Beaumont Technologies, Inc

CAE Mold Filling Simulation

These articles were originally printed in SPE Molding Views newsletters, which are provided by the Injection Molding Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers. John Ralston, operations and engineering manager of Beaumont Technologies, answers these CAE questions using more than 18 years of injection molding simulation experience.

Q&A

What is the purpose of modeling the mold boundary for cooling analysis in Moldflow? Is there a definite effect on the mold temperature analysis output?

Q&A

Are mold filling simulation software programs able to predict shear-induced flow imbalances?

Q&A

Our company currently has CAE plastics flow analysis work performed by outside consultants. Management is looking to cut costs and bring everything in-house. They would like to use the money spent on consultants to justify purchasing the software. As such, what are the main factors in deciding whether to purchase the software or to continue using outside consultants?

Q&A

Can CAE simulation determine for me if the water flow in the cooling channels is turbulent? If so, what Reynolds number is optimal for determining the flow rate capacity of a cooling system?

Q&A

Can a 3D part mesh be analyzed properly using a 1D beam runner? And, are there any known issues with mixing and matching mesh types?

Q&A

I did a mold filling simulation on a new part and mold design to ensure that I had enough pressure available to fill the part. However, the analysis under-predicted the pressures by 20%, and now I am on the verge of being pressure limited. I have to go back and rework the mold or find a molding machine with more available pressure. Is this a common problem with CAE? Why is the analysis prediction so different from the actual results?

Q&A

As of lately, our company has been utilizing our CAE software's 3D part Meshing capabilities. Does a 3D part mesh require a 3D runner system? If so, will this increase the model element count and resultant analysis run time?