Published 1/12/2009

Dedicated Mold Design Software Offering Complete CAM Integration

Missler Software (Addison, IL) launched the 2009 version of its TopSolid CAD/CAM software range at the EuroMold trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany last month.

TopSolid’Mold is a dedicated mold design software offering complete CAM integration with TopSolid’Cam. (Including the standard design elements and machining processes involved in the mold making industry.) TopSolid'Mold enables calculation of the shrinkage factor, analysis of undercuts, calculation of the parting line and surface of the joint, automatic creation and definition of the core block and cavity, implementation of the standard carcass, systems of injection and ejection and analysis of the cooling system.

Here are three major improvements of TopSolid’Mold 2009:

1. TopSolid’Mold in a collaborative environment - TopSolid’Mold 2009 allows the design of a mold in a collaborative environment. This means that it is now possible to enable several users to work on the design of the mold at the same time, thus reducing design times. This new function is essential for today’s moldmakers who are increasingly obliged to design molds in shorter delays. The flexibility offered by TopSolid’Mold 2009 permits different organisation structures :

Sub-assemblies are split between different users :
- Divide injection / ejection / movements
- Divide die base / core and cavity blocks / feeding system
- Divide inserts + associated movements / core and cavity blocks / die base
Simultaneous mold design by the visualisation of an « assembly context » (which shows all elements of the mold design being worked on) in order to control the work of all users at the synchronisation stage. Thereby, different users can work on the one mold at the same time.
« Distant » sharing: an on-demand synchronisation system between different work stations permits work to continue in an environment which may be temporarily unsynchronised. The user thereby works on an « image » of his study off site (while on a business trip, at the customer site, outside the design office …) and synchronises his work with his team on his return.

A general assembly is available at all times if the study needs to be assembled which enables the control and visualisation of the work of each user. This is also necessary for draft and machining plans.

2. Management of parting surfaces – The creation of parting lines is a very important stage in the design of a mold. TopSolid’Mold enables you to design the most complex parting surfaces with great ease thanks to the many improvements developed in this area every year. TopSolid’Mold 2009 offers intuitive design of parting surfaces as well as automatic management of changes made to the parting surfaces:

Mixed design: It is easier to mix the design of dedicated surface plans with "standard" parting surfaces offered in TopSolid’Design.
Multi-part parting surfaces: It is increasingly frequent to manage projects with multiple parts - TopSolid’Mold 2009 offers the necessary tools to manage this.
Rapid modification: As mold designers need to be very reactive to changing parts and designs TopSolid’Mold 2009 offers all the tools to effectively manage all changes to parting surfaces.

3. Regulation management – TopSolid’Mold already offers many functions to easily manage cooling circuits. Here is a quick look at what’s new in TopSolid’Mold 2009 :
- Simpler design: you can use different design methods, from the simplest to the most complex design of elaborate circuits on 3D contours.
- More efficient control of components: TopSolid’Mold detects component dimensions to be used and guarantees their associativity during modification.
- Optimal management: you design the different parts of your circuit independently which are subsequently assembled by a simple « drag-and-drop » operation. Numbering, designation, creation of the isometric view of your circuit are all done by a simple click.
- Advanced collision control: You manage at all instants the feasibility of your circuit by avoiding collisions between the components of your mold and your cooling circuits.