected].


learning curves


Introducing Moldflow PlasticsAdvisers 7.0

By Murali Anna-Reddy, Moldflow Corporation

Since its launch in 1997, MoldflowPlastics Advisers® (MPA®) design-for-manufacturability software hasrevolutionized the way that plastics partand mold designers optimize their partand mold designs. Unlike MoldflowPlastics Insight® (MPI®) software, whichprovides a complete suite of modules forsimulating the most comprehensiverange of manufacturing processesencountered in thermoplastics andthermoset injection molding across abroad range of geometry types, MPAproducts provide first-pass analysis toolsbest used in the earliest stages of part andmold design. MPA products have beendesigned for the “casual analyst,” who istypically someone for whom runninginjection molding simulations is not theprimary job, and answer basic questionssuch as “Will the part fill?” and “Whereare the weld lines?” As a result, MPAtools are used extensively by part andmold designers, mold makers, industrialdesigners, design consultants and evenby advanced CAE analysts, who useMPA results to determine whichapplications require the more in-depthanalyses available in MPI modules.

Over the years, the capabilities of MPAsoftware have expanded from being ableto analyze only the part geometry tobeing able to analyze complete, multi-cavity mold layouts, including hot orcold runner systems and family molds.The results available from MPA analyseshave also grown to include pressures,temperatures, sink marks, coolingquality, and gate location. The newanalysis capabilities and results havebeen added to MPA software over theyears in direct response to marketfeedback, to help our customers decreasetime to market, improve the overallquality of their part and mold designs,and ensure that projects are deliveredwithin budgetary constraints. MPA 7.0 isscheduled for commercial release inDecember 2003.

MPA 7.0 contains significant new features and enhancements for increasing user productivity,collaborating with expert users andconsultants, and further optimizing partand mold designs. In addition, two newadd-on modules are available to extendMoldflow Mold Adviser capabilities withthe MPA 7.0 release — one forinvestigating the tendency for partwarpage and one for evaluating andoptimizing mold cooling circuit designs.

This article describes in detail new MPA7.0 features and enhancements, including:

❑ Connect to Consultants Tool —facilitates communication between theMPA user and a plastics simulationexpert/consultant.

❑ New Optimization Tools — extendsthe optimization focus of MPA softwarethrough a material/process adviser and amold runner system adviser.

❑ Moldflow Mold Adviser ExtensionModules — enables mold designers toevaluate and optimize molded partperformance and cooling circuit design.

❑ Customer Driven Enhancements —including a material orientation plot andnew runner system modeling tools.

Connect to ConsultantsTool

MPA 7.0 features a utility that facilitatescollaboration and monitoring ofMoldflow Part Adviser and MoldflowMold Adviser analysis results by aplastics simulation expert or consultant,usually someone within the user'sorganization, whom the user specifies.The Connect to Consultants tool willallow the expert/consultant to assist theMPA user with result interpretation,problem troubleshooting, alternativedesign suggestions, and improving theMPA user's overall comprehension ofthe software.

This powerful tool is simple to set up andoperate. To begin with, the user specifies

the e-mail address of theexpert/consultant inside the software.From this point on, the expert/consultant can be notified via e-mail when a specific issue arises. Thenotification can be triggered eithermanually or automatically. In manualmode, the MPA user initiates the call tothe expert/consultant. When doing this,the user can choose to provide the model and/or a report to facilitate the expert/consultant to quicklycomprehend the issue and provide aresponse. In automatic mode, theexpert/consultant can set up criteria thatwill trigger the automatic notification ofa problem. The criteria can be specific tothe current model or based on historicaltrends in results. The latter option allowspotential problems to be detected evenbefore they arise.

The Connect to Consultants tool will nurture a mentoring relationshipbetween the MPA user and thedesignated expert/consultant in theorganization and ensure the successfulapplication of the technology. It can alsoturn a novice MPA user into a moreinformed user in the long run.

New Optimization Tools

Material/Process Adviser

Moldflow Part Adviser and MoldflowMold Adviser users can now optimizethe material selection process byevaluating several materials andidentifying the material which has thelargest processing window and leastamount of cooling time for their partdesign. The user begins by selecting anynumber of materials, and then launchesthe Molding Window Analysis. Thesoftware compares each material'sprocessing window as well as themaximum and average cooling times ofthe part. From this comparison, thesoftware ranks the materials in the orderof most suitable (largest processingwindow and shortest cooling time) toleast suitable (smallest processingwindow and longest cooling time).


what’s new


Runner System Adviser

Mold designers using Moldflow MoldAdviser will benefit from the runnersystem adviser, which extends the gateoptimization tool (introduced in MPA6.0) to automatically size sprue, runner,and gate components of the runnersystem. An optimized runner systemhelps to reduce scrap, improveproductivity, and reduce productioncosts. By automating the runner systemdesign process, mold designers will haveone less issue to address regarding theirmold design. While designing the runnersystem, the user can mark portions of (orthe entire) runner system for auto-sizing.The program calculates best dimensionsfor each marked segment of the runnersystem and automatically updates themodel with these calculated dimensions.The designer can review the changesmade and obtain feedback on thereason(s) for the change in thedimension(s).

Moldflow Mold AdviserExtension Modules

Two new add-on modules to MoldflowMold Adviser are being introduced inMPA 7.0 to extend its capabilities toquickly evaluate and optimize partperformance and cooling circuit design.

PPeerrffoorrmmaannccee AAddvviisseerr

Packing Analysis

A packing analysis can be used tooptimize the second stage of theinjection molding process to achieve theright balance between part quality, partcost, and cycle time. Users can set up andevaluate packing profiles to determinethe optimal packing pressure andduration of packing. From the analysis,the user can review the volumetric

shrinkage, cycle time, and the averagetemperature across the part.

Warpage Indicator

Undetected, warpage can become anextremely costly problem to fix once amold is in a production environment.The new MPA 7.0 Warpage Indicator isa traffic-light plot (analogous to theConfidence-of-Fill plot) that highlightsthe areas where part warpage exceeds auser-specified, acceptable warpage levelrelative to a user-specified referenceplane. Users can investigate further foradditional information on the source ofwarpage and obtain recommendations tofix the problem. Users evaluate whetherchanges made to the part or mold designor to the material or process conditionswill bring the part warpage to withinacceptable levels.

CCoooolliinngg CCiirrccuuiitt AAddvviisseerr

Cooling Circuit Design and Evaluation

Mold designers can now quickly designand evaluate their cooling circuit layoutsto achieve uniform cooling with aminimum cycle time. Regular coolingchannels, baffles, bubblers, and hoses allcan be modeled and evaluated. From theanalysis, users obtain the parttemperature and cooling time. The parttemperature plot is useful in identifyinghot spots and non-uniform coolingregions. The designer can then considerpart and mold changes to address theseproblems. The cooling time plot is usefulin identifying regions which are taking alonger (than average) time to cool,thereby affecting the overall cycle time.In addition, the analysis provides severalresults related to the cooling circuits,including Reynolds number flow rate,pressure, and temperature, all of which

can help the designer to maximize theefficiency of the cooling system.

Automatic Cooling Layout Wizard

The Cooling Layout Wizard automatesthe cooling circuit design process byautomatically generating an initialcooling system. The wizard utilizes a setof standard rules to generate thelocation and sizes of the coolingchannels. The mold designer can adjustthe cooling lines to account for ejectorpins and other mold components.

Customer-drivenEnhancements

Several much-requested userenhancement requests will becomeavailable in MPA 7.0. These include amaterial orientation plot and runnersystem translation tools, among others.

Material Skin Orientation Plot

The Material Skin Orientation plotdisplays the orientation of polymermolecules and/or fibers (if any) on theskin (surface) of the part at the end offilling. This plot assists in determining aqualitative estimate of the part strength,especially in the vicinity of weld lines.Uniform orientation leads to bettersurface quality, while differential skinorientation potentially causes differentialshrinkage and part warpage. Part andmold designers can evaluate alternativegating strategies to reduce differentialorientation.

New Runner System Modeling Tools

Moldflow Mold Adviser users can takeadvantage of new modeling tools thatallow them to translate, rotate, andmirror portions of the complete runnersystem. Previously, these tools were


what’s new



the analyst says


The global market facing many NorthAmerican small and mid-sizedmanufacturers, especially those of matureproducts, is one of fierce pricecompetition, difficulties in creatingproduct differentiation, and loss of insightinto market drivers due to the absence ofdirect interaction with customers.

What will be the fate of small and mid-sized American manufacturers in the 21stcentury? These manufacturers, regardlessof business model — engineer to order or manufacture to stock — or products —diesel engines or industrial fans, objects or materials — have the sameoverwhelming concern: cost control in the face of competition with low-wage countries.

The temptation for North Americancompanies is to abandon their strategicgoals, like product excellence, in favor oftactical maneuvers such as manufacturingcost-cuts. However, these approaches willnot win in the long run against globalcompetition. All you end up with is alosing battle of costs, and the sacrifice ofquality and innovation.

What answer could one give to a managerin a small or mid-sized manufacturingcompany who has come to believe thatsuperior product quality will not protecthis company from fierce cost competitionagainst cheap off-shore labor? Or to the

frustrated product development engineerwho complains that because of the needto cut costs his company has no staff orresources to devote to innovation?

QualityMost manufacturers would proclaimproduct quality as extremely important tothe company's success, and yet they alsorecognize the necessity of balancingquality and cost. At the same time, theyfeel deeply frustrated by any productdeficiencies arising from the sacrifice ofquality to cost. Loss of quality can meanloss of business, and companies that do alot of repeat business with few customersrisk losing their preferred vendor status. Ifa certain amount of degradation inquality due to cost control is unavoidable,the key question becomes: what is thecustomer's threshold of tolerance forproduct defects? Once you know that, youhave two options: internal customersupport or field service. Either way,customer satisfaction will be contingentupon an ongoing high level of confidencein the quick and complete correction of problems.

Direct sales channels and internalcustomer support have always providedfeedback to the manufacturer aboutcustomer demands and market drivers.However, companies that outsource theirdistribution and support lose this. Amanufacturer without access to timelyinformation about the product'sperformance has little to go on to assureor improve its quality and hence its competitiveness.

InnovationWhat role does innovation play in themanufacturing of mature products withstable technology? You may think thatinnovation refers simply to productdevelopment, that if there is no

requirement for novelty to sustaindemand, innovation plays little if any rolein staying competitive.

However, the realm of innovationactually is much broader than this.Innovation can mean the invention ofnew products; the improvement ofexisting products in function, form, orsubstance; and new approaches in themanufacturing process itself.

Even if there is little way to differentiatea mature product from that of thecompetition, innovative solutions toproblems of efficiency or customersupport will strengthen your competitiveedge. Innovation comes from individuals,not armies of cheap labor.

CostManufacturing costs are, of course, thebottom line — not the whole story, butthe foundation for everything else acompany can do to gain competitiveadvantage. Cutting costs by abandoningquality and innovation is suicidal for acompany. The key to cost control withoutself-inflicted wounds is this: maximizeefficiency and monitor quality in themanufacturing process. Manage thatprocess in a way that integrates control of and feedback from all stages of that process.

Sources of strengthWhat can small and mid-sized NorthAmerican manufacturing companies doto improve their prospects? If we acceptthe current mantra of abandoning allbusiness activities that don't play to thecore strength of the company, and thecurrent tactic of sacrificing quality andinnovation to control cost, many of themshould close their doors and hand theirbusiness over to their Asia-Pacificcompetitors.

North American Manufacturing in the21st Century: You Know It Ain't Easy,

You Know How Hard It Can BeBy Gisela Wilson, Director, Product Life-Cycle Management, IDC



ourselves as well as for other molders. Other molders are veryinterested in the Moldflow data and how the mold is designed.The end user, who is buying the plastic part, doesn't care aboutthe mold as much as getting a good plastic part, because theyhave to live with how that tool functions.” Basilius is pleasedwith the MPA automated update functionality. He's the soleMPA user at the organization.

Hoffmann says that recently a customer wanted to increaseproduction to produce a multi-material part. “In response,”notes Hoffmann, “we developed our patented LIT system toincrease the number of cavities that could be obtained in thistype of mold. We assembled the entire molding system in ourtest lab and made it production ready. On the shop floor, wehave implemented palletized systems and robots integratedwith metal cutting machines and CMMs that handle our moldcomponents and allow for dramatic increases in unattendedmachining. These are just two of many innovation orimprovement examples.”

Tri-Mack Plastics has excellent customer loyalty. “Returnbusiness is significant,” affirms Mack. “New purchase ordersfrom existing customers are the best compliment a supplier canask for.”

For more information about these companies, go towww.basilius.com; www.cacopacific.com; andwww.trimack.com.

Such abdication would ignore the real strength of smallmanufacturing businesses, which has always made them theseedbed of innovation and growth: their people. Manufacturingcompanies need to become places where employees can bring tobear their training, their experience, and their creativity. Tosucceed at this, companies must enable information sharing,collaboration, and knowledge management.

Information sharingInformation sharing will help companies tear down the walls thatisolate functional silos such as product development, purchasing,manufacturing, and sales from one another, and open up productand operational information to a much wider group of people.This information must, however, be presented in the right formand at the right time, depending upon the needs of the user. Forexample, sales and marketing probably would never needcomplete 3D CAD files on a product, but could use lightweightgeometry visuals as part of sales information and marketingmessages. Sales would never need the entire Gantt chart for shopfloor planning. Sufficient for the information they want to sendtheir customers would be a simple report on when the productwill be ready for shipment.

CollaborationTeam collaboration is another component of managementstrategy to empower employees for innovation. Collaboration canbe important not only within the company, but also with externalteams, such as suppliers and business partners. For example, sales,marketing, designers, and developers often need to collaborate onproduct specifications or during product launches. In the past, themany technical hurdles hindered most attempts at suchcollaboration: Incompatible file formats, file security and accesscontrol, etc. Now, however, cost-effective and easily managedsystems for team collaboration are available even to the smaller enterprises.

Knowledge managementCollective knowledge is a company's third source of strength: itspast technical and operational expertise, the training, experience,and creative capabilities of its employees. Traditionally, thelocations of this wealth of knowledge made it impossible or atleast difficult to leverage it into real benefits for the company.Stored in individual brains, notebooks, patent applications,procedural lore, and unconnected computer files, there was noway to access or disseminate this treasure of ideas. Now, however,systems are available for gathering, integrating, providing accessto, and presenting all of this accumulated knowledge in ways toassist managing change, making decisions, and tracking costs and resources.

ConclusionManufacturers cannot survive in this business environmentsimply by trying to win the battle against cost. Although costcontrol is crucial, quality and innovation remain necessary tosustain a competitive edge. The strategy to achieve this rests upondoing what western manufacturers have always done better thancheap labor competition: innovation, invention, and creativesolutions. These abilities emerge from the capabilities ofindividuals. The key to achieving these goals — cost-control,quality assurance, and enhanced innovation — is to provide theappropriate tools so that individuals can use their training andexperience to ensure the success of their company.

IDC is the premier global market intelligence andadvisory firm in the intelligence technology (IT) andtelecommunications industries. Its 700 analysts in 70countries analyze and predict technology trends so thatits clients can make strategic, fact-based decisions on ITpurchases and business strategies. For moreinformation, go to www.idc.com.

analyst says, continued from page 27

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(the images were provided courtesy of Basilius, Inc.)



Thermoset material testing

MPL offers a full range of tests for thermoset materialcharacterization, providing thermal conductivity, soliddensity, specific heat, curing kinetics, and shear viscositydata:

❑ Thermal conductivity is measured by means of a transientline-source technique❑ Solid density is measured using a hydrostatic balanceapparatus❑ Specific heat and curing kinetics are measured bydifferential scanning calorimetry❑ Shear viscosity is measured by reservoir slit-die rheometry,an innovative technique that captures the effects of shearrate, temperature, and curing

The combination of these tests gives MPL an unparalleledcapability to characterize the properties of thermosetmaterials. Thermoset material data is required forMPI/Reactive Molding, MPI/Microchip Encapsulation, andMPI/Underfill Encapsulation simulations.

On-line data fitting service

Moldflow Plastics Laboratories (MPL) is committed tostrengthening its ties to the material supplier community inthe interests of providing Moldflow customers with thebroadest range of high-quality data for CAE simulations. TheWeb-based MPL/Data Fitting utility gives material suppliersthe ability to create material data files that can be importeddirectly into Moldflow Plastics Insight and Moldflow PlasticsAdvisers® (MPA®) software. limited to part geometry only. These much-requested tools

allow mold designers to quickly and efficiently design runnersystems, thereby increasing overall productivity.

Update on Supported Hardware and CADIntegrations

Microsoft Windows NT, which Microsoft officially stoppedsupporting in June 2003, is no longer a supported operatingsystem for MPA software. The complete list of officiallysupported hardware platforms and operating systems includesMicrosoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP, Sun Solaris 8 and9, HP-UX 11.0, SGI IRIX 6.5, and IBM AIX 4.3.3.

The MPA CAD-integrated versions have been updated tosupport the latest product releases from the world's leadingCAD companies, including Pro/Engineer Wildfire, SolidWorks2004, Solid Edge 15.0, Autodesk Inventor 7.0, and AutodeskMechanical Desktop 7.0.

In addition, Moldflow Design Link™ 4.0 (MDL™ 4.0) iscompletely integrated with the Moldflow Plastics Advisers 7.0release. MDL 4.0 provides a geometry data translation interfacebetween MPA software and leading CAD systems usingstandard geometry formats such as IGES, STEP, and Parasolid,as well as allowing direct import of native Pro/ENGINEER®

part and CATIA® V5 part files.

Look for the release of MPA 7.0 in December 2003. Formore information about Moldflow Plastics Adviserssoftware, go to www.moldflow.com or contact yourlocal Moldflow representative.

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AcquisitionsOver the past two years, Kistler acquired two vehicle wheelmeasurement companies. These companies utilize strain gaugemeasuring principles in lieu of piezoelectric technology. Thestrain gauge technology employed in these wheels is farsuperior to the normal strain technology that is available onthe open market. We are in the process of determining what, ifany, benefit this technology can have in other markets, such asplastics, that we serve.

ConclusionAt Kistler, we believe that there is no single recipe for growthin any market in the 21st century. Rather, it will take a numberof strategies that are closely bundled together to compete formarket share. We always will focus on helping our customerssolve their most perplexing problems. Finally, strategies areimportant. The execution of the strategy is even moreimportant than the strategy itself. The single most essentialingredient of success is to delight your customers in whateverendeavor you undertake.

executive view, continued from page 15

To learn more about material testing services anddata requirements for Moldflow simulations, go towww.moldflow.com, send e-mail [email protected], or contact your local Moldflowsupport office.

Kistler is one of the world's leading suppliers ofmeasurement technology. Kistler sensors use thepiezoelectric effect to measure pressure, force andacceleration. To find out more about Kistler, go towww.kistler.com

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