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Pro/MOLDESIGN Technical Tutorial

Scott MorrisProduct Manager

Tooling Applications

Pradeep TilakQuality Assurance Engineer

Tooling Applications

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Pro/MOLDESIGN Technical Tutorial

• How Can I ...– Understand Pro/MOLDESIGN’s

Basic Elements?– Establish a Consistent Design

Process?– Use Simple Shapes to Define

Complex Shapes?

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Overview

• What is Pro/MOLDESIGN?• Pro/MOLDESIGN Process

– Defining Mold Components• Choosing a simple technique• Creating parting geometry• Organization of the features

– Pro/MOLDESIGN Advantages

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What is Pro/MOLDESIGN?

• Software Tool for Defining the Components of Plastic Injection Mold

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Pro/MOLDESIGN Workflow

Work Piece Model

Ref Model

Parting Geometry

Mold Components

Work Flow

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Pro/MOLDESIGN Process

1. Combine Reference Model and Work PieceAssemble Components Into Mold Model

2. Create Intermediate SolidCreate Trimmed Mold Volume

3. Create Parting GeometryCreate Parting Surfaces and Volumes

4. Intersect Intermediate Solid with Parting GeometryCreate One Volume Splits for Components and a Two Volume Split for Core & Cavity

5. Create Solid ModelsExtract Split Volumes

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Defining The Process - Step 1

• Combine Reference Model and Work Piece Model

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Reference Model

• Parametric Link to Design Model– Merge by

Reference– Manufacturing

Instance for:• Shrinkage• Draft, ect.

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• Defines Overall Size of Mold Inserts• Reference Only

– No Geometry Is Altered• Geometry

– Simple Block– Detailed Unit

Workpiece Model

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Defining The Process - Step 2

• Create Main Intermediate SolidMold Volume

– Gather Mold Volume Using Srf&Bnd– Trim Reference Model from Volume

Workpiece Gathered Volume Trimmed Volume

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Main Intermediate Solid

• What Is It?– A Closed Set of Surfaces

Mold Volume

• Defines the Overall Size of the Mold Inserts

• Defines the Contours of the Part to be Molded

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Main Mold Volume

• Why Create It?– Source of All Intersections

Splits

– Consumable Geometry• Geometry Visualization• Interference Checking

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Product Demonstration

• Process Steps 1 & 2– Assemble Reference Model– Assemble Work piece Model– Create Main Volume

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Defining The Process - Step 3

• Create Parting GeometryParting Surfaces & Mold Volumes

– Open and Closed Surfaces• Intersect the Main Volume To Define Individual

Mold Component(s)– Consists of:

• Geometry for Individual Components• Geometry for Main Parting Line (core/cavity)

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Parting Geometry

Parting SurfacesOpen Quilts

Mold VolumesClosed Quilts

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Traditional “Blanket” Surface

“Swiss Cheese” Surface

How To Define The Parting Geometry?

Surface Modeling Solid Modeling

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Swiss Cheese Parting Surface

3. Core/Cavity Surface

1. Fill Rectangular Slots

2. Fill Back Cut Out

4. Core Pin

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Fill Rectangular Slots

Surface Patch?

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Offset Parting Surface

• Create Surface Copy– Fill All Inner Loops

• Create Offset Surface From Copy

Surface Copy Fill Loops Offset

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Product Demonstration

• Fill Rectangular Slots

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Fill Back Cut Out

OriginalGeometry

Copy OriginalSurface Before

Cut Was Created

CreateSurface Patch

• Parting Surface Options

Surface Patch?

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FreeForm Parting Surface

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Product Demonstration

• Fill Back Cut Out

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Core/Cavity Parting Surface

Flat, Extrude, Extend, Blend, Merge?

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Variable Section Sweep Surface

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Product Demonstration

• Create Main Parting Surface

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Core Pin Surface

Gather, Revolve, Extend, Trim Volume?

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Revolved Parting Surface

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Product Demonstration

• Create Core Pin Surface

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Defining The Process - Step 4

• Intersect Main Volume with Parting Geometry– One Volume Split

• As Required for Each Mold component– Two Volume Split

• Final Split to Divide Core & Cavity

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The Geometry Calculator

• What Is Split?Calculation of Resulting Volumes When Main Volume is Intersected by the Parting Geometry – How Many Volumes to Find?

• One Volume Split• Two Volume Split

– What to Split From?• Mold Volume• Work Piece

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The Geometry Calculator

OneVolume

Split

Input Output

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The Geometry Calculator

TwoVolume

Split

OutputInput

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Product Demonstration

• Split Core Pin with One Volume Split• Split Core/Cavity with Two Volume Split

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Defining The Process - Step 5

• Create Solid Models– Extract Split Volumes

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Product Demonstration

• Create Solid Models

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Organization of the Model

• Reference Model• Work Piece• Main Volume• Parting Geometry• Split Volumes• Extracted Mold

Components

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Process Advantages

• Creating Simple Shapes and Having Pro/MOLDESIGN Calculate the Complex Shapes

• Minimize Complex Surface Creation– Do not need to fill “gaps” where core pins or

inserts will be utilized• Visualization

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• Regeneration– External References– Parent/Child Relationships

• Design Flexibility– Design Changes– Concurrent Engineering– Maintenance & Conditioning

Process Advantages