MMT Chats: Lessons in Simulation
This mechanical engineer has a passion for simulation because he has spent most of his career working in injection molding and truly sees the value of detecting problems early in the design phase of a project.
MMT Chats: Lessons in Simulation
Mark Howards founder of 3D Shapes got his start doing plastic part design before good 3-D CAD tools were available and eventually ended up providing support for a family of CAD/CAM/CAE products that included plastics analysis software.
He started 3D Shapes in 1992 doing complex 3-D surface modeling and using CAE tools to optimize the design phase and then started doing plastics consulting. He’s been consulting ever since, and has a lot of simulation insight to share.
During this quick 10-minute conversation, Mark shares common problems he sees with clients, such as fill pattern, pressure and clamp force requirements, moving knit lines, best place to gate and non-uniform and high shrinkage, which can lead to dimensional issues, sink and even voids.
More importantly, he reviews the simulation solution to these issues. Click above for the full conversation.
Related Content
-
CAM Automation Increases Mold Production, Quality
Mold builder switches CAM software package after 20 years to take advantage of innovative programming strategies that reduce mold machining programming and processing times.
-
Tolerancing in Mold Design, Part 2: Using GD&T to Address Conventional Tolerancing Issues
Mold designers can achieve a single interpretation of workpiece functionality when following the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing standard.
-
How to Manage Wall Thickness Changes in Your Mold Design
To ensure even filling and cooling, consider wall section transitions, corners and fillets, ribs and bosses, lip and rim designs and CAE flow simulation software.