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Appendix 1 CAD/CAM (Computer-Assisted DesignComputer-Assisted
Manufacturing)
As stated before, this book is not about the actual technique of
designing
(delineating) molds, but about the logic and reasons behind a
successful mold
design and the questions the designer must consider and answer
at every step of
the design process. Computers now play an important part in this
process,
especially if there are many precedents accessible to the
designer to be used for
new designs and if there is a large collection of standards that
can be accessedfrom computer memories without the need for
tediously drawing and redrawing,
from simple parts to complicated subassemblies. Also, by using
special
programs, many calculations can be performed rapidly and
accurately, and
newly created mold designs can be easily checked for efciency of
plastics ow,
cooling, strength of materials, cam motions, and so on.
Because there are so many design programs, the designer usually
starts by
redrawing the customer's information, which may have been
submitted as hard
copy (prints) or electronically, but originating from a
different system than the
one used by the designer. Once the to be molded part (the
product) is drawn and
dimensioned to the designer's shop rules, a program will be used
to add the mold
shrinkage to established rules. A constant factor may be used
for the product, or
different shrinkages may be applicable, as explained earlier in
this book.
The designer will now go through the motions as explained
earlier, either
designing ``from scratch,'' or searching the les for a suitable
precedent. If a
good precedent is found, it can now be merged with the new
product drawingand the mold can be designed. Once completed in
principle, various programs
can be used to check selected areas (plates, cavities, etc.) for
physical strength
and to check with other programs the expected efciency of lling
the mold
cavities, gate location and sizes, runner sizes, the cooling
layout, and so on. Note
that all results from using these programs depend on the
accuracy of the data
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provided, such as reasonable assumptions as to temperatures,
pressures, times,
and so on.
Once the mold drawings are nished, they are transferred to
the
manufacturing group. By using related, compatible CAM programs,
which areoften developed in-house, and the input of experienced
machinist/programmers,
the manufacturing group will determine the best tools to use for
the selected
machine tools and the appropriate tool paths for each mold part
for each tool and
for each machine tool.
The following is a list of better known and widely used CAD and
CAM
programs.
CAD/CAM Programs
Autocad, Autodesk Canada Inc. (mostly for PCs)
90 Allstate Parkway, Suite 201, Markham, ON, Canada L3R 6H3
905-946-0928Unigraphics, Unigraphics Solutions
2550 Matheson Blvd., Mississauga, ON, Canada L4W 4Z1
905-212-4500
Proengineer, Parametric Technologies Co.
128 Technology Dr., Waltham, MA 02453, USA
781-398-5000
Fluid Flow Programs
CADMOULD, Simcon Inc. (moldow, cooling, shrinking and
warpage)
10914 N 39th. St., Suite B-4, Vancouver, WA 98682
888-754-8628
MOLDFLOW, Moldow Corp. (mold ow, cooling)
91 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, MA 02421, USA
781-674-0085
FEMAP Enterprise (uid ow, all uids)
PO 1172, Exton, PA 19341, USA
610-458-3660
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FIDAP, SPRC (uid ow)
1155 North Service Rd., Suite 11, Oakville, ON, Canada L6M
3E3
905-465-1733
(partner for Fluid Dynamics International, 708-491-0200)
Mechanical Stresses
ANSIS Mechanical Dynamics Ltd.400 Carlingview Dr. Toronto, ON,
Canada M9W 5X9
416-674-2144
AL GOR
150 Beta Dr., Pittsburg, PA 15288, USA
412-967-2700
110 CAD/CAM (Computer-Assisted DesignComputer-Assisted
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